JESSEFEFFER

Not sure about his arm strength but at 6'4", 220 lbs. he's liable to have a Josh Allen type build by the time he is done. Most of the HS videos showed him making throws with lots of air under the ball but those are easy for the WRs and rarely do HS QBs around here need to make the power type throws. He has a 40 time of 4.85 posted as a junior, played hockey and lacrosse. I like this profile and wonder how many other offers he might have gotten because he should have gotten more. I think he committed to UB before WSW made their state title run which was probably came too late in the process to generate additional offers. ' This might work out really well for them.

And if a QB manages to escape from poor protection and is able to throw the ball away (a good play not all can make) it hurts his ypa and completion%.

After NP failed in game 1, it was sink or swim for Josh. Imo, most of the time he was doing the doggie paddle in a cesspool which is to his credit. He is a late bloomer in both his physical and QB brain development and an outlier in his athletic profile. He was somewhat scrawny and slow (La Totuga!) in high school. He did not transfer to a bigger school to create a bigger recruiting profile. Everything that was working against him last year has been addressed and in some cases in major ways. Coaching, protection, passing game weapons, running game production, 1st team practice time, playbook knowledge, everything. His detractors won't recognize him.

I was ok with preseason game 4 awhile back. I thought it would be interesting to watch Tyree play the bulk of a game in an attempt to make the ps along with an interesting crop of new WR additions. Now it looks like it might be an event to witness the death of Tyree's NFL dream and that has little appeal to me. I do not think he can play TE. He always seems gasping for air, filled with doubt to the point it cripples his competitive will. Watch Chad Kelly play and you see much of what Tyree lacks as a competitor. I hope Tyree can prove me wrong.

The last time the Steelers played here, I was struck by Bell's running style. It was extremely patient. It was like he knew his o-line would eventually create a downfield crease and all he had to do was wait for it to happen. That is not the norm and I doubt it works with the Jets. He will have to adjust and be quicker to the line whether there is a hole there or not. Otherwise, I'd predict a bunch of TFLs.

It's worse than that. I don't think they would play Barkley much either-- as the primary backup he ranks too high up the food chain. They maybe need to pray that the light comes on for Tyree and that he gives them a chance to make some plays.

Exactly. Way to add to my point to make it stronger. I'd maybe question why Cooper didn't show better in Oakland because they sure expected more from him but he seems to be what Dak needed.

Any QB that doesn't show an obvious year 2 improvement is in trouble of not being a year 3 starter. EJ was 2 and 2 in year 2 and got pulled which is an extreme case but it makes the point. Year 2 is a "show me something year" and if it doesn't happen there better be a clear and obvious reason as to why. Big improvement in year 2 is the expectation. It's become so common that it's more surprising if it doesn't happen.

Bill Polian had a similar choice. He was already paying Manning and had both Reggie Wayne and Edgerrin James due for contract extensions. He chose Wayne because he respects the amount of time before a newly drafted receiver can develop into a highly productive player. Great RBs reach that level right away if given the chance, ala James and Saquon Barkley in their rookie years. Thus, the RB can be replaced with more certainty .

This is the product of one writer for PFF but it is odd that PFF (I think it was them) had Josh as their #14 over the last half of the season. I just don't see how having him in a group with Keenum and Flacco makes any sense.

One Jerry article I remember referred to JK as a "bumpkin that throws footballs" and Shane Conlan as an average LB. It had some negative stuff about other players as well. There might be something valuable about someone who can find the negative in every situation but I can't think of what it might be right now.

I keep forgetting about his show. When WGR goes to The Instigators this time of year, I have been going to many of the podcasts that have cropped up lately. Jerry could be a viable option to have on while I work around the lab.

This is a trust the process problem and result. If you want to make the rookie QB earn his spot in the pecking order (process) he has to compete with at least one other. If his competing with two others, then they are not doing everything they can to get the rookie prepared to play (problem.) I think the mistake that Beane acknowledged was not getting Derek Anderson in the room when they knew McCarron was being cut. Allowing the rookie QB to grow through even more adversity is the process result. If they had started Josh from the beginning and he struggled through games like he did with SD and GB, the rest of the players would be thinking/saying why not play Peterman? He looked great in practice and preseason. He gives us a better chance to win. As it played out, when Josh struggled no one was thinking that. That is a great process result, imo.

I could be wrong, but both of these would suggest that a 3 or 4 win improvement is a standard expectation for the team that starts a 2nd year QB that meets the criteria-- high draft pick (top 15.) Assuming injury doesn't play into this, it might be a bad sign for said QBs future if his team doesn't show that kind of improvement from year 1 to year 2.

This tweet is of a similar theme, just presented in terms of a year 1 vs. year 2 win%. Betting the over on the 6.5 over/under bet looks historically solid and there is no trend of a sophomore slump for highly drafted QBs in their 2nd year. 80 people are talking about this

Maybe someone already mentioned this but a practice squad QB usually runs the scout team during game week practice. I question whether he'd be any good at prepping our defense and giving them a decent look at what they will be facing. You have to learn the base offense of the opponent and execute it with enough competence to test them all within a matter of hours. If he can't do that then they probably should move on. It was an effort worth making and maybe he can turn this around since he might still get the bulk of game 4. Also, he should be playing well enough to give the WRs a chance to show what they can do. That hasn't happened either. I think Chris Brown said something to the effect that Duke Williams had been slow to learn the offense. They probably want him to know more than 1 WR spot. He should do everything they need of him to play with Barkley.

I think he may have some of that locker room, clown show sense of humor ala Fitz. That is a complement. Fitz, with the 49 Wonderlich and Harvard degree, won some credibility with his team by not acting like he was the smartest guy in the room.

Thanks for posting this. It's been awhile since I had watched it. The whole running = risking injury narative is not valid, imo. If you watch it, point out a hit that gives you pause and makes you think that he took a bad, potentially injury causing shot. Kiko's cheap shot attempt that turned into a leg whip maybe. Defenders can cheap shot the QB anywhere if they don't mind getting the flag or risking ejection. The pocket hits are much more dangerous, imo. Often unexpected and with the QB in vulnerable positions and with potential harm from head to toe. I see alot of gassed defenders taking bad angles, slides, stepping out-of-bounds. Josh does it pretty smartly, I think.

I remember the JP Pirouettes and Rob Johnson pulling this quite a bit. I do not think of this as a JA problem, especially later in the second half of his 1st season. Do you have any specifically in mind? None come to me.

Some of my opinions: 1) Josh scrambling is better than checkdowns. It's equivalent to passing stats of 47/47 for 508 yds, 5 TD and 2 Int (I think he had two scramble fumbles.) The passer rating for that is 129. I don't think any QB does that on checkdowns. 2) His running is a function of poor protection, poor WR separation, Josh being predisposed to holding the ball as a rookie and his being very talented at running. 3) A collapsing pocket is way more dangerous than running through the defense. He can out run, stiff arm, slide, run out-of-bounds or dive. At least he can see the hazards coming and has options. He is somewhat unaware and unprotected against many hazards in the pocket much like the injury that cost him 4 starts. 4) I want him to run less because the team around him is better and he is noticeably improved as a passer. Be a good and getting better passer and pick your spots to sustain critical drives or put points on the board. I'd like his mindset to be to play like Bruce Wayne but when the Bat Signal goes up, head for the Bat Cave.

There was a thread for UBs pro day where I mentioned him as a McDermott kind of player due to his wrestling background. I think it hurts him more than anything that he does project as a C/G, interior lineman. Just being a center makes it tough for him to be a rostered backup.

Any former UB guys that get some NFL money is good for the current UB guys and recruiting. I hated playing against short guys because they have a built in leverage advantage but that never seems to work for NFL linemen. He was very good for UB and any pro success he has is well earned. I think we should start feeding the training camp stories into this thread. Anyone 716 related-- UB players or HS players from WNY who are trying to make a roster or practice squad. Steve Carlson/Browns, Jake Dolegala and Mason Schrek/Bengals, Qadree Ollison/Falcons, Anthony Johnson/Bucs, Chuck Harris/Bears, O'Hagan/Giants

O'Hagan tested really poorly (his RAS is <1) but he was an outstanding MAC center. I think he has little value other than center and is considered short for the NFL @ 6'1". I have seen more recent reports on him that were positive but being from LI they might be biased toward him. Being a NYSPHSAA wrestling champ and 4 year starter at UB makes me biased toward him too.

Cover1 with a nice recap of the practice with Greg Tompsett and guest Joe Marino of Locked on Bills. They do a good job of presenting their thoughts considering that they probably do not have any formal communications training. Cover1 with Greg and Joe

There's a stray cat hanging around my back porch. It appears quite young and to have been someone's indoor cat because every time we open the door it tries to rush in. It's beautiful with an overly bushy tail with a touch of white at the tip and looks close to this picture I found on the internet. When i walk around the yard, it follows me everywhere. It was skinny and needed food so of course we have been feeding it as it would be a shame to see it suffer. The trouble is that we already have 3 cats too many inside the house. This cat needs a good home and will likely take to anyone that would be willing to provide it and love them in return for it. I think I'll call it Barkley.