MarlinTheMagician

Kirby - like your posts, but I disagree on this one. I think they are very similar in a different way. Tre White, Zay (pre hotel incident), Dawkins, and Milano were all seen as hard-working character guys. You have the same this year - Allen, Edmunds, Harry, and Johnson all from the same mold. Team, character, work ethic. That is the McDermott type, as that is what he is himself. Hold Russ Brandon up next to Beane/McDermott. Can you believe Russ Brandon was GM! Think about that.

Interesting back at you - had no idea Davis was a converted safety too. Milano credits the switch to the coach at BC (forgot his name), says it made him eligible for an NFL career. Went from a big-ish but not too fast safety to a super-fast linebacker. A year of mass could make him even better. He is a workaholic.

Very fair point - but i don't think it is Beane alone here. I think we rise or fall with McDermott. Seems McDermott sets the vision for the building, Beane prices and orders the materials. Loved Preston, but he does not fit the scheme. Gaines would have been a mistake, IMHO. There is a reason he got $4m - he wanted much more. Plus Tre knew early he was out (if you remember their Twitter posts), so I don't think he wanted to be in Buffalo. Good move on Gaines in my view. Vontae is a beast if he can regain form - dude was All-Pro, not just Pro Bowl (and I don't see why he can't).

I am with you - fingers crossed.

Of course it is a new year and things can always go wrong. Last year, could only do so much when we had so many salary problems. So they fixed the back end last year, addressed the front 7 this year (while continuing to take care of the back-end by signing Davis rather than overpaying for EJ Fragile Gaines. I probably would have signed Gaines and it would have been a mistake. That's another reason why Beane and McDermott are so great. didn't get over-excited about last year's back-end and throw unwarranted money at Gaines. Vontae Davis a much better value.) The point is - there appears to be a plan that could work. Don't sleep on Hughes this year. With Murphy on the other side I think he could really have a fine year. He was all we had for pass rush.

I think this is very well said, and exactly how I feel.

Very fair. Jury is really out on both a bit, but the early returns are excellent. McDermott is the key I think - give me an intense, hard-working and principled coach all day long. I think Bean will support his vision and help its expression. And that is why I think they may be a top duo in the league.

Not giddy at all. The only one of that list that has not played for us is Vontae. The results on the field are in for last year's performances by Milano, Tre White, Poyer and Hyde, and they were damn good. I am - what did Rex say? Fully pregnant.

Take a look at our D - people are rightfully excited. Potentially top 10. Look at the way it was put together last year and before free agency this year (Vontae was pre-free agency cut from Colts). Tre White, Milano, Poyer, Hyde, Vontae Davis. That is well over 40% of our defense and it cost us almost nothing. What did it cost? A trade-down first, a compensatory fifth (from not signing Gillislee) and three modest free agent salaries. For 5/11ths of a D that has us jacked. That is amazing work in my view.

Couldn't agree more. And I am sure Beane and McDermott would agree too. But that is what is so great, there is a clear plan. We had a crap roster with lots of bloated salaries and egos. I have every confidence offense will get done. One of the things that makes me confident is Dabol. I thought Dennison was horrible - unimaginative, poor timing for exotic play calls, and on an on. Bills saw the same thing and BOOM - Dennison is gone. But I would like to pose my original question again (which was derailed with "let them win first"): 1. Is there any duo in the NFL at coach/GM you would rather have? 2. If so, is there any young duo you would rather have (recognizing it is hard to argue with the success of legend/fossil like Belichek);

I don't believe Whaley had much to do with last year's draft other than to pass Bills' scouting evaluations across the table to McDermott. Who then called Bean and said "here is what we think of this guy Brandon, what do you think?" It was a great draft I think, but I don't believe Whaley deserves one ounce of credit.

Horrible Harry of course

I think we did. Vontae Davis, Star, Horrible Harry, McCarron, Allen, Edmunds, even pieces like Kerley. Sarcasm is fine, but in my view we did win the offseason. But unlike that idiot Ryan you will never here these men say it. So I will say it for them. But Beane and McDermott never take a bow, they just say "we have a lot we need to do to get better still." One of the reasons I love them. So yeah, we won the offseason - just not "again."

The thing is, they did. They won a wild-card spot in year 1. When they had absolutely nothing. Almost an unbelievable achievement in my view. The cynics on this board thought it was a tank, 100%. The somewhat less cynical called it a modified tank. You can call it luck, you can trivialize the achievement any way you want, but they won the death of the drought when numerous coaches and GMs had failed to do so for 17 years. They also totally made over the roster and got us out of salary cap hell without even one year of unwatchable football. i would not trade them for any pair in the league. Pass the Kool-Aid please.

Agree, Pegulas are a class act. So thankful for them.

I have been so impressed by Beane and McDermott. What McDermott got out of the roster last year. Beane's gumption to try to go get a QB and many other things. Plus, one of the best things is they seem totally in-sync. It seems when GM and coach are not on the same page it is a formula for disaster even if, independently, the coach and the GM might not be on the same page. Our guys are. And I don't think they are just copying Carolina - they were buddies there, but not in charge. I think they look at Carolina and say "here are all the things Carolina did well, how can we do it better." I think they may be the best Coach/GM pairing in the league. And even if not the best now, perhaps the best YOUNG coach/GM combo - a band that could play together a long time. Adding people like Dan Morgan only helps (quality people giving us a real football infrastructure). Be interested in the board's thoughts. How do they rank overall as a pair? How about among young GM/Coach teams? I think these guys are awesome, full disclosure.

Milano is super-instinctive. His 40 time at combine (like 4.67) was a product of injury, he is one of the faster backers in the whole league and a converted safety. He is one of my favorites, but we can't expect too much from the kid yet. I know he works at the sport like an animal. A year in the strength and conditioning program will really help him avoid the wash. He is already, however, elite in coverage and a playmaker. Potential is there. I don't watch much college so I am concerned about the posts immediately above saying Edmunds is not so great in coverage. I had heard he is quite good. I have also heard he is a fanatical worker like Milano (seems we have a lot of those). If he can match Milano's coverage skills we will have a pair of elite coverage linebackers when we are in the two linebacker sub package. And if Star, Harry, and Kyle can keep Edmunds and Milano clean they can both really fly to the ball like few other NFL pairs (with Edmunds having some tremendous power). Having said that, calling them Kuechly and Davis may be a bit much to ask at this stage. In two years though, who knows!

Agree. And Vontae Davis is a really important pick up too.

Allen #1!!!!

The degree of Rosen excuse making is unbelievable. To the extent the article or posters are suggesting NFL Execs, whose living depends on wins and losses, really based their decisions on a "narrative" they did not investigate first hand - that is absurd. Teams dig deep on these guys. Sure, some of it is a feeling. But the are feelings based on in-person meetings and extensive background checks. Highsmith probably regarded the volleyball story as an incident he could share risklessly. That does not mean it is all Cleveland had. More likely their view was like that of a lot of other teams. A view something like this: According to Scott Davis of Business Insider, there is at least one team concerned that his personality will cause internal issues with the Arizona Cardinals, comparing him to two former quarterbacks who did so. Very glad this guys is not our problem.

I liked him for us, and these fumbles mean nothing longer term, but it is kind of funny. And he does have those teeny-weeny, clutching, clawing, little dwarf fingers. Hope he has a great career (unlike that wanker Rosen}, except when he plays us. Allen's hands on the other hand - like giant eagle's wings enveloping the football.

The throws are insane, and often the guy isn't open very much. Allen beats the DB by a foot or two from 50 yards away while rolling away from pressure. Then, ZIP, the ball is in the receivers hands and the DB is all like "whah?" Just sick. Highlights, I know. Still sick.

Put "Josh Rosen" In Google, then limit it to the past week. Some pretty choice stuff making me very happy with our choice.

Anyone else notice that across all of those TDs there was maybe 50 yards or so of total RAC. Darts into the end zone.

Good luck with the corners, except vs us of course!