Rochesterfan

I wouldn’t - not because I don’t think he is a great offensive talent and not because I don’t think he can help my team, but because as we move forward I want my offense money spent on protecting Josh and catching passes from Josh. A running back is great and we know that being a top running team helps, but it is not where I want to be over the next 4 years. I think you can get a majority of the production from 1 or 2 less known RBs at a fraction of the cost and use that money on whatever weak points continue to show up on Offense - like O-line or WR or even a quality TE if the drafts picks struggle. I can totally understand those that would because Zeke is a top end talent that every team craves, but from a money allocation point of view - I would like to move away from the high priced RB positions and use that money in other ways. JMO

Wow - I think you totally jinxed Hakeem. Now do it for Brady. Come on - really help the Bills out.

First let me say I like the idea in general because so many plays are bang - bang and I do not mind the human element. I also in general do not believe the NFL is fixed and therefore do not believe the Refs and the league office are driven by an agenda - therefore for me this works. The biggest issue with this is that fans and media will still have access to the ultra-slo mo frame by frame replay - meaning that even if things are decided at real speed - the mistakes will then get pointed out - ultimately invalidating the entire point of replay to get it right. I totally agree that reviewing the play at full speed rather than frame by frame helps eliminate some ticky-tac calls and therefore would reduce the number of overturns greatly as the refs actually do a great job for such as fast game. Unfortunately the increased use of HD cameras, multiple camera angles, and the ability of both TV and media to stop plays on a specific frame is what lead to the original outcry for replay and ultimately what has caused a lot of the issues with trying to decide what to overturn and what to say was a correct call (see catch rule and PI rule). The real test test are the situations- like the NHL offside rule - where you can stop on a frame and for example clearly show that a runners knee is just off the ground and a ball is loose for a fumble, but at real speed the refs called him down by contact - watching at real speed it is bang bang - so the call is upheld, but the image everyone will see is the one still shot where it is clearly a fumble. How do fans react to that and do fans/media respond - especially if that is a game or even worse Super Bowl deciding play? I just don’t know - I definitely think that if you they (replay officials) are debating looking at a frame by frame and are not sure - they should watch full speed and accept the call, but there are times a frame by frame slo-mo does show an actual correct outcome that is impossible to see with the naked eye at full speed.

I understand and agree with you, but - AB is not fighting the ban. His position is simple even if crazy - Last year the Air Schutt model was not banned because the only one being used was his and that model was not safety tested because it was >10 years old. So that model was never placed on the banned list for failing testing - just his for age. If the wording of the agreement was you must change helmets because these helmets are banned and you have 1 year grace period to find the new helmet - his point is this current model and year was just banned last week with the testing - I want 1 year grace period to find a new helmet from that point. The league and the NFLPA agreed to the years grace period on helmets that failed the safety standard for last year - so there is a precedent. However (and more likely to my mind) if the wording was here is a list of approved helmets that have passed safety testing and a listing of banned helmets that failed (or are to old) - you have 1 year to choose an approved helmet - then he will lose the appeal very quickly. I find it very interesting that the NFLPA has not backed him at all in this fight and seemed to agree with the NFL and the arbiter earlier - it tells me they do not agree and it will be harder for him to win.

I know what you are saying - it will be interesting to hear the arbiters take on the wording because he may or may not have a case. The league does not have the final say - an independent arbitrator does. The Raiders GM just wants this to go away and be done, but AB is going to try as many fake outs as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised if this fails - if he has another end-around to try and one more arbitration hearing after this. They will try to find some loophole right up until kickoff of game 1.

Exactly my point - it will depend on the wording of the lists. My guess is in the end - he was aware that his helmet was banned and had the 1 year grace period for that. My guess I’d: He will lose out because then he chose a newer model of that same brand, but by that time the players and NFLPA already had an approved list. The NFL will argue they even tried to get his newer helmet approved and it failed. And since he knew last year he had to switch helmets - if he wanted to get a newer version tested - it should have been done during that time - not after he already was given a grace period with an approved list and already fought that decision. I think it is just fascinating to watch.

Again I am not so sure. Cardale didn’t beat EJ out in the 2016 camp. It went TT as 1, EJ as 2, and Cardale as 3. All 3 had a chance to play in the regular season and both EJ and Cardale sucked enough that both were soon gone. The Bills then traded Cardale where he got 2 more years on the Chargers practice squad and is now going against TT for a back-up job. So Cardale is now 3 years in - was it wasted? If he beats out TT the Chargers may not think it was wasted. If he loses out and is cut - then it could be argued as it was wasted. Again I get that Cardale was more prepared than Tyree, but they seem to have a lot more in common than they do differences. Yes they are both tall and yes both can throw the ball far, but on top of that - both came out and struggled reading defenses, neither was accurate passing the ball with most games being at or below 50% completion rate and more Ints with no TDs. Both tend to force the ball into windows deep down field that has resulted in said Ints. Both could have used more time in college learning how to be a QB. Both have always been the athletes with the biggest arm and incredible athletic ability at every stop up until the NFL. I totally agree that Tyree looked abut as bad as you can look - so I can totally understand if the Bills move on, but I can also understand there is reason to believe if he is a hard worker and is picking things up - that a PS spot is not out of the question. What it really comes down to is does Daboll and McDermott see any improvement and do they want to give him a spot. It may also depend on injuries and what kind of makeup they want on the PS.

It will be interesting - his helmet was actually banned for being >10 years old. His model was not tested nor banned, but it also was not on the approved list provided last year to teams and players. He had a year to find a helmet on the approved list, but now he is trying an end around with a different year of an unapproved model to get a second grace period year. It will be interesting to see if his negative verbiage - my model was not tested or banned beats out the verbiage of this is the approved list provided last year - everyone has 1 year to find a helmet on this list. My guess is in the end he loses this grievance because the NFL will point out the approved list that was agreed to with the NFLPA and the fact that his helmet fails testing even with new models. It will really come down to the wording - did players have a year grace to find a helmet on the approved list or did they get a 1 year grace to find a new helmet. If it is the first part - he had a year grace already and will lose. It also does not help that he has already fought to keep his old helmet and lost, but it could depend upon what the arbitration team decided there - in regards to a newer model.

Two things - 1) Yes - Cardale looked more ready, but he was actually drafted not an UDFA - so he should have been a bit farther along - he was a significantly better prospect. 2) As for Cardale Preseason performance - Games 1&2 he was only near 50% completions and threw an Int in both games with no TDs. He was not miles ahead of TJ. It was not like he looked like preseason Peterman. The point being he was big, inaccurate, and needed a lot of seasoning just like TJ and now 3 years in he is finally competing for a true back-up role. That is the same arc that TJ would need if he is ever going to be an NFL QB. He is not ready in year 1 and may not be ready in year 2 - just to raw at this point to play in the NFL.

I trade them all for 7th round picks and cut everyone on the O-line, but then I hate Dallas - so I want to see them fail. In reality- Zeke is the engine, Dak is a good player with lots of help, Cooper is a low/mid level 1. Zeke is the hardest to replace (at the easiest position to replace) - while Dak should be the easiest to replace ( at the hardest position) and Cooper is in the middle. I would want to get Zeke get locked up first, then Dak, then Cooper, but based upon when their contracts are up - I understand going Dak, Cooper, then Zeke. The only way I do anything with Cooper is if I get Dak done or a veteran replacement to make him worth it.

I think TJ looks about the same/slightly worse than when Cardale was here airmailing throws all over the place. Now after 3 seasons - Cardale is pushing TT as a back-up and by many reports outplaying him. I still do not think Cardale will ever get a shot as a starter, but he has a chance to play a bit in this league because of his development time. Jackson is very similar- huge raw talent - same thing we saw with Allen last year. I have no issues if they want to keep Jackson around - I think even if he is on the practice squad - they would still sign a veteran street FA over promoting Jackson if a 3rd QB is needed.

We all know that it was not a done deal or AB would be our headache - not the Raiders. We do not know what AB wanted or what Buffalo was willing to give to Pittsburgh or to AB, but as I stated earlier - AB was under contract and did not have a no trade clause. If the Bills wanted to make the trade - it was there and they would not have needed to give AB any additional money as he still had 3 years on his contract. Now that would have been stupid as it was known AB wanted more money, but that was not a required part of the trade - it would have been smart to know what he wanted before a deal was done though.

So was a deal done or not - you stated a deal was done - when is a deal done - when it is finalized. If you want to say they had an agreement that fell through - that is very different.

This part is easy - what team is he on. Concrete evidence that the Bills and Steelers did not have a finalized deal in place. Simple. Now please prove to me that somehow they did have a finalized deal in place - one approved by the NFL offices - making it official - and yet somehow AB is playing for the Raiders on a deal approved a week later.

If it was agreed to and finalized - why is AB not in Buffalo. AB did not have a no trade clause. He was under contract. If it was a done deal - AB had no say in stopping it. Therefore the logical conclusion is that someone outside the Bills leaked it was a done deal - Why? Well you could see Pittsburgh doing it to try and force others to up their bid, but the end they got a lousy 3rd and 5th - so that didn’t work. The next most logical leak would be ABs agent to try and ensure the Bills did not get him. What we know is that 1 source broke the story alone and it was not NFL.com. One source said it was a done deal. Several other sources said no nothing was done and nothing was imminent. Later that evening several other sites - like NFL.com - quoting the initial source were reporting a deal was done, but obviously nothing was confirmed because there was no deal. It does not change the fact that the Bills pushed for AB, but in the internet age where being 1st is more important than being right - you get these false reports from time to time. It is the same way people like ICB throw crap at the wall and suddenly we have rumors of Clowney to Buffalo being reported by all types of media as a possibility.

Agreed, but it is also true that no deal was done - even though one (1) reporter/internet media member stated it was. Once it was reported as a done deal - several other Bills reporters immediately started to deny the trade was done and then it comes out that they (Buffalo and Pittsburgh) talked, but nothing was finalized. I think Beane would have made the deal for AB on his original deal and maybe a small amount of extra guarantee, but he was not giving up multiple picks and a huge deal.

Could very well be - just interesting that this is really the first time since OTA’s Spain has been moved from #1 Left Guard. It would not shock me if they are trying to help Ford out - just a change that was noted.

Sounds like on OBL - they tried flipping Long and Spain at guard today. Dawkins, Long, Feliciano, Spain, Ford Interesting - with Tye out - will be interesting to see what happens as people get healthy.

I think both are huge long shots and there is probably room enough for both on the PS. Especially as Wade gets an extra spot.

So you want to “steal” the Pats 3rd stringer - are you putting him on the 53 and cutting another good player for a 3rd string QB. If not why would Stidham choose the Bills PS over the Pats?

I think he is PS worthy, but I do not think he would be who they bring up if another QB is needed. He really needs reps and study to become a better QB, but he is just not getting that now. We we will see how it goes - not sure if someone else shakes free that they had their eye on - if they keep him, but most QBs that are cut would prefer to PS on the team that cut them rather than have to learn a new system and I do not see the Bills using a 53 roster spot for a 3rd QB.

Do you not think the coaches see him in practice? Do you not see that his teammates love him and the plays? It seems pretty obvious that they recognize his talent, but he is not ready for a more extended role. In training Camp he routinely struggled getting his hands right for a simple handoff - and was getting one on one training with coaches and players from what I saw. Yet we still saw issue that in his one carry in game 1. He is learning things like how to block, but he is still a long way from being ready to handle routine Blitz pick-up or understanding the timing of swinging out to get a dump off. He struggles understanding blocking - including downfield blocking by his own guys - as seen in game 2. Even if he made the 53 man roster - he would not be activated on game days. They are not sitting McCoy, Gore, Devon, or Dimarco. They 4th RB is most likely Perry or Yeldon - both of which would have specialized roles on either special teams or as a 3rd down pass catcher. Neither of which Wade is ready for yet. I just do not see a team utilizing a player on both the 53 man roster and the active game day roster that is so limited in experience that he can only be used in a a few plays - especially if the league has designed a way for you to keep him and let him learn on the PS without losing another young talent. Wade has a ton of talent and upside and it is infectious to see how the team celebrated his 2 plays, but right now he is a professional athlete playing against 4th sting guys that he is simply more athletic than and the team does not seem to think he is read for extended time even in the 4th quarter - let alone moving up to play against the 1s and 2s. Just give it time and be patient and let the team do what is best for Wade and the Bills.

Nope because he still does not understand the nuances of the position. People love the runs, but if he can’t pick up a blitz - he gets your starting QB killed. If he is not familiar with the correct swing route - he gets your QB killed. He is still learning how to take a handoff. I love what he is doing, but he needs time to learn.

Not a chance in heck. I like our 1&2 and the third guy should be developmental not an old has been. i have no issue with Jackson and the role he is playing on this team.

Nope - the competition committee adjust the rules with input from coaches and GMs. That is voted on by the league. Goodell is not responsible for rules. He is responsible for business development decisions. Goodell has also been an advocate for full time officials and has gotten some of that, but not all the way. The set-up of the officials and the replay was again set by the competition committee. Goodell can only do so much with officials because they are part of a collectively bargained Union. He tried to discipline some officials last year, but has limited power to do anything. You can blame Goodell, but he has very little to do with rules and officiating- other than being the face piece. Goodell actually tried to fix the catch rule by getting players to provide input to the competition committee, but that group still could not fix he issue. He also tried to get more full time officials, but that was not pushed through the union - so he has to make due until their CBA is up and they can make changes if the owners approve. If you want to complain about Goodell - then it should deal with the NFLPA, Stadium deals, TV deals, and other business related decisions. Rules and enforcement is really under the competition committee that happens to have guys like Sean Payton on it that push issue the impacted their team - hence the new stupid pass interference rule. Additionally - if you watch the play and listen to the explanation provided by the league - the foul that was called occurred prior to the pass with an offensive push off that lead to the DB being out of position. So even in the end if you want to blame Goodell - the correct call was probably made in this case.