MrEpsYtown

I admire your zeal and foresight to create a thread like this. There will still be a seperate thread everytime someone gets released, but this is a great idea 👍

So defense... To answer the original question, I think your number 1 goal is to get a big-time safety either Holland or Andre Cisco. There is just something about Cisco I really like. He has great ball skills and makes plays all over the place. Also multiple connections to the staff. He should also be cheaper than Holland. I wouldn't hate going down the Justin Simmons route as a stopgap guy who gives Mahomes fits. All three guys can play FS next to Rapp or Bishop making one of those latter guys a dime player. In terms of corners, I am not sure it's a really affordable route to take a big swing there. Byron Murphy is my favorite guy there, I doubt that happens. Cheaper fits, buy low types Kristian Fulton, Eric Stokes (who allegedly the Bills wanted in the Groot draft) and some people have mentioned Pats Jonathan Jones and that makes sense as well. I don't think that LB is really a need, but maybe they finally bring Shaq Thompson north for depth as the final connection to the old pipeline. I don't think the Bills get an edge player in free agency. Khalil Mack makes some sense but I think this position gets upgraded via trade somehow. There is way too much smoke around a number of edge guys and it is a need. Marcus Davenport could be a Ryan Nielsen NO guy buy low. If all else fails, I would actually take a shot on a former Schnowman teammate at Temple, Haason Reddick who should be well-rested, looking for redemption and probably wants to destroy the Jets. As other have mentioned, BJ HIll makes a ton of sense as a DT and he has those connections here as well. He has been a very solid piece wherever he has been. Spotrac has him at 2 years 18 million. Not sure they go there, but he fits a need. Hill would be a huge get. Depth guys like Kentavius Street and Jeremiah Ledbetter make sense, but they are more three techs. For a 1 tech, Greg Gaines is a stocky, thick, run-stuffing nose tackle. Gaines also has some pass rush ability and he is still just 27.

I would say more. At some point when he loses some athleticism he probably reinvents himself and winds up being late career Big Ben.

I find Dyami Brown interesting but it feels like he will get more than he is worth. He’s supposed to be a deep ball specialist. He’s got speed but it isn’t that elite speed. He finally came around in Kingsbury’s vertical attacking offense and finished really strong, but up until that point he hadn’t done much. Is he fit for what we perceive as a need a deep ball threat? Yes. Will the Bills actually seek out a player like that? I don’t think so. Brown does not fit the offense as currently designed. Beane and McDermott probably saw the dude play in high school down in Charlotte, so maybe they are fond of him, but I am not sure it’s the move they make.

To me Oliver is not being used properly. He’s small and quick and should be used as a gap attacking 3 tech. Instead he takes on double teams and blocks to keep linebackers clean. It’s a very passive, bend but don’t break, low risk run fit type of defensive concept. And it sucks. It’s actually really dumb, especially when they are in a 4-2-5 base, funneling plays to a 180 pound corner and spilling things to slow safeties who don’t really tackle. Just my opinion based on what I see. Play to your players’ strengths as opposed to forcing guys into a passive system. Oliver should be attacking all day.

Fun fact about BJ Hill, who I think is a good fit, is that his position coach at NC State was Ryan Nielsen.

Don’t pay running backs

Yeah KC drafts are overrated. But they and other teams have done a much better job making late first-round picks work. My issues with the Bills drafts, and I have stated this before, they reach for need in round one. Passing on guys like Tyler Linderbaum, George Karlaftis multiple other players right after the Elam pick...Cooper DeJean...we could have used Nolan Smith, maybe Sam LaPorta. Boogie Basham and Cody Ford picks cost us dearly. We picked twice in round three and passed on Maxx Crosby in 2019. They reach for need and pick the wrong players. The first round of the draft is for BPA not filling holes. Until they change their drafting philosophy, we will struggle to find blue-chippers.

All of it IMO

Probably none

It's all the misses at QB imo. JP, Trent, EJ....those misses just cost the team so much over the years. In terms of guys who had no business being on the field? Some of my most memorable are Aaron Maybin Erik Flowers Torrell Troup Eddie Robinson Keith Ellison Colin Brown Mark Anderson Cidi Ahanotu Melvin Fowler Mansfield Wrotto Marques Sullivan

I just don't want Hamlin here because I don't want there to be a temptation to play him. IMO, your backups should be young guys you are developing. No need to pay a guy like that anything more than a vet minimum type deal. Especially when you can get a vet like Kareem Jackson on the practice squad.

Yes it's a pretty epic failure when considering that these are still huge needs.

Yeah, I like Cooper back, obviously depending on the price, but he is a much better player than what we saw. But he is the best match IMO. In terms of free agency, I don't know what is better than Amari, unless there is a trade to be made somewhere, like a Cooper Kupp. Higgins probably not happening. Diggs obviously a no. Chris Godwin is a slot. Darius Slayton? Hollywood Brown? Maybe. Bouncebacks or younger guys who still have potential... KJ Osborn, Elijah Moore, Josh Palmer, Dyami Brown? You just aren't getting anyone better than Amari Cooper IMO.

Don’t pay running backs. Exceptions for guys on the level of Saquon or Bijan or Gibbs or something.