mjt328

If I had to make a prediction, I think the Bills go O-Line (Guard) or Safety in Round 1. Almost everyone wants a cornerback on the first day. Me too. But unfortunately, the best value is most likely going to be somewhere else when we pick. The two top guys in this draft (Derek Stingley and Sauce Gardner) will be long gone by Pick #25. I think both guys are likely Top 10, and trading up more than a couple picks is going to be way too expensive. No way Beane flips a future 1st Rounder just to move up for a CB. I wouldn't be surprised if Trent McDuffie also goes Top 15, which would also put him out of reach. Andrew Booth Jr. depends on the medical red flags. If other teams fail him for the hernia issues, it's very likely we will too. After those top four guys, the value drops and we are looking mostly at Day 2 guys (Kaiir Elam, Roger McCreary and Kyler Gordon). Maybe we reach for position, but that doesn't seem like Beane either. I keep hearing about Breece Hall being connected to the Bills. That should be the main reason to reject that idea, because this organization does not let information like that slip. It's a smokescreen, just like Travis Etienne last year. There aren't any running backs worth a 1st Round Pick this year. Same thing with tight ends. The top wide receivers (Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Drake London, Chris Olave) are probably gone at #25. I can't see Treylon Burks being the style of WR we are looking for. We don't really need another Edge Rusher, Defensive Tackle or Offensive Tackle. The top linebackers (Devin Lloyd, Nakobi Dean) are both outside guys. So even if we are looking for a replacement for Tremaine Edmunds, neither of those guys really fit the mold. I've done many mock drafts, which are surprisingly accurate when it comes to predicting the positions/players that will be available. The value picks that keep coming up (which I could see being realistic for us) are guards Kenyon Green or Zion Johnson, or safety Daxton Hill. All of those guys are considered solid 1st Round prospects, and all would fit future needs. Don't forget that Beane said "protecting Josh Allen" was his top priority this offseason. He only attacked the O-Line with one-year deals, which means that position will be a need again next year. On the safety side, I think we are (unfortunately) watching Jordan Poyer's last season in Buffalo. We can't pay everyone, and I think he's the odd man out.

Depends on the player and position. We don't have many open spots in the starting lineup (if any), and it would be surprising for a rookie to get significant playing time in Year One. A few exceptions may be at Running Back, Guard and Cornerback. Don't forget that last season, the Bills were not expecting ANY rookies to start. But Greg Rousseau looked way too good in training camp to keep on the bench, so they slid him ahead of Mario Addison. But even then, Rousseau was in a heavy rotation and hardly got on the field for 3rd Down passing plays. Spencer Brown was also a surprise start, due to Darryl Williams regressing and being pushed inside. Brandon Beane likes to draft guys with lots of physical tools and higher potential. This usually means it takes 2-3 years before that player starts really producing on the field. Great examples last year were with both Ed Oliver and Dawson Knox, who both had breakout seasons. Top candidates for this year would be Gabe Davis, Dane Jackson and A.J. Epenesa.

To me, it probably depends on the veteran and the rookie. I agree that Joe Haden, Kyle Fuller, etc. aren't what they used to be. But exactly how much have they fallen off? These are vets with plenty of starting experience in the NFL. Can their production truly be replaced by a rookie on Day 1? We probably aren't looking at adding Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley. Probably not Trent McDuffie or Andrew Booth Jr. either. What if the draft doesn't fall our way, and the best/most pro-ready CBs aren't available when we pick? What if we can't get a corner until Round 3 or 4? Will that guy be ready to play? I trust Beane. But he's not infallible. Hopefully he's got a plan. Because that position looks like a Week 1 (and probably longer) liability to everyone outside the organization. A one-year band-aid is enough. We realistically just need someone that won't get picked-on and destroyed while Tre White is rehabbing. Most of us are hoping to sign someone before Draft Day, because it drastically opens up our board in Rounds 1-2. It still could happen. Or it could be like you say, and be a training camp/preseason add. My biggest concern is that we drop 1-2 winnable games early in the season, due to the hole at corner. And that ultimately costs us homefield (like it did last season). Homefield could be absolutely huge this season in the AFC.

Yep. That's why Beane needs to sign a veteran cornerback with starting experience in the NFL. He doesn't necessarily need to be Stephon Gilmore quality. But at least someone who won't be a massive liability until White gets back. It's a huge mistake to go into the draft absolutely needing any position... and then counting on that player to be ready to start Week 1. Get one more decent CB, and we can do whatever we want in the draft.

Not exactly the same. Dane Jackson started the last 8 games of the season last year (including the playoffs) and was not a liability. He's going into his third season, and I'm getting the impression the Bills are very confident in his ability to hold-down one side of the field. The only reason Cornerback is such a massive priority is the injury to Tre White, and the uncertainty of when he gets back. As of right now, we are looking at either Cam Lewis, Nick McCloud or Olaijah Griffin starting on Week 1. And they would remain in the lineup until White is ready to come back. Even if he only misses 2-3 games, we absolutely NEED someone capable to fill that spot. As we witnessed last season... EVERY GAME COUNTS. We failed to show-up Week 1 against the Steelers. We failed to convert a 4th-1 against the Titans. We laid an egg against the Jaguars. If even ONE of those games had gone the other way, the Bills would have gotten homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The AFC is going to be a bloodbath. We can't afford to just take our chances with an unknown commodity on the outside.

What was wrong with last year's draft? I thought it was a great example of why you wait, and don't force things. We went in with a strong/deep roster. No rookies were expected to crack the starting lineup. Yet Greg Rousseau was good enough to force himself above Mario Addison on Week 1. And Spencer Brown was starting by mid-season. Don't forget. Fans were clamoring for us to trade-up last year too. People wanted Kwity Paye, because he was the most pro-ready edge rusher. Rousseau outperformed in Year 1, and has a bigger ceiling.

This sounds about right. Tre White and Micah Hyde are pretty much guaranteed to be on this team until after the 2023 season, barring a trade. Von Miller until after the 2024 season. Their contracts don't make cutting them realistic before that point. I think the Bills would like to extend Jordan Poyer another 2-3 years, and would be willing to get it done this offseason. But they aren't going to pull the trigger early, unless they can get a discount. The news about Drew Rosenhaus makes that very unlikely. I wouldn't be surprised if he's seeking to be the highest paid safety in the league, after being named a 1st-Team All-Pro. No way that Brandon Beane agrees to that. Ultimately, I think Poyer plays out 2022 and then hits free agency in 2023. Ed Oliver is getting the 5th Year Option, without a question. So I think the Bills will watch the progress of him and Tremaine Edmunds this year. It's probably a long-shot for us to keep both guys. From what I saw last year, I think Oliver takes a step and gets an extension. Edmunds has probably peaked, and is much more replaceable.

Screw Tom Brady. That is all. 😁 Like I said, it's possible that Watson takes a step back after missing a season. But lots of guys miss entire seasons due to serious injuries, and still come back fine.

In my opinion, the best QBs in the NFL are: - Aaron Rodgers - Patrick Mahomes - Josh Allen - Deshaun Watson Without being a Bills homer, it's really hard to find separation between those guys. You really could rank them in any order, and it would be tough to find a legitimate argument why they were wrong. Personally I give Rodgers the edge because of how long he's been elite. He's been at the top for almost 15 years and won numerous MVP awards. But does that mean he's better in 2022? Not necessarily. People forget how good Watson was between 2018-2020... on possibly the most dysfunctional team in the NFL. It's fair to question if the year off will change that. But he's just as likely to pickup where he left off.

Twitter. Rachel Bush is very active, and isn't shy about stating her opinions. Now she didn't come straight-out and say they were upset. But if you read between the lines... it was pretty obvious. First there was a comment Bush made immediately after the Von Miller signing, which (paraphrasing) suggested we needed to pay the current Bills players first, because they were the #1 Defense in the league. Especially the guy who was a 1st Team All-Pro. That was probably the first red flag that Poyer wasn't happy, especially because other Bills players were celebrating and getting excited about their new teammate. Then after the Stephon Diggs contract was announced, she retweeted someone's comment questioning why Diggs was prioritized with 2-years left on his deal, but Poyer was still unsigned with 1-year left. Then only hours later, you have Poyer loudly announcing his change in agents.

Ed Oliver is pretty much a lock. This regime clearly prioritizes the D-Line over other positions on the defense. Right now, he's pretty underrated across the league. But he is very likely on the verge of a break-out season (with extra blocking attention on Von Miller). Jordan Poyer was probably next on Beane's list for an extension. Now I'm not so sure. Over the last few weeks, Poyer's wife (Rachel Bush) has made their feelings very public. They were not happy with Miller getting big bucks or Stephon Diggs getting prioritized on a new contract. That may not go-over well with our front office. Agent Drew Rosenhaus also has a reputation for trying to squeeze teams for every last cent, which may price him out of our services. Dawson Knox will probably depend on market value. His stats are clearly limited by this offense, since we have so many other weapons. Will another team be willing to offer him a Top 5 contract for his position? Tremaine Edmunds is probably the odd-man out. It's a combination of timing (when he becomes a free agent), and the high chance that his market FAR outpaces his actual value. You can't re-sign everyone, and I could see Beane taking a chance with a mid-round linebacker (future replacement) as early as this draft. Devon Singletary is an average running back, and very replaceable. This team does not value the position very high either. I think we draft someone on Day 2 this year, and don't see him getting a second contract.

Not sure where you came up with the 85% stat. I looked at the current CB depth charts around the league, and that number should be around 25-30% (depending on if you count nickel guys as starters). Many teams still find starting corners into the 2nd, and sometimes the 3rd Round, depending on how deep a particular class is. It's definitely pretty sketchy after that point. I'll agree on the mock draft point. I've also gone through multiple, and have NEVER seen the consensus Top 4 guys (Derek Stingley, Sauce Gardner, Andrew Booth, Trent McDuffie) make it to our pick. Most of the time we are looking at Kair Elam/Roger McDuffie or going with another position. And most of the time, the BPA at #25 is a wide receiver. Until April 28 comes and goes, I truly believe that Brandon Beane will sign a veteran CB who can give us the ability to go BPA. Reaching for need is always a mistake. Moving away from the BPA strategy is one of the reasons most teams only contend for 2-3 seasons before falling off.

This feels like just another "Tremaine Edmunds sucks" thread. We get it. Lots of fans don't like having a Middle Linebacker who isn't a physical run-stuffer.

I like the idea of moving up.... but not the idea of trading away a 2023 first round pick. We didn't even give away two 1st rounders in moving up for Josh Allen. In my opinion, our best bet is to add another veteran cornerback with starting experience. Some have floated the idea of trading for James Bradberry. That would work. There are rumors we are interested in signing Stephon Gilmore. That would work. If we can go into April 28 without any glaring holes on our roster, we can pretty much sit back and let talent fall to us at #25. Looking at the numbers, a very good cornerback, wide receiver or guard is certain to drop. But if we are pigeon-holed into one position, we could be forced into a trade-up or missing out.

There is no way doctors will know this early whether Tre White will be ready. So if we don't do something before April 28... either signing a veteran or trading for a proven starter... I think Brandon Beane is going to be forced into reaching in the Draft. Maybe not in the 1st Round, but certainly by the end of Day 2. There are rumors of us facing off against the Rams on Opening Night. No way he is comfortable going against the Super Bowl champs with Dane Jackson and Cam Lewis as our starters. Don't forget that Beane admitted they were seriously considering a Cornerback early in the 2021 draft, but the value wasn't quite there. That was with Levi Wallace still on the roster, and White perfectly healthy. With our style of defense, I don't think Beane values cornerbacks quite as highly as some teams (he would prefer to invest money into the pass rush). But the situation has gotten pretty dire.

You aren't wrong. But there is a legitimate reason people feel this way... When it comes to our O-Line, Josh Allen makes up for A LOT of their struggles. Some of his best plays are those when the blocker totally whiffs, and he is chased out of the pocket. For the average fan, who really cares if our O-Line is allowing "pressures" if it doesn't result in sacks and we are still scoring 35+ points? That's why people who do in-depth All-22 studies of our O-Line generally have a lower opinion of this group than the general fanbase. I also think people would feel much better about Cornerback, if they knew confidently when Tre White would return. The problem isn't Dane Jackson. He did a really good job as the #2 last season when White went down. The problem is lining up Jackson on Week 1 with someone like Cam Lewis (or a rookie). And of course, the last image of our season is the secondary (without White) getting absolutely torched on multiple scoring drives.

Every draft, the experts throw around the concept of "high and low floor/ceiling" prospects. The idea is that some players come into the NFL more ready to play, but they don't really have the physical traits to become elite. Other players come in raw, and are bigger projects. They may struggle more at first. But if everything clicks in their development, they can eventually become among the league's best at their position. Back in 2018, it was Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen who were considered the most pro-ready by experts. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson were the big projects, with tons of physical skill and raw as passers. Everyone recalls that Mayfield had the best rookie year (by far) and appeared to be a star in the making. Jackson looked great as a runner. Darnold flashed, despite being on the Jets. Only the people in Buffalo noticed some potential in Allen, while Rosen was a total flop. Fast-forward four seasons.... Allen is a Top 3 quarterback. Jackson is Top 10. Mayfield just got replaced. Darnold is already a backup. Rosen is almost out of the league. In my opinion, Mac Jones was the 2021 version of Baker Mayfield. He came into the NFL with good mechanics, and a solid mental grasp of the pro-passing game. He came from the biggest program in the country, and immediately went to play under Bill Belichick. He was inserted into an offense that put most of the pressure on the running game, and rarely asked him to win games by himself. Over the next few seasons, the pressure will be on Jones to prove himself as more than "middle of the pack." Defenses will realize that Jones doesn't have the arm-strength to make big throws, or the athletic skill to escape the pocket. They will focus on taking away the run game, and make Jones try to beat them. That's when the Patriots fans realize there is only one Tom Brady. And he doesn't play in Boston anymore.

Potentially huge impact for the Bills... both positive and negative. 1. Although this is probably the smart move (long-term) for the Chiefs, the loss of Tyreek Hill would be huge for their offense. With them being our biggest roadblock the last two seasons, I wouldn't mind seeing them get knocked down a peg. 2. Hard to say what kind of impact Hill brings to the AFC East. Miami has a pretty good team overall. But if he picks the Dolphins, Tua has a pretty weak arm and will struggle taking advantage downfield. Hill's talents fit better with Zach Wilson. But then he ends up on a terrible team. 3. The contract situation at Wide Receiver is getting pretty ugly. Stephon Diggs is under contract for 2 more seasons, but will almost certainly be pressing for a new deal before then.

To my knowledge, there have been no official updates on Tre White's recovery. Most people are making assumptions based on the typical ACL tear timeline for a professional athlete (which is usually between 10-11 months). Unfortunately, White's injury occurred on Thanksgiving in late November. Going by the average rehab time, it sounds pretty unlikely that he is back for the opening week. Yes, some players have made it back in 9 months. However, a more realistic outlook is probably sometime in October. I would be totally shocked if Brandon Beane doesn't add a veteran Cornerback with significant starting experience sometime in the next few weeks. Every year, he preaches going into the draft without glaring holes. That way he can go "Best Player Available" in each round, and not worry about reaching for a need position. We can't be a serious Super Bowl contender with Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis and/or a rookie as our opening day starters. After last year's draft, Beane also openly admitted that CB was a position he wanted to address (specifically in Round 2 when he took Boogie Basham). But the value just wasn't there when our pick came up. It's an even bigger need this year. Our depth chart at that position is pretty much the same... only with Tre White rehabbing an injury and Levi Wallace gone in Free Agency. There are still a few decent names left in Free Agency, and you would hope someone is willing to take a discount to play for a contender: Patrick Peterson, Joe Haden, Kyle Fuller, Stephon Gilmore (you never know), Xavier Rhodes, Janoris Jenkins, Chris Harris, Jason Verrett. Then you still have the rumors of James Bradberry available for trade.

Not every injury is season-ending. If your starter goes down for 3-4 weeks, you want an experienced guy who (hopefully) still gives you a chance. Mitch Trubisky and Case Keenum aren't franchise QBs, and unlikely to lead a Super Bowl run. But if you need them for a month to stay in contention, they could probably still win 50-60% of their games. You can't say that about a cheap undrafted free agent.

It's really a waste of time trying to "read the tea leaves" and guessing things like this. Even Brandon Beane has no idea who he will draft, in what rounds, or what positions... because he has no idea who will be available. Listen to what he said regarding last year's draft. He wasn't planning on drafting two Edge Rushers in the 1st-2nd Rounds. In fact, Beane admitted that he really wanted a Cornerback at some point. But the value just never matched up. That's why he likes filling all holes before the draft. Because if value doesn't match-up, you are either forced to reach... or you just never fill the hole.

Beane/McDermott just don't value the RB position very highly. I'm sure they would love to have an elite guy in the backfield. They just aren't going to spend a high draft pick, or hand-out a big contract to one. It's something very strange to most Buffalo fans. Just in my lifetime, I've watched three possible Hall of Fame backs play for the team in their prime (Thurman Thomas, Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy). I've also seen the team draft guys like Willis McGahee and CJ Spiller in the 1st Round. That's not even mentioning guys like Travis Henry and Fred Jackson, who were very productive in the NFL.

The Bills have made some great Free Agency moves so far. But they still have some BIG holes that need addressing. Brandon Beane is not usually the type to go into the draft with huge needs leftover. But then again, he's not usually the type to sign someone like Von Miller. If the season was to start today: - Dane Jackson and Cam Lewis would be our #1-2 cornerbacks. Yikes. Most aren't expecting Tre White to return until at least October, maybe even November. So even if we add a 1st Round rookie, this would be a pretty ugly way to start the season. - Cody Ford would be our unquestioned starter at right guard, without even facing real competition in training camp. It's very possible we end up losing Ryan Bates (he has interest from three different teams). - Isaiah McKenzie would be our full-time starter at slot receiver. Although he's looked great in limited time, I'm not sure how I feel about that. Our offense relied heavily on Cole Beasley to draw coverage in the middle of the field and pickup key first downs.

Colts, Patriots and Steelers will be on the outside, unless they can upgrade at the QB position. The Bills seemed to take some games (which should have been easy) for granted last year. Hopefully they learned their lesson. If we take care of business and stay healthy, I don't see any reason we don't win the AFC East by multiple games.

My initial reaction is that all these stud QBs is going to make the AFC a gauntlet over the next several years. Which obviously wouldn't be good. BUT.... Looking at the AFC West and now AFC North, those teams are likely to create multiple losses for each other. Not all of these teams can win their division or even make the playoffs. Meanwhile, our in-division competition is the Patriots (Mac), Dolphins (Tua), Jets (Kyle Wilson). If we can figure out the teams in the AFC South, this is setup perfect for us to get the #1 Seed and Bye.