GunnerBill

He will be back on the PS I think. And he might get elevated for the first two games as Josh's backup if Mitch isn't ready.

Yep. If you were a smart NFL team you would sign him and agree that you will allow him to jointly sign with a USFL team next spring on the proviso that team plays him. I'm not sure if seeing things at that standard will fully develop him for an NFL standard but it at least gives him a chance to play, develop, see different defenses and try to speed up his processing. I agree. They rarely get better. But to even have a chance to get better he (or any other slow processor) would have to actually get on the field and I don't think there is a place to develop those processing skills. I think the spring league idea is good for him. It might never get him to NFL level but it is a way to get some exposure and try to learn.

I am with you on this. Ty Johnson is a total JAG, I'd take my chances on the younger guy. It feels like Johnson might be factoring into the kick return battle though which would tilt the thinking.

It is probably on the low side but you'd be trying to sell it to New Orleans as part of getting their franchise QB. And by the trade deadline when you'd be making the offer this season is down the pan for them, so it is really one year of cost control plus the option (which while controlled it not cheap). I don't think it would take a 1st a 2nd and a 3rd. But if it was felt he was on the block someone might give them a 1st. I dunno. It only works if the Saints are dreadful and planning for a teardown.

Hamler's only really impressive play of the pre-season where he showed any explosiveness to me is the running back play where he got stopped short by the pylon. When they have thrown it to him in traffic he has demonstrated a lack of vision and a lack of burst and we haven't had chance to see if he can separate deep. I get it you think we need speed and explosiveness (we definitely do) and you wan Hamler to be an option to provide that. So do I. But I have to separate what I want from what I have seen and I just haven't seen what I would have hoped to in order to give me confidence about him making an impact in the regular season. Putting him on the roster is a wing and a prayer to me. I understand the argument for Patrick a little more. But it is the same argument as for MVS. It is look at what he has done before - if he could repeat that it'd be good. I agree. It would. But can he? And there are reasons to be sceptical on both of them. But if he is cut, sure I'm open to it. I'm open to the Metchie idea floated earlier too. But at this stage these are all punts. A guy guaranteed to improve us beyond a below average top 4 and a mess behind them is unlikely to land in our lap sadly. I think they have to hope to get to trade deadline in good shape and see if there is a deal to be done at that point. Here's an idea if the Saints totally suck would they take Minnesota's 2nd for Chris Olave? Likely a high 2nd round pick? Might help them have ammunition for a Quarterback with a new regime next year? Yea we can't absorb that. And tbh he isn't worth that.

Hmmm. See the problem with this (and believe me I am no MVS fan) is that your argument for Patrick is "look what he did before missing two years of football with separate serious injuries and turning 30" at the same time as arguing MVS shouldn't be here on past performance. And while I don't particularly think MVS has done much this summer to seal a roster spot what has Hamler done? 5 catches on 6 targets for 5.8 yards a play. His calling card is supposed to be speed and explosiveness and we haven't seen it. I know you thinl I have something against him, but I don't. I had a 2nd round grade on him coming out. I liked him. Find the thread where we signed him - I was in favour it was a shot worth taking. But he hasn't shown anything to earn a shot. I genuinely would consider only rostering 4 receivers if it wasn't for Samuel's foot. See if we can find something worth having on the scrap heap. If that's a punt on Patrick fine. If it's a punt on someone else fine. But the receiver situation is a mess.

Upgrade.

If he is still the same guy. That is where the doubt is. I'd be willing to bring him in. But two years out of football and two major injuries at age 30.... I think he is a shot to nothing at this stage. Shame for him, hadn't he just got paid when the first injury struck?

And he needs to play to learn. Like he actually throws a really nice ball. His problem is and always has been processing. He doesn't process quickly enough and doesn't see passing lanes. Which means he either holds it forever and takes sacks, runs around and takes hits or worse - when he sees pressure - he has a horrible tendency to just chuck it up for grabs. There is just nowhere and no way to develop a guy like that. You either have to commit to him and say "we are willing to go 0-17 but give this kid a chance to develop" or you give up on him. As a backup getting limited snaps and not seeing anything it feels like the worst possible situation.

Is he subject to waivers? I wouldn't have thought so?

Meh. He was at best a #3 before missing two years of football. He is now 30. I dunno. If he gets cut I'd be open to bringing him in. Not giving up a pick for him.

Who do they have at corner you are so impressed with? They made the Superbowl with Awuzie who is good not great and Apple who sucks. The following year when they lost the AFCCG (which Im guessing are the two years @GoBills808 is referring to in terms of holding down KC) they had Awuzie who is good not great and Cam Taylor-Britt who is a sort of average zone corner CB2 type. Better than say a Dane Jackson but I'd take him after Christian Benford. They have been, however, better up front than us. DJ Reader (a guy we tried to get and he went there instead) and Trey Hendrikson (who a lot of us wanted the Bills to go for) were forces on that team. And Sam Hubbard is underrated too. But I think it is legitimate to say they have done more with comparable talent than we have vs the Chiefs in the playoffs. The thing is the Bills can do it against the Chiefs too. They have shown that in the regular season. To hold KC's offense down you have to play your best game on the day and they have to be a bit off theirs. The Bills have done that 3 of the last 5 meetings. Unfortunately the two that counted most that hasn't been the case. We know its a whole range of factors why. But when you strip it back to brass tacks I do think the statement that the Bengals with similar talent have done better vs the Chiefs in the post season is true. Yep. That was a blown play but by the two backups.

Yea I can remember a couple in all the years. One against Baltimore in '19 stands out and one I think in the Tampa overtime loss. But they were very, very rare.

He has been terrible tho.

I liked Marshall coming out but he is more of a big slot. I think we need someone who can play outside

Dawkins wasn't him. And yea, all pros. He has zero first team all pros out of the six drafts before this one. He has two second team all pros - Josh Allen (2020) and Taron Johnson (2023). I get the Bills are drafting late but actually there are multiple all pros that have come later in those classes. In six drafts I think I'd hope for more than two to put him in top end GM territory. And even pro bowlers... drafted by Beane.... it's Allen twice and then Edmunds once as original selections with Edmunds once more and Knox once as alternates. Those numvers have to tick up for me to say he is great. He is clearly good. He gets guys that can play, he doesn't have a ton of busts for 6 years of doing it and he creates depth right down the roster to the extent our cuts often make other squads. But it is the high end where Josh covers for some warts IMO.

It is certainly fair the way the league has gone to say that if you do hit on an OC it is harder to keep them. That said the number of these offensive whizz kids who fail as HCs is pretty high too. I still believe the #1 criteria for your head coach hire is get the best leader of men you can. If all things are equal after that lean offense.

Yea he is an outside threat, so I'm interested. I'd make a call. I think you'd tempt me at a 4th for a 5th pick swap. I wouldn't "give up a pick" but move down a round, sure.

Yep that is absolutely my view. When it comes to finding players who can legit play in the NFL I put Beane up against anybody. He is one of the better day 3 drafters and he has a goid history finding UDFAs and the lower value FA pickups that contribute. The knock, and it is a fair one, is on the lack of elite talent difference makers both in terms of draft and his higher end FA signings.

Sure. But that is why I said zero. I was talking specifically about the waiver process.

He was always a clunky scheme fit. I was asked on here before that draft to rank the top 7 corners in the class as potential Bills scheme fits. I put Elam 6th. They drafted him on physical profile and trusted they could totally change his playing style.

Jones is more a Mike in this scheme than a will. So what is the plan? Play him as a limited athlete at Will? Move Bernard off a great year to Will? Trade Elam for a backup LB? I just don't see the fit.

I would agree on Gore if his name were anything other than Frank Gore junior. I am not saying he will but I think is better than almost zero. Would have to be a team keeping 4 though cos I agree his lack of teams play stops him being your 3rd gameday active.

Wasn't subject to waivers as a vested vet. Was Bates player for player? Forget who went the other way but think it was.

I was right there a year ago and then they didn't do it. Granted they had Milano healthy and they had Dodson who had at least been around a bit (though hadn't played much) but you can still have the vet in the room without needing to roster them because of the rules now. Use the 53 to protect your young guys, the practice squad rules make it really easy to have a vet in the room and to elevate them if a guy goes down. I just think vet middle linebackers are kinda ten to the dollar. I expect they will go the way they did last year again and go with the young guys and put a vet on the PS. If they had a vet who was clearly in their best 5 that's different. But they don't.