McDermott - "Still looking for that other safety"

[Captain_Quint]

1 hour ago, DapperCam said:

 

 

What happened to that Forrest guy we signed?

Turns out that he sucks so far. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

 

On the all-22 watch Hancock to my eyes had a few mistakes that led to coverage busts. Hard to know for sure without knowing the play call but that's how it looked. He also gave up a TD because he didn't get enough depth in the endzone.

 

I will say though those issues are all fixable with experience and time in the film room. My growing concern with Bishop on the other hand is that he just isn't a natural football player. That position requires an instinctive feel for what's going on around you in real time, and every time I watch him play it looks very robotic like he's thinking instead of just reacting. NFL history is littered with busts who failed for that exact reason. Hancock doesn't look robotic to me, he just looks like he needs time.

This! I've coached guys before that just didn't do anything naturally. I'm afraid Bishop is that guy.

[yall]

Gabe Davis doing a George Wilson. 😂 

[Alphadawg7]

59 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Trust me I know it's not a popular opinion, but it's how I've felt for a while. Safety to me is a position that shouldn't be drafted in the first 2 rounds, and if you do draft one they better be a total stud. To me the first 2 rounds are about premium positions with high end athletic traits. Safety is not a position where I care as much about athleticism. Obviously I'd prefer to have better than Hamlin out there but I'm also not panicking over it. Agree to disagree on this one Alpha.

 

Its all good, none of us are obligated to agree with one or the other, and respect your takes and opinions and enjoy bouncing opposing thoughts off one another.

 

But - my counter to this is that in a McD defense, Safety is a premium position and also currently is our weakest position.  This defense would be noticeably improved if we had a player the caliber of Kyle Hamilton on it.  And that isn't even a theory, the Ravens defense was not good the first half of last year, and it was moving Kyle that totally transformed the defense into literally the #1 defense in the AFC from that point on the final 11 weeks of the season.  

So I think where we can agree to disagree at is really how a safety should be valued.  Now - where I would sort of agree with you is that I wouldn't say start to rebuild a bad defense by starting a Safety.  But, a top end safety can have a big impact on a defense that has other pieces in place, and that is maybe even a bit more significant with team where Safety is a big part of their style like McD, the Ravens, etc.  

[Brand J]

25 minutes ago, zow2 said:

 

I saw a blurb in a national story going over NFL tidbits.  This wasn't hyperbolic Bills fans saying it... but it said McDermott was appalled by what he saw Sunday night in terms of depth of roster concerns, lack of physicality and poor efforts.

Team has been outscored 25-72 in 2 preseason games against the mighty Giants and Bears. I know these games mean nothing in terms of final score, but that disparity is an indictment on the Bills overall depth.

[VW82]

We are apparently now “ruthless” fans for wanting the team to move on from Hamlin per all the mainstream media. 

[skibum]

I don't think it's a big deal for him to say that. It's been an obvious roster battle from day 1, and it still is. It also doesn't mean he thinks the options all suck; maybe it's just that nobody has separated. Worst case scenario is nothing changes from last year. Maybe a little worse scenario is the rookie starts and gets blown up early and often. 

[Brand J]

Damar Hamlin is the Bobby Hart of our secondary. Just can’t quit him.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

6 minutes ago, VW82 said:

We are apparently now “ruthless” fans for wanting the team to move on from Hamlin per all the mainstream media. 

 

Why can't anyone push him off the roster first i think is the thought.  Forrest hasn't jumped him.  Hancocks played multiple positions in camp and is a rookie.  Lewis is not big enough or good enough at tackling to play safety imo.  

[TheFunPolice]

I read on here that preseason doesn't matter, so someone ought to clue coach McDermott in on that ASAP before he makes an emotional roster decision. 

Edited Tuesday at 06:25 PM by TheFunPolice

[aristocrat]

Could have had Xavier watts instead of Jackson 

[yall]

This whole "overreacting" narrative some people are pushing is silly. If we had good safety and overall secondary play last year and the preseason was garbage it might be correct to say that.

 

But what we're seeing is a continuation of the same problems we had last year. It's absolutely a cause for concern and not an overreaction. Take off the damn rose colored glasses.

[Gunsgoodtime]

Well you just used a whole draft on defense, very much like the whole time you been here 

[Bruffalo]

I understand that it's impossible to know this, but I really wonder how much of an upgrade it would need to be at safety to actually change the W/L record of the Bills this upcoming season. I get the sense that we'd need a superstar if we're talking about markedly changing how the Bills perform all season.

 

Sometimes great teams have a bad position group here or there. If the pass rush can get home then how much of a problem is safety going to be?

 

I don't know, maybe I'm dumb but safety just shouldn't be such a major problem that it tanks your season defensively.

[BananaB]

Jesus, seems like they keep bringing guys in but no one else really gets a shot. Didn’t they bring I couple vets last offseason?

 

Thought McD was a DB guru. Keep reading that somewhere 

Edited Tuesday at 06:53 PM by BananaB

[YoloinOhio]

Forrest was supposed to push for this role. Has been invisible. Should not have to depend on a 5th rd rookie to push bishop. I guess Lewis is an option but not a starting caliber guy. With negative 600k in cap space I don’t see them signing anyone decent. Maybe Po returns and is ok being paid in candy like lil dirty. Not sure his wife/agent would ok it. 

[Bruffalo]

1 minute ago, YoloinOhio said:

Forrest was supposed to push for this role. Has been invisible. Should not have to depend on a 5th rd rookie to push bishop. I guess Lewis is an option but not a starting caliber guy. With negative 600k in cap space I don’t see them signing anyone decent. Maybe Po returns and is ok being paid in candy like lil dirty. Not sure his wife/agent would ok it. 

No thanks, I'd rather run back Hamlin than field Poyer. He was not good with the Dolphins at all.

[BigDingus]

Did anyone tell McDermott "you're overreacting, it's just preseason?"

 

Because I thought people were saying you can't read into anything during preseason?

[YattaOkasan]

1 hour ago, balln said:

100. And all last year. Preseason and during the season - the idea of Rapp and Hamlin were a joke to me. 
 

Those rams , lions and playoff chiefs losses are bc we have bad safety play. Almost gave away ravens. 
 

and I died on the hill that Rapp BETTER  be the starter - that would be a huge miss by Beane to draft a SAFETY w those measurable in 2nd and he’s not even on the field.

was a red flag then. 
 

when you draft a guard , rb or safety in round 2. They better be starting ! End of story. When they aren’t. It’s a problem. 

 

Are you aware that Rapp was out for all those games (he left the ravens game in the first half and the second half is where we almost blew it)?  I think you might because of the next line, but wasnt sure cause in the first line you said you thought Rapp starting was a joke.  Seems like Rapp could potentially hold down the fort (though he has lapses at times and is not fleet of foot).  

[billsfan89]

11 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Forrest was supposed to push for this role. Has been invisible. Should not have to depend on a 5th rd rookie to push bishop. I guess Lewis is an option but not a starting caliber guy. With negative 600k in cap space I don’t see them signing anyone decent. Maybe Po returns and is ok being paid in candy like lil dirty. Not sure his wife/agent would ok it. 

 

I'm thinking they could make a trade in season. I think they are gonna likely go with Bishop or Hamlin next to Rapp and see how it plays out for the first 4-5 weeks and then see if they need some help make a trade. It's not ideal but I can't also say that they didn't try to have some options with Forrest out there and adding a mid round pick.