Shaw66

Absolutely. My point was that it seems that NO GM, including Beane, had a third round grade on him. There must reasons why NO GM took him in the third or fourth rounds, and I doubt every GM's reason was lack of positional flexibility. So, that means he has some limitations that at least some GMs saw, including Beane. That makes me think that I'm being overly optimistic to think he's a rookie starter. We'll see.

Yes. In other words, you can be effective, maybe even more effective, without a classic #1. I've read that somewhere before. ☺️

Yes, that's correct. Coleman is a replacement, Bishop is a replacement, Van Pran-Granger is a replacement. But the interesting thing about is that the replacements look like they can play now, not spend three years working their way into the league. If Coleman starts, it will be because he can do the job, not because there was no one else. Bishop too. And VPG. They each have to take the job from veteran players who have real NFL starting experience, but what's interesting is that they no one will be surprised to if they win the jobs. For example, the Bills are not going to start VPG just because they project him as the center of the future. He'll start if he can do the job, and absent injury, only if he can do the job. McGregor won't be a failure at center - he might not be great, but he won't fail. As I said, what's amazing about this draft is how many rookies can legitimately win significant playing time. And, by the way, the fact that they have a fifth-rounder who may start on a Super Bowl contender is one of the core concepts McDermott explained when he first got here. He said the roster would improve every year, and he said he would build a culture where the veterans bring the young players up to speed quickly, so that you can get help out of the draft quickly. It's easier to put VPG into the starting lineup with Torrence and McGregor next to him than with whoever the guards were five years ago. If he has talent, the veterans will see it quickly, and they will work to integrate him. Same with Coleman, and Bishop (man, I wish they'd get Micah back on the field as a player or a coach, just to talk to Bishop every day). This is a championship caliber team, and young talent fits in more quickly than on a team that's perennially .500 or worse.

This is exactly what I think, and I'm regularly amazed that fans are so perplexed by moves McBeane make. They don't do haphazard. They don't do spur of the moment. They don't do wild-ass guess. They study and think and plan, then challenge everyone in the organization to execute. For example, I think it's pretty impressive how they've built an offensive line. Pretty much everyone here, including me, complained regularly about the oline five years ago. I was watching one of the Josh career-highlight videos, and over and over again on the backs of offensive linemen I saw names I didn't even remember. I think a very good argument can be made that the roster has improved every season, including the wide receiver roster this season. And if my Aiyuk pipedream becomes reality, there will be no question.

Well, I haven't watched film or studied him, and I wouldn't know what to make of it if I did watch film, but I've been optimistic about him, too, since the day the Bills took him. All of what you say is what I've thought, especially the stuff about his college pedigree. There's little question that guys with good experience in elite programs like Alabama and Georgia can play, and play early, in the NFL. It was true to a lesser extent during Clemson's run, too. On the other hand, as an abstract matter, no one thinks a fifth round rookie interior lineman to be a day one starter. If the only reason he fell to day three is that he has no position flexibility, well, then I'd say some GMs aren't thinking about their team well enough. Of course Beane, who needed an interior lineman, took a rotational DT in the third round instead of VPG, so he must have some questions about VPG, too. It continues to amaze me that with almost every pick Beane got a player who has a seriously good chance of playing more than token snaps in his rookie season.

This makes a lot of sense. I think the Bills are happy where they are right now, and they want to see how all the questions get answered. What questions? Will Shakir be more productive? Will Kincaid be more productive? Will Samuel be more productive? Will Coleman pay early dividends? Will MVS be at least as good as he has been over his career? Will Claypool resurrect himself? If enough of those questions get answered positively, the Bills won't need help. But if there aren't enough positive answers, Beane will be shopping. I've been one to suggest that there might be a post-June 1 trade with the 49ers, but one of the problems with that from the 49ers' point of view is they lose a talent for the entire season and they don't get anything in return until the 2025 draft. Also, they don't know yet how their rookies are fitting in. If it's a mid-season, trade deadline deal, that's better for them. If their rookie is productive, they know they can afford to lose one of their stars, and the 2025 draft is that much closer. I think there's going to be a lot of excitement in Highmark this fall. The first time Coleman catches the ball with running room, it's going to be fun. And Samuel too. I actually think that Coleman, Samuel, Shakir, MVS (or Claypool) will be better than Diggs, Davis, Shakir.

Yes, there are plenty of things that could change. The fumble into the end zone and out of bounds. The automatic first downs against the defense. But I think they've done some good things. They actually did a good job cleaning up the what's a catch mess. There are very few plays no where it feels like some team get hosed big-time on that rule. If I could do one thing, I'd have instant booth reviews on almost everything. I'd have an official in a press box with access to all the video and with a direct line into the headsets of officials on the field. In basketball, there are plenty of missed calls, but for most of the game, they are inconsequential. It's only two points, they tend to even out, etc. But in football, a missed called easily can be one of the most important plays in the game. A missed call easily can change the outcome of the game. College football already has shown that you can make such a system work. Instant booth reviews are the one thing that could be done to reduce the officials being the reason a game ended the way it did. If there were booth reviews, then the coaches' challenges would be less important. If they don't go to booth reviews of everything, then I've always thought the limits on coaches' challenges. Every time a coach is correct on a challenge, the coach should get another challenge. The idea of limiting the number of challenges was so that the game isn't unnecessarily prolonged by reviews. However, if a coach challenges a call and is correct, why shouldn't he get another? After all, all he's done is fix an official's mistake, and everyone should be in favor of that.

McDermott has talked about this. He wants to attack vertically and horizontally. He wants to spread the defense over the greatest possible area to create the biggest possible spaces to attack. Not all that novel an idea, but some coaches are more dedicated to the concept than others. It's going to be fun.

I yhink it comes down to OC and QB.

Are you coming around, perhaps, to having a receiver room with a true field-stretcher? Don't like, but can see what they're trying to do?

I've never really understood blitzing strategy - when is the right time to blitz. Contrary, in part, to what you said, it was a common tactic around the league to blitz on third or fourth and five with the game on the line - late, close score, opponent in the red zone. DC doesn't care at all that the other team knows he's bringing 6; all he knows is he wants to force the ball out of the QB's hands. Against the Bills and the Chiefs, that's absolutely the right strategy - get the ball out of the QB's hands, because ultimately he's the guy who's going to hurt you. But for other times in the game, I agree with you. McDermott seems to blitz when he's unhappy about the pass rush he's getting. Now, in a sense, I get it. You need pass rush, and if you aren't getting any other way then, well, I guess you need to blitz. But the whole point of his defensive philosophy, the basis of it all, is that he'll get pressure with four, with seven deep protecting all the passing territory. If he gets the right players, trains them well, and makes good defensive calls, the blitz shouldn't be necessary. If you're doing it right, the blitz is simply a tactic that when called at the right times can get you a big negative play.

Your entire post is excellent. I want to add one more thing to your discussion of the passing game: Run after catch. It is one more reason the receiver room looks like it does. Samuel, Shakir, Coleman, plus Kincaid and Cook. Yes, give Allen good passing lanes, but also complete passes in space for these guys to run. It is what the good, complex passing offenses in the NFL do. Bills look like they want to get on the bandwagon. Done right, Allen's air yards go down and his yards per completion go up.

Good stuff. And remember, I think the consensus around here has been that Valdez-Scantling is the one who's more likely to be a factor. So, if Claypool doesn't pan out (he's still a longshot), MVS isn't a bad alternative. So long as Coleman emerges as a real threat, it's likely that someone will step up as the complementary piece. It's looking like an interesting collection of receivers.

Yeah, I commented about Coleman but you're right, it was all of them. Playing against air, but every catch seemed to be hands. However, if you think about the plays that we've seen, there weren't any deep balls with guys making arm catches. There weren't any deep balls that I can recall. It might be a sign of what's to come, but mostly I think it was a day to work out kinks and practice some basics.

AVP was thick.

Those videos of course don't show any drops by Coleman, but it's pretty clear the guy is a hands catcher. Catches it like Kincaid.

Excuse me, but receivers are a dime a dozen. Just look at that list of near Pro Bowlers.

I agree that this was intentional on McDermott's part. However, people shouldn't infer from that that Claypool isn't doing a good job. McDermott meant what he said. McDermott wouldn't make it up just to motivate the guy.

Absolutely correct. If Edmunds hadn't been on the squad, Bernard might have gotten a lot of first-team reps in training camp, and who knows. On the other hand, when he did get in the game as a rookie, he didn't look anything like the player we saw the next season.

It's one of the rare cases where a player didn't know the rule, and the officials gave him a pass. Knowing the rules is part of the game. It was the same game, right?, when Dawkins or someone got called for that block ten yards behind the play. One player got the sympathy of the refs, the other didn't, and the outcome of the game was changed.

I'm long on hopes, hopes that I think are reasonable. I'm relatively short on expectations, because I just don't know. Coleman - I have the most confidence in his being an impact player as a rookie. The Bills weren't going to get one of the top three in the draft, and I think they got the guy they wanted. (Kudos to Beane for trading back twice and still getting him.) I think they drafted him because they can see how he fits in. Bishop - I want to believe, but he won't play until he understands what's going on out there. Bishop, like Bernard two years ago, comes with a reputation for being a coach-on-the-field-type player, and Bernard couldn't sniff the field his rookie season. I have high hopes, but I think he'll have to work his way into the role over the course of the season. Carter - I hope he's Kyle Williams. I think he'll be in the rotation day 1, or very soon. Whether he has an impact remains to be seen. Davis - I agree with others; he will be the #1 backup, and get significant snaps. I hope he can push Cook for the #1 spot. Van Pran-Granger - highest hopes; if he can take over at center, the offensive line looks great. Whether he can is anyone's guess. Ulofoshio - rookie linebackers don't play on this defense. Solomon - great hopes. It sounds like he has some physical skills that will make it hard to keep him off the field. Defining his role will be tough. Again, great hopes, but expectations? Bills likely will give snaps to a veteran before Solomon. Hardy - I expect him to make the 53.

That play was amazing. Maybe i underestimate the guy.

McDermott believes in the growth mindset, and I do, too. Not only was I a better lawyer at 40 than 35, but I was better at 50 than 40. And not just a little better, a lot better. Last time Lebron won an NBA championship, Van Pelt asked him, "You're 37. You won you first championship at 27. If 27-year-old Lebron was sitting next to you, what would you say to him?" Lebron said something like, "27-year-old Lebron, you don't have a clue." It was Lebron's way of saying that he was so much better at 37 that it was hard to explain. I have no doubt McDermott is better at being a head coach today than he was a year ago, and he was better then than the year before that. Now, there are limits, as you say, and for intellectual growth, which is what we're talking about, natural intelligence limits growth. For some people, it's either impossible or extraordinarily difficult to learn nuclear physics. Without at all meaning to demean the man, but it's certainly possible that McDermott has maxed on his growth as a head coach. I seriously doubt it, but it's possible. I think Brady is going to be fine, and because he will grow, too, he'll get better in coming seasons. Problem is that if he has a lot of success he'll be sucked off to some head coaching job, and McDermott will have to choose again.

Oh, I wasn't aware that Aiyuk had been whining. That gives me less comfort. I don't like Metcalf's attitude, at all. Whenever I see him, he looks to me like he thinks that because he's the biggest fast receiver and the fastest big receiver that he's God's gift to the world of football. Running back is about the only position where physical gifts and instincts can make you a winner without dedication to the finer points. Metcalf has never impressed me as a disciplined route runner or a guy who makes big plays. Spectacular plays, yes, because his skills are so special, but not big plays. When the chips are down, I don't think you can rely on him. Just my impression. I think, for example, that Diggs was a guy you could count on for the big play, until last season. I don't think Metcalf ever has been the go-to guy that Diggs was in his earlier seasons in Buffalo.

When my grandson was 10, we went out in the driveway, and he made four free throws out of ten. Now he's 15, and a couple nights ago he made 93 out of 100. When I was 35, I was a smart young lawyer. When I was 40, I was a much smarter lawyer. Point is, people learn and improve, especially motivated and dedicated people. McDermott never hired an OC until seven years ago, and prior to that he had zero training in the subject. There is every reason to believe that he is getting smarter about all kinds of things head coaches are asked to decide, including hiring coordinators. There isn't any more reason to think that he will always go 1 for 3 on OCs than I had to think that my grandson always would make only 40% of his free throws. Having said that, it bothers me that McDermott prefers to hire people he's worked with, particularly promoting from within. Brady's a William and Mary football player and has a Carolina connection. It makes me concerned that he doesn't cast a wide enough net. I get that he likes having confidence in the way a guy works, confidence that comes from working with him, but there are other things that are important, too. Still, McDermott is desperately about winning and about continuous improvement. He's not one to repeat the mistakes from the past. So, I have some confidence that Brady knows what he's doing and that in particular he will take Allen to a higher level.