BarleyNY

Do you honestly think that McDermott isn’t directing Beane on where resources get used and on how he wants the team built?

LOL. Pretend that if you want, but to me it’s ridiculous. But speaking of seeding, it does seem to matter to McDermott though. He has gotten all 5 of his playoff wins against 5th-7th seeds. All 6 losses came against 1st-4th seeds. Which does bring up a difference. At least Schottenheimer lost to teams that made the SB. The teams that McDermott’s Bills have lost to are yet to even make it there (though KC would change that this season if they beat the Ravens).

The NFL is different too, including more playoff teams now. Most of the teams that McD has padded his playoff stats against (all 6 of his wins are against 5th-7th seeds) wouldn’t even have made it during the 80s when only 5 teams in each conference made it. Maybe McDermott can bee an Andy Reid or Tom Coughlin instead of a Norv Turner or Marty Schottenheimer, but it really doesn’t matter with respect to the Bills or to the comparison I made. That’s because I’m talking about McDermott and the Bills. I watched it once and it’s the same movie, just updated for the 2020s.

I grew up in Cleveland during the time of the Kosar led, Schottenheimer coached Browns. They were the team of my teenage years. So as someone who has lived it before I can tell you that this Bills run under McDermott feels eerily similar. Right down to Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes playing the parts of Dan Reeves and John Elway. I’m sorry. It sucks, but that’s the reality of it. And trust me when I say that I wish it wasn’t so because I am not having fun reliving that freaking nightmare.

That sucks. I knew Chris when we both lived in Cleveland. He and his family are stellar people. I know it’s a cutthroat business, but he deserved better. I hope he gets to work for a decent owner at some point.

FWIW I heard that Moore was Cleveland’s #1 choice for OC. Also Howie Roseman is probably the best GM in the league and he obviously wanted him too. However I would note that Andrew Berry, Cleveland’s GM, is a Roseman disciple so both being interested in the same guy for OC makes sense. Also Moore was the 5th ranked OC according to this season’s NFLPA survey.

That McDermott would quickly have HC job offers if fired by the Bills? Yes, if that was your point. I’d stop short of saying that he’s still a good fit here though. If that was your point, then no. He did a great job of turning around the Bills, but I have not thought he was the guy to get us a championship since 13 seconds. FWIW I don’t think Andy Reid would have gotten a championship if he’d stayed with the Eagles either. There’s a point when if it hasn’t happened yet with a coach in a given situation, then it’s not going to happen.

Many owners are in need a HC that can turn around their franchise. Why wouldn’t he be hired for that?

It’s almost as if there’s something holding back an otherwise stellar team.

It does not seem to be his forte

Tre Contract New money in 2024 is $10.4M, which is the number to focus on. If cut prior to his roster bonus his cap hit would decrease from $16.44M to $10.37M. Some of that could be kicked out another year if we designated him a 6/1 cut. To me the question is whether or not it’s worth $10.4M on the chance he can stay healthy and return to form. Also would we keep him beyond that? He is due $12.54M in 2025, his age 30 season. I think it would be prudent to let him go. A healthy Tre is certainly worth $10.4M, but I doubt we see that in 2024. Even if we see it in 2025 it would be at a total cost of $23M. I just don’t think it’s worth the risk. I’d let him go.

Seems like they could’ve headed off all of the interviews by doing so. Odd that they didn’t. That’s probably an accurate answer to the question I just asked.

I’m so sorry. We are all pulling for her and your family. Stay strong and keep those kids pulled close.

I’ll be watching, but I can certainly understand why some people won’t.

I like Shakir. Let him do what he does best. Find an outside WR this year and then another next.

I believe that this would make the fifth current NFL HC that came from the 2013 Mike Shanahan Washington staff (aka the pissboys): Kyle Shanahan - 49ers Sean McVay - Rams Matt Lafleur - Packers Mike McDaniel - Dolphins Raheem Morris - Falcons Wow. Impressive. Edited to add: Bobby Slowik will make six if he gets a HC gig.

Atlanta feels like a team whose owner won’t get out of the way. Certainly not the only team like that, but on that list.

Please refer my initial post regarding that.

It obviously wasn’t a sure thing. If it was then it would have been a TD.

Thank you. And I agree. We are talking about a fraction of a second and such slim margins in this. Thank you. Well said.

I do wonder if Allen did quit looking Diggs’ way.

Diggs was open earlier though. If Josh had gone to him he’d have gotten the ball off cleanly. I will very rarely complain about a player or coach being aggressive, but Diggs was the right throw for that reason. I like that Allen wants to go for the big throw, but that wasn't the time. The bleeding the clock argument is valid as it is a legitimate strategy in situations like this. Even if we would’ve had to settle for a FG, it would have been much shorter and there would have been a lot less time on the clock. Or we could’ve won outright with a TD.

Great question. OTC estimates his 5th year option at $13.861M. One of my big criticisms of picking Rousseau in the first was that I expected him to be a four to five year player here. The second contract a first rounder gets from the team that drafted him will be too high for what he can do. His athleticism does make him an excellent fit for LDE in McDermott’s system where it’s more about contain, run defense and clean up sacks. He does not have the bend to ever be a high sack guy. He just doesn’t have the ability to win quickly and get to the QB fast unless his bull rush works. So where do we go? That option number would be the 27th AAV among Edges. Obviously that’ll drop in the coming months. I think they’ll pick it up and that’ll be his last year here. If they do pick it up then it’s the floor for an extension, which would be a solid overpay IMO. You can find guys to do that job for less. I don’t think I’d do it, but I wouldn’t hate it. I just don’t want to see him get a top 20 Edge contract from the Bills.

I certainly would not limit myself to one player or handcuff myself in the draft. So much depends on free agency. Sometimes good players slip through the cracks, sometimes the market is tough. I wouldn’t be looking at top of the market safeties, but I’d sign either a good starting level safety to a reasonable contract or a decent stopgap to go with a draft pick.