Hapless Bills Fan

That's an interesting question. I don't know the answer, actually. I think part of the idea is to be able to prove to the tendering team that he really did get a legitimate contract for the stated terms, and for that he needs to present it to the Bills. But I don't know if there are rules where in between being tendered as an RFA and needing to sign the tender, the team could offer him an acceptable contract without an offer sheet and the player could sign

The field is an additional issue I guess. As someone else noted, a 49ers team pretty much died there. I know I have everything crossed I can cross, when the Bills play there. I could be wrong, but I have the feeling the priority given to S&C and facilities goes beyond the training staff per se

OK, so Bills cap space after this deal recorded on Spotrac: $2.56M Not included: Lawson, Barkley Additional cap from pushing lowest deals off top-51:$1.72M Available cap to sign Lawson and Barkley: $4.28M I don't understand the Star figures at all.

Things could have changed. but if the Bills aren't looking at Settle as their 1TDT I don't know who else they have on the roster who can play that position. As of 2019, that guy was NOT Jordan Phillips. I think Jordan Phillips is the swap for Vernon Butler, and given the letdown between 2019 and 2020/2021 on DL, it seemed like a downgrade. Now again, things could have changed. Maybe the Bills had a heart-to-heart with Big J9797 and he's full go to accept that role now. I don't think Harrison "washes" with Jones. I think Harrison is *capable* of playing on the same level as Jones, but the question is "can he sustain playing at that level for an entire season and not get injured?" and over the last 3 seasons the answer to that question has been "No". It's possible Phillips will stay healthier in a different scheme with a different ask, but playing 1TDT "to our standard" on the Bills seems to be a writing a check that his body can't cash.

IMO, the Bills believe that the changes at DT represent upgrades Last year: 1TDT: Star Lotulelei Harrison Phillips 3TDT: Ed Oliver Vernon Butler (Efe Obada/Boogie Basham - rotate inside or outside) This season: 1TDT: Daquon Jones Tim Settle 3TDT: Ed Oliver Jordan Phillips (Tim Settle - able to play both 1T and 3T) (Boogie Basham - rotate inside or outside) When we look at the contracts, it's very clear that the Bills could have re-signed Harrison Phllips and Butler (and of course, they had Lotulelei under contract) for what was spent on Jones, Settle, and Jordan Phillips. I don't think the Bills believe it is an offset there. Of course, Time Will Tell.

Posted just now · IP Bills cap space after this deal recorded on Spotrac: $2.56M Not included: Lawson, Barkley Additional cap from pushing lowest deals off top-51:$1.76M Available cap to sign Lawson and Barkley: $4.32M I think! Feel certain someone will correct me if I'm wrong

Bills cap space after this deal recorded on Spotrac: $2.56M Not included: Lawson, Barkley Additional cap from pushing lowest deals off top-51:$1.76M Available cap to sign Lawson and Barkley: $4.32M I think

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/jamison-crowder-16831/ This is just "Exhibit Z" of why one should never assess signings too vigorously based on initial reports. This was reported as a 1 year contract worth "up to" $4M (it probably is - there may be $2M of incentives classed by the NFL as "not likely to be earned"). McKenzie's contract, OTOH, was reported as a "2 year, $4.4M" contract (after an initial report as $8M) BUT, it has been said to include $3.75M of incentives, which would actually make it a 2 year, $8M contract the same way Crowders is "up to" $4M Confused yet? Me too, but the the bottom line is, wait to see the details on any deal. Also, while it's not 100%, contracts do sometimes reflect the relative value teams put on players. I think some writers talking about the Bills were influenced by the report, $4M for Crowder = higher value signing. To the extent that contract reflects perceived value, Crowder at $2M cap hit this year ($1.1M guaranteed) is actually on a pretty equal footing with McKenzie ($1.9M cap hit this year, $1.25M guaranteed)

I'd just like to put this out here - the Jets seem to have had a problem with their sports medicine/rehab staff the last few years. They were making visibly bad decisions about injured players during games and attracting controversy. I think it's possible Crowder is able to stay healthier here. As for what happens - that depends on both changes to the offense, and how much rappore Crowder builds with Allen.

Caption This!

I'm glad to see him find another home. Any word on what his contract is, yet?

Joe B take from the Athletic [paywall, trial available] https://theathletic.com/3202455/2022/03/23/bills-free-agency-reset-von-millers-decision-how-jamison-crowder-and-duke-johnson-fit-in-plus-draft-needs/ I don't quite see the "used cap space saved from McKissic on defensive line" point - I think that's in Joe B's head, or more properly just his way of conceptualizing. To me it's more like they used the money they could have used to re-up some of their guys. The point is, the Bills totally reworked their DL. After last season where they seemed to take the position they could upgrade with draft picks and Lotulelei's return, this season their strategy was pretty much to burn it down and start over. They clearly *could* have brought back Phillips and Butler, given what they signed for. They preferred Jones and Settle, then Phillips and Lawson. On the offensive adds (which I think of as additions after the $6.1M saved when Cole Beasley was cut): Joe B argues he is more likely a Beas replacement with McKenzie in a backup role. He also argues that Johnson will be a Breida substitute rather than an "every week player:

This could just be my bad take, but I think Davonte Adams and Tyreek Hill are going to find out that the guy who is throwing you the ball also matters.

Sal C made a handy-dandy color coded spreadsheet of the roster: Another way of looking at it, broken down adds/losses position by position: So for example, he doesn't include Bates or Boettger as OG, Sanders or Beasley at WR, nor does he include Hughes, Addison, or Obada as DE lost in FA. Still a useful way of looking at it, I think. Either way, I think the big gaping hole is at CB. Tre' is great if he comes back at the same level, but at minimum we need another starter who is faster and able to play some man and recover if he's beaten off the line. And we need depth. Overall, it seems as though Beane's priority was to re-vamp the DL and he succeeded. Offensive skill positions may be at least a "push" OL is still a work in progress. CB is a gap

We don't need a thread for every random thought anyone here might have. We don't need a thread for every rumor from random guys on the twitters, either, but this doesn't even have that.

That's a "nope!" from the Panthers on Mayfield

Other teams have until April 22 to make him an offer. There could be some negotiation between teams going on as his agent tries to get him the best sheet to bring to the Bills. I think part of the issue may be Williams may see himself as a RT who moved to RG last season to help the team win. Brown played well enough to become the "guy to beat" moving into next season. So Williams may want to shop himself as a RT first and foremost, then if he gets no offers he likes, he'd consider coming back to B'lo. I tend to feel Bates potentially > Williams at RG, but the sample size is small.

Where did you hear this? It isn't on Sal C's twitter or anyone else's that I've checked. Also not news on the Google (and again, they can not sign him. they can give him an offer sheet which he takes to the Bills to see if they'll match in the next 5 days) At this point, bringing Ford into camp seems like a reasonable option. I don't think the Bills intend to count on him though.

Boettger is an UFA. He is rehabbing a torn Achilles suffered Dec 26, and while some guys do return in 8 months (KC then Colts OT Eric Fischer, for example), it's 1) common they aren't the same the first year back 2) many take longer if they do return - a year, say.

I feel like I'm talking into a soundproof room here, but if we look at the AAV for the top contracts for RT and top contracts for G (spotract doesn't separate), Williams would be the #6 paid RT but the #10 paid OG ..... meaning that 1) there's not that much difference between the pay of the top OG and the pay of the top RT 2) somewhat more OG than RT get paid top money The real problem is that Williams was being paid like a top-10 G or RT - and he wasn't playing like "all that " last year at either position. "Better than Cody Ford" is too low of a floor. 5 days, not 10

The Bills definitely have these -John Brown and Zo Alexander talked about using them - but I don't think that's what was pictured.

Thought this was another good review of Bates starts: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2022/2/22/22945343/all-22-year-in-review-buffalo-bills-g-ryan-bates It is a point to consider that he started late in the season when the DL is dinged up and fighting fatigue from a long season. From what I’ve read about life on the OL in the NFL, it’s a long hard grind and nicks and dings do add up, even with top-class recovery facilities.

this Bears blog seems to have a pretty reasonable take on the situation: Bears Goggles On blog Decent read, give it a look. Guy is taking some abuse in the comments though

I think a lot of these NFL OL coaches are totally fixated on players who use the techniques they teach and they struggle to see past that (think Juan Castillo and Vlad DuCasse). Feliciano was Bobby Johnson’s guy. TBH, part of it is there was a time when we were all saying Bates did not look as good as Feliciano or Boettger (last season? Preseason?) and I think there’s a “halo” effect where coaches tend to give the benefit of the doubt to the entrenched starter. IMHO, Feliciano last season may have been better at RG, but moving to LG and losing all that weight - No.