Kirby Jackson

I get it. I have said that I wouldn’t begrudge guys for opting out and I won’t. Tre is in the verge of a massive deal. I get him not wanting to go into a season with limited camp, no preseason and an international pandemic going on. This year will do more damage to players than most. That’s pretty much inevitable. Now, if the Bills turned around and signed Tre to a massive deal I wouldn’t be mad. It’s inevitably coming anyways. That security will almost inevitably force him to opt in.

Josh was good (as always). He’s just so comfortable in front of the camera. That crew loves him too.

Good post!! That’s well thought out and makes some sense. For me it was as much the timing as the guy but you could be right and Bates’ versatility wins out.

I’m having a hard time believing that they like Bates, Boettger, etc... more when they have had no offseason and played Long ahead of them last year. Now, maybe they decided that they needed to save the money. They could have waited though and did that. I do not, for one second, believe that Long was guy 80 on the roster. Again, it isn’t a huge deal but think that they could have done it better.

I think Beane has done a phenomenal job. That does not mean I think that it’s perfect. It’s okay to disagree at times. Long played well and has the versatility to play center. That’s important with Feliciano out. He feels like the safest backup IOL. That’s why it’s a surprise. I would have tried to trade somebody first. The Bills have used those depth OL as basically compensatory picks. They had a chance, and still have a chance, to do that. They have the deepest OL in the league. I just don’t think that it’s wise to release solid depth at this point.

Well said and that’s kind of the point that I was trying to make. I’d rather pull the plug on guy less likely to make the roster (or any NFL roster). Try to make a trade in the meantime (again don’t care which depth guys go on the OL) and then go back to 80. Release a guy like Webb or Easley or Woodward, etc... I don’t think that they did. I feel VERY confident that the Bills could have traded one of Boettger, Boehm, Long, Williams, Bates or Nsekhe. I would have started by trying to deal one of them. The point remains though why not cut a guy that won’t end up on the roster (ie Easley)?

Who plays behind Morse? No Feliciano and no Long?

This feels like a dumb decision to me. I would think that he has trade value (or one of the other OL do). The Bills have the deepest OL in football. If it wasn’t Long, it could have been Boehm or Bates or Nsekhe or Williams. I felt like they should have tried to spin these quality depth OL into late round picks. Financially I get why Long though. I always thought that he was a bubble guy with his price tag. Just the way that this played out it seems like you might have been able to spin some of the OL into an asset.

Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part but I think that the Pats will have a hard time recruiting moving forward. Brady and Gronk kind of set the tone that “it’s not fun.” Collins and Van Noy left as well. The opt outs this year furthered that message. People went because they had a chance to win a title every year. I think that shine has worn off some too. Obviously, if they pay guys they will come. All that I’m saying is that the days of the Pats getting guys for $.10 on the dollar are over. They are in great cap shape but they aren’t the Mecca of destinations anymore.

It is done to allow teams to backfill those positions if need be. you’re probably looking at 1 year deals in that case. I’m not sure that this is an option. Those numbers come back onto your books the following year? Do we basically get Star’s cap space this year that we can roll to next year? Basically he will cost 1/2 if we roll it all forward? If so I like that strategy.

Ha ha, I was just coming here to do that lol. I was going to say something about breathing in carbon dioxide and how dangerous it is, yada yada. All sheep!!

I don’t think Spain is competing. He gave up o sacks last year and they signed him to a team-friendly deal. He wasn’t agreeing to that without assurances. Spain is the LG.

The “scheduled” word is kind of convenient IMO. I wish that it said the team must “play” 16 games.

Player must start first game and team must be scheduled 16 games in the 2020-2021 regular season for action.

Also over is -105 and under is -125 Yeah, there are all kinds of numbers that support it. It’s human nature to want to bet overs because it’s the only bet that you can win while the game is still being played. If I make this particular bet I’m going over but I did well on season long under bets last year (except SF ?).

FWIW, on Bovada his o/u is 975.5 yards and 6.5 TDs. I LOVE the over on the yards assuming he stays healthy. The TD number is a bit of a coin flip IMO.

The Bills paid a premium for Diggs and it wasn't because they wanted another body. Diggs was brought here because the Bills needed a number 1. They needed a guy that defenses have to game plan for. They didn’t have that. He wasn’t brought here to “fit in.” They have the solid role players already. Diggs was brought in to be a difference maker. As such they are going to try to get him the football. The number in my head is 8 targets a game or 128 on the season. For some perspective there were 18 NFL receivers last year that averaged 8 or more targets per game. We need to relearn what it is like to have stars. We are so accustomed to role players that we really don’t understand what having elite players does. John Brown and Beasley are nice NFL receivers. Diggs is a star. While the stats don’t always show the difference, the tape and the opposing game plan do. If he’s healthy the Bills are going to look to him often and in a variety of ways.

I believe that re Bills will target him 8 times a game on average. If you take his career on a per target basis you are looking at: 87 catches 1,108 yards 7 TDs That’s what I’ll roll with.

I’ve always had this idea that a segment of fans should dress like the sparrows from Game of Thrones. Basically, they follow opposing fans walk from the parking lot to the stadium as if it were the walk of atonement. Shame, shame, shame

Wasn’t meant to be confrontational. I’m sorry that you took it as such. The point was that everyone has a different level of tolerance. What they don’t have is control to change what they don’t like. The only power that they have is to tune out and if enough people do the league may react to avoid losing more money. Your options are continue to engage or walk away. Those are the two options that we are presented with whether we like it or or. It is personal. For me, I really don’t care either way. I’m going to continue watching regardless. Some people are done already. Some are watching kicking and screaming. The “stick to sports” people want all messages to be removed. Unfortunately for them I don’t see that happening anytime soon. It comes back to tolerance. When it becomes “too much” for a segment of people and the bottom line gets hit the leagues will react accordingly. What is the tipping point? At the moment it doesn’t feel like they believe that they are close to that tipping point. They have been much more vocal than before and that’s because the data shows that the message will widely be accepted.

You’re welcome to turn away from the games like you do social media. That’s the point. People are going to be people. I don’t disagree that it is going to be in your face at all times. You need to decide if you want to proceed watching knowing that will be the case. You have the option to keep going or to bow out. No one is forcing you, or anyone, to engage. The level that people will tolerate is different in all cases but it is personal. The players/league are coming to an agreement as to how they want to activate their platform and we decide if it is acceptable to us. For me, personally, I’m good either way. I’m not tuning in or out regardless of the message. Everyone is different though. Fair enough

The players DID get authority from the top. These things are collectively bargained. The “Black Lives Matter” on the court in the bubble, for example, is an agreement between the players and league (ie ownership). The phrases on the backs of jerseys are the same thing. This was all agreed to by the parties. The only person, that I’ve seen, that has objected is Kelly Loeffler and her role as an owner of the Atlanta Dream. Other than that this has been a joint effort of ownership and players.

This is kind of where I’m at. I just can’t wrap my head around how anyone can be bothered by someone else using their platform to convey a message important to THEM? No one is forcing you to do anything. They have been shaped by their environment and experiences. Their perception of this country and situation is different from yours or mine. We all have different experiences that shape our values and beliefs. I don’t understand telling someone else that THEIR (again not your) beliefs are wrong. Musicians and athletes have used their platforms for decades to put a spotlight on the issues that are important to them. How you choose to embrace or oppose those messages is up to you. We shouldn’t be shouting down the messengers though!! The “I’m not watching if____” people are doing exactly that. The “I don’t want politics in sports” people are the same way. Unfortunately sports are played by people with a massive audience and influence. It’s ALWAYS going to be that way so get used to it. Don’t have an issue with them using their platforms. That makes you a bad person. Having a differing opinion from the message is the foundation of this country. Stop blaming the messenger and discuss the message!! This thread has had a little of both. If you are “stick to sports” guy/girl spend sometime in the mirror asking why you’re mad at the messenger?

No offense but this is incredibly hypocritical. You are saying that I have to express myself but I won’t accept other people expressing theirs. We are absolutely a free society. That’s the entire point. You can express your opinion and they can express yours.

He was!! You talked about Bills fans bending a knee to a Marxist organization. His ask was we don’t hate players/coaches if they take a knee. Basically his ask is that we respect people’s right to express themselves whether we agree or not. Again, it’s a pretty simple ask.