TigerJ

Yes!. Technically, only the minicamp is required for players, but fringe players and youngsters know that if they don't participate in everything, odds are they won't make the team. Some won't anyway, but for those who art on the edge anyway are writing themselves a ticket out of twon if they don't participate.

I'm a teatotaller, but I can appreciate the humor. Go Bills!

Hopefully Allen will have had so much repetition by then that the tendency to revert will be less pronounced.

I wonder what the odds are of that happening.

Thank you for not making the assumption that Jim is a chewer. I've learned from personal experience not to make assumptions when it comes to cancer. I recently gave an update on my cancer story on another message board. I had a stage two lung cancer tumor removed a year ago February, along with part of my right lung, then underwent chemotherapy for 2 1/2 months. At this point there is no apparent cancer remaining. Anyway, as a response, a well meaning poster, allong with wishing me the best suggested it was highly likely I was a smoker, and should do my best to quit. I took three puffs on a cigarette I go a hold of when I was in third grade and decided that was something I never wanted to do. Since them (about 58 years) I have been a passionate non-smoker. 20% of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers. I don't know what the percentages are with cancer of the mouth and jaw, but I'm sure it does just "happen" in a statistically significant number of cases. Good luck dealing with your 18 year old, by the way. I have a 19 year old adopted daughter who is a smoker, among other things.

Iowa has long been considered OL U due to their head coach, Kirk Ferentz.

From my perspective, it appears Rosen was off their board. Had Buffalo not been able to draft Allen, Mason Rudolph was the next prospect they were looking at.

I would not expect Ward to drop to #12 in that scenario, and I certainlu would not expect Tremain Edmunds to drop to #22, so no, not a chance.

I disagree. You can find instances where both strategies (start your raw promising rookie QB or let him sit and learn) have worked, and instances where both have failed. I think McCarron (and Peterman) may be bettern than you give them credit for, and that Allen, who as always had to be the big fish in a little pond will benefit from a little time on the bench to solidify the mechanics he's trying to learn and not have to feel the pressure he's felt as long as he's been playing football. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

I appreciate your hard work, Drunkin, but surely you know the pessimists among us are going to be pessimistic no matter what.

I agree. My language is that the Bills have the most uncertainty at QB of any team in the league, but that is different from the worst situation. It could end up being the worst situation, but it doesn't have to.

Beane's own answer from a year ago was "Yes," that is, both. They want to win now and in the future. They are making personnel decisions that they believe will make them somewhat better in the short term, and decisions that will make them much better long term. It is kind of like walking on a tight rope, and I think looking at it from the outside is a bit confusing, but I think the confusion on the outside looking in is because the Bills are trying to get better long term without sacrificing whatever short term success they can achieve. If Beane can actually do it, he come out looking like a genius, but there is an inherent risk that by trying to do both, he will fail at both.

I assume if they signed him, it would be at the expense of one of the depth guys they already have - like Tarvaris Cadett or Taiwan Jones.

I think the Bills will have him compete as a slot corner (nickel back). Granted, teams typically play that alignment about 70% of the time anymore, but technically he wouldn't be considered as a starter. I think the only day one starter Buffalo gets out ofo this draft is Tremaine Edmunds. Josh Allen may get on the field before the end of the year, but if he does it probably means McCarron is a failure moreso than Allen is too good to keep on the bench (and I'm a fan of Josh Allen long term). Wyatt Teller could conceivably start, but I think the Bills would just as soon he sit for a while. The bottom line is the Bills probably get one starter for 2018 along with a nickel back from this draft, and maybe 4 starters plus a nickel back and just maybe a slot receiver (Austin Proehl) from this draft for 2019. Ray Ray McCloud's future with the team is likely to be that of a return specialist, depth receiver and just maybe an occasional gadget play contributor.

This. The Players Association only wants to limit what the teams in the league can force on players contractually or coerce them into doing with so called "optional" torkouts that players feel obligated to do in order to hold on to their roster spots. What players do on their own without team supervision is the business of the players alone.

6'1" 4.58 40. I guess my reaction is that he was a big fish in a small pond at Wyoming. He got big numbers at Wyoming because he was Wyoming's best receiver and he played at a lower competition level. Josh Allen is going to have lots of time before he gets on the field to discover some new favorite receivers. I bet he'll develop a strong liking for Brandon Reilly, who is a bit bigger and faster than Gentry, and catches everything thrown in his direction. I mean, going out and getting Gentry wouldn't be the worst decision the Bills ever made, but I just don't think in the long run that it would have much impact on Josh Allen's development and production.

Ice Bowl, I think we should make you an honorary Bills fan.

It's just about impossible to predict a player's future, but I'm buying into the explanation that his injury, though he played through it, had a significant negative impact on his productivity.. When he started the season, I also think he was pretty nervous, and that's why he had a lot of drops. As the season continued the percentage of drops dropped, and he became more reliable. I'm not predicting, but I'm hopeful that given all the changes (new QB, new OC and offensive system, being healthy and having a year of experience) will all be possitive factors for him and he will have a much more productive year.

He's in his late thirties with the maturity and wisdom of a 15 year old. You expect 15 year olds to do and say stupid thngs once in a while, but when your veteran QB does it, it can't be good for the locker room.

Blue cheese? He's a keeper.

Gillislee is an effective backup running back, but does not contribute on special teams. The lack of a special teams contribution may have contributed to the failure of the Bills to match NE's offer, and to the possibility of his release by the Patriots, that and the fact that NE is up to their eyeballs in running backs. It may still be a hindrance to Buffalo resigning him now.

Hughes - Lotulilei - K. Williams - Murphy Alexander - Edmunds - Milano While those are the starters, the Bills are going to use a robust rotation with Shaq Lawson and Harrison Phillips getting a lot of reps on the line (and others to a lesser extent. On likely passing plays I think Alexander gets pulled in favor of the extra DB, and the Bills are going to try and sub in some other more athletic players, especially for Alexander. Thus while Alexander might technically be a starter, he could end up with only in the range of 20% of the defensive snaps. Milano and Edmunds will be 3 down backers, who come out for rest on occasion.

Yeah, I think those grading the Bills draft as a "D" are doing so out of disdain for Allen. If Allen pans out, this becomes an amazing draft for the Bills.

This. I'd forgotten about the injury issue with Shaq last year too. Having the benefit of training camp may help him out, but the Bills didn't sign Murphy for him not to start.

Keuchly ran the 40 in 4.58 at his combine performance in 2012. He is 6'3" and weighs about 240. Tremaine Edmunds ran a 4.54 at 6'5" and 253 lbs. So, he's bigger, stronger, and faster.