thurst44

Totally different style of play and skillsets. I don't think it has to be one or the other.

I'll bite (although the timing of this feels a bit wonky -- and just after posting this read your later post and believe you meant it in a positive way and it's an interesting mind experiment, but still you zigged a bit from where i would expect posts to be ). I agree that they've probably already bought themselves a fourth year as GM/coach just due to the fact that they have laid out a distinct plan, and a noticeable culture change. If they have a losing record in 2019 & 2020 and it's not due to everything going wrong in ways no one could predict, then, yes, that's probably it for at least one of them. However, while I tend to be overly optimistic, this may be the most confident yet that I've felt about this team. It truly feels like there is a unique plan in effect and it has led to a pre-season where instead of trying to find 53 players to cobble together a roster, they are going to have to spend a lot of time whittling down and making painful cuts to get down to 53. They also seem to have made it a destination -- both Oliver and Ford seemed delighted to be coming here and it's telling that we drew some of the top names in UDFA (but also signed fewer than usual b/c there just wasn't room -- and we still have tons of cap space). So, hopefully, the arrow is indeed up, and we will see a coach and GM make it into (and through) that fifth year for the first time since the (Coach) Levy days.

Another UB signing: CB Cam Lewis

It's a sixth round pick and they took one of the best players left on the board according to NFL.com. What were you expecting?

Surprised Maxx Crosby dropped so far. Even when the Raiders take a guy I like, they take him too high.

Agreed: one of the best hints he's likely to pick up on the message is we first heard he was on the hotseat from Dion himself. My inexpert (tepid) take is that ideally they want him at LT but are making sure he earns it. In any case, love the idea that they used the fact that they had extra money and draft capital to create essentially a casting call and surely they are going to try every combo that makes sense (well, all with Morse at C) to find the five best starters with the best chemistry and the best three (or maybe even four) subs.

We signed six OLmen with over a year of starting experience, two WRs, two RBs, and a TE in free agency...w Part of why we did this was to be able to sign the BPA, so let's do that. If it's offensive (like the RT who was my second choice to Oliver at 9), so be it.

The strangest thing in this crazy draft might be if we take our picks.

Ha, these are the exact 4 I just said I'd love a trade up for.

Exactly. He dominated in college. He dominated at the combine. He's happy to be a Bill. What's not to like?

We got the defensive player I wanted in the last two drafts!

Ooooor not!

Jerry Tillery Anthony Johnson (ok, probably homer here, but suspect he'll be something special) Dalton Risner Drew Sample Tytus Howard Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (but that's probably more influenced by wanting to hear a lot of Being There/Chance The Gardner references)

Dru Samia Anthony Johnson

I'm sorry. I was talking to a friend who runs an airline support company last week and he told me about how Trump tried to hire him and he decided not to join, but friends in the industry who did had their lives ruined.

Where is that vomit emoji. Man, I grew up in NYC (family from Buffalo, went to college there) and I'm trying to stay out of the politics here, but wow, can I apolitically say this guy has always made me queasy going back to when I was a kid?

Sounds even more plausible knowing what we know now about all the 2016 FB posts running around.

Highly doubt they release Shady as he's still there for a reason -- mostly leadership, but also that maybe he still CAN cut on a dime and add value to an offensive line that is mostly assembled to keep Josh upright. While cutting him saves a decent amount of cap space, they are already so far below cap that it's hard to see them suddenly worrying about that now. I don't think there's zero chance they release him. If he looks terrible in camp, one of his many off-field questions catches up to him, and/or Murphy works better behind the line or Ford or Wade proves to be special, they may test to see if they can get anything for him and if not, release him. Don't think signing Yeldon will have much to do with that though. Been thinking the same. Getting ready to watch this draft feels more chill than most as the air of desperation seems gone. Plus, I feel more faith in this GM & coach than I have in awhile that if they do pick a headscratcher at 9, it'll be easier to rationalize (admittedly, I do always rationalize.

It works perfectly with the idea of bringing in offensive linemen whose strength is pass protection -- have RBs who are smart and experienced and can do more than their blockers, and who are also good pass catchers to improve Allen's short game. Love it!

Why would you have wanted to get rid of an RB with 1500-1600 total yards behind a mediocre o-line. Two years ago, he was coming off a season where he was averaging 5.4 ypc. I guess if you thought you could get max value (or you were worried about the stories), it makes sense, but I don't really get why you would be so hot to get rid of a guy coming off one of the best seasons for an RB. And, you could say b/c of last year, but he was an integral part of the season we made the playoffs, when he was a top 10 yardage back.

It's mostly a cavalcade of mediocrity with 2001 and 2007 (and 2009 after the obvious first pick swing-and-huge-miss) as decent drafts. I'll be honest, I don't see the 2010 draft as "pathetic" as you do. C.J. Spiller never fulfilled pick 9, but he was an expected top 10 pick and did have at least one star season at a skill position. Torell Troup was an absolute head scratcher even at the time, though. Carrington had his moments (mostly blocking kicks), but was definitely not worth a 3rd. Marcus Easley would have been a good value if he didn't have the worst luck staying healthy. Ed Wang was a bad pick at the time and proved to be. Arthur Moats had his moments and at least played as well as you expect a 6th round pick to play. The rest did nothing, but most late day 3 picks don't do much. I do agree that they have been a below average drafting team, and that the last two drafts have been very hopeful.

I live a few towns over from Met Life Stadium, so definitely going to games 1 & 2. Also talking with some friends from college days about meeting up at either Cleveland or Tennessee game.

Went into this one intending to trade up, and yet...and when Chance the Gardener dropped, I had to take him...all will be well in the garden!

It's waaaaaay too early for this, but this does make us look good as both our 1st round picks are still 1st round (one higher, one lower) as is one of our UDFAs!

I'm in Belleville, and was in Kearny until last year (so maybe a little farther than 5 miles), but was in Rutherford briefly before that -- walked home from the 48-28 game. I've been to Duffy's once -- oddly enough it was the Monday night Pats game where they almost won but they kept the clock running on Watkins after he went out of bounds ending the last chance for a comeback. I loved it (perfectly divey and neighborhoody), but that night was the only Bills fan there, but got the rest of the bar into it (and bartender had a leftover shirt). Has it been livelier lately? I usually go into the city a few times a year to Calico's (one day is covered by a friend's generous father who comes in from Buffalo and buys everyone wristbands), but mostly watch on Direct Ticket. Had a good time at Abbey's in Jersey City with the JC Bills Backers watching the playoff game, even if the game itself was a dud -- not too crowded, but enough passionate fans to make it fun. I was thinking of going to there or to Duffy's to watch the draft if they were doing anything.