GunnerBill

We end up saying it every year because they never bloomin' do it! Even the year they did go WR first pick they traded back twice into round 2 before making a pick to make it feel like a bit of a chore that they were "having" to take one.

That wasn't really injuries though. Humphries was hurt but Morris and Suamataia just sucked. They had bad injuries at receiver last year though. Rashee Rice missed all but the first 3 games and Hollywood Brown only came back right at the end of the year. And they were beat up a bit at corner as well in the middle of the year.

It's time to show your hand folks! As ever 4 from the Bills and 4 from the rest of the NFL. And try to make them at least somewhat BOLD. Last year we had a ton of "X team will win the division" and unless you are predicting a multiple (i.e. forecasting multiple division winners) OR you are projecting like a worst to first scenario I'm not going to accept a division winner prediction as bold. As ever, I'll do a bit of a review on who did the best after the season. Here's mine: Rest of NFL - The Atlanta Falcons to lead the league in sacks; - The Kansas City Chiefs to lead the league in offense and Patrick Mahomes to throw at least 40 touchdown passes; - The San Francisco 49ers to miss the playoffs again and at least one of Kyle Shanahan or John Lynch to be fired; - The Indianapolis Colts to end up the #1 overall pick leading to an interesting draft declaration decision for a certain Mr Manning...... 👀 Bills - Spencer Brown to be voted as at least a second team all-pro; - Josh Allen to complete over 70% of his passes in the regular season for the first time in his career; - Matt Milano to beat his previous career high of 3.5 sacks in a season; - The Bills to earn the #1 seed and host the AFC Championship game at home. Flame away and add your own!

Clemons had a nice year in Jacksonville and Bennett had a nice year in Philly their first Superbowl year. But I think both played their best football in Seattle. They were good players who looked better than they were with those studs behind them.

That is where you are wrong and is where Beane was wrong in his reaction to WGR. It is NOT for most of us a one year deal. It is an under investment in the position in the draft going back years.

Oh that is a different point. I think last year excluded (when a combination of weakest collection of defensive talent since 2018 and rookie DC combined to lead to struggles) the Bills have generally been more than the sum of their parts on defense. But that is the point here. All those picks spent on D and Beane has found a lot of good and not much great. If he had drafted a Bobby Wagner and an Earl Thomas we likely are not having this conversation and the Bills likely have been to at least one Superbowl.

I think the Bills have some glue guys. Its bona fide, difference making, stars they lack.

It looked like lateral knee instability was what the trainer on the field was looking for. If not an ACL it is likely an MCL. If sprained he could be on the field in a month. If torn he might be on IR until Thanksgiving.

The stars on that D were Wagner, Sherman and the safeties. Their front 7 aside from that was decent but the stars were the MLB and the DBs.

This is the point for me. The resource allocation (at least in the draft) is scarily reminiscent of the Cam era Panthers.

I think it comes down to the lack of elite talent in those big moments aside, obviously, from Joshua Patrick Allen.

Yep. And when you put it alongside Trent Murphy, Star, Addison, Jefferson, J Phillips, Butler, Daquan, Settle, Floyd, Bosa, Hoecht, Ogunjobi.... all getting good to very good FA deals... most of which at a time when FA dollars have been tight. Brandon Beane says he will never apologise for prioritising the defensive line. It was also the MO of the Panthers while he worked there. My contention is he should re-consider his strategy.

EDIT: ignore. Miscounted. Yep. 7.

No that is purely players drafted. But obviously for the percentages that also means I don't count the pick used. So it would be 10/25 (40%); 7/25 (28%) and 2/25 (8%) for the categories respectively. But then you get into who else traded what and it all gets a bit involved.

Yea I saw plenty of leg / ankle breaks in soccer. They are actually more common than the serious ligament injuries at the level I played and coached. Two of them were literally sickening. I am a tad squeamish at the best of times but I actually vomited on those occasions.

Chiefs is 11/26 day 1 or 2 picks on offense since drafting Mahomes. Only 1 of those 11 is a running back (CEH). So 10 of 26 were OL or pass catchers (actually all WR no TE in this case). Ravens 13/27 day 1 or 2 picks on offense since drafting Lamar. Of those one Running Back (Dobbins). 12 of 27 OL or pass catcher. Bengals 6/18 day 1 or 2 picks on offense since drafting Burrow. Zero running backs among that. So by my rudimentary maths: Total % premium draft picks on O since taking their QB: 1. Ravens 48% 2. Chiefs 42% 3. Bills 38% 4. Bengals 33% % premium draft picks on passing game (i.e. excluding RBs) since taking their QB: 1. Ravens 44% 2. Chiefs 38% 3. Bengals 33% 4. Bills 25% % (and number in parenthesis) of premium picks spent on WR since taking their QB 1. Ravens 19% (5) 2. Bengals 17% (3) 3. Chiefs 15% (4) 4. Bills 4% (1)

Fair enough. My level of soccer a suspected achillies rupture would always have been a stretcher job whereas was pretty common for ACLs to walk off but I don't claim to be an expert.

This. If it is a suspected achillies rupture or something no way I'm helping the guy up and to walk off. But an ACL? Yea a slow straight line walk off is pretty normal in my experience and you are not gonna do more damage that way.

I'd argue, very strongly, that ignoring wide receiver in the draft is right up there with them.

Yep that is what it looked like to me too. Can never remember its name "Lachman" test. Gonna try and commit to memory this time. Haha.

On the plus side... Sounds like Tre had another really strong practice. That is at least three days in the first week where he has looked good. We might be about to need it.

Dang. That does not sound good at all. Just looked at the video of the trainers attending to him. It looks very like they were performing the checks you'd perform for an ACL. That doesn't mean it is an ACL, obviously, but the trainers clearly suspect it.

Of course. But I'm looking at the players on the roster and I am still seeing one of the weaker receiver rooms in the NFL.

8 of the 24 have been on the defensive line and 3 on linebacker. I don't accept 11 on DL/LB as against 6 on OL/WR/TE combined is a fair "spread".

I mean, no. It's 3 fifths of an OL, and at least one receiver short even if you are running a ton of 12 personnel. Now they have built a decent OL with a longer tenured vet in Dion and some clever IOL free agent moves. But the pass game weaponary is very lacking. After the Packers picked Golden in the 1st this year only two teams have gone longer without picking a receiver in round 1 - the Rams (who have had pretty outstanding success with later round guys in Kupp and Nacua) and the Steelers who have picked four 2nd round receivers in the time the Bills have picked one.