Rocky Landing

Does anyone know the justification for some teams, including the Dolphins, starting two weeks before us?

Yes. The worst part of an ACL tear (assuming there aren't other related injuries that have gone along with it-- MCL, meniscus, etc.) is the rehab. For several months, training, and conditioning become much harder, and some people might lose strength. But, reports have suggested that Tre's ACL was a clean tear. If he stays on top of his rehab, and takes advantage of what I assume are state-of-the-art rehab facilities at the Bills' Sports Performance Center, there is no reason he shouldn't return to full form.

The average length of a cornerbacks career in the NFL is only 2.9 years, so I suppose Tre White is on on borrowed time in the first place? https://www.statista.com/statistics/240102/average-player-career-length-in-the-national-football-league/

Love that picture. But, also we seem to be at the stage of the offseason where Bills fans just be looking for old threads to bump.

Never drink, and drive, and speed, I always say.

I would guess that most of these are DUI/DWI.

Crowder, Howard, and Saffold are all offensive upgrades. Re-signing Bates, and McKenzie helps Allen. Plus, Bates, Brown, Davis will continue to develop. The run game will continue to develop under Kromer. That helps Allen also. I would be pretty shocked at a trade up for a linebacker, no doubt. But if Beane, and McD see, and have met with someone that they thinks makes a significant impact on defense, I'm not going to complain about it. We are once again drafting predominantly for backup positions. Josh Allen scored 15 points in the last two minutes of regulation against the Chiefs. The Bills were ahead when he left the field. It wasn't the offense that lost that game.

If anyone needs an illustration of what the OP is talking about, go to a Pats* fan forum.

...without a flag.

Boettger at LG? I’ll be surprised if he starts the season. He’s rehabbing an Achilles tear.

I would assume the rumor is coming from other teams that don't keep such a tight lid on things?

Christian Wade, Efe Obada, Duke Williams-- I'm a sucker for these "feel good" stories. I root for them, follow them on social media, talk about them around the craft service table, hoping... but they never seem to work out. So, who's the underdog story going to be this season? (Please don't tell me Isaiah Hodgins. I'm bored already...)

IMO-- Yes, and no. I doubt the Ravens have the buyer's remorse you're suggesting here (I mean, the guy was 2019 MVP for Chrissakes!), and it is by no means out of the question that Jackson can develop into a much more effective packet-passer. In fact, some of his numbers from last season (cut short by injury, of course) would suggest that sort of improvement. But, I think you're definitely spot on on suggesting that the Raven's FO would be wary of the sort of deal that he probably hopes he's going to get. If I were Ravens brass, I would definitely want to see much more improvement in term of being a pocket passer, as well as improvement in self-preservation with his running acumen. He ain't no Josh Allen! (Full disclosure-- I am what most would call a "Bills Homer") There used to be this pundit-driven narrative that the way to shut down Allen was too "keep him in the pocket." There may be some lazy pundits still peddling that nonsense, but suffice to say that in '20, and beyond, Josh put that notion to rest. Leave him time in the pocket, and he will slice you to ribbons. But, Jackson (who I think you have to admit, is a better runner) certainly has yet to prove that. So, all of that being said, I would imagine that any contract that he and his Mom would find acceptable would have to be some sort of long-term agreement. And that puts them all at a bit of a conundrum, doesn't it? The timing couldn't be worse! There's no question in my mind that the guy is hella talented. But, there's also no question that he's an inherent risk. Poor guy was born about 20 years too late!

I loved him too. I remember a play (I don't remember the opponent) where Fitz completed to a receiver ahead of TO, and TO sprinted ahead of him to lay a perfect block to get him another ten, or so yards. And that was at age what, 36? Great player, and I was thrilled to shake his hand.

I will say that I am not particularly worried about Tre White. That may only be because I've had my own ACL replaced twice. Maybe he misses a game, or two. But ACL replacement has become utterly routine, and with state-of-the-art rehab (which Tre is most certainly taking advantage of) there's no reason he won't be 100% upon his return, IMO. But I know you don't place the same draft value on G as you do CB. I know Beane's draft philosophy in a nutshell is to fill holes in FA, and generally draft BPA for the future. But I don't know that he always holds to that philosophy in the first round. I'm curious, though: what position do you consider the Bills' greatest need at this point? Even if that need is OL, I wouldn't think you would advocate for taking a guard in the first. All that being said, my hope for the first round is to get their highest rated CB they can afford, and if they have a vet in mind they're willing to trade to help make that deal... well, there are players I'd be disappointed to lose. But, if the Bills snagged that "future ... CB1" you were referring to earlier this season... that could be special. I guess I also have higher hopes for Saffold, but more for his run blocking. If the Bills' run game improves, as it did at the end of the season, that alone takes pressure off Allen. I think the addition of Kromer is also an upgrade.

I think there were mixed feelings amongst fans when he was in Buffalo. That year also represented quite a drop-off in production compared to his previous three years, and he may have felt some dissatisfaction with himself-- who knows. But he definitely had a look of trepidation when he saw my hat. And this was in Los Angeles.

I met him once on an ESPN gig. He shook my hand, but was very suspicious of me in my Bills hat.

Don't forget that in Allen's rookie season, we had a bottom three OL, probably the worst WR corps in the league, and Late Nate Peterman as the "vet mentor."

God I'm glad we don't have to look at either of those mugs every Sunday for 17 weeks...

All good points, thanks. But, regarding the bolded: Bundling a vet with later picks is exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, that rumor is circulating right now. And is CB not an immediate need? Maybe you're higher on Dane Jackson than I am-- I know a lot of people are-- but I think you'd agree that he's the weak link in the secondary. As far as who that vet would be, we'd all hate to see Davis go. Of course Edmunds has been discussed. I don't know where Moss's ranking was in '21, but in '20 he was the best RB at pass pro in the league. But, if there is any truth to the rumor, then there are names being discussed.

You're right. My math was wrong. (That chart is outdated, anyway) But, I never said top ten, and I didn't say that draft picks were the only assets that Beane would, or should consider. I'm saying if Beane feels there is a CB worth the assets he's willing to spend, and another team is willing, he would pull the trigger. He has before. I was also making the point that we are, like last season, drafting for primarily backup positions. Multiple draft picks are more valuable to a team that has room for them on their roster, right? What good are draft picks if they get poached off the PS? That happened to us twice last season. Yeah, I screwed up the math, but that's really not the point. Trade-ups in the first happen, and Beane has done it three times, plus Diggs. BTW, that trade for Adams was hella steep, but he got 9.5 sacks for Seattle in his first season there.

Beane traded up for Ford, Edmunds, and Josh Allen. He traded a first for Diggs. If he feels the value is there, he'll make the trade-- not "just to take one," but because he sees the value. The top three CBs in the draft are expected to be gone by #25. In 2020, Seattle traded two firsts, and a second for S Jamal Adams from the Jets. Trades in the first round happen every draft, and they often work out. And consider also that CB is one of the few positions that has not been addressed in FA. Peterson re-signed with the Vikes for $4mil. That's what Levi's getting with the Steelers.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/index91c0.html?page_id=6682

First of all, a trade up would include our pick #25. It's not such an outrageous idea-- Beane has done it twice. Secondly, there are other assets besides draft picks. There is a rumor circulating right now that a trade up would include a vet player. Regardless, according to the standard trade value chart, our first, and second round picks would equate to the fourth overall pick. Are you suggesting that we aren't thin at CB? IMO, it is the thinnest position on the team, especially if Tre White misses any time.

Last season-- much like this season-- we were drafting primarily for backup positions, with the only notable exception being our first round pick. There was no room on the 53 for the later round picks, and they ended up on the practice squad as developmental players. The two with the most potential, Rashad Wildgoose, and Jack Anderson, were poached by other teams, rendering them utterly wasted draft picks. IMO, the question is less a matter of there being "reason in trading up," and more a question of "why not trade up?" If there isn't any room for the later round picks on the team (and, I suspect there isn't) then why not use those picks to get a better prospect at CB? Not capitalizing on the value of later round picks seems much crazier to me than trading up for better potential. I do agree that "McDs defense has made many late round or undrafted guys look good." Levi Wallace, and Ike Boettger are perfect examples of that. But, obviously, being a player that other teams don't want as much is not a selling point to them, or anyone else.