Logic

Great point. And not only that, but the cap will go up next year, and the year after, and the year after. So often a deal looks like mega bucks and fans hem and haw and say "overpay", and by year two or three of the deal, it looks like an absolute bargain.

It's really the best possible outcome for both sides. It's become popular among some Bills fans to hate on Von because he did not represent good ROI for what the Bills paid. But the truth of the matter is that he DID offer quality pass rushing reps last year and DOES still have something to offer. It's best for Von to stay in a locker room he already knows and loves and have another shot at a Super Bowl. It's best for the Bills (from a cap and on-field standpoint) to have him here on a reduced deal. Obviously, if he's not willing to take a big enough pay cut, then cutting him outright becomes the preferable outcome. But so long as he's willing to be team-friendly in his contract expectations, it'd be better to have him here for cheap than to cut him and take on the dead cap.

Delete this thread or let it sink off the first page if you want, I don't care, but: **walks up to mic, taps it twice, clears throat** Ahem. As contract extension season and free agency season begin, I am here to remind you once again: Never take the first contract numbers publicly announced at face value. These numbers are ALWAYS given to the media by the players' agents, and thus they are ALWAYS phrased in the most favorable sounding way, without regard to accuracy or nuance. It is always more prudent to wait a day or two until the ACTUAL contract numbers come out, because they typically paint a much different picture. Look our for words like "up to" and "guaranteed money" and "void years". What looks like a $50 million deal can easily be a $25 million deal, with various incentives (both likely and unlikely to be earned), escalators, phony baloney tacked on years, etc. If you overreact to the first numbers announced for any new NFL contract, you're overreacting to incomplete information at best, and outright lies at worst. Thank you.

Ok but if you could just maybe pick a gentler class. She always seems so worn out when you drop her off.

My wife assures me that it's not the size that matters, but the way you use it. Then again, she does seem to have a lot of gentleman callers...

Every offseason I say (and no one heeds it): never believe the first contract numbers you hear. They are always reported by the player's agent and made to sound as favorable as possible. Always, always, ALWAYS wait until the contract details come out, because they typically paint a vastly different picture than what is initially reported. In this case, $25 million guaranteed tells us more than "four years, $50 million". Even so, as for the contract numbers themselves, I'm waiting until they're all out in detail before I comment. On its face, it doesn't seem to be a bank-breaking deal, but more info is needed. As for the player: this reminds me of Spencer Brown. Paying an ascending player BEFORE he fully breaks out and becomes one of the best at his position in the league. They clearly like Bernard a lot and have entrusted him to be the leader of this defense. They've seen the flashes of playmaking ability and the leadership and smarts that he provides. The best possible thing they can do now is ensure that they beef up the D-line and allow Bernard (and Milano and Williams) to roam free without getting engulfed by guards. Locking up the young leader of your defense is a GOOD thing. Doing so on a reasonable contract is even better, and we'll know soon whether that was the case. So far, though, it looks like it was.

Christian Kirk is the John Brown of Curtis Samuels. He's already a Bill.

You couldn't eat more than 6, you nancy boy.

I'm guessing he still winds up back with the Bills, BUT... It also might just be Zach Davidson SZN 🚀

Neal seems to be a talented prospect, BUT... If the Bills re-sign James Cook, then between him and Ray Davis, I don't see the need to spend a 4th on a running back. Even IF Ty is not re-signed, then a late rounder or UDFA or post-draft veteran signee should be fine for RB3. It's a very deep running back class. That said, if for any reason the Bills feel like re-signing James Cook is NOT going to be the likely outcome (which I don't anticipate), then that changes things.

If anyone -- even one single person -- dislikes this move, they'd probably also complain about a free lunch. Locked up a productive homegrown receiver through his prime for under market value. What's not to like?

Forget Coleman's attitude. When taken in context and listened to, I'm not as concerned with the comments as some others seem to be. What pisses ME off is that McDermott is sitting here talking about the Bills wanting to be more fast and explosive downfield at wide receiver. Like...WHAT?! Xavier Worthy was the FASTEST PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMBINE and was sitting there with the Bills on the clock. Beane galaxy brained it and traded down (with the Chiefs, no less) so that he could add...a high character rotational defensive tackle?! It just feels like such a Beane/McDermott move (and not in a good way). Veach/Reid are sitting here going "we've gotta trade up and get our QB an explosive WR", and Beane is sitting here going "meh. We can trade down and take lesser guy. Who needs speed when you can have jumping ability?". And even IF they didn't want Worthy for whatever reasons, there were other explosive guys like Troy Franklin and Devontez Walker available throughout the draft. It was a VERY deep receiver draft. They took exactly ONE receiver, and it was one who notably LACKED speed and explosiveness. So here we sit a year later, still needing speed/explosiveness downfield at wide receiver, except this year the draft isn't nearly as deep with it and the Bills have other needs. And the very fast and explosive receiver they passed on just put up 157 yards and 2 TDs (garbage time or not, facts are facts) in the Super Bowl. Infuriating.

A very fair point. My only counter would be that nothing in Beane's history tells me he's going to find an instant impact defender in round one. It has never happened. But you're right: it IS an exceptional defensive line class.

Me. This coaching staff has shown that they haven't been able to get immediate game changing impact from any edge defenders (or penetrating defensive tackles) they draft. Drafting at 30 makes instant impact even more unlikely. We already saw what the "draft and develop" route looks like: We did this with both Epenesa and Rousseau, and here we are after years five and four for those guys, still saying we need impact edge help. We also haven't seen game changing impact from ANY 1st or 2nd round defenders the Bills have drafted under Beane, period. Josh's prime is now. The "beat the Chiefs and win a couple Super Bowls" window is open NOW. Go get me an instant impact defender (and one legitimate outside receiver somehow), use remaining picks for defensive depth, and let the chips fall where they may.

Williams - Bernard - Milano Olufouoshio - Andreesen - draftee ...seems good to me. I'm out on Shaq Thompson unless its one of those 1 year super cheap vet specials that Beane likes to do.

Most of all, I will simply remember the way it FELT to be at the Ralph. There was something bittersweet/nostalgic/beautiful/indescribable about walking to that old stadium, under those big, old lights. The same stadium in which OJ ran wild in behind the Electric Company. The same stadium in which Kelly and Levy brought the Bills back to national prominence. The same building from all those old Bills highlights VHS tapes I wore out, with slow motion and John Fascenda's poetic narration making me fall in love with pro football and the Bills at a young age. The feeling of walking through the tailgates and parking lots on a sunny fall day, smelling those smells and hearing the "Hey-ay-ay-ay"s ring out and anticipating the game to come, and then standing in the stands for the national anthem -- a moment which has always put a lump in my throat and still does, even to this day -- and feeling the nerves right before kickoff. The feeling after a big win, or even after a crushing loss, as you walk back to the car amidst 70,000 friends and family (because if you're a Bills fan, that's what you are to me) and process what just happened. All of it will continue on, of course, in a new form, in the new stadium. It will be the same in some ways and different in others. New traditions will be born. Hopefully, we'll see more success, more wins, and some championship banners hung in this new stadium. Things change, and you either change with them or you get left behind. Of all the places on planet Earth, the Ralph will always have one of the fondest places in my heart. Every time I was there, the phrase "where else would you rather be, than right here, right now?" was always 100% accurate. I'll miss the place.

We're talking about the guy who said he would retire from football tomorrow if it meant guaranteeing the city of Buffalo a Lombardi trophy, right? The guy who said he wants it so, so badly for this city? The guy who said he has vividly imagined exactly the words he'd say while hoisting a Lombardi for the city of Buffalo? The Josh Allen whose Hollywood fiance has spoken about her deep love for the city of Buffalo and its people? We're talking about THAT Josh Allen?! I just want to make sure, because I genuinely don't know where some of the "Josh is gonna leave Buffalo!" talk on these forums come from. Nothing he has ever said or done gives me that impression. Anyway, I think he's gonna sign an extension this offseason that locks him up through his age 33 or 34 season, and all this talk will be moot.

This is an excerpt from a longer interview where she talks about Josh and the proposal. Would also like to point out that I like the color choice for her outfit. But... Had to share this 😂😂😂

I think this is a really valid question. The two biggest examples I'd point to that suggest there may be something to it are Tim Settle and Poona Ford. Both played CONSIDERABLY better for their post-Bills teams. Put simply (because I am no defensive line guru), I can't help but feel that our defensive line needs its Aaron Kromer.

There is absolutely no way you could know that. Total projection.

Absolutely. As a matter of fact, it's giving me PTSD flashbacks to Kaiir Elam. Drafting a supremely physically talented defensive back, asking him to do things that his college tape showed were not his strengths, and trusting that you can just coach him into it. Sometimes, of course, that works out. But sometimes, as we saw with Elam, it does not. Here's hoping Bishop makes big strides in year two. I remember Bills media talking heads and draft analysts discussing this very question, and the thought being that DeJean would be a safety in Buffalo's defensive scheme. The fact that he played very capably at nickel corner -- a position which requires quick processing, tackling ability, physicality, and coverage ability -- suggests that there's a reasonable chance at success as a safety. I can't honestly say I know for sure, though.

I would argue that the Bills played Bishop because he was a high draft pick so they felt compelled to do so. And that it's genuinely hard for me to believe that they would've gotten worse production from Kareem Jackson. Meanwhile, we KNOW the kind of production they got from Kaiir Elam at CB2 in the biggest game of the season. It comes down to this: You're advocating for and defending strictly drafting for need rather than entertaining the idea of drafting the best player available. That's fine. I disagree. I think it's a bad strategy and one that has cost the Bills dearly in recent drafts. Good day.

To answer your question directly, lets look at the last game of our season against the Chiefs for the right to go to the Super Bowl: Keon Coleman had 1 catch for 12 yards. Cole Bishop did nothing of consequence. You're telling me their respective production couldn't have been achieved by others? As to the wide receiver question: in his second through sixth games after being cut by Buffalo, Marquez Valdes-Scantling posted the following stat lines: 3 catches for 109 yards and 2 TDs 2 catches for 87 yards and 1 TD 2 catches for 36 yards and 1 TD 4 catches for 51 yards 2 catches for 64 yards As to the safety question, the Bills had veterans Kareem Jackson and Micah Hyde on the practice squad for the KC game. They also had recent 1st rounder Lewis Cine. There's more than one way to skin a cat. I maintain that drafting BPA instead of leaving yourself with crying needs at certain positions and being forced to draft those positions is the better draft strategy.

He was PFF's 8th ranked prospect. https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2024-nfl-draft-board-big-board He was Scouts Inc's 19th ranked prospect. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2024/story/_/id/39854410/2024-nfl-draft-rankings-top-prospects-scouts-inc He was Joel Klatt's (of Fox Sports) 24th ranked prospect. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2024/story/_/id/39854410/2024-nfl-draft-rankings-top-prospects-scouts-inc He was Daniel Jeremiah's 25th ranked prospect. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2024/story/_/id/39854410/2024-nfl-draft-rankings-top-prospects-scouts-inc It's not a "hindsight 20/20" situation. DeJean was touted by nearly everyone of consequence as solidly a mid to late 1st round pick. Furthermore, as I pointed out in my thread, the fact that DeJean WASN'T considered a realistic draft candidate for Buffalo because they were "set at cornerback" is EXACTLY the problem. Drafting BPA over need would dictate that DeJean WOULD have been a viable candidate there. You draft good players over "need" players, and before long, you look pretty smart. Case in point: Benford got hurt and Kaiir Elam flopped and floundered in the biggest game of the year, repeatedly being picked on by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. If only the Bills had had a more talented corner waiting in the wings! And wouldn't you know it? Fast forward to this year, and the Bills are likely going to be in the market for a viable starting corner. But instead of having one waiting in the wings, they'll have corner among their obvious NEED positions, and may end up having to draft one when he isn't the BPA solely because the need is so crying. Wash, rinse, repeat.