Rocky Landing

Need someone on the PS. But do you suppose Shaq Lawson will beat him up in the shower?

Could it be that we are over-valuing Bates based on a couple games in which he looked pretty good, playing between two top-tier players? There were plenty of times in the past that Bates came in off the bench and looked pedestrian at best.

What a great interview with Tim Settle! I love interviews that aren't just boilerplate "... each and every day... win games... blah, blah, blah..." And I love rooting for a team made up of clearly likable, high-character people. Not all fans are like that, but I am. And lately, it makes me feel very fortunate to be a Bills fan.

Is it possible we see some 4-3 formations with Miller lined up at Sam, or Will? Do we start blitzing once in a while?

I think McDermott’s seat is going to get cooled off by a large amount of Gatorade with ice.

Just off the top of my head: we restructured Morse, cut Mongo, cut Williams, restructured Milano, cut AJ Klein, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some more. All that clears cap. And suffice to say, if we couldn’t afford it, Beane wouldn’t have done it.

Are we trading for a corner? Looks like most of the high dollar FAs we might have been interested in are going elsewhere. But, Beane has been working tirelessly to free up cap space.

Drop Zone Jones. One and the same.

Apples & oranges. The two had very different roles. Landry was used as a deep threat far more than McK. And think about the routes McK was running. It stands to reason that a WR who’s catching a go route in stride is going to get more YAC than a guy taking a drop pass behind the LOS. But in all honesty, I think both players have huge athletic upsides.

I would add: Don’t sleep on Jake Kumerow. I know he was primarily a special teamer last season, and he didn’t get a lot of offensive touches. But assuming we lose Beasley and Sanders, and with the dwindling options at upgrading the TE position, I think we could see Kumerow with a much bigger role on offense, especially in the RZ. And I think we could see that guy making plays. I’m very optimistic for what he might provide.

Apples and oranges, IMO. Landry’s was a block gone wrong. A cheap shot on a defenseless player that got him fined, but at least part of a football play. Gronk’s was an after-the-whistle assault with intent to do bodily harm, and then he has the audacity, in an interview just last January, to pretend that he didn’t remember it. And then when pressed about it, he claimed that he was “happy to get a week off.” I got flamed (and trolled by a resident troll) for holding the opinion that I didn’t want that POS on the team, but I stand by that opinion firmly. I think Landry’s a head case, and pretty obnoxious. But I don’t think he’s a bad person

That is true. Sometimes those concerns are valid, sometimes they’re not. That being said, every time I hear Diggs talk, he sounds like an intelligent, rational, decent guy. Every time I hear Landry speak, he sounds like a head case. The fact that he was a division rival notwithstanding, I always thought he was a really exciting player to watch in Miami. But seeing him interact on Hard Knocks in Cleveland left a very poor impression, IMO.

I don't really hold the cheap hit on Aaron Williams against him-- you could see the remorse on his face immediately, and while not a legal hit, it was close. Landry was blocking, and I don't believe he was trying to take Williams out. That being said, I'm not sure he's a good fit in Buffalo, his obvious abilities notwithstanding. He seems like a head case-- very "me first" with a propensity for drama. The sorts of things that don't fly in Buffalo.

Tom who?

Honestly, I think Diggs, Davis, McKenzie, Kumerow, Stevenson, (and maybe a sixth that is already on the team-- Hodgins, Gentry?) is not a bad WR room. Talent, versatility, diversity, chemistry-- it's got it all. Not saying they shouldn't add to the corp in the draft, or even free agency-- but if they don't, I won't be upset. We could roll with these guys. And going with five WRs on the 53 (which many teams do), gives the Bills room to add playmakers at TE, or RB, or defense.

This is a big relief to me. McKenzie is so dialed in to this offense, has a relationship with the team, and with Allen. He once joked (??) about being the "face of the franchise," but I'm not sure how off the mark that is. I know Daboll appreciated him enormously-- I was never sure about McDermott. But, I have to believe that Josh, especially towards the end of the season, saw him for what he is-- a fast, talented, versatile WR, with insane athleticism, that fills in gaps like no one else. Micah Hyde once joked, during a press conference in which McK heckled him, that he "hated him." But, we all know that was a joke. Buffalo LOVES Isaiah McKenzie.

Pics, or it didn't happen.

I agree entirely. I think Beane, and McD are very upfront about these things.

Naw, I'm only reading into it a little bit. (I did start the post by saying I wasn't suggesting it was a red flag.) Definitely a different situation than with Mario. Mario (and the rest of that defense) had the rug pulled out from under him by Rex Ryan's incompetence. But, reading Jones' interview, it does sound a little like he might have some pretty well-defined expectations about his role, wherever he lands. I have no idea what he is like as a person, or what his character is. But, the quotes do make me think... Any player who comes into Buffalo is going to have to be reasonably flexible in their role, and scheme fit. There's definitely a "team first" culture in Buffalo.

Put another way: If [some] NFL GMs are as varied in [bad at] their evaluations as fans are it’s no wonder there are so many misses. And that may even be the case. Be that as it may, I don't ever find myself placing my own opinions of a player (however strong they might be) above Beane's. I feel like he's earned our trust. And I'm right there with you regarding Lawson. I will say though: he was playing his best football in a Bills uniform right before he left.

I'm not suggesting this is any kind of red flag, but it does remind me of when Rex Ryan came into Buffalo, and effectively ruined a top NFL defense by (among many other things) constantly dropping Mario Williams into coverage (zone coverage IIRC?). Mario, who had been so effective the previous year under Jim Schwartz, all but gave up playing for the Bills, and when they finally released him, we were happy to see him go. Jones saying things like, "I get to pick what scheme I’m going to be in..." (quoted from the PFT article) might give some pause. He may be in a position to pick his team, but if/when he arrives in Buffalo, he is still going to be an employee, and he's still going to have to be a culture fit.

We're almost certainly losing Beasley, and Sanders; maybe losing McKenzie. We retain a 6'4" WR, with reliable hands, who with limited offensive touches has made some good plays, is a good blocking WR (maybe our best?), and became a core special teamer last season, and... people have a problem with this?

Chandler Jones, please. That should be our "big free agency splash." After that: Re-sign Isaiah McKenzie Re-sign Ike Boettger Re-sign Levi Wallace The rest of our FAs can go. Cordarrelle Patterson. I would almost like him more than Chandler Jones. I just feel like he would be a perfect fit for our offense, who would be a reliable receiver, add to our run game, and be a viable K/PR guy. All the versatility McD/Beane love. Especially if we can't (or won't) re-sign McKenzie, he would become an immediate I'm[act player on this offense, IMO. If Beane can work some salary cap magic after Chandler Jones, and/or Patterson (or if they are unattainable) one of the following: CB Carleton Davis Edge Randy Gregory (if we can't get Jones) CB Casey Hayward Jr TE Mike Gesicki, Yeah, I said it.

Duke Williams.

AA is for quitters.