WideNine

Why not? Not like this is the first former Jet that has looked to make the switch to the Bills. I can empathize with an offensive skills player saying goodbye to that organization. Kick the tires.

I like Morse, but never thought he was suited to the kind of running plays they wanted to lean into. He was great at those pin and pull blocks out in space which is not easy for centers to do, but less so the gap blocks and moving bodies with leverage. He also struggled holding up in pass pro against those big tackles every one of the AFC East teams we face had on their roster. Wilkins (now gone), Quinnen Williams, and Barmore. It was not a fluke that those teams invested in those guys. There was also the salary locked up in him and there just comes a time when a front office has to consider retooling with affordable rookie deals, and that kid VPG from Georgia I expect will be groomed to take over at some point. The main concern I have with Connor is getting his timing and the long snaps down with Allen. It would be nice if Dawkins could have the luxury of consistent LG play next to him, and I think that leads to better results but he has adapted to changes there before.

The Bills OL was rated one of the best last season and Kromer is a proven talent coaching up lines. Did they bring their "A" game yesterday, not-so-much. I expect you will see gradual improvements as they tune things up over each preseason game and those that earn it will get increased opportunities and more reps to earn spots starting or backing those guys up. The rest will either be cut and/or stashed on the practice squad if they have some potential and need more time to develop. Training camp from all reports has had a lot of good vibes, but I am a firm believer that humans are more motivated to avoid a slap than to work for a bit of positive reinforcement. Not advocating for abuse, but humans are pain and risk adverse by nature and very motivated to avoid both (the ol' iron sharpens iron adage). This outing will be a good learning tool and will help instill a sense of urgency for better focus and performance getting ready for the next game. Yesterday there certainly were some missed assignments, but I expect yesterday was more about evaluating positions for our 2nd and 3rd string players and if they could adequately backup starting roles and giving those on the bubble a chance to try to change their trajectory.

Luckily, we have had coaches that know how preseason should be leveraged to improve your team. Of course you don't want to see sloppy technique and execution, and McDermott did exactly the right thing playing that up and serving notice to all the players vying for roster spots that they did not perform up to the standard needed. The other more subtle message was to his coaches that they need to prepare those players better and work to correct what can be corrected. That is a good thing. I saw a few panic posts, but mostly been there done that.

I would rather have a mistake-prone first outing where as a coach you have the players attention. You can identify areas where you need to tighten the thumb screws on preparation, proper technique, and execution. You can find those things even on basic vanilla plays. And we have a lot of new drafted, udfa, or cast off players. The main goal is to evaluate players for roster cuts in live action at NFL speed, off the practice field. And we all know you want to get out of preseason without losing starters to freak injury. Better than coming out with scripted plays and winning the preseason and having a false sense of confidence that gets you smoked in regular season. I thought with all the rule changes and new bodies STs had the potential to be a cluster, and yep it needs work. Was only really surprised by the OL lack of push in the run game and folks can always see the drop-off from what Allen makes happen when we dip into our QB depth. Always felt Allen had a bit of a slow trigger holding the ball, but lordy his backups made me appreciate his decisiveness and pocket presence. The DL interior had a lot of inexperience manning the gaps, especially when Oliver left and with DQ out and it showed. Not a lot of push and when they did get penetration they were not gap sound. That middle screen Chicago called that gained a chunk, just took advantage of that DL frustration to leak their RB out for the shovel. Preseason, but a good call at the right time. Looking forward to Marino's All-22 review.

Frank Middleton OL player who I felt destroyed the promising career of Sam Cowart with a blind side targeting of his knee. Sam was having an all pro game and was on such a great trajectory. After that injury he was out for weeks with a high ankle sprain and was never the same. The opener the following season he tore that Achilles and needed surgery. Just seemed like that hit set him down that injury plagued path. Middleton was such an unapologetic tool after that game too, crowing about how losing him seemed to hurt our team. Don't know why, but that one always stood out to me and the way Dungy-coached teams had those kind of players.

I will always fondly remember his epic tantrums from the booth.

There is that. Like when you escape an LA freeway moving at a glacial pace just to barrel into a speed trap. As long as Brady has his fingers on the pulse and knows when to let Allen's inner dog off the chain - call a few QB runs or deep shots.

You just have to follow-up with...

One is just concentration issues on those easy passes...staying in the moment and not thinking about your move upfield or your TD celebration that doesn't happen when you drop it on the doorstep. The other is the same discipline Allen had to develop, wrap the ball up with both hands when in traffic and shift it away from defenders when sprinting down a sideline, etc... Just being purposeful about securing the rock.

I was hopeful he could at least transition to a safety role. Figured after the reinjury he would lose a step. Always hoping for the best, but was understandably hard for the Bills to keep carrying him. No fault on either party.

Except for the fact that our same WRs have burned Benford and Douglas in camp who have faced proven separators and Elam has still shined vs the same guys. Elam is more of a physical man coverage DB who will draw a few flags and he has been asked to learn how to play zone and use better angles and leverage. Just takes some time, but I agree that he has a nose for the ball and needs to see more reps.

I don't like to hate on a Bills player just because they leave to test the market and the Bills decide not to match the market or simply move on. I do think the media worked overtime to sensationalize the offseason losses. The constant reference to losing Tre White who had been mostly out of the lineup for the past 3 seasons. And the "devastating" loss of Davis and Diggs. Diggs still has some juice, but I think he was not happy in more of a limited role in Brady's offense and his contract was not cap friendly going forward with other players the Bills will want to ink to deals. Davis is very good with some vertical routes, but the production is not there for the other routes where he struggles to separate or win at the catch point. Same book in college, and continued in the pros regardless of OC. Those post routes take time to develop so limited what they could do successfully on his side of the field and he had long spells with no production. Josh seems to excel when he is in that point guard mode of just dishing to the open man and I think there may have been some underlying stress to feed certain guys enough to keep them happy. That may just be the flip-side of a player that is uber-competitive too. Conjecture, but all the talk about everyone getting to eat on offense and playing their part to get the "W" seems to be an unselfish theme they are stressing and reports from camp talk of a less oppressive atmosphere with the offense. Time will tell, but I think Allen will have plenty of weapons on offense.

Just read that article before coming here to post about it. Found it interesting that it has been on the books for a while and the NFL was just clarifying it. Now they need to take that next step and teach officials how to toss the hanky when Miami's guys are heading towards the LOS full steam before the ball is snapped. Worthy is getting a lot of heat for being a feather weight that DBs can easily jam into next week or easily knock off his route and timing.

And he's not the most mobile QB out there and with all that money tied up in him it will be hard to sign or retain quality OL to keep him from the next concussion. Very risky indeed and I would not say they have a top notch defense. They let their "all-hands" team player go. Mr. Wilkins was a creepy predator on the DL, but you cannot deny he could be disruptive and get into the backfield.

This. I remembered that early article in banged up Bills that indicated sprain and not tear so the prognosis for recovery was good, but the time to full recovery varied. OBD has generally been very patient when it comes to player recovery timelines. There are no guarantees that Milano will completely regain his form, but nothing to indicate he can't work his way back and that we need to panic. I am sure the Bills have plenty of trainers who are monitoring his progression, strenth with that knee that likely had an ACL sprain, and managing any soreness or swelling. And no snark implied as no one here likely knows for sure, we can only surmise based on actions taken by OBD as it relates to the injured player being cleared for practice and eventually pads & contact.

Well they do have Mike Edward's on a 1 year deal. I have my doubts about Rapp's range and fit in that FS coverage role, but we will see. But you would like to see the kid start to push for playing time and at least climb the depth chart to be the next man up.

That is what makes the Cole Bishop pick such an interesting one. A bit unusual for McD to invest in a safety and that high in a draft and not just coach up a capable veteran as he has done before. You would think Bishop must fit a profile he and Babich have in mind for some wrinkles they would like to introduce, only time will tell. If he can live up to his college tape then he would be such a versatile chess piece out there.

Yep. Injuries happen so you don't want to use it as an excuse, but our defense was missing a lot of starters and I am sure that impacted the game. Along with Klein filling in for Bernard (emergency unretired from a family vacation), Dodson was out there with him basically playing with 1 arm. Benson was out, Rapp was out, Rasul was nursing a bum knee, and Taron was coming off of concussion protocol. We definitely need better luck on the injury front with our defense down the stretch.

What 5th round player had this draft profile and grade? WEAKNESSES X plays smaller than his 6'0", 195-pound size would suggest. His 40 time was not great and points to an issue on film of separating deep. He does have explosive skills as a jumper and short-area runner, but he's not able to take the top off the defense. X was a highly touted prep player and still carries hype from those days. At Maryland, he struggled to stay healthy, with two straight years of season-ending injuries (broken leg in 2013, lacerated kidney in 2014), and was suspended after a fight against Penn State. 2014 STATISTICS Receptions Yards Receiving Touchdowns 62 792 5 FINAL GRADE: 5.10/9.00 (Quality Backup) Stefon Diggs. Granted there were draftniks that were more positive on Diggs and his potential as a 5th round selection in that draft, but I thought this was a good reminder and an object lesson that WRs can develop into a legit #1 in the right system, with the right QB, with the right dedication to their craft. We can afford to be a bit patient and see how this WR room shakes out with a bunch of guys the Bills have brought in that have plenty of potential that may never have had a QB like Allen throwing to them. We will see how Coleman develops as they work his reps in, and some guys they brought in are looking for that chance to resurrect their careers and they came to the Bills because they know Josh Allen could help make that happen. Should make for some really good competition. We also have the potential to have one of the best 1-2 TE tandems in the league. I think we will move the ball and have the potential to regularly put defenses in a bind between having to load up the box against the run (which I think may even be better this year) or trying to defend a lot of different receiving options that can come out of those same personnel packages with different alignments and motion.

If we ran a 3-4 front that is where he would land. His measurables are so close to Donald's coming out in the draft that I think folks jumped the gun with expectations. Donald has freakish strength and leverage, but I think Oliver is just 25 so plenty of football ahead of him (knock on wood) and the book on him is not written yet. If he hit the open market folks here would find out quickly what other front offices think and would be willing to pay.

We can agree to disagree. He is not Aaron Donald and I think we all can concede that point, but who is? Donald was a unicorn at the position and could rag doll OL players with 50-60 lbs on him. Just stating that a DL player is better when not facing double teams is academic. Donald was better too when teams gambled on blocking him one on one. Oliver racked up 9.5 QB sacks and 72 QB pressures last year and much of that without a lot of help and when having to work against double teams, as Jones was hurt for a good chunk and they also were rotating guys like Settle next to him. He does not have the name recognition or demand the pay of DTs turning in more pedestrian numbers. Hats off to Beane for what looks like a team-friendly contract. And he is not expected to play the middle like a 1-tech nor is he that hybrid DT that can line up and be effective inside or outside as he just does not have the size or build of a Chris Jones 6.6 315 vs 6.1 285. For how the Bills use him in the 3-tech role Oliver is effective and he stayed healthy and gave the team a solid performance last year. I am also pretty confident that teams game plan for him.

I think the Bills brass was counting on developing Spector into a solid backup or starter, but the dude gets injured when you sneeze on him. Hoping he can string together a healthy season at some point. Depth at LB has been challenged down the stretch and is so critical to how this defense plays at its best with its match-up LBs who can come up in run support, blitz as the 5th man or off different pressure or zone looks, and yet still skate with TEs and RBs releasing as well as picking up some of those routes off the slot. Babich has proven he can certainly coach up that position very well.

I think most 3-techs need that 1-tech that can draw the double-teams. Especially against a team like KC who has Humphrey and Thuney at LG where Oliver usually plays - very few 3-techs are going to win against a double-team from those two guys. Oliver is still impactful, plays with a hell of a motor, and occupies blockers, but he shines best and gets into the backfield more often when we have someone like Jones teams have to account for and he can play off of. I don't think it is a knock on Oliver, it just stresses the importance of having that impact guy in the middle if you hope to have your 3-tech be a disruptor in the backfield. With the Panthers McD had Star playing at a pro bowl level - it is part of the d-line formula, but they have struggled filling it here. They gave impact player money to Star when I think he was on the down slope with the tank mostly empty and we did not have the best compliment of 3-techs around him. Jones has been the best option to date and is very good when healthy.

Just no meaningless injuries. You can't wrap players in bubblewrap, but knocking on wood. May be a great opportunity to decide on players on both squads that are on the bubble vs different competition.