JGMcD2

Lets just all think more like Dion now please...

He’s done a lot given the resources available and the circumstances. Of course there is more work to be done... everyone agrees there. With that being said, there is less work for Beane to do this off-season in terms of improving the Buffalo Bills than there was work to be done for Belichick improving the New England Patriots, or Grier improving the Dolphins or Douglas improving the Jets. Look at it this way... we had less money to spend because we had far less holes to fill. Money was already allocated towards building a competitive roster that ACTUALLY won games last year. The Jets, Patriots and Dolphins had money to spend because they didn’t have as many long term solutions across their roster to contribute to a winning football team. They’re spending money in an attempt to catch us... If we were like 8-8 last year and came into this year with no money to spend and Beane didn’t do anything to improve... yeah I’d be worried... but comparing what we’ve done this off-season to the other AFCE teams and the moves they HAD to make to TRY and get on level us isn’t really a fair or strong argument for the fact that we wouldn’t win the AFCE.

Was he not supposed to spend money to improve the team to the point where they were 13-3 and in the AFCCG? I don’t really understand this train of thought... it’s not just you... I hear it a lot. No COVID and we’re sitting at $30M in cap space entering this off-season. We weren’t up against the cap the way he had it planned out... he’s a pretty meticulous guy. Things changed on a worldwide scale that nobody could foresee...

Well let me pose this question... which teams in the AFCE have as much depth as us AND employ more elite players than us? Which teams in the AFCE don’t have holes at certain positions? You have to realize these teams are making bold moves to catch us... because they really were not anywhere near us over the course of 16 games. I’m not sure there’s a team with a more complete roster than us...

We were really bad here early on. You’re not wrong... it was tough to watch the first 8 weeks or so. Coincidentally Edmunds and Milano were hurt during those first 8 weeks... once they healed up for the stretch run... we were just outside the Top 5 defensively. I expect another year of continuity helping. I expect Star (yes, he’s overpaid) coming back being a big help solely because DL aren’t playing out of position this year. He’s not an impact player but I think he plays an important role... at some point we can replace him for less... but he’s good at his job. I expect a slightly easier schedule to benefit us as well. I expect the confidence and camaraderie from a group that’s pretty much 100% returning to not only help those guys... but usher in a certain expectation for the few new guys and draft picks. We’re returning 21/22 starters from the AFC Championship game and the one spot where a starter isn’t returning we arguably upgraded... and still haven’t reached the draft.

Please delete this it gives me anxiety.

But, but, but Tua has Will Fuller now... Belichick spent $25M/year on a pair of TE who haven’t even combined for 1000 yards in a season... and we didn’t score a touchdown against the Jets the second time we played. We are doomed. 😢

I mean just last year around this time there were talking heads saying that Jarrett Stidham was the best QB in the division.

Is this an opinion piece? Looking for some actual facts to support things being said. We stood still at best... and those teams who weren’t even close to our level (Over)spent some money... this means we won’t repeat as AFCE champions? Our biggest competition last year was Miami and they’ve done what... added a deep threat WR who averages 11 games per year over 4 years for a QB that averaged 6 Y/A... I’m shaking in my boots... especially after they got blown out by Matt Barkley for 2 quarters.

I think you’re right. I also think he ends up making the final roster... but his spot isn’t guaranteed. He said in an interview the same thing happened to him last year. They like him... but keep pushing him harder to earn this back of the roster spot. Fits the whole competition everywhere mantra.

Oh I thought you meant to reflect his proper name... Isaiah McKitrick-McKenzie

I can’t believe we put this much focus on role players/ST team players!!!!! What other team does this? Am I doing it right @FireChans? Welcome back Lil Dirty!!

LIL DIRTY!!!!!!

This is very true. VERY true and very well said. We sorely need a guy who can cover TE. The Buffalo Nickel so to speak... I think the front office has known that for awhile now. I’m actually upset/surprised they took Epenesa over Chinn last year. I really thought that they were going to go with Dugger had he been there or Chinn. I suppose they didn’t foresee Epenesa being available.

I did some analysis on this a few months back before these numbers came out. Information attached. Gives some context to the success of McBeane in FA compared to other organizations. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into things.

Yeah I do agree with that... I think people are looking for your traditional straight line guy... but there’s danger in that one trick pony type. A guy who is lighting fast would be helpful for us... but the idea the Diggs isn’t fast is in fact a myth. It is funny that the year before we traded for Diggs his Y/R was 18... he can take the top off a defense.

Nah he did. I actually don’t disagree with the premise either... You want to have skill set diversity. I’m a baseball guy so I always think about a bullpen. You don’t want 8 guys back there who are all right handed and throw 95 MPH with a 12-6 curveball. You’re limited in what you can do and it makes game planning for teams easier because they only have to focus on one skill set. It’s not bad to mix it up with a few different profiles. The main point was Sanders, Diggs and Beasley all run great routes but none have elite speed or size so they’re all just similar that it makes things easier on opponents. I do agree, but I also don’t think running routes and getting open is a bad thing to have some redundancy with... we seem to value it pretty highly... it’s a front office that is pretty analytically inclined paired with a lot of great football minds. My hunch is that they see AND they know there’s a lot of value in great route runners... probably even more so than we realize and they’re targeting that. They’ve shown a similar penchant for RB who force missed tackles... Singletary and Moss both lead their draft class. I’m not sure I agree 100% because speed is an important skill... but at the same time I don’t know what the information they have looks like and it’s assuredly more complete than anything I have. There is an extremely disparity between resources in pro organizations and public information.

No. I’m asking what these other players do that make them upgrades. I’m not paying Curtis Samuel $11.5M a year to be Isaiah McKenzie... that’s essentially what it boils down to. He has 1 year of significant production in the NFL, otherwise he’s been a nice little gadget player for Carolina. He would’ve been nice for $5-6M a year... $11.5M is too much. You’re banking on him being the type of player he’s never been before... and for a speed guy that take the top off the defense... he sure isn’t catch the ball very deep down field... Same thing with Engram... why pay Engram $6M when you have the same type of player in Dawson Knox? It’s not an upgrade... but you were advocating for it... I actually really do agree with the Josh Allen portion here.

But if you spend money on improving those deficiencies... you create other deficiencies... that’s the whole issue. You wanted Ngakoue... what does he do better than Mario Addison? They’ve been remarkably similar players over the last 5 years. Is he actually an upgrade? You wanted Curtis Samuel... what does he do better than Sanders? By the look of it Sanders is more productive for less money. Why would you spend more money for less production when we’re as close as we are? You want Engram... what does he do better than Knox? You said it yourself... he’s the same player as Knox but a little more athletic (and cost $5.5M more). Why would you waste money on that when you have the same player in house and can spend that $5.5M elsewhere? Getting to the AFCCG is hard enough in itself... you are taking more of risk ripping apart a team that was capable of getting there in search of a team that MIGHT get you there. You’re better off building on top of the team that was capable getting there than you are gutting it.

You can’t improve the deficiencies without retaining the same group. They’re not taking more of a risk... it’s honestly the safer route IMO. You’re going with a 13-3 roster and still haven’t even gone through the draft yet. Still plenty of time to improve deficiencies... I agree with you... there will be bargain guys to be had... but not right now. So we can’t be sitting here upset that we haven’t reached the point where acquiring bargain type guys is an option. That’s just a timing thing... as much as we want to fast forward to that point haha. I also agree we need to improve our defense... but it can be in a variety of ways seeing it’s a fairly player friendly scheme given the player is the right fit. Yes, the defense threw up two duds in the playoffs and struggled early on (like most NFL defenses this year) but when the dust settled they were on the cusp of being a top 10 unit. Who is to say we don’t get a L’Jarious Sneed type difference maker in the draft or something that nobody even saw coming except for the front office/ coaching staff?

That’s assuming they maintain the same level of play and success they’ve had elsewhere prior. Both of us are doing a lot of assuming apparently, Scott.

Well all of your scenarios assume that everyone we bring in at DE, WR, etc. makes an impact and is an improvement that elevates the team.. which would obviously be wrong as well. That’s what your whole crusade is predicated on.

The alternative is essentially just rearranging furniture. You upgrade CB2, DE and DT through FA while simultaneously leaving 2 starting OL spots and LB open. They haven’t gotten worse... they’re the same team as last year with the opportunity to improve moving forward. It’s the same discussion if we let Milano, Williams and Feliciano walk and bringing in Ngakoue, Fuller and Dalvin Tomlinson... the difference is fans get excited about new shiny toys as opposed to running it back with the same group. There’s nothing to say Ngakoue, Fuller and Tomlinson help us take that next step if we downgrade other positions and can’t fill them or fill them through the draft. It’s a net gain of zero.. so why wouldn’t you function with the known quantity and continue to build on it? It’s a good thing the season doesn’t start today and there’s still the draft and weeks of free agency to improve. Let me be clear... I agree we need to beat the Chiefs... but let’s pump the breaks on freaking out because we’re returning a 13-3 team. Love the idea of conceding before games are played too... why even play them at all right? Let’s just do fantasy free agency all year long... see who has the best roster on paper and crown them champions!

I’m not sure you see the big picture here... at least in the way Beane does. Beane has made it clear that he values building relationships with the players and treating them a certain way. Obviously we don’t know everything there, but he’s made points about it before so it plays into this. There’s a good quote in Embedded from... 2 years ago? When Beane says during a pre-free agency meeting “We need to be careful with who we pay. The guys in the locker room pay attention to that.” He cares about what they think... and rightfully so... they’re people.

I think @BADOLBILZlearned how to type on a typewriter... that was the old rule there. Double space after a period. The “...” or ellipses are like a comma... show a pause in speech or thought... I use them a lot too haha I’ll add I agree with Badol on his last two posts. World might be coming to an end.