Rocky Landing

I'm also of the suspicion that they're moving away (at least for this season) from ST-only players like Siran Neal, Matekevich, or Taiwan Jones. The team has gotten younger (Von Miller notwithstanding), and there is a depth problem on defense. It kind of flips the priorities, in a way. They wouldn't keep someone like Hollins for his ST ability-- he'll also have to contribute to the offense. I think that may be why Shavers has gotten his opportunities with the ones. His ST acumen has been established, but now he's showing consistency with the offense. And even if MVS proves to be the better WR, Shavers is a developmental player that they've been working with since last year-- and clearly he's been developing. I think that really puts MVS on the bubble. I've been of the mind that they're not going to keep another 6'4" guy as the #6. I suspect it's going to be one of the smaller, speedy guys-- Hamler, or Isabella, making two WR battles to watch: MVS vs Shavers, and Hamler vs Isabella.

When it comes down to WR #5, or #6, they are going to need to fill specific roles. If they carry six WRs, it's not necessarily going to be the best six WRs. It's going to be the six WRs that best fill out the WR corps. I submit that as a #5, or lower WR, MVS has little value, as he doesn't play ST, is not a developmental prospect, and has a skillset that would be considered redundant alongside Coleman, and Hollins. MVS certainly has time to work his way up the depth chart. But at the moment, it would appear that Hollins is above him, and it's entirely plausible that Shavers has passed him as well, just from the reports that we have seen from TC. And why, with MVS's dismal catch %, and drop rate, would that be a surprise?

I love sitting on a bench too, and nobody ever paid me a dime...

The Peterman Principle: To inexplicably rise to several levels above your level of incompetence, and somehow continue to get rehired for the same position.

Tonight, they're all going to sneak into his dorm room with bars of soap slung in hand towels.

I think with the uncertainty in so many of our depth players, and with how much younger we've gotten, I think Beane/McD are moving away from the ST-only type players, like Siran Neal, or Matekevich. Certainly, players that are down the depth chart have to play special teams, but IMO. more than in years past, those players will also have to be ready to contribute on offense, or defense, respectively. I think Shavers offers a pretty good illustration of this. He was acquired last year as a UDFA on his ST acumen, and placed on the PS. Scouts, and his college coaches had described him as a "special teams ace," but he was unreliable on offense. Now, since TC began, he started showing offensive ability with Buechele, and Trubisky throwing him and ball. So he's earned time with the first unit, and could be moving up the depth chart. If he gets up to #5, or #6 WR, it'll be on his ST ability, but he has to prove he can fill a role on offense. JMO.

If Hollins, and Shavers are above MVS on the depth chart, I can't imagine what kind of value he would have. In a competition for a #6WR, I'd think they'd be looking for someone who a) played ST, b) would be seen as a younger developmental prospect, and c) could fill a more unique role. MVS doesn't offer any of that, and he'd be pretty redundant behind Coleman/Hollins/Shavers. And literally every other WR on the roster offers at least one of a, b, or c.

Wonder what we'll be saying this time next year...? 🤔

Man, back in the middle of June, I was getting flamed for suggesting that MVS wasn't all that, and could be cut...

...which is then lost by cutting MVS 😐

We know so little about this injury-- only that it's a tibial plateau fracture. I had this same injury myself, that required surgery. It's an odd injury, in that it's not a broken bone like it would be if it were lower down in the tibia, but more of a crushed bone from the top. The problem here is that if it doesn't heal perfectly, it will affect the knee's stability. Mine healed, but I was never the same skier afterwards-- but that might have been partially just my confidence. As Aaron Rodgers recently said, "the last 5% of getting to 100% is mental."

It's unrealistic to think that there are going to be 53 starting quality players on the roster. Every team has backup level players. If you have one that plays multiple positions with some level of competence, then that has value. Plus ST, of course. And Cam Lewis even occasionally makes plays.

Doesn't really answer the question, though.

Honestly, in terms of his skillset, and the type of role he might play, it's not unlikely that Isabella entered TC with a leg up on him. It's early, of course. But that's who I would think would be his main competition. And I'm not sure he did much to pull ahead of him. When it comes right down to it, if there are six WRs on the roster, it's not necessarily going to be the best six out there. It's going to be who best fills the roles they need filled.

Honest question: Do you feel that Tua signing this contract with Miami improves, worsens, or stagnates their outlook going forward? Personally, I think it stagnates their outlook, at best. And that is reason for sanguinity.

The thing about Cam Lewis is that he can do a little bit of many things, but none of them exceptionally well-- with the possibility of ST, in which he isn't elite, but very good. He can spell all five positions at DB-- CB, NCB, and safety. But, it's always a bit of a disappointment, and offenses will attack him immediately, when they see him out there. He's not starting quality at any of those positions, and he'll never command anywhere near a top-end contract. But, he's obviously athletic, and versatile, a vet presence on a young defense, and a Buffalo product. It's good to have guys like that on the team, and he'll always be cheap (albeit for good reason). That's a lot of value for a bargain basement price. He's not a JAG. He's a JIC (just in case). For me, it would qualify as a surprise cut.

That tibial plateau fracture I suffered was from a very foolish blind air I took, and found the only patch of ice I had seen all day. More of an Icy Landing, really...

Frankly, this seems disingenuous to me, but I don't mind 'splaining it... In this context, "ascending" during training camp is often used to refer to a player whose stock is rising in the eyes of the coaches. Going from 8th to 6th would certainly be considered "Ascending." But, to anyone paying attention, it's probably clear that Hollins started TC as the likely fourth WR on the coaches white board-- fifth at the lowest. And while I don't believe for an instant that he has moved up the depth chart above #4 or #5, I think it is reasonable to believe that in the brief, three days of TC, so far he has solidified his position ahead of those behind him, in the coaches eyes. In other words, since arriving at St. John Fischer, he has increased the probability that he will be on the 53-- hence, the term "ascending." Great. Now there's going to be an athlete's foot epidemic.

Pete "The Nose" Carroll, yes! That's who I meant!

Do you really not know what Matt Parrino, and others mean by an ascending player in this context?

I would definitely want to read a coach's perspective. Belichick would be high on my list, although I'd probably skip over the chapters on Spygate, and Deflategate. Pete Carrol might be another. And I'll bet Jim Harbough would make for an informative, and entertaining read, albeit unhinged.

This is a pretty lazy assessment of Hollins. Several analysts, including Matt Parrino, have used that exact word, "ascending," to describe him. There's really not much, other than size, and ST play, to compare Hollins to Kumerow. Hollins is also an exceptional down-field blocker. Do you really think that offers "next to nothing in the pass game," especially on a team that runs so many bunch formations, and WR screens? As far as a group of big WRs, there will almost certainly be three on the roster. If there are four, at least two of them will be playing ST. Hollins exceptional ST play puts him high on the list of consideration.

Hollins would be a surprise cut. But, he's not at the point of being a lock, IMO. My thoughts have generally been: Hollins-MVS-Claypool... pick two. Hollins has gotten a ton of buzz before TC, with both Beane, and Allen bringing up his name multiple times during press conferences. And he's made notable plays in TC, and continues to impress people. Claypool seems to be bending over backwards to behave himself, including working out with special teams-- and that really is important for depth players. But as far as their current on-field performances, I feel like we've heard more about Hollins making plays, and both Claypool, and MVS have been a bit quieter.

There have been a lot of dark horse candidates (DHCs), and a few surprise cut predictions thrown out there over the offseason. Now that we're three days into training camp, I'm wondering where such thoughts lie for the 53? There's always a few surprises. Earlier this season, I had KJ Hamler as a DHC, but my thoughts are shifting towards Tyrell Shavers. When we signed him last season as a UDFA, and put him on the PS, it was for his ST acumen-- he had been described as a special teams ace by scouts. And after losing Siran Neal, and Matekevich, there is a need. And he's gotten a few mentions this past week, for making some nice grabs. My surprise cut candidate hasn't really changed-- MVS. There are currently six WRs on the roster who are 6'4", and if the Bills keep four of them (which would be surprisingly redundant), the ones not named Keon Coleman will need to play ST. MVS doesn't. They will also have to have exceptionally reliable hands. MVS doesn't. I've been flamed for this opinion earlier this offseason, and I get it. He certainly has a playoff pedigree, and a $2M dead cap hit they would have to eat. But with Coleman, and Mack Hollins ascending, MVS's role becomes reduced. My darkest of dark horses is Travis Clayton, and that's only because I harbor this fantasy of him being used as a sixth lineman, and eligible receiver, in those Jumbo packages that Brady seems to love. Of course, Clayton doesn't actually know how to play the position for which he was signed. But, as an extremely athletic pro rugby player, he does know how to catch, and run with a ball. How much fun would that be? Who do people have as their DHCs, and surprise cuts?

For me, it's my joints...