Rocky Landing

FIFY ? I was a Hogan fan when he was in Buffalo-- loved his motor. But, I remember there being reports-- mostly anecdotal-- that he was not well liked in the locker room. Not in terms of leadership, or team issues-- purely a personality thing. I wish I could remember the sources, but it was too long ago.

Getting an asterisk after our name because of the Patriots*... How very 2020 that would be...

Division rivals in the same stadium? I believe that would be a lot different, and very problematic. Imagine being a division rival sharing a stadium with say, the Patriots*...

How do you have two teams in the same division, Jets, Giants, and Chargers, Rams sharing a stadium? Seems untenable.

Lee Smith believes he's capable of subbing in at O-line. He said exactly that in an interview last season.

Yeah, Gunner pointed that out to me, as well. He is still listed as a safety, of course, and was in at safety for his sack against Rodgers, and was in at S week 17 vs. the Jets. I honestly don't know which he played more-- nickel, or BU safety. Of course, ST was his wheelhouse. All that being said, I certainly disagree with him in red, for the sake of this discussion, especially on a list that has Jaquan Johnson in black. Siran was far more productive for the Bills last season, and I don't know why that wouldn't continue into this season.

Welp, my mind has been changed.

With Feliciano on IR, I'd be surprised if all three didn't make the roster. I did not know about the contract. I was under the mistaken belief that he was pricey.

I need to get me one of those...

Know very little about him. I will look into him. I'm actually thinking of Boettger as a dark horse O-line candidate. He knows the system, and was projected (think?) as a 1st-2nd rounder before getting injured his senior year. But, more importantly, I believe he's been subbed in at center from time to time, and with the loss of both Feliciano, and Long, that would be of considerable value. I know they like their backups to be flexible.

I'll probably get flamed for this, but if it were a different year, with more time on the field before the opener, and with the additions to the O-line room, I might slide Quinten Spain into the blue. And, if Feliciano weren't injured, I'd put him into the blue, as well.

Probably one of the easier seasons to call, with the amount of continuity from last season, and the struggles of new players to make the 53. I see you have Siran Neal down as a corner. I know he has that position flex, but he's listed as a safety, and I believe played after last season. I don't recall him playing corner at all last season, unless it was at nickel, and I missed it. I'm surprised you have Taiwan Jones in red. I never liked him as a Bill, frankly, but I think they made a concerted effort to improve on ST, and I think he's a part of that. I would think he would be in blue.

That was the best nap I've had in a while.

Why wouldn't they use Diggs for sweeps, reverses, end-arounds, and the like? They used him for all those things in Minnesota ,and to great effect. Why limit Diggs' versatility?

I feel like you've agreed with me in the past, though, that McKensie's value has, at least to some degree, been supplanted by Diggs. I'm not even saying this as an argument for putting Duke above him, but I would certainly think that McK's place on the roster is far less certain than it was this time last year.

I always chuckle a little when an NFL color commentator refers to Smith as, "blocking tight-end Lee Smith," when he's on the field. But, that (along with his vet presence, I suppose) is his value, and it isn't going to be replaced by Sweeney (or Kroft, for that matter).

I understand your perception of Duke-- if he was decent, why wasn't he active more? Why did it take so long to get onto an NFL field? But, an equally accurate perception sees a guy who had a serious crash in his senior year of college that knocked him out of the draft, then UDFA on the Rams PS, then a year as an average player in the CFL, followed by a year in which he led the CFL in receptions, followed by PS for the Bills, followed by a promotion to the 53, but mostly inactive, followed by activation, followed by being a go-to guy in the playoffs. Throughout that, he showed real playmaking ability with a large catch-radius, and a knack for contested catches (one apparently unforgivable drop notwithstanding). That reads like an upward trajectory to me, so I don't think he should be so easily dismissed.

I feel like they're going to carry three QBs, and four RBs with Jones. I also think five DEs is a distinct possibility. An additional O-linesman, as well would not be surprising, as I think they are perceived as most vulnerable to attrition. The only sure fire way to keep these guys protected is to keep them on the 53. JMO.

I guess this is what is meant when they refer to certain players as "polarizing." Never pass up an opportunity for a dig when a player is a fan favorite to some, but not to thee, even when the thread is not about that player.

I assume that's a condition negotiated by the NFLPA. If you're a vet player from a team with plenty of depth, and you get stuck on a PS, without any opportunity to play, imagine how much income they could potentially lose. I assume the same rules for counteroffers apply? Not by the new rules for this season. Up to six vet players may be placed on a PS.

Well, regardless of the rules, it's still an interesting discussion-- who would you place on the practice squad that you would generally want to protect. McKenzie: With the addition of Diggs, McK's skillset becomes mostly redundant. But, in the event that Diggs (or Andre Roberts) goes down, having McK on standby protects Daboll's playbook from losing the sweeps, end-arounds, reverses, etc. that were McK's wheelhouse last season. #4 TE: I believe that Lee makes the 53 for his blocking. We need him for that. None of our other TEs are exceptional blockers. I also think it's likely we only carry three. So, whether it's Sweeney, or Kroft, whoever is the odd man out should be protected. (This is assuming that Sweeney is off PUP before the start of the season) O-Line: Offensive line is likely one of the more high-risk positions in the NFL this season. There could be many teams that experience attrition at this position, and quality depth will be at a premium, IMO. It's remarkable how much depth we have at this moment, and it should not go unnoticed that Spencer Long was immediately snatched up by the 49ers. I suspect that O-Line help-- even at backup-- will be a top priority for teams going forward. Likely candidates for PS O-line spots for us include Ryan Bates, Evan Boehm, and Ike Boattger. Any one of them should get protection on the PS, IMO. Defensive Tackle: Like the O-line, it's likely that the D-line will also face a higher amount of attrition this season. Now that Star has opted out, the top four DTs seem fairly obvious. But, we will end up with some quality depth at defensive end that will likely be assigned to the PS. Could Trent Murphy find himself on the PS? Whether it's him, Daryl Johnson, or Mike Love, I think it would be wise to keep a quality depth player ay this position protected.

I believe also that they can protect different players each week.

I live in Los Angeles. I've tried to make one of these teams my "second team," but to no avail. But, I still enjoy this show, and I'll be interested also to see into the new SoFi stadium that has been destroying the 405 pass for the last couple years. It'll also be interesting to see the Covid-19 protocols at work.

Astro's in quarantine somewhere...

I think the value of McK is his versatility. They've played him all over the field at WR, including all the gadget plays. They've used him as a RB, as a kick returner, and even put him in at CB in a pinch. I think his issue this season, and why I think he's vulnerable, is if you take away the gadget plays, he's really not a great WR. Diggs did all those gadget plays in Minnesota, and he did them better. I wouldn't be surprised if they put McK protected on the PS, in case Diggs goes down, so they wouldn't have to limit Daboll's playbook. He does love those gadgets.