Bleeding Bills Blue

Yep - gotta have backups... Russell had 2 sacks and 17 combined tackles in 14 games last year (6 starts - 459 snaps). Lawson had 4 sacks and 33 combined tackles in 11 (10 starts - 435 snaps). He had 464 snaps - so more than both russell and lawson. So production-wise - lawson has outperformed both in actual game situations

We're keeping 4 likely anyway. Shaq also is big enough and has some rip to him that he can be used inside on obvious passing downs. Russells contract is unlikely to have any guaranteed money - so he has to seriously outplay lawson for us to consider trading/cutting lawson. Yarbrough is also not guaranteed either. Yeah - he's starting at SAM in our base defense right now though and none of lacey, stanford, humber particularly impresses me to the point that he needs to move positions.

He's already been paid an additional 1.5 million of signing bonus in years 3/4, and his 2018 base salary is fully guaranteed. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/zay-jones-21778/

Zay's Cap hit doubles if we cut him. After the offseason and his generally unproductive rookie year, its unlikely he has any trade value. He's likely sticking. I personally think Holmes may be more up in the air. They seem to value Dupre's speed, and they look at Ray-ray as some sort of hybrid type weapon.

He'd have to be a lot worse than the next man up for me to consider it

Fully guaranteed contract. And we're already hanging a huge dead cap number. Only way I trade him is if the depth guys behind him out perform him. Doesn't matter if he's better than Murphy.

I mean - pass rush is a legit need. And we'll have cap flexibility in 2019 That front office no longer works here...?

Also didn't acknowledge adding Murphy into the DE rotation with a healthy Shaq and Hughes

I think they want him inside though. We played about 60 percent nickel last year so they'd probably prefer a thumper SAM than moving Edmunds between positions depending on formation. Humber and the other guys will compete for that spot I think

Suh's on a 1year deal, so are talib and joyner. They didnt draft like anyone this year and won't have money moving forward but they should be able to lock up donald.

I just look at MLB as a position we literally just addressed. Doesn't seem to fit the need. I'd be more inclined to take a flier on a receiver who's fallen down a depth chart - or an offensive lineman.

I agree with you mostly - I personally want to see Allen just win the Job as an ideal scenario. I also think Seattle has a good shot at that division FWIW - Just don't see a guy who's never missed a game, and never had a losing record all of a sudden qb'ing a 4-12 team... but thats just me. Prisco's got them at 5-11

I'm glad we get Minnesota early in the year. New QB, may take a few weeks to really hit the ground running.

I'd rather let the rookie work it out this year TBH. This is kinda year 2 of the transition, with 2019 being our goal year from a competitive standpoint. We get out of all the dead money, carry over the remaining cap, and will have money to extend players moving forward and sign free agents, or use late draft capital to acquire overpaid players who still have something left in the tank. We're going to need quite a bit moving forward - pass rush help is always appreciated, improving the o-line, a running back, a couple of WRs... Would help having that cap space moving forward. We can hit on some of those in the draft - but you aren't going to be able to improve all those positions in a single draft.

I think what happened in their more recent drafts can be a good kind of - lesson to be learned for the organization. They added picks in 2017 because i think they recognized a depth issue with their team moving forward. A few years ago they tried to make big moves to try and get over that SB hump and added guys like harvin and graham... which ended up costing them some top end contract controlled talent. I honestly look at their roster, and they are not as bad as people predict. Sherman wasn't as good as he was perviously, and they lost some players to injury, but they have improved their Oline and added a 1st round RB. If they can get Earl Thomas on board, they will have a good defense. Not a great one like in years past, but a good one. Solid D-line rotation, solid DBs, and a young secondary. Pair that with a top level QB, solid receivers and a much improved oline - i wouldn't sleep on them.

It was like a team with a strong read-option QB, and a strong power running game due to the elusiveness of the RB switching to a coach who did no read-option/pistol and stressed rhythm passing and zone rushing which is more of a single-cut running back style.

Fair - just saying building a strong defense first will help the team be in every game and make his job easier.

?

1's retired, 1's 40 years old, big ben is held together with tape, and flacco kinda stinks. It's anyone's guess who will be amazing from the next crop - or if it will be more of an even playing field after 3 HOFers retire. Rodgers is a top 5 QB in the NFL, and theyre a super bowl contender every year - he only has 1 ring though.

I personally expect 7-9 with some surprises and some disappointments.

Beating teams with great Qbs comes down to competing on every play. Don't give them the freebees on first down, stop their run game, and put them in harder to convert 3rd down situations.

Especially because it was in Seattle....

Right? They gave up 30+ 10 times in 18 games. Pretty lousy team. They did draft their LT replacement, and added a tandem of future all-pro safeties in one draft. As well as thurmond who was an important piece during their SB run. Tate was also picked, but he never fit great in seattle and has been great with Jim bob and Stafford in detroit.

Oh I would definitely agree. Turnovers kill a defensive team more than anyone else. Seattle had the strong run game with lynch to lean on when they were developing Wilson too.

Seattle was actually better in 2011 than 2010, but the division was terrible in 2010. In 2010 - They were outscored by 97 points 28th on O, 27th on D in yards 23rd on O, 25th on D in points 31st rushing attack 19th passing from a yardage perspective, and had 20 INTs. Actually a couple parallels though. Both Buffalo and Seattle had new HCs and GMs. Both had borderline starter QBs with bad supporting casts. And both teams dumped their borderline starter after the year.