WhitewalkerInPhilly

I mean yes, but at some point a deep sideline throw has to be a threat. Otherwise defenses compress their coverage.

Well yes we need a deep threat guy but maybe not for the reason you think? In my mind the defenses have been bracket covering Diggs and then trying to force Josh to dink and dunk interspersed with blitzes. Yes, the field opened to Cook, Knox and Kincaid but you need to constantly keep those clicking and they rarely are chunk plays. A deep threat on the outside would in theory mean that gaps open up in coverage for Diggs to exploit along with improving YAC for Cook and Kincaid. Is there a reason you don't want a deep threat?

Oh wow, I knew about the LBs but not the safety group. 2017 feels like forever ago when I remember there was skepticism when the Bills went out and plugged in a couple of journeymen (Hyde and Poyer) into safety and it wound up being the most underappreciated safety tandem in the league for years. Linebacker this year speaks for itself. I was legitimately worried at the departure of Edmunds, not so much because I thought Edmunds was a runaway All Pro, but feared the drop off in his place. Terrel Bernard stepped in and by Week 2 looked completely comfortable and then played to the point where I still wonder if we win that Chiefs game if he's on the field. And even with those losses Dodson, Spector and a rookie Dorian Williams all looked ready to play. Considering these were 3rd round or lower picks, clearly coaching had something to do with it, they weren't getting into the league with elite measurements. I would have loved a more experienced guy like Vrabel, but I would prefer to keep young talent if possible. I see a youth movement coming at OBD I guess you'd love to come back for another few years on the cheap then? Pretty please?

He didn't know it was an Option

Honestly it's the position group that was best coached last year

Marvin Harrison, obviously ok, expecting that we are looking for someone in the top 15 to hopefully drop here is what I would look at: Brian Thomas (LSU guy for Bradu!) Xavier Worthy (where I think is a likely mix of draft spot and need) Troy Franklin DeVontez Walker T'Vondre Sweat (DT3)

I mean there is certainly work to be done on the defense. But I do agree that there is a reason for optimism. CB we are a bit thin, but Rasul Douglas and Benford are not a bad one two punch. Taron Johnson is likely to be back. Tre White is currently an unknown. While a lot of the board is on the "kick 'em to the curb, maybe with cab fare" Cover One thinks he'll be back. Safety is troubling. Poyer looks out of gas, even if we keep him for one more season, so it's a problem we should work on now. Greg Thompsett's recap reminded me that in 2022 there was noise about putting Benford in at safety, and if Tre is fully ready to go, why not have him work a hybrid role? Also, if there is a position that gets underpaid in FA, safety is top 3 in my mind so I think there is value to be had. I expect to sign one, draft one and roll out next year with Poyer gone. Linebacker? For what I thought was my biggest nightmare at the start of 23 had shockingly good depth. We just went through it all. Milano and Bernard I have complete confidence to start and we have backups who can hold down the fort. D-line? Thin, but we are going to PAY Von Miller. Groot is back. Oliver actually outplayed a brand new contract. We are thin at DT3, but again that a bargain shopping FA venture and I think we retain DaQuan and/or Epenesa. While I think WR is out #1 priority in the draft, I am expecting a youth movement on the defense his year.

I mean, I think you can get a little bit out of it, though just those two stats seems misleading I think there's something I want to do a bigger data dive on: total rushing yards per game and breaking out WR receiving yards vs combined RB/TE. Also time of possession. It seemed like under Dorsey the ball was pushed to receivers (which is where most of the big mistake INTs happened) while Brady focused on RBs and TEs. This would explain why people are raving about Brady and have kicked Dorsey to the curb. It's not that Brady isn't getting yards so much as he's been getting them in dribs and drabs, having Allen take the easy throws to Cook or Kincaid while Dorsey seemed to push it. Those underneath throws are higher percent and go for fewer yards but it certainly felt like we were on the field longer as opposed to boom and bust three and outs.

Ssshhhh, you're frightening the "McDermott is terrible regardless of any evidence to the contrary" crowd. I will say that the return of the jumbo formations in the Dallas and KC games were welcome returns in my mind.

Agreed. To compound it, Brady was let go under Matt Rhule who seems to continue failing upwards. I will judge Brady on what I've seen him do when handed the keys here.

Pretty much where I am. If we have a single ring, it's hard to argue that getting to the playoffs 6 out of 7 years and winning a playoff game 4 years straight is cause to move on. That was the Andy Reid paradox. Reid was the Eagles HC for over a decade, and under his watch the Eagles went to 4 straight NFC championship games and then got grace for a mixed bag. Then he goes to KC and has a great regular season record but sputters into the playoffs...until he gets Mahommes. Franchise QB can make a coach.

Thanks. This makes a lot of sense that we would run the compressed bunches considering our personnel. I am hoping he is able to open up more with a real #1/#2 combo of Diggs and a rookie.

Interesting. It seems like a perfect pairing: a slightly above average QB who pretended to be elite by running up garbage stats with an OC who rode an elite QB who was putting out stats. I expect the entire run game to be shotgun QB draws

Sweet mercy we could have beat the Ravens

Yeah I was thinking at the 2 minute mark at 2nd and 3rd and 4 how they couldn't run at a KC defense that has trouble stopping the run

I mean I wish the search had gone in a little longer but it's what I expected and is likely the best we were going to get

Yeah. He is. Patricia sucked and Desai was considered worse

It's very much a damned by faint praise situation

I'll say this: the Eagles 100% upgraded at their coordinators this offseason

Goff.

I'll put it this way: Desai was replaced midseason for Matt Patricia.

I'm here for Bar Bill

He still finished 7th in receptions, 13th in yards

I like the Ravens, but truth be told if it's not the Bills I am having a hard time carving out a three hour block of time when I have a kid running around. And it sickens me to see the Chiefs there. Again.

Yeah I started listening to it on my way into work today. The upshot is what I had been expecting: the Bills can claw their way into positive cap space with enough for draft picks and for the typical sundry pickups you need to bring in street free agents for depth and do so entirely with restructure and extensions for: Allen (no brainer, and by math 100% necessary) Dawkins (do you keep around a Pro Bowl left tackle?) Taron Johnson (2nd team All Pro) Rasul Douglas (currently our best CB on the roster) and (braces himself) Diggs. Now, we can avoid the last one. If we hit every single other way to squeeze nickels and dimes out of the roster. But if you want this team anywhere close competing, you're going to need to do it. I know some people here would prefer their eyes gouged out with shellfish forks, but that's the situation. Short answer: no It is money that we already paid in the form of signing bonuses and previous restructures. If he is cut or traded it is immediately applied to the cap. It's like how everyone said Rodgers would be back, because the Jets literally cannot afford to cut him at this point.