BarleyNY

Anything with Skip Bayless. There are a lot of horrible TV sports people, but Bayless was so bad that Stephen A. Smith almost looked reasonable in comparison.

True. But everyone can make the easy decisions. It's making the right decisions when they are difficult that separates the people who are actually good at something from the crowd.

It's exactly what I've been saying all along. I didn't get into how the cap dollars could be distributed since that was so complex. There are so many different ways to change the cap hit allocations - restructuring salary to bonus, timing of cut, post June 1st designation, etc. - that it would've been a nightmare to work out. But every dollar paid to Taylor must eventually be accounted for in used cap space. Just because some can be kicked down the road doesn't meant they aren't wasted if they are unwisely spent. The main takeaway of my breakdown was to show that the shorter period of time Taylor would be in Buffalo as a starter, the more expensive he'd be. He just doesn't make any sense under the current deal unless you want him long term. I do get that he's probably the best short term starter the Bills have a real option to line up at QB in 2018, but he's just not good enough to want much beyond that. To saddle the team with his extension just doesn't make sense to me. Giving him that extension and immediately undermining him by taking his eventual replacement at pick 10 doesn't make sense to me either. It's time to move on. Get a bridge QB for a season and focus finding the long term guy because Taylor isn't it.

1) It's setting yourself up for major issues. 2) Every rookie QB in this draft class should be brought along slowly. All have issues that need corrected prior to getting in a real NFL game. EJ is a great example of throwing a talented, but raw player to the wolves way too soon. He had - and continues to have - serious mechanical issues. Had those been worked out before he got on the field then things might have been better. I agree that Taylor is a proven commodity. He's a low-tier starter/high-end backup in the NFL. If that's what you're dying to have, then he's your guy for $40.5M over the next two seasons.

So let's just say they get a Tubisky, Kizer, Watson or Mahomes somewhere in the first or early second round. That's a highly drafted QB to me. Then what happens when Taylor leaves plays on the field in 2018? Watkins already has complained about not getting the ball enough and has shown frustration with Taylor. Tyrod and the team would have to be doing very well to stave off issues. .500 isn't going to cut it and worse would be, well, worse. Do you honestly believe that players won't want to see the highly drafted QB get on the field? A team just can't give a QB an extension like Tyrod's and then immediately draft another QB high. They'll be a laughingstock - and they'll have earned it. If you commit to a QB like that, you have to use your resources to help him. I'm just imagining Mike Williams sitting there at 10, but the Bills taking Deshaun Watson instead. That message would be clear: "Tyrod, we aren't focused on your success. You're our 2 year, $40.5M bridge." And he shouldn't complain about that kind of money, but that's only because it'd be a ridiculous amount to spend on a bridge - which is the other problem.

That is correct. Very few people understand how the cap works. Most are also bad at math and critical thinking.

LMAO! Seriously? You think McD should start his new regime by ensuring a divided locker room? Wow. Okay, but I'm going to disagree with that. Also, his goal should be to win a championship and he should focus on acquiring a QB who can help him achieve that. I'd be ecstatic if the Bills take a step back in 2018, but improve their long term outlook to where they should be able to compete for a title. That'd beat the hell out of watching a mediocre team with no shot at a Super Bowl try to squeak into the playoffs for a few more seasons.

Pegs would have to approve of a tank job and be looking long term, so why would he fire the GM for carrying out that plan?

Bandit, I agree with everything here except keeping Taylor. I don't know how you give him that extension based on the plays he leaves on the field. What's more, I can't see the Bills giving him that extension and immediately undermining him by drafting his replacement early in the draft - quite probably at 10. The QB controversy would begin before the draft concluded. No incoming coaching staff is going to want that turmoil before they even have their first practice.

An injured Jacoby Brissett

It's sad that the question is which will make the playoffs first, not which will win a championship first. The bar in Buffalo is low.

A whole lot of obvious missed plays and poor ball placement on short and intermediate throws. Let me explain about the missed plays. Every quarterback misses plays after things break down. That's not what I'm talking about. Taylor just flat out didn't get the ball out on a lot of plays. When and when he should've gone with the ball was obvious. They should've been "bang, bang, ball is ou"t. But far too often he'd just hold it. That had to be frustrating for the team.

I totally understand not wanting to take a step back at the QB position. That's definitely valid. The problem is the contract. If his option is picked up, then Taylor is a well paid Bill for at least 2-3 seasons. I don't see how a team picks up such a substantial option and then immediately undermines him by taking a QB high in the draft. That would get ugly in a hurry.

The comment about the All-22 and watching him live is spot on. I was in the fence until I saw Taylor live. Against the Browns no less. That was all it took for me to be 100% certain that the Bills have to move on and find an upgrade.

None of that is true. To use your parlance, YOUR READING COMPREHENSION SUCKS, BRO! I stated clearly that I posted the figures for how his salary would average on a yearly basis depending upon how many years he would remain a Bill under that deal. That post was in response the the assertion that his extension was for an average salary of $15M. I was pointing out that the $15M average was low regardless how long he would play under that deal and that it could be substantially more if he was very short term. Here's the breakdown with the math. If Taylor was kept through the 2017 season he'd cost $30.75M ($15.5M Option Bonus + $12M base salary + $3.25M of his 2018 salary fully guarantee on 3/11/2017). If he was kept through the 2018 season his average salary would be $20.25M ($30.75M + remaining $9.75M of 2018 salary which guarantees on 3rd league day of 2018 season = $40.5M total. $40.5M/2 = $20.25M) If he's kept through 2019 his average salary would be $18.0M ($40.5M + $13.6M = $54.1M total. $54.1M/3=$18.0M) Kept through 2020 his ave salary would be $17.0M ($54.1M + $13.85M = $67.95M. $67.95M/4=$17M) Kept through 2021 his ave salary would be $16.5M ($67.95M + $14.55 = $82.5M. $82.5M/5=$16.5M) Hopefully this is obvious enough for you.

A big problem with rookie WRs is that they usually take at least a season to get comfortable with the NFL game (if they ever do). Finding two serviceable - or better - WRs in FA is a must. Then add to that where you find value in the draft.

Feel free to work out the numbers yourself and show me what you got.

I used raw numbers moving forward starting this season. Only money paid and money that becomes guaranteed this season forward in my calculations. Everything in my post is correct.

It'd be great, but Allen should be the second player drafted this year. No way does he get close to 10 unless some heretofore unknown major issue rears its ugly head.

I'd have zero problem with OJ Howard becoming a Bill.

Both. I factored guaranteed dollars into the season they became guaranteed. Non-guaranteed money is factored into the season it would be earned. The only difference is $3.25M of his 2018 salary guarantees this season if his option is picked up. That's the only contract money that is guaranteed in a season in which it isn't paid. This would be true of almost every situation like this, but it appears that there is a clause in his contract that requires his release by the team rather than just becoming a free agent when his option is not picked up. Details are sketchy so I'm not sure, but there are reports that this is the case.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/tyrod-taylor-7899/ At no point would Taylor's extension be that cheap. He starts off very, very expensive and then the yearly average compensation drops off, but never gets that low. Here is a quick breakdown: Year 1 - $30.75M Year 2 - $20.25M/yr Year 3 - $18.0M/yr Year 4 - $17.0 M/yr Year 5 - $16.5M/yr Disclaimer: Those compensation averages are not the same as the yearly cap hits and do not include the signing bonus paid to Taylor in 2016. The obvious problem with this contract is that a team would have to committed to having Taylor as their long term starter to make the deal close to worthwhile. Add draft pick compensation to that and nobody is trading for Taylor.

Middle of the pack last season, but a tick above if injured and suspended players are included. With all of the FAs and uncertainty moving forward at some important positions I'd say they're a little below average right now. Obviously that could change with re-signings and new additions.

I do know that a bunch of Pegulas' people were touring breweries in an obvious "we're starting a brewery of our own" fashion. I expect that this will be the location for it. Would be a nice thing to have near not only Key Center, but also a new football stadium.

First, thanks for sharing what you heard and starting a thread on a worthwhile topic (which are pretty rare right now). Last year I caught a related tidbit about the Browns as one anonymous player noted that there was more coaching done at the first practice under Hue Jackson than there had been by the previous 3 coaching regimes combined. That says a lot about why they have been so bad for so long. I really hope McD and his staff are the right kind of coaches and do well here.