WhitewalkerInPhilly

If the message was received that this is the last year to save his career glory glory Hallelujah

Here's the thing: I don't hate the idea of legalized sports gambling. It's not as if being illegal ever stopped it and if anything it funded organized crime. And I don't hate the revenue stream from gambling. In my mind it's preferable to the trend of putting games on all of these exclusive platforms. But man, it is really hypocritical for the league to hammer players for using the gambling services that they themselves are promoting. I know I don't want a Pete Rose situation but Im supposed to freak out about a football player betting on baseball while the sports networks and radio shows are putting our parlays?

It's not the sexy move but I think you're right. Right now we don't know what we have in the room and the people we have are cost controlled. If even one of Shakir/MVS/Claypool/Hollins/Hamler/Shorter shows flashes of being a legit WR1, and one a decent complement added to Kincaid, Samuel and Cook you have a decent slew or skill players. If not, Aiyuk is a lot easier to fit on the books and likely costs less draft capital if the Niners are looking to move on

There is definitely some shade being thrown about "not funneling to just one player" and "everyone is part of success even if they are not touching the ball" I'm Paraphrasing, but Brady certainly seems to be indicating that the loss of Diggs talent is at least partially offset by getting in a greater variety of skill sets and because there is no WR 1 that playing time and targets are completely up for grabs for those who prove it in practice. If anything that sounds like a spark we missed last year

I don't HATE the idea of McGovern sliding over a spot, but if SVP holds up under fire I would prefer if we can keep him where he's been successful

I should probably be happy that it helped the Bills get the draft spot a little sweeter to trade for Diggs but I'm with you. It's a little softer now that the Bills are now regular contenders but just...come on How many times in the drought era did it seem like the Bills died by ticky tak calls: Hughes slapping a teammates helmet being a personal foul, Brady turning 4th and long to a first down because someone got nudged at the 5.1 yard mark past LOS, and seemingly every judgement, the 0 play clock non calls. I mean Jerry Hughes could write a book about getting screwed over. And now here was a moment where FOR ONCE the Bills were the beneficiary of a technicality and it is at that moment where the NFL went "eh, we know what he *meant* to do" That didn't lose the game for the Bills, but it would have sealed it, were it not for the NFL overturning a correctly called rule

In terms of a combination of physical traits, natural talent and past production I honestly see Claypool as the WR on the roster who has the most potential to step on the field Week 1 as a traditional Y/#1 WR. The issue has never been those things I've mentioned. It's been whether he could get his head together and be trusted enough. This really does seem like his last best chance. If he can't crack this WR group and get significant snaps with Josh Allen as his QB I think there is a very good chance he's on a UFL/CFL roster this time next year. Here's hoping Beane got some diamonds in the rough.

I will also throw my hat into the " pre draft skeptic" camp, though I immediately began rationalizing it 😅 but I can't deny that however he plays, Coleman is a likeable dude. I didn't realize how much the "what is Diggs feeling" stuff bothered me until it was a non factor.

images.mp4

That's where I am. Here was *my* takeaway from that game: That little pop handoff with Mostert and Achane in the backfield was a brilliant wrinkle because it allowed Tua to read and react to see which RB had the lane while effectively acting as a draw play. With the Bills forced to contain Hill it was devastatingly effective. And then in the second half he didn't use it. It's not that the Bills got out to a massive lead or had a foolproof solution (IIRC the counter was shooting the backfield to make contact early despite the risk). They started having Tua sling it with Waddle out and Hill injured (and had aggravated it on a touchdown celebration) The first part makes him one of the better OCs in the league. The second is a major issue as a head Coach: lack of grit, inability to see the entire game plan instead of his area and being unable to manage trouble players.

How dare you! 60 million a year guaranteed thank you very much

I actually can't complain too much. I'm not a huge fan of Monday night games but: Away Miami is at night. Heat will be a factor but likely less than previous years. Bye week before the Niners Toughest turnaround on a short week is Jags to Baltimore I'm actually kind of glad that the schedule is so hard right at the start. Away Dolphins, Jags, at Baltimore, at Houston, at Jets is a pretty brutal five game stretch but I will not panic if they are 3-3

They are just completely different in terms of play style. Whatever Coleman is for, there seems to be a plan

I think he was. If not, why did you wait for guarantees to kick in? I can only imagine that something happened in the offseason that either hit critical mass or exacerbated the fault lines. Now, long term, the team might see benefit: they were already over the salary cap for 2025 and likely got a top 45 pick But this is going to hurt short term

I mean being a night game should help. But now I'm going to be having PTSD flashbacks to that one Bledsoe game

I am whelmed. Well, there will be plenty of competition

I am always a little leery of these. There are always teams who started off strong the previous year than then crater back to Earth

Pretty much exactly that for a good chunk of the year. I don't want to disregard some of the knocks on Coleman's game. He's never going to gain vertical separation just by out sprinting a corner. He's going to need to work on his route running but one of the first things he did when drafted was contact the Bills to ask what routes they wanted him to work on. He's not a finished project but there wasn't a finished project outside of the top 3. I am curious to see how they develop him

Whoops! But seriously, FSU was supposed to be an offensive powerhouse. I am not absolving Coleman of all flaws on his game but a lot of those analytics on route win rate and contested ball rate get a layer of context when you find out that the Duke HC made comments about how FSU's plan seemed heavily reliant to put their big bodied WRs on the outside to open up the middle, which made them easy to scout against. He also had (i think) the backup's backup chucking him 50/50 balls, which is why his highlight reel is heavily him going up to high point the ball and making acrobatic catches. Here's a part of his game I think isn't being talked about on here enough: he was FSU's screen option and punt returner, so he knows how to pick lanes and cut after he gets the ball. Maybe I am crazy but I remember a lot of times last year where a screen just missed. With Coleman's catch radius, Josh might not have to be so precise.

It popped on YouTube when I was looking for content. I remember him saying he wanted to do broadcasting

I mean Claypool is a scratch off: bought cheap when the main shopping was done. Getting nothing is not the end of the world and getting anything makes it worth the investment. For what it's worth, Arthur Moats said in his show that Claypool has at minimum the talent to be Gabe Davis. He certainly had that production in his first two years, but consistency was an issue. His bidding power has been right-sized by 1.5 years with Fields and a half season behind Tyreek Hill and Waddle in the depth chart. The question is if he knows this is his last chance

Is the Porsche already in the shop?

Oh I agree. I would have much preferred a slower off ramp for Diggs. If Brady had a year to try out his scheme, to slowly ramp up Coleman I'd be feeling a lot more confident than I do now. But with the pieces available, and looking at examples that could make this work, this is the clearest vision my untrained and ignorant fan brain can kick out

I keep saying that I'm going to do a breakdown that I never have time for, but the upshot is this: regardless of his roots, Brady showed a bunch of Shanahan play designs, specifically some of his mesh concepts and condensed formations. Condensed formations were also used in Detroit with Ben Johnson. What are the unique assets the Bills have on offense that most of the league doesn't? -Electruc run/receiving threat in James Cook. There were only three 1000 yard rushers with 400 yards passing in 2023 and two of them are Cook and CMC -Versatile outside, slot, backfield WR. Curtis in the poor man's Deebo -one of the better FBs in the league in Gilliam, when many teams have stopped using a full time one. Add in a developing Kincaid and an ok Knox, fold in Coleman and Davis and I think the Bills can make an offense that will batter the teams that have been getting lighter to defend the pass

I mean, if he can do that this offseason would be a coup. I know Beane has downplayed it, but there was so little cap space waiting until June 1st would have been a necessity even if SF is taking some salary