TPS

@GunnerBill I was going to tag you in another thread (don't remember which one now) a day or two ago to ask you about LB Chaz Surrat. I've been playing around with the draft simulator, and with Milano most likely leaving, I thought he might be a good target in R2 for the Bills. Seems he is moving up the boards a bit though. Thoughts on this possibility?

I say let him go. I agree with all of your points. If Josh went down, I don't think Barkley gets you to the playoffs anyway, and if he did, they wouldn't go far...

It’s actually a good draft to find an RT, one that can come in and start right away. The Bills could trade back into the 35-40 range and find a starter.

Buscaglia mentioned in that same article, they could restructure by converting most of his 2021 salary to signing bonus, saving almost the same amount if they released him. This seems the optimal decision. It would let them groom a draft pick for a year or two to replace him.

Colts will get one of the QBs on the trade block, so they will be very tough.

I remember reading about the pass blocking/D Rush somewhere, and I believe it was based on a specific time (e.g. 2 seconds?) engaged with the primary blocker.

Good topic. I was thinking about this a couple days ago in relation to Yolo’s ongoing threads about Bills FAs. I looked at spotrac which shows 12 teams currently over the projected cap. My thinking is that teams may find it easier to keep the FAs they want as well. I can’t see mongo getting over $8 mil as spotrac projected. They don’t adjust their projections based on a lower cap. The most interesting will be Milano. Certainly there are teams with significant cap space and they will be in the catbird seat this year.

Given his versatility and process mentality, I expect him back and could see him getting $6 mil/yr. Starting C or G is the question...

Just wait until @Virgil starts the TSW mock drafts! Best thing in the off-season! Last mock I did with this simulator, traded back and picked up an extra R3 (I only do the first 3 rounds) 36. Jayson Oweh, Edge Penn State 61. Jay Tufele, DT USC 81. Jackson Carman, OT Clemson 91. Hunter Long, TE Boston College

Williams is good, especially in pass blocking, but I think they can do better. Personally, I'd like to see someone who is good at both pass and run blocking, and has a nastier attitude. I'd like to see this a the C position too. Morse and Williams are both good, but I'd like to see them upgrade both over the next 2 years. That said, you can certainly make an argument to support your case, I'd just believe they can do better at these two positions.

The link to Spotrac is also on the front page of TBD, so you might have better luck using that. Update: I just clicked on it again and didn't get the info I did the first time. Maybe I somehow got to see the premium content...?

I view Williams as a bridge to a more permanent solution. If they can get him for 2 years around Spotrac's estimate, that it a very good solution for now.

They need options who will make teams pay for doubling on Diggs and Beasley. That could be a speedy RB, a Hill-type at WR, or a better option at TE...

I'd definitely bring him back for Spotrac's estimate of $7.8 mil/yr and a 2-yer deal. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/daryl-williams-16828/market-value/

I can see Beane moving up in a draft to get someone too.

If only great pass rushers grew on trees... it will be a lot easier to address all of the other issues. The big question: How will Beane get a pass rusher? Draft Trade FA ???

Sorry, didn't mean 2021 about replacing Hughes, more like 2022. Unless Beane has an edge rusher he really likes in this year's draft, that he will most likely have to move up for, I don't see them finding one until 2022. See my long-winded response earlier up this thread...

Two things going forward: you need a true DT1 take the heat off of Oliver (and help in the run D), and you need someone to replace Hughes who must also be accounted for.

John (from my home town), the more I think about this, the more I realize the Bills are in a bind in their efforts to get past the Chiefs. The good news is we have Josh Allen who will help the Bills get to the playoffs for a long time. The bad news is the Chiefs. Given their current weaknesses, putting together a team that can overcome the chiefs will be difficult. How to do the things necessary to get past the Chiefs, given their current cap situation and weaknesses, won't be easy. I don't see them doing wholesale changes, but marginal changes also pushes them into other areas of weakness down the line (for example, if they take more than 2 years to get to the point where they can beat the chiefs, Poyer and Hyde will be on the wrong end of their careers). I think they shoot for 2022 as the year to give the Chiefs a run. So, how to do it? Some thoughts... On offense: The main issue seems to be the interior of the O-line (the Teller trade was a mistake in hindsight). Here's where you're probably right about Williams, or Steady Eddie as Beane called him. Try to sign him to stabilize the OT positions, so you can focus on improving the middle, especially C. Cut bait with Morse, as he's not the guy you need to take on Jones. Re-sign Feliciano with the expectation he'll play center in 2021, but this is not the long-term solution. A healthy Ford can play RG. As of now, I'm leaning toward making C the top priority in the draft. The two Centers listed in this article are intriguing, especially Meinerz (given what some are writing about him, he will probably be projected right around where the Bills are). Start him at LG in 2021, then move to C. https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2021/01/kadarius-toney-4-other-bills-draft-targets-playing-in-2021-senior-bowl.html Relatedly, I believe the run game had more to do with the O-line than the RBs (did we miss Spain here?), but Knox also seems to be an issue. I would not make RB a priority (maybe find a speed guy in the later rounds), but they do need to do something at TE. I think Sweeney, if healthy, could end up a good middle option, good blocker and decent pass catcher. I'm not sure what the solution is here though. There was a post about Ertz, but I wouldn't give up much to get him (5th?), if that's an option. Smith will be gone ($2.2 mil). At WR, It's probably best to move on from Brown, from both a cap and production standpoint ($7.9 mil). Diggs, Beasley, and Davis give them a solid core, but I don't think Davis is ready to be anointed WR2. I think they need another solid option here, and I like the idea of a shifty speedster, so they might have to get that in the draft. Between Kumerow and Hodgins (?), they have some depth at the back end. On Defense: The main issue here is finding a dominant edge rusher, and that won't be easy when you are drafting where the Bills will be drafting. I think they will eventually have to do this via trade or FA, but will they have the cap space? Certainly not in 2021, but maybe 2022 when Jerry is gone? I think they can make a lot of changes for 2021 without much of a fall-off though. To free up space, they should move on from Addison, Butler, and Jefferson ($19.4 mil). While Star may not be a Super Star, he is a better option at DT1 than they had this year, and having him back will help the LBs and Ed. I think they go with Star, Ed, Harry, and Zimmer here, then at DE you have Hughes, Epenesa, Johnson, and maybe Love. I think Star in the middle helps offset the slight drop off at DE, though I'm higher on Epenesa than some. At LB, bring Milano back. I know some of have questions about both Milano and Edmunds, but they are a very solid duo. In the secondary, finding that CB2 is the big issue. A lot of people like Jackson, but he still has a lot to prove. Wallace at least gives them someone they know, but I see them drafting someone in the first 3 rounds. It remains to be seen what they do with Hyde after 2021. The suggested cuts above give them $34+ million. Signing Milano, Williams, and Feliciano probably takes up 2/3 of that leaving them $ to sign guys like Wallace, Bojo, et al. My targets in the draft would be C, then WR and CB. I think this would leave the Bills slightly more competitive overall, but not much. For 2022, currently Spotrac shows $95 million in space, but that includes Morse and Addison, which adds another $21 mil. Signing Josh and the 3 I listed for this year takes up maybe $55 mil in 2022, leaving $50-$60 mil to sign guys like Edmunds and Phillips, and add an Edge in FA or by trade, though easier said than done. I think will finding an edge rusher will prove the most difficult task for Beane going forward. It may take a move up in the draft to do this... Ok,enough of my Saturday distraction.

Drafted by the previous regime, yet they did make him an offer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.palmbeachpost.com/amp/5822358002

Almost all draft analysts had Shaq as a R1 pick. Mayock had him at 13 in his top 100 list, so I'm not sure what standard you're using in judging it was not a good pick? As for Epenesa, it's way too early to judge him especially given how the 2020 offseason went. Personally, I re-watched the second Dolphins game specifically to focus on him and I came away somewhat impressed (I also started a thread on him at that time). He is much quicker at the lower weight. He got pressure on most of his pass rushes. If anything, it looks like he is a tad slow off the snap, which I'm sure he can work on. Again, for the 54th pick, it's very rare to find an edge rusher who is a difference maker. I think Epenesa will turn out to be a solid piece on the Bills DL, but of course they need a difference maker, and given where they will be picking for awhile, that might be hard to come by in the draft.... If anyone is interested, here's a link to that discussion earlier this month:

I'd say you did alright if you got a guy with the 54th pick who is as good as a guy that was picked at 19.

Regarding RT, PFF suggests upgrading in the draft as it's a good draft for OTs. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/pff-suggests-bills-offseason-includes-222019003.html

https://www.radio.com/wgr550/sports/bills/beane-goal-is-to-host-afc-championship-game It's an the end of this article--oops! that might be his presser, not the WGR discussion. They usually post them though

Miami certainly has the draft capital to do it.