Shaw66

I'm a hard pass. Clowney seems to me to be on a downward trajectory. He's past his real or imagined peak. Having him on your team is betting that you'll get a year out of him before the decline makes him not good enough. I also think his strength is his creativity, and McDermott's style is to encourage playing within the system and discourage independent decision making. I think betting on Bosa is a little different. Bosa has shown that he can be consistently valuable, game after game. The question with him is whether injuries have just made him less effective. The Bosa bet is more similar to the Miller bet. Miller had plateaued at a good place - he wasn't at his peak but he wasn't declining. And that's what the Bills got, until he got injured. They're hoping they get that from Bosa, too.

auto correct!

Thanks. Great explanation. I appreciate it.

If that's true, he was the second beat wide out on the Jags. So why is he a free agent today?

I don't think he fits the style the Bills are playing. The Bills want guys who can play multiple positions are quick and shifty. I don't think he's the guy.

That may be true, and if you asked the coaches today, they might tell you exactly that today. However, I think the coaches would tell you also that it's a competition, a daily competition, and that Moore has the talent to take playing time from any one of them, depending on circumstances in October. In other words, you're giving me the depth chart today. I think the Bills' philosophy, both with the receiver room and the defensive line rooms, is that the depth chart today doesn't necessarily control the number of snaps players will get when the season rolls around. Snap counts are determined week to week.

Well, maybe, but I think the Bills' approach is much more open-ended than that. I really think that from week to week and month to month they want to be looking at what works and what teams are doing against them and then running route schemes and players that they think will work best. To do that, they're trying to match the talents of their players with the schemes. Moore is a talented guy, and in the right circumstances, he could be a 1000-yard guy in a given season, even with Shakir and Kincaid on the field. I've really come around to thinking that each position group is operated with one of two philosophies: One philosophy is the fixed-starter philosophy - name the starters and absent injuries, those starters player every down. In that philosophy, the Bills value team play and coordination. The defensive backfield and the offensive line operate on that philosophy. The Bills want the same guys on the field every down (except for sub-packages in the defensive backfield). The other philosophy values mix-and-match opportunities and versatility. The defensive line, the receivers, and the running backs operate on that philosophy. From game to game and play to play, with those groups the Bills put the players on the field who often them the opportunity to do what they want to do in that situation. They want to be as multiple as possible, because they get an advantage by the forcing the opponent to adjust to what the Bills happen to bringing. If what the Bills have done to the defensive line works, for example, the Bills will be driving offenses nuts, because the Bills will be showing a big variety of players, and looks and styles, on the defensive line. If it works, a lot of guys will be able to get to the QB, a lot of guys will have the mobility the Bills want to manage run gaps. Bringing it back to Moore, I think the Bills are thinking that a guy with experience in the league and sub 3.4 speed could, in the right circumstances, pile up a lot of yards. For example, suppose that the Bills' running game takes another step forward this season and forces defenses to drop the extra man into the box. In that case, maybe Moore starts getting open down field more regularly. It all will depend on whose number Joe Brady calls.

I have a lot of them. Maybe I should write a book.

I was hoping someone would start a discussion about these position groups. I don't know who will win the corner roster spots, but I'm confident it'll be a good group. Safety is where I, and I think most others, are concerned. There isn't one who gives me a lot of confidence to be a solid, above-average start. I can't get enthused about Rapp, Bishop didn't show last season that he was ready (although he may and very well could make the jump he needs this season), Hamlin doesn't do it for me. It seems to me like a room full of backups and projects. One or two need to emerge.

I like Ingram last season. I though he played well and showed potential. If he can't make it, it means the Bills are pretty good. Same for Lewis, who has been a solid reserve. Right. Fifth round pick has to be pretty disappointing to get cut.

Well, I generally agree with you. He's not likely to emerge as a top-10 receiver. Those guys have special talent, and it shows up wherever they may be playing. However, the beauty of McDermott's system, and the wideout philosophy in general, is that system doesn't require him to be a top-10 receiver. It doesn't require ANYONE to be a top-10 receiver. What the system hopes it can get out of each receiver is 600-1000 yards, Instead of requiring a 1500-yard man, this system just requires that Beane find several 800-yard men. That's a much easier task. The receiver room looks better with Moore and Palmer than without them, for sure. Both have shown that they can get that kind of yardage. Whether they make the room better than with healthy Cooper and Hollins is a real question for some, but I think the Moore and Palmer offer more upside. If Samuel is the weakest player in the room, I think it's a strong group.

Congrats to him. I've always thought he was one of the best of his era.

I don't care about any of the other teams. Therefore, by default, the Bills had the best off-season.

This is interesting. It's not so much a question of whether Palmer and Moore fit Brady's offense. I wouldn't call it "expanding" the play book, more like evolving it. What's happened is they've substituted guys who are, I think, better physically than the guys who left. It's up to Brady to figure out how his offense must change to create the kind of opportunities that fit the skills of his new players. And yes, it's true every season, for every coordinator, because as the season progresses, defenses figure out how to stop almost everyone. These free agent signings are about getting Brady the best athletes for him to work with.

If they don't block they won't play.