mjt328

At this point, Buffalo could lose almost it's entire starting O-Line and still field a solid unit. - Ty Nsekhe/Daryl Williams both have significant starting experience at both Tackle spots - Spencer Long has significant experience starting at both guard and center - Ryan Bates is young and doesn't have starting experience. But he's showed promise sliding in at multiple spots.

Reports are that O'Brien refused to take offers for DeAndre Hopkins from any AFC team, because he didn't want to trade him in-conference. If true, I would imagine the same thought would apply to DeShaun Watson. Also, the conspiracy theory makes no sense. O'Brien is currently the GM and Head Coach of the Texans. That's a pretty enviable/high-profile position. Very few coaches have that kind of power within their organization. Why would he give that up, so he could purposely get fired, then return to the Patriots as a lowly coordinator?

Where the roster stands today... yes, it is a big need. Maybe I wouldn't classify it as a "huge" or "glaring" need, since we do have a legitimate starter in Devin Singletary. But in today's NFL, you really need to be sitting at least two-deep with that position. The good news is, Running Back is the easiest position in the league to fill. This year's draft doesn't have anyone elite. But it's pretty solid on Day 2. Even without a 1st Round Pick, it's very likely that one of the top 2-3 prospects falls to us at #54. And if we decide to go in a different direction in the 2nd Round, there will still be very good options available in Round 3. You want a veteran to compete with TJ Yeldon for the third spot? There are still some decent vets on the market like Carlos Hyde and Lamar Miller, who are under 30 and have rushed for 1000 yard seasons in this league.

It's not that black and white. Each day the country remains on total shut-down inches us closer to another great depression. Businesses closing down. People with no jobs or income, eventually resulting in losing their homes and being unable to feed their families. I keep hearing people say that concerns over the economy are selfish and greedy. I think that attitude is very short-sighted. I also believe that some Americans are significantly overestimating the government's ability to feed and take care of them, if/when this whole thing crashes down. Families may get a $2000 stimulus check once or twice. Six to nine months from now, I seriously doubt it. Although a significant economic downturn is pretty much unavoidable at this point, the magnitude and length will depend on multiple other factors. And even if society doesn't return to normal 100% in the next few weeks/months, there are ways we can gradually get there. And there are ways we can be creative to simultaneously keep businesses moving, and still protect the people most at risk. As I said in another post, the concern about this virus isn't that everyone is just going to suddenly drop dead if they go back onto the streets. When kept under control, the world is seeing roughly 5 percent require serious hospitalization. That means that 95 percent of people will be fine, and our goal is just making sure they don't infect those in the other category. As more testing kits are created, the easier it will be to determine who is infected and get them into quarantine. Even if we don't get a vaccine until next year, there are other pieces that can fall in place to help. The biggest problem is increasing medical capacity. Meaning more beds and ventilators for patients, and masks for doctors. There are major steps being taken right now to fix all of these problems. If some treatment drugs prove effective, we may be able to decrease the 5 percent to 4, 3, 2, etc. Less people requiring hospitalization, means less overload and a better chance people ultimately survive.

They have, just like with any sickness or disease. But the number of deaths among the young/healthy is very rare.

Like I said, there are scenarios that could drastically improve our situation over the next few months. - If doctors can discover treatment drugs that work - If the virus turns out to be seasonal - If we succeed in drastically increasing the medical capacity There are scientists and medical experts on both sides of the fence, and all admit they cannot be sure which way this ultimately goes. My attitude is to hope and pray for the best.

One advantage we have over the Spanish Flu, is that younger/healthy people do have an extremely high recovery rate with this virus. This thing is almost exclusively going after the elderly, and those over 60-65 with pre-existing conditions. The 1918 epidemic killed people of all ages, including children and young adults (as you pointed out). This should make it easier/quicker for humans to develop herd immunity. We can feel safer about sending younger/healthy people out into the world, without being afraid they will get it and start dropping dead everywhere.

Not completely subjective. You can use stats to show the following: - Allen improved in completion percentage and short-game accuracy from 2018 to 2019 - Allen ran less and stayed in the pocket more from 2018 to 2019 - Allen had less turnovers over the last 11 games than during his first 5 - Allen hit on a higher percentage of deep throws in his last 4 games, than during the first 12 games It's subjective to say this guarantees improvement next year, but it should give us some optimism.

I've been reading/listening to dozens of doctors and health experts. Nobody knows for sure how long this will last, because they are going by only 2-3 months worth of data on a virus that is totally new to the world. And unfortunately, the country that has been going through this the longest (China) was very secretive at first - so it's unclear whether the data they are putting out is reliable. The next few weeks will hopefully tell us a lot. - If they can be believed, China has supposedly hit the downside of this, and the country is gradually returning to work. The world will be watching to see if they get a second-wave once their citizens leave quarantine and start getting around each other again. - How well will the U.S. efforts to slow down infections work? And how much progress can we make in improving the country's medical capacity in that amount of time? The unique thing about this virus, is that it doesn't actually have an extremely high death rate... IF the sick can get proper hospital care. The problem (as can be seen in Italy) is that it's extremely contagious, and if thousands get sick at the same time, the hospitals simply can't handle everyone. - Is this strand of the virus seasonal? If it is, the spring and summer months should give us additional time to prepare for another outbreak next year. - At best, a vaccine is several months away. But there other drugs already being tested which hopefully can treat the symptoms and decrease the number of serious cases requiring hospitalization. Like with other viruses, there is also an expectation that humans will gradually develop a level of herd immunity. The recovery rate of young/healthy people who get this is very high. The key is all about NOT overloading the current medical system. Hospitals, beds, doctors, ventilators, etc. Even if society doesn't get back 100% to normal immediately in the next few weeks, it's very possible that we can get there gradually. For instance, let the recovered/young/healthy get back to work, while continuing to have strict quarantine rules and social distancing for the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. Yes, there are lots of doomsday predictions out there. But there are also glimpses of hope. I find it easier to take this day-by-day, and hope that everything turns out for the best, rather than fearing the worst.

Here is the way I see it... Following Josh Allen's rookie season, the biggest gripe among every critic was that: a) He missed too many SHORT throws b) He was mostly a scrambler, and didn't do enough with his arm So in the offseason, Allen worked diligently on fixing the weakest parts of his game. Immediately (even during Preseason and Week 1), you could already see the vast improvement in Allen's accuracy and short passing game. You could also see the focus Allen made to become a pocket passer, and to not take off running at every sign of pressure. But over the course of the first 4-5 games, a new problem emerged: a) He was turning the ball over too much So the coaches clamped down, and Allen started being more careful with the ball. Over the final 9-10 games, Allen had less turnovers than almost every other QB in the NFL. So the narrative once again switched, and suddenly Bills fans became extremely concerned with: a) Inaccuracy on his DEEP ball Just for arguments sake, I'll ignore the fact that Allen started hitting some nice deep passes during the final quarter of the season (which he did). The two against the Patriots were among his best throws all year. My confidence in Allen comes from the inescapable FACT that every time he has started getting a reputation for a bad habit/trait, he has gotten a laser focus on getting better in that area. And each time, it has worked. I fully expect Allen to put an emphasis on his deep ball this offseason, along with his penchant for fumbles while scrambling.

Don't forget the Bills don't have a 1st Round Pick anymore, so they don't need $8-10 million for rookies. Also, if they see a player they really want, they could make a cut somewhere (Trent Murphy is a popular cut choice). I agree that we need to be smart and careful, because there are players with expiring contracts coming up in future years. But we don't HAVE TO sign these guys to extensions right now. Tre White will have his 5th Year Option activated, putting him under contract for 2021 as well. Nothing stopping us from letting Dion Dawkins and Matt Milano play out their rookie contracts, and then extending them in the offseason. It may cost more in the long-run, but it may be a strategy to help add other players this season.

The O-Line overall was average last year (which was a huge step-up from 2018). I don't think we should be concerned about this unit. We haven't had any major upgrades. But if they perform exactly the same as last season, we will be OK. They won't be dominating anyone because of blocking. But blocking also won't be the primary cause for us losing games. Our biggest weak spot in 2019 was Right Tackle. Some of this was because of Cody Ford struggling as a rookie. Part of it was because of Ty Nsekhe getting hurt. The rest of the guys (Dion Dawkins, Quinton Spain, Mitch Morse and Jon Feliciano) are solid. Not All-Pros. But solid NFL starters. They have moments where they get beat, but for the most part are a reliable unit. We also have very good depth. Nsekhe, Spencer Long and Ryan Bates are each capable of stepping into a starting position without much drop-off. If Ford takes a step up in his sophomore season (which is the case for lots of players), then I think we can jump to an above-average O-Line.

Very true on both fronts. Old runners fall of a cliff quickly. In my opinion, the best way to build a backfield is to draft someone in Rounds 2-3 (this is the sweet spot for getting solid value) at least every 2-4 years. You always want to have two young guys splitting time, rather than count on a single workhorse. And when Free Agency eventually comes up, don't get emotionally attached to the fan favorites. Realize they can be replaced. The Bills should be seeking an RB in the draft this year to pair with Devin Singletary. Rookies at the position can often come in Year 1 and be very effective, especially in a timeshare. Jonathan Taylor and JK Dobbins are some options usually mocked in the 2nd Round this year. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Zack Moss, Cam Akers, Eno Benjamin and AJ Dillon are some guys who would likely be available in the 3rd.

I've been mostly against the idea of adding Gordon. But if we can get him on a 1-year $5 million deal, then I would be OK with it.

If it was just spending Terry & Kim Pegula's money, nobody would worry about it. Go ahead and throw $10 million per year at Melvin Gordon. But because of the salary cap, overspending will eventually catch up to you. Maybe not this year. Maybe not even next year. But somewhere down the line. The dumb money you threw at one player who failed to contribute, will ultimately result in you being forced to cut/let go a player that does contribute. In today's NFL, avoiding big money to Running Backs should be "Cap Rule 101." No position breaks down faster after the age of 25 than RB (Gordon is 26). And rookie RBs taken in Rounds 2-3 frequently outperform the high-paid vets. Instead of wasting big bucks on free agents, RB is a position that you should just plan on drafting a new guy on Day 2 every couple years. Rinse and repeat. I also think the gap between Gordon and Carlos Hyde is much smaller than you think. Hyde is older (which should factor in), but in many ways he actually played better than Gordon last year.

Jared Goff is certainly part of the problem. But the team would still be in deep cap trouble, even if Goff was playing really well. And if it wasn't for that terrible no-call against the Saints, the Rams wouldn't have even gotten to the NFC Championship game. I always hated the Rams approach. Thanks to their cap situation and lack of draft capitol, it may be 2-3 more seasons before they are even back into playoff contention. Personally, I prefer the New England approach. It's not about amassing a group of superstars, and making one desperate shot at the trophy. It's about building a cohesive and consistent team that can compete every single year, regardless of injuries, free agency, etc. If you can constantly field a team that wins 70-75% of your games for 10-15 years straight, odds are that you will eventually get a real shot at the trophy.

On a side/related note with the Todd Gurley news... The Rams should be a cautionary tale for anyone promoting the "ALL-IN" approach to roster building. They were legit contenders for roughly two seasons, and are now watching everything fall apart. Salary cap hell and players getting cut. No draft selections to rebuild the roster. Brandon Beane has stated he wants this team built for the long-haul. They are not going to mortgage everything for a small window at the Super Bowl. They believe the best road to a Super Bowl is consistently fielding a contender year-after-year.

Rough average between the two guys. People have been estimating $15-16 per year for Dion Dawkins, and $12-13 for Matt Milano. Now contract average doesn't always equate to cap hit, and contracts can be structured in a million different ways. But the general idea is that we will absolutely need some extra space next year.

The discussion always starts with the QB. Tom Brady is gone. Andrew Luck isn't coming back. Big Ben and Phillip Rivers have clearly regressed, and now have retirement staring them in the face. As of today, the premier/young QBs in the AFC appear to be Patrick Mahomes and DeShaun Watson (sorry but Lamar Jackson needs another year of elite play to prove his game will work for the long-haul). There are several young QBs vying to join that conversation (Jackson as mentioned, Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and soon to be Joe Burrow). Even if Allen never reaches the heights of Mahomes or Watson, I think he can at least be in discussion for the #3-4 guy in the AFC very soon. He's definitely got some work to get there, but being in the Top 5 in your conference would be absolutely HUGE for this franchise. Don't forget, Watson is being pulled down by a ridiculously bad front office. The Bills do seem to have a better/smarter organization than AT LEAST New York, Cleveland and Cincinnati. So if Allen can make that huge step forward, and the Bills should be a major contender for years to come.

Melvin Gordon would need to come VERY cheap to make sense for the Bills. Otherwise, we should just focus on grabbing a guy on Day 2 of the draft. It's very likely that we can get someone that would be equally as productive. The Bills have enough cap space to play around with, but they still need to be careful. Thanks to the 5th Year Option, we do have some time before Tre White (likely) becomes the highest paid CB in the NFL. But both Dion Dawkins and Matt Milano are free agents next season, and I would have to imagine both are in our long-term plans. Rough estimates have each guy making $14-15 million per year.

I'm curious what everyone around here thinks about possibly taking a shot at Xavier Rhodes or Trumaine Johnson? Like Josh Norman, both guys have struggled mightily over the past few years. But maybe our defensive coaches/system could rejuvenate their careers, especially if we could do a one-year prove-it deal. I think we already have one of the best secondaries in the NFL. But I went into the offseason thinking we need 4 guys capable of playing the outside (we only had 3 last year). I would prefer that at least one of those CBs also be able to slide into the slot in case of another Taron Johnson injury.

Melvin Gordon is extremely overrated, and would likely cost over $10 million per year. Just like Jadeveon Clowney, he is one that I would definitely pass on, unless we can somehow get him to take half of what he's looking for. This is the point of free agency where smart GMs can often get players (who were disappointed in their markets) to take team-friendly/one-year prove-it deals. I'm not sure Gordon or Clowney will ever get down to a worthwhile price range, but there may be some other guys on the market who can contribute. Personally, I would really like another versatile CB who can compete with Levi Wallace and Josh Norman on the outside, but also help in the slot with Taron Johnson's injury history.

Well, let's take a look at the teams who will (possibly) be needing a QB next year. It's actually a pretty lengthy list. I'm assuming right off the bat that Cincinnati drafts Joe Burrow, and that most of the teams with young (2nd/3rd Year) prospects don't give up their guys prematurely. Detroit takes a big dead-cap hit if they move on from Matthew Stafford in 2021. I think he will be with them a few more seasons. New Orleans new contract with Drew Brees is for two seasons, with a big dead-cap next year. I think he goes two more and then retires. Chicago: It's possible that the Bears have already given up on Mitch Trubisky, but I think next year will be the time they officially move on. Denver: The Broncos appear to be rolling with Drew Lock this year. But with him being a 2nd Round selection, he might get a short leash. Indianapolis and Tampa Bay: They signed Phillip Rivers/Tom Brady, but only on a one-year deals. Both could be QB shopping again next year. Jacksonville: The Jags already appear to regret the Nick Foles signing, and I don't expect Gardner Minshew to be a long-term solution. Los Angeles, Miami and New England: The Chargers, Dolphins and Patriots all need QBs right now. Will they get one this year, or wait until 2021? Las Vegas: The Raiders could move-on from Derek Carr at pretty much anytime, and have already been hinting at it. Pittsburgh: I'm honestly surprised Big Ben isn't calling it quits already. Could he retire next year if the comeback doesn't go well? Washington: With the regime change, Dwayne Haskins might be the only 1st Rounder in danger of getting less than 3-4 seasons. Out of this group, I think Indianapolis, Chicago, Denver, Tampa Bay, New England, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh will be in playoff talks - or at least good enough to be outside discussion for the #1 Overall Pick. By process of elimination, that leaves Jacksonville, the LA Chargers, Miami and Washington as the most likely teams to finish with a bad enough record to get the top pick. But all of these teams have Top 10 picks in April, so it's very likely that Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert take this list down to two.

This is why it's ridiculous when people claim the "salary cap doesn't matter" and you only need to be creative with structuring contracts. Once everyone is seeking a huge contract, you can't keep them all. The Titans made the decision to pay Ryan Tannehill and franchise Derrick Henry, and just didn't have the money to keep Casey on the books. In my opinion, they made the wrong decision. They should have franchised Tannehill to see if he could replicate last season, let Henry walk and kept Casey. But what do I know?

I hear you. It is definitely a risk going into the season with Cody Ford at Right Tackle. But at some point, you need to let your high draft picks play, work out the kinks and hopefully step forward. Going into last season, there were lots of Bills fans concerned about Middle Linebacker. But Tremaine Edmunds took a significant step in his development, and the position is now considered one of our strengths. It's one thing to have a fallback option (which I believe Ty Nsekhe and possibly another veteran free agent will end up being). But once we re-signed Quinton Spain, it was highly unlikely we were going to throw big bucks at one of the RTs on the market.