Rochesterfan

I totally agree with this. The caveats are that the Mahomes deal is set up such that each year KC has the ability to convert salary to signing bonus on it - so they have the ability to create huge amounts of cap space as needed at the expense of adding to his future CAP hits. It is brilliant in how they can adjust it year after year to free space - especially as we approach the new TV deals in 2023. The other piece is a great team finds it easier to get cheap veterans to sign or agree to great deals after trades. Therefore the emphasis on drafting is lessened as we saw with NE that became a very mediocre drafting team later in Belichek’s career. A great QB and a team willing to trade and sign lots of FAs on the cheap means they will have lots of turnover, but lots of opportunity to remain very good.

I am not sure and maybe I missed it, but I thought that they asked about Diggs missing OTAs and McD came across as fine and understanding - like they talked before hand and he knew Diggs was doing his thing. Then he was asked about Star missing OTAs and it was a totally different response the second time. He sounded more upset/disappointed in his lack of attendance. I did not get the sense he was equally upset at Diggs and Star for missing OTAs. I also am not sure if the frustration centered around him getting multiple questions about guys that were not there or if it was more Star specific frustration. I also don’t know about how he would of responded to others like Hughes or Addision missing the OTAs because that was not asked, but those guys were all in last year and he maybe talked with them. I think @GunnerBill may be reading a bit much, but I also think he is correct in the response between Diggs missing OTAs and Star missing OTAs was definitely different.

It is difficult to say exactly - I was so anti-Rex from before he was even hired and then when I heard about McDermotts interview in Cleveland - he was someone I wanted going forward. I pretty much bought in from day 1, but the Atlanta game in his first year told me what they could do. How open he was with the team after the Peterman debacle in SD and getting that team to buy back in for a playoff run - stellar. Getting the team the next year to 6 wins - should be Wall of Fame worthy right there - that was a bad team and they knew they were bad, but he kept them together and rowing forward. But the truth is - the fact that he is willing to work, adjust, admit mistakes, and keep striving for better has all proven his process to me.

I guess I do not see what Locked on sees as I look at the KC drafts since Mahomes and they are basically failures and the real reason they are good is that they (like NE before them) got great players to sign for less. For example in the draft debate: 2017: 1st rd - Mahomes - Star 2nd rd - Kpassagnon - out of the league 3rd rd - Hunt - released and in Cleveland 2018: 2nd rd - Speaks - out of league 3rd rd - Nnadi - nice pick split time at DT 3rd rd - O’Daniel - 3rd string 2019: 2nd rd - Hardman - Special teamed and back-up WR never broke 600 yards receiving. 2nd rd - Thornhill - Back-up safety 3rd rd - Saunders - 3 string DL 2020: 1st rd - CEH - starting RB - average 2nd rd - Gay - back-up LB 3rd rd - Niang - opted out Basically since drafting Mahomes in 2017 - the Chiefs 1st 3 rounds have netted them 2 starters (neither one a star), a special teams ace, 4 back-up players, and 4 guys that are out of the league or never played. That is out of 11 picks - they have 2 starters. In contrast during that same time the Bills have drafted 7 starters in White, Dawkins, Allen, Edmunds, Oliver, Ford, and Singletary/Moss. They have also drafted rotational back-up in Moss/Singletary, Phillips, Knox, Epenesa. The Bills have had 1 player in the 1st 3 rounds no longer on the team in Zay Jones versus 4 for the Chiefs. It is not even close in drafting since 2017 - the Bills blow the Chiefs out of the water. The difference is the Chiefs were a playoff/championship team when they drafted Mahomes and did not need to rebuild the entire roster. They already had a significant number of starters and they were able to get several new additions on team friendly contracts. The Bills started from further back and had to overpay for several players early on - now that they are good and have a QB - they are starting to get signings on more team friendly deals - like multiple starters this off season. Basically Locked on is totally wrong with the draft point for recent years - unless they want to look at 2012-2017 - in which case the Bills blew and the Chiefs put much of their offensive team together.

Although I agree - I don’t think it has anything to do with an Allen extension - freeing up Cap space in 2021 can roll into 2022 - giving additional space next year as part of the extension. It also frees up space that can roll into next year and then additional restructuring can get even more next year and this might just be part 1.

Just one more sign the original premise was clickbait. Don’t give in to the PFF bull - force them to get better.

How should we take a post where a person makes something about about a coach that was not even on the team making a trade for a guy. It was flat out wrong there is no two ways about it. He clearly stated that Bill Callahan the Browns OL coach was the main reason the Browns traded for Teller and Callahan and the Browns pursued Teller because he was considered an exceptional OG candidate. Now let’s talk facts - Teller was a fifth round pick for the Bills - he was not thought of by any team as an exceptional OG candidate. The Bills liked him enough to start him some year one on a terrible OL, but realized he was limited to OG play and was the 4th best OG on the team. Fact 2: the entire FO and coaching staff that made the trade was under the Kitchens regime - everyone was phased out - so the entire thing about Callahan was completely made up. Fact 3: Teller went to Cleveland and was on their disappointing 2019 team and he couldn’t even crack the starting lineup until the second half of the season as their #4 guard with a ton of injuries before he saw the field and he was looked at as a potential cut candidate because of his struggles. They were a much more pass forward team and he struggled badly in pass protection - just as we saw in Buffalo. The difference was in 2020 - the Stefanski regime took over with a heavy dose of run game and the scheme change fit his exact strengths. I highly doubt that we see the same success for Teller if he stayed in Buffalo because the scheme fit is not there. So I will ask you - How should we respond to someone on the message board that states not an opinion, but flat out makes things up to fit a made up scenario? Please tell me @ChronicAndKnuckles the message board etiquette for a deceitful post that has been proven to be completely false. If you can go through the post I called out and find truths - great, but when someone on a message board (or anyplace at all) just flat out makes things up - they should get called out and others should know the post is absolutely garbage. I have no issue with people presenting a truthful take on Teller and yes as it works out the Bills missed out on what he is currently, but to even suggest the Browns knew what they were getting and even worse that the OL and interim HC of Washington Football Team had anything to do with the trade is stupid.

Ok - this is so wrong - I am not sure what exactly you are trying to prove - is this garbage a troll attempt or are you just bad. First - if Teller was considered an exceptional guard talent - he would not have been drafted in the 5th round. The Bills traded him in Aug of 2019 to the Browns - Bill Calahan was in Washington not Cleveland and had absolutely nothing to do with the trade. So your entire first paragraph is just garbage. The Bills thought Teller had talent, but it was singular talent at guard and he was not going to make the squad. Cleveland needed a ton of help on OL and the Bills had a surplus - so the Bills got fair market value for him and they maintained young depth for the PS and veterans. The Browns got Teller in 2019 with Freddie Kitchens run offense and Teller was one of the worst guards in the NFL for Cleveland in 2019. He was so bad there was talk of cutting him going into 2020. What changed in 2020 was the addition of Callahan and the change in offense scheme with Stefanski. Teller was always strong in the running game, but his pass protection was below average. In 2020 with the run first offense Cleveland runs he excelled, but put him in the pass first Buffalo offense - I very much doubt he is the same player. He still struggles in pass protection as a guard. There is no reason to spin it either way - they traded a guard that was not going to make their team and doesn’t fit their style. He struggled in Cleveland until the perfect complement system was installed in 2020. Give Cleveland credit, but to act like anyone in Cleveland knew what they were getting is stupid. The people in Cleveland that made the change were replaced in 2020 when he finally grew into a player - they brought in a new GM and entire coaching staff well after the trade. Therefore your entire premise is wrong and misguided. Wrong - one of the guys with a high opinion may have been hired a full year after the trade, but he was still in discussion to be cut going into 2020 - not an All Pro candidate. He also has elite potential in a run heavy scheme, but still struggled more in pass blocking - so he would have been worse again in our scheme than Cleveland’s - it is all about fit.

Just as an aside, I saw others posted he was considered a high risk opt out and assumed they checked. I just tried to dig it up and on the 3 different sites that listed opt outs by category - Star was listed as a voluntary opt out on all 3. There was a nice description of the required medical diagnosis that had to be attached to their medical records prior to opting out to be considered by the league for the higher level. Several Heart issues were listed, but as I said - it does not appear that Star was given the high opt out - so I am not sure that creates the listed issues. Just wanted to help try and clear confusion.

Nice - NFL/NFLPA dangling a bunch of carrots.

He was the first UDFA we signed after the draft.

Unfortunately (for Raiders fans and I hate them so to me this is great) - I think with the contract given - he sticks around for 9 of the 10 years unless you can recoup some of the money. That ownership team is hard up for cash and that is the highest paid coach and he still has until 2028 on his contract - so I think they will keep him 5 more years even if he sucks because they can’t afford him and another coach at the same time. I think that team in that division is in for a world of hurt for the next 5-6 years - especially if Herbert continues to grow and I think even if they want to move on the contract was so stupid - they are just stuck in an endless loop - unless Jon just up and quits and saves the franchise the agony of having to fire him.

This would be hilarious for the original premise. Daboll bringing Mitch back to Chicago and him replacing Fields for a year. OMG - that fan base would die.

Just as long as we do not have to “CONNECT THE DOTS” you can keep the info private. Now head back to a high level business meeting before anything else leaks. LOL

Correct it is a rumor reported from sources - so who knows if it is 100% true, but if it is really 10 then we are talking 13%, but they state less than 10 so if it is 8 that is 10% of the players in camp. I personally believe it is probably higher, but I have no sources and this is a legitimate source, but I do not know how much to trust their accuracy or who their sources are and from when they got the info - just that they released it with OTAs. To my point - I could see it impacted some players decisions to come in - especially with the NFLPA putting out the position that players should not attend. I would just think Star would be in contact with the FO on this and McD did not make it sound that way - so I get the frustration. Matt Parino even said he neglected to follow up with the coach to determine if they have heard anything. You could hear the frustration, but is it from total lack of contact or a position that I am not coming until I have to. We just don’t know the whole story.

I can’t verify anything at this point, but this is what was reported: If that is true or even close to true - then I can understand why a high risk player might stay away.

Agreed the 5th year option is a bonus - the issue is that for any RB like ETN the 5th year option is nothing. No team drafting in the bottom half of round 1 has ever used the 5th year option on a RB - it has not happened since the start of 5th year options in 2011. A stud back can do all the things you say, but a RB late in Rd 1 has never been a stud since 2011 - those are found either high up (top 10) or in the later rounds including UDFAs. I was ok with Rousseau and would have loved 1 of the 2 CBs at that spot (position I think they were trading up for) - ETN would not have been value to me - He would of been a luxury short term pick - much like CEH was in KC last year. A guy that you expect to beat out your UDFA (or 3rd rd picks in Buffalo) and move you to the next level and at the end of the year - the UDFA/other backs put up jut as good of number and overall you offensive game got worse.

Another reason to avoid RB in the later part of the 1st round. https://theathletic.com/2592764/2021/05/19/the-cowboys-bills-chiefs-rams-and-seahawks-traded-picks-for-stars-5th-year-options-and-re-thinking-the-nfl-draft/?source=user_shared_article Since 2011 when the 5th year option started - No RBs drafted in the bottom half of the first round have had their 5th year option picked up - 0-5 since 2011. The only other position close is QB with 1-5 and we know QBs are alway over drafted - so these late round QB really are guys that normally would be picked a round or two later- unlike the RBs that in some drafts are the first RBs off the board late in round 1. It is even worse now that the 5th year option rate has been declining for later picks anyway and with the guarantees in place now - the numbers will shrink even more. It really points to avoiding RBs later in the first round because they provide little value and tend to be gone in 4 years or less. The value for RBs comes starting in rounds 2-4. Teams should really focus on positions like WR, T, TE, CB, Safety as prime positions late in round 1 as those positions seem to have the most value and the highest hit rate and most players getting 5th year options picked up. Harris at least made a bit of sense as he could be a bell weather RB with both runs and a ton of catches. ETN is practicing with WRs because they see his only value in the passing game - not as a RB.

Look - it is fun and easy to bash his decision, but has anyone heard why he made his decision? The fact that based upon some Bills reporters - the Bills are currently at 10% vaccination rate maybe drove part of his decision? I don’t know, but if you were concerned enough to sit out because of the health risks and potential effect and you do a little bit of research and see that even vaccinated people with high risk (especially those with slightly suppressed immune responses) can get infected/re-infected and then you research the impact on healthy athletes in your sport - guys like Cam, Garrett, Tommy Sweeney, and Miller that all missed time and some had severe complications - maybe you still take a more cautious approach. Maybe he is waiting for further guidance and a higher compliance rate before returning. Maybe he is waiting to see if the NFLPA will provide additional guidance or maybe he is following the NFLPA guidance he has been given - which was for all athletes was to not attend OTAs due to COVID risk. Maybe he is just a fat tub and wants his money without doing anything? I don’t know his reasoning and you don’t know his reasoning and it is really unfair and in totally bad taste to single him out and say he does not want to be here or question his motivation. He was given a stipend last year to sit out and it was a tiny fraction of his salary and a portion must be paid back with his salary this year. I don’t know what is driving his motivation and I don’t know what discussions he has had with the NFLPA and or team, but those are his decisions and he is within his rights to not attend until he is comfortable.

NFLPA versus Coach/trainer. The NFL basically mandated vaccinations for coaches and front office staff by limiting what contact they could have if unvaccinated. The NFLPA basically decided they would fight the vaccination decision - so it is a personal choice and if vaccinated and unvaccinated players mix they are fine. The next step is the eventual NFL protocol that will involve masking and in person meetings - that they can control. They will role out guidelines that will involve vaccination rates and what can be don and that will either force teams to get the vaccination rate up among players or there will be disadvantages to those teams that don’t. That is the team discussion that is on-going and we will eventually know the rate as we see future activities.

That is fine, but nothing would also suggest ETN would truly improve the offense and the data indicates otherwise - even if he is elite level - the impact is minimal. Again my position if ETN was there at 30 and they picked him - great, but I was much more hopeful that a DE, OL, or CB would provide more help to the overall roster than a RB.

I am trying to not Wade to deep in here, but let’s get some perspective on this. Lets assume you are giving him most of the touches that went to Singletary and Moss. Their average per carry (with all our complaining) was top 30 in the league at 4.4 and 4.3. So if we dare to assume that ETN is significantly better (which is unproven and only a hope) and assume he runs like Kamara for an average of 5.0 YPC - a huge assumption. If every carry that was given to the 2 starters was given to ETN instead and he was on par with Kamara as a top 10 RB - you get close to 160 more yards at the end of the season or about 9 yards more per game. ETN versus Moss and Singletary gets you less than 1 first down as a RB. If you do the same exercise with receiving yards - you give him every touch by Singletary and Moss and you make the huge assumption that ETN produces similar to Kamara. You have ETN at the top end getting about 6 more receiving yards per game than Singletary and Moss. So if we max out ETN to mirror Kamara (and I don’t believe he will produce anything close) we get maybe 1 first down a game. Also Kamara produced significantly less per touch than a true WR like Beasley, Diggs, Brown, or Davis. So if we end up taking touches in the passing game away from WRs to ETN because he is a better receiver than Singletary and Moss - then you are actually creating a situation where we produce less offense than 2020 because you are taking the ball from great WRs and give it to a RB. Look ETN at 30 would have been fine, but as you see with Jacksonville- they are basically treating him like a WR. He was never going to get the touches in the running game - so basically what we are seeing is he is great for a team with weak WRs, but on a team with a strong passing game and 4 excellent WRs - he provides little. Could he help the Bills win more games maybe, but the data suggests that the difference he brings is most games would not be the difference between beating teams and losing - that rides on Josh Allen’s arm. He brings a bit of support to the offense and maybe a change of pace, but even if he produces at an incredible rate (Alvin Kamara type averages) he produces 15 more yards than Singletary and Moss if every touch went his way and since they play by committee- really less than half of that is reasonable - you are looking at him producing and additional 8 yards a game.

The issue is both sides could be right and both sides could be wrong and the most likely thing is someplace in between. The Bills and ETN/agent must have talked some and he was being mocked to the Bills a ton, but at the same time most of those guys a la Peter King admitted ETN with 4.45 speed is not blazing fast. To that point - it seems Jacksonville is already integrating him more into the WR aspect than the Running Back side of the offense. I think ETN could be an above average RB, but I don’t think he is a true Home Run threat in the NFL. His speed is not elite - so he won’t be outrunning LBs and DBs and his running style was more outside zone and jukes and in the NFL those big gains become a series of 3-5 yard runs. I think he would have been a better fit than the KC pick last year - better speed and agility, but I think his impact like most RBs would be minimal. I really do not see where he would put a team (any team including the Bills) over the top. He could complement the offense, but every touch he gets in the passing game takes throws away from WRs who are much better at the run and catch game. I honestly think there were 2-3 guys they were looking to move up for and ETN and Rousseau were both not it. I would of been very interested in what would have happened if both were available at 30 - I just did not see the reaction in the Embedded piece when ETN comes off the board to believe he was the guy at 30.

It really seems with how they never looked at RBs anyplace else in the draft that ETN was a total smokescreen. I think it is even more telling that the team that drafted him only thinks he is a limited 3rd down back and still wasted a 1st round pick on him. I think that got Buffalo a player they really wanted. I am pretty sure DE and CB were the 2 positions they were looking at as CB went on a mini-run before the Bills pick and at the top of round 2 and the Bills started the DE run.

But the real question is how many Kneecaps are left after Dan Campbell and the Lions are done rolling over like Dogs?