Hapless Bills Fan

Good point - a "shot across the bow" of the Eagles and of FA whose agents are asking more than they want to pay could be part of it. Maybe the message is "we're good, if you want us to consider you, make us a good offer". Though did I catch correctly that he did say there are still some of their own FA they'd like to have back? Maybe they're just telling the Media and BillsMafia to "stand down", #BeaneAfterDark is done for now.

Joe B with the eye roll: And:

You're surely correct that not tipping their hand to the league/not giving a discouraging message to their current players is part of the deal. But yeah, strange, why have a press conference just to say (paraphrasing) "staffing is adequate, morale is high, and quality is never compromised"? It evidently wasn't scheduled to announce the Mitch Trubisky signing as they had to re-schedule to accomodate the follow-through from that.

Adding the previous part of that: I don't think that Beane or McDermott say "Josh, we're talking about cutting John Brown. Tell us what you think about that". I don't know, maybe they do, but I think that would be a lot of pressure on Josh who forms friendships with all of these guys. What I think is more likely, is that they say "against this sort of coverage, what are you seeing from John Brown on these sort of routes?" Or, they may ask what he knows about how the guys in general felt about effort to get back from injury or so forth. Ditto maybe hey, take a look at this separation Sanders is getting on these routes, would you be comfortable throwing into that window? But it was pretty clearly a shot across the bow implying that Josh was probably in the loop before the decision to cut Brown, and probably didn't bang the table and say 'that's my guy, you need to find a way to keep him'. Which, other things being equal, I'm sure the Bills and Josh would have liked to do, but the guys Josh would bang the table for right now are clearly Diggs and Beasley, with a side-order of Davis. I think that's a reach. I doubt they told him whether or not Josh was involved in the decision, that would be unwise, but I'm sure he got a personal call from the Bills. Remember, Brown is the one who broke the news on his Instagram.

Indeed it is. Thanks much. Does anyone else get the feeling that these Laddies do protest too much? Run Game: I guess they have since done a more thorough breakdown and analysis of each player each snap in each game, but it sure didn't sound like that after the season. And now we're "all good"? Is this all to finger-point Daboll for the run problems (scheme)? D-Line: Beane and McDermott would probably respond to that last by saying "we're always trying to improve our football team". But look, we all saw what we saw: in the playoffs, the Bills simply didn't have the hosses to get after the QB with 4 guys, and McDermott/Daboll's scheme CRITICALLY depends upon that. We need better D-Line play, Period. Now what, we're gonna magically get it from the same guys (- Quinton Jefferson) (+ Lotulelei)? I shall ruminate on that whilst I fart rainbow unicorns out mine keister. TE: Again, in the end of season presser, Beane seemed wholly honest in critiquing the TE play, saying that "we never got to the point where teams said we got to stop their TE from going off". That clearly implies a need for an upgrade, as does all the Zach Ertz trade talk. Now we're happy with "big expectations" for Knox and Sweeney's "excited"? 🤷‍♂️ I felt that McDermott seemed visibly ill-at-ease in that press conference, even though he dutifully reinforced everything Beane said. My bottom line is that I felt it was a bit duplicitous as a press conference. They didn't make upgrades (so far) in FA except potentially at WR, backup QB, and punter - not that those positions are insignificant, but they're not the step-forward our team needs, either. I wouldn't say it's sour grapes exactly, but I'll call it the cat-drop presser. If any of you have a cat, you know how a cat will sometimes do something really awkward, like back off a kitchen table and fall to the floor? But it twists in the air, lands on its feet, and stalks off regally with its tail in the air like "I Meant to Do That, Human Servitor. Open The Tuna."

OK, made your point

Less than half the career sabotage - maybe only 5% or 10% - that we know of.

Explain please?

Beane said in his end of season presser and podcast/interviews that he felt that Ford was struggling with injuries and he would have to compete, but he felt he'd be one of the best 5 at the end of it. At this point I think Beane has him pencilled in at LG, but competing with Boettger.

Class act and staunch support to Josh on the sidelines. Also sometimes funny guy. https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkxbeKhwAM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link A Pick-6 off Matt Barkley indirectly gave us our safety Jordan Poyer!!!! And my favorite after he came in the game for 1 play and got hammered: "I hope Joey Bosa's all right!" (can't find the tweet now) If you've got a cool Barkley quip or clip, put 'er here (be nice, he was a good teammate)

Class act farewell from Lee Smith to Buffalo and the team: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkvePwhirz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Beane on restructuring: I do wonder if the guys they talked to honestly experienced it the same way as "never an ultimatum"

From Beane and McDermott's presser:

https://theathletic.com/2461912/2021/03/18/mitchell-trubisky-gives-bills-an-instant-upgrade-at-backup-quarterback/ Joe B take in the Athletic (paywall, trial available). Take home: Also this: If nothing else, Trubisky has to serve as an object lesson to Josh that there can be a mighty big slide if you don't keep your pedal to the metal and keep striving to up your game.

Correct, it is a civil suit and there appear to be no references to prior criminal investigations much less charges

In all seriousness, the reasons why sexual assault and rape often go unreported to law enforcement are prolly beyond the scope of football relevant discussion. Can we just take it as written that they exist? That conclusion does not follow: First, it doesn't follow from anything I've said Second, it is illogical and unfounded to conclude that stuff I've said on this board ever represents the total of my feelings on any topic, and especially on the topic of sexual assault where the board's prohibition on general political discussion particularly constrains me, as a mod If you want to know how I think on the topic, try the mundane solution: ask me. Oooooh, too easy! You can keep your apology. I refrain from suggesting locations.

😅 where Beane led off and said "I've talked with Josh and he tells me he's going to take a nice little hometown discount"

I find it hard to believe she'd get that excited about the Bills signing a 30 year old TE with only 6 more receptions than his age last season Don't get me wrong, I was hoping we'd sign him as a good vet presence, but would that really be a team-choosing clincher of a move?

Well....there is this https://www.instructables.com/Make-Your-Own-Dehydrated-Water/ https://culinarylore.com/food-history:cans-of-bernard-dehydrated-water/ So I guess once again I must Live and Learn 🤷‍♂️😇

I guess I'm not quite sure what your intended point is here? At the start of this season we could say "Beasley's career best of 833 yds on 75 receptions was 4 years ago in 2016 when he was 27 years old. Now he's 31". And dang if he didn't come 1 broken fibula/missed game from breaking 1000 yds in 2020 (did, if you add playoffs). At the start of last season we could say "John Brown's career best of 1003 yds on 65 receptions was 4 years ago in 2015 when he was 25 years old. Now he's 30 and on his 3rd team in 3 years". And durn if he didn't set a new career best of 1060 yds on 72 receptons last season. Is your point that to be a good WR who helps the Bills win a guy has to crack 1000 yds? Or are you trying to highlight the effect of crap QB play and/or how he's used in the scheme on a WR's contributions? Or....help me out here....??

From what Beane said about how contracts would be structured this year I was expecting this

This is a good discussion. Some extracts: 1) I had NO idea Mike Florio had a law degree and had practiced for 16 years! 2) They both agree, no team is gonna ante up and trade Big Picks/Big Players for Deshaun Watson while this is hanging over him 3) Some really valuable, IMO, "Watch Outs" for young players!! They both make clear that they're not giving Watson a "free pass", but Florio points out that a massage is an intrinsically intimate act, and that if you go to someone's private house or fly someone in to your hotel room and there's no professional structure (my interpretation of what they said) or witnesses around, you are opening yourself to trouble if the person you're dealing is not on the up-and-up or even just doesn't have the same interpretation of what happened that you did. Simms tells an anecdote of having a massage therapist recommended by a teammate come to his apartment and having his wife stay with him just to make sure everything was aboveboard (and I guess to serve as a witness!)

At a guess (because of some knowledge with how it worked for suits filed against companies I worked for), civil litigation attorneys who get one case are not above actively going out looking for other cases to add. Given the story that a player behaved inappropriately (work with me, I'm trying to sidestep the whole guilt/innocence issue) with one massage therapist, he would have his people talk to every massage therapist in the area and see what other stories are out there. Sorta "if there's smoke there's fire" principle. Edit: Florio mentions rules for attorneys about "solicitation" and not being "up" on what is or is not allowed, so evidently some discretion or care is needed, but he points out that the lawyer's first tweet said "here's my number if anyone else out there has a story and wants to talk to me" I know some fine, helpful attorneys. But for some aspects of the current legal climate, you'd have to dig a trench to slide a snake under my opinion of 'em.

So Muki Hawkins with the hard question about how do we plan to defend those two great TE NE just signed Overall the theme seemed to be "we can get it done with the guys we've got right now" - at TE, at RB, at OL, at DL Judging by body language, I don't think Sean McDermott is entirely "bought in" and comfortable with that theme. And IMO he probably shouldn't be

I will still cringe. SLIDE JOSH!!!!!! GET DOWN!!!!! SLIDE!!!!!