MrEpsYtown

During the 2017 draft I was watching with some of my buddies and I said to them that Josh Allen was the guy I wanted, but I'd did not think we would be bad enough to draft high enough to get him as he would likely be the number 1 pick. But I said to them that Allen is the guy. Huge arm, big, big hands, seems like a solid dude. He was what everyone wanted EJ Manuel to be, but with EJ the DNA just was not there. Fast forward a bit and we are on our way to the playoffs, and I gave up on the Josh Allen dream. I started studying Lamar Jackson, Darnold etc. I always hated Baker Mayfield, because tiny quarterbacks who can't run are a recipe for disaster, the only outlier being Drew Brees. I never liked Mayfield. But again, I still felt Allen was out of reach. During this time I spent a lot of time trying to convince myself that Josh Rosen was the answer. If we could not get Josh Allen, then maybe Rosen could be our Brady? Smart guy with arm strength who seemed like a major douche. And I did not mind a douche at QB, ie Tom Brady. I saw the athletic upside of Darnold, and I was okay with Lamar Jackson. I hated Mason Rudolph, with a passion. I thought he was going to be a scrub. Then Allen stands out at the Senior Bowl and I start to get excited again. So fast forward to draft day, and I start wondering if there is something wrong with Allen. Why are the Browns passing on him? The more I watched of Darnold, the more I disliked and I was down to Josh or Josh or Lamar. I leaned Rosen, because I was worried if the small school guy could really be "the guy." I am so happy to be more than wrong. My buddies texted me and they were like "you should have trusted your gut." A year previous I would have been jumping for joy at the thought of Allen and I am so happy he is our guy. My wife watched my internal conflict as the commissioner announced "The Buffalo Bills select Josh....Allen." In that moment it all came rushing back. I remembered how much I wanted him. How many Wyoming games I watched in anticipation. I felt that we had made the right move and I said to my wife "This is the right move. I understand why they are doing this and I think it is going to work out." She replied "whatever," and went into another room to play candy crush on her phone. It was a great day.

I am not 100%. But I believe that he can, up until he signs an offer sheet.

I believe it is like the franchise tag. Like after signing the tender you can still negotiate with your original team. However, if Bates signs an offer sheet, I don’t think he can negotiate with the Bills anymore. It’s either match the deal, let him leave, or try to negotiate a trade with the other team in exchange for not matching.

I agree. I don’t think they are a threat. But that tweet by Astro calling them out I thought was a little unfair. They plugged a bunch of holes and added Hill. It’s not like they did nothing. But yeah I still don’t think they are close to use. They still have that defense that we tore apart for a few years now.

Bears just signed Dakota Dozier. He sucks though so I don’t think it matters, but I just wanted to add that to the conversation. But again they are the ones with the most cap space out of all the teams looking at Bates.

Yep for sure. He doesn’t have to sign and offer sheet, he can just go back to the Bills and tell them what it is going to take. He had a chance to see his market, now he controls his destiny.

In fairness they did sign: QB Bridgewater 2 RBs Edmonds and Mostert FB Ingold OT Armstead OG Williams WR Cedrick Wilson CB Keion Crossen resigned their TE Gesiki and EDGE Ogbah And traded for Hill

I am guessing all the offers are going to be pretty much the same. I’m sure there will be a poison pill type thing in the Bears offer since they have the cap space to do whatever. But it doesn’t mean Bates has to take the poison pill offer, he can just weigh his options. And if he wants to come back to Buffalo on a long term contract he could pick the one that they would most likely match. Not for less money, but just without the pill. If he wants out, then he takes the poison pill.

I definitely believe he was the top our board. It makes sense. Josh embodies everything we have been looking for here for quite some time. But, I also believe, that the year before they wanted Mitch Trubisky and were ready to trade up a bit for him. When they knew they had to get up to number two and what the cost was, the punted to plan B, which was trade down, get a QB next year. I have no proof, just my gut. So thank you Bears! If they steal Ryan Bates I will consider us even.

The Bills O line is a roster of college left tackles. I love the approach. Dawkins, Saffold, Morse, Bates, Doyle were all excellent college left tackles. Brown played RT because of the presence of Penning, but otherwise he would have played there as well. Ike Boettger was a RT. Greg Mancz played tackle and guard. Cody Ford played RT. Even Jacob Capra played guard and tackle. Going backwards Daryll Williams was a RT and Jon Feliciano played guard and tackle. Freakin Vlad Ducasse was a college left tackle. Quintin Spain played a ton of left tackle at WV until moving to guard. Wyatt Teller was a defensive end who moved to tackle then guard. It makes sense to draft guys who played the most difficult, elite position on the line and convert them to other positions. I like the approach as opposed to drafting pure IOL.

Hill is a great player. So is Waddle. And they improved their offensive line. They also added full back to ground and pound. They improved. But it still feels like another move in very long history of disappointing moves dating back to Dante Culpepper over Drew Brees. But we have Josh Allen.

You know the end to this is Hill knocking out some south beach chicken head and getting caught with a bag of coke

It is a bit different because he signed an offer sheet in LA to be a starter, and the Bills matched to sit him on the bench. So it sucked for him. Bates is going to be a starter either here, or wherever he signs imo.

A bunch of draft people projected that guard would be his best position because of his height, but he was a left tackle at Temple and has been really good as a pro. His height isn’t a problem because he has freakishly long arms.

I don’t think they wanted him back honestly. He was hurt a lot and they decided to pay Ramczyk

I love Oliver and like Rousseau and Basham. Basham is much better than we have seen imo. But only Oliver and Rousseau were first round guys and both were upside plays which I am good with. I don’t understand the Epenesa pick. That and Cody Ford obsession just baffle me. Yes on the FA thing. They keep throwing crap against the wall to see what sticks.

Grabs a sandwich at a Wawa or something. Maybe grabs a white owl. Takes a nap. Grabs his locker next to Tanner Gentry.

Good point. Hunt is really good and Eichenberg flipping over there makes it better. Jesse Davis might be the worst linemen in the league. Austin Jackson was a horrible draft pick. The Dolphins just keep wasting elite picks on JAGs.

Bears fans acting like Bates is Bryant Johnson or something.

They signed Connor Williams too. LT-Armstead LG-Williams C-Deiter RG- Hunt RT- Probably Eichenberg Way better than it was. Tua still sucks.

Sometimes I feel bad for Barkley, and then I think about how much he must have just completely crushed it at USC and I get jealous.

Yep! I bet he could come back and play and be better than half these dudes.

Hello comp picks! 🙃🙃🙃🙃

I was at the Bills-Jets game in jersey. i have never seen a crowd switch so quick. The ovation that Mike White got in the stadium when he came out was electric. Jets fans were wearing Mike White jerseys. There was an air of hope and fans debating if White was better than Wilson. After a couple of quarters of playing the Bills D, Jets fans were chanting “Flacco! Flacco! Flacco!” The were happy when White got hurt. It was hilarious. To watch the dude’s career go up in flames in two quarters of football.