corta765

Probably the saving grace for the Bills is the emergence of young guys like Bernard Benford Cook & Shakir because if that didn't happen this drafts class lack of impact would be even more pronounced. Like you said its year 1 and you cannot panic, but given the amount of picks and potential FA space to reshape the roster for the next few years Beane better hit a lot better than he did this past year.

Yea free agency and then the explosion of the cap hurt the Bills in the 90s and far far more in the 2000s. They would let a guy like Nate Clements walk and then draft McGee instead of actually pooling that talent together. It is why to me they really fell into a drought because the talent pool never grew it just recycled especially after 2004. I have read the Brown family never would sell and is fiercely protective of their team... But it is at the expense of what was a really good roster. When Jessie Bates left I thought they could have issues because he was like Hyde where he kind of QB'd the defense and letting Reader go didn't help. It is why when Carson Palmer spoke and said Burrow should leave eventually he was speaking the truth even if it angered Cincy fans. Their a budget team that has wasted a lot of good talent since Mike took over.

Ralph paid players but he was cheap with coaching and mgmt. Also once the league started going wild with bonuses etc.. he was at a disadvantage like a lot of AFL owners who the team became the main money maker. One of the major issues for CIN is the team is all the family has to make money, they can spend to cap but they don't have the ability to frontload a bonus and write a check for 60 mil with ease the way the rest of the NFL can. That hurts them in negotiations and FA signings. I won't be shocked when they sell like 30% of their team to private equity to get a much larger pool of funds to use.

I agree with the premise and I would add Von's knee in 2022 finished the job on what was a really good defense. Tre was the shutdown CB and basically locked the secondary to such a degree it made everything easier. Von was supposed to be the closer we have needed on the d-line. BOTH right up to the injury were playing at a very very high level doing what was needed. Two pieces of bluechip talent that you just cannot replace with ease. It gets more detailed and messy from there. I think since Von's injury in 2022 and the cascade of injuries the drop off in play has been substantial, but Tre's injury looms just as large given how it changed what the defense could do.

I enjoy this place far more than I don't. For the most part very civil and thought provoking discussions come out of it and it helps in good times or bad with the Bills.

Are we switching the league trade settings and cap to rookie mode? Actually even Madden cpu would decline these.

No thanks, too injured and too much diva. He isn't worth it nor really what they need

Bills would've been closer because Josh would go superman mode and his mobility would've kept it a game. Josh is also weird and doesn't mind contact whereas Mahomes can get shaken by it. But honestly the Bills probably still lose 30-23 or something like that where its "close" but a game with way too many what ifs/Eagles talent and coaching beats us. I just see the Bills chasing and never get past being tied at best.

None. Happy for Josh but SB or bust

"Such a lovely place, such a lovely place... plenty of room at the hotel california"

WR's in general have more issues getting in for some reason. I think because there are so many HOF qualified guys it log jams the position something fierce. Unless your a Rice or C Johnson type guy it seems they are struggle. Andre & Tim Brown both took a real long time and they both defined their era when they played. It is really weird

Torry Holt being left out is insane. The guy was a true baller and was on the NFL all decade team for the 2000s. Unreal that they keep avoiding him

I get you and as a Sabre fan I remember when people were nervous in the early 2000s about moving but the league wouldn't let it happen. Regardless people still will have their fears which I get. Internationally I am indifferent other then just improve the playing surface.

I would also add a lottt of Bills fans probably have some fear just because of the whole Toronto series. Even though the entire league now shares going abroad and sacrificing a game, Bills fans had to live through that in a way different way due to the threat of relocation.

My guess is it will be west coast teams out of the gate and then if they were to do games with east coast teams they would play on TNF then have extra rest and time to travel for Australia and then probably have a bye week after or MNF game to add rest.