Florida Bills Fanatic

I have a good friend that works in the NFL (not the Bills). When we discuss football I realize that his quality and quantity of information sources is much different than the information available to fans through the media and available film. He has told me on multiple occasions not to accept much of what we read in the sports media. He believes local news coverage is always better for their home team than any national media coverage of those teams. He also says to watch the games and really pay attentions to what you see and trust your eyes. The outcome of a particular play doesn't always indicate how every player executed their assignment. He also has said that coaches really do learn more about their players from practice than they do from most of their games. My point is that several things he predicted about players that the Bills either drafted or otherwise acquired was spot on (both good and bad). Example are Taron Johnson, Gabe Davis, Edmunds, Sammy Watkins, and Zay Jones. Several people that post routinely on this site have been spot on with their predictions on some of these same players over the years. As a result, I do pay close attention to posts by certain people because they have proven to be a good source of information.

40 touchdowns in multiple consecutive seasons indicates that he probably is.

You put together a great list. Winfield at corner was the only other name that might be in consideration for me.

I was watching when it aired and my impression at the end of the interview confirmed that Dawkins is a well spoken, class act. The whole discussion about drifting was surprising to me. You could tell that Cowherd liked him.

That's why it would be a surprise for me. It would mean that the rookies had supplanted Johnson and I don't expect it. If it was something that I expect, it wouldn't be a surprise.

Ty Johnson would be a surprise for me. In the absence of another free agent pickup, it would mean that either Davis or one of the UDFA rookies is the backup for Cook. I would not expect McD to place that much reliance on a first year back.

Not a "process" guy. Injuries, diminished skills, and attitude make this all nonsense for me.

Jim Brown and nobody else was even close for me.

It would also be interesting to see how long Allen held the ball in the sack and pressure situations. He tends to hold the ball too long and puts the o-line under more pressure. Some of the reason that he holds the ball has to do with a receiver group that had trouble separating. Addressing the o-line, receivers, and doing a better job of scheming guys open should improve the overall performance in this area.

He has as much hope in correcting his kicking as I do with correcting my golf swing. In other terms, he's doomed.

For me, that player is Elam. He has shown flashes of talent but has also shown the propensity for making big mistakes. If the change in position coaches doesn't help him this year, he'll likely be gone.

Regardless of the amount of money that is eventually paid, the customers for every NFL product or service will pay for this in higher prices. The NFL will recoup this money as they do with every business expense. The only people coming out ahead on this are the members of the lawsuit class and the attorneys. The only losers in this are those of us that spend money on the NFL in the future.

Teams with good running QB's create a numbers advantage at the point of attack on power running plays inside the 10 yard line. RPO's also create an advantage in the red zone. Allen, Lamar, and Hurts are used this way to great advantage for their teams. I don't see it changing much for the Bills this season unless Davis proves to be an overpowering inside runner.

Jerry Butler is my choice.

The play of Oliver and Jones will have a significant impact on the sack total. When they generate pressure up the middle, collapse the pocket, and force the QB to move; the DE's get some easier sack opportunities. Losing Jones for several games last season had a big negative impact on the defense.

I lived near him and the neighbors thought he was a dick. Showed up when he felt like it and was unpopular in the locker room. It's why they got rid of him. You are right about turning him into Bennett

Greg Bell, Mike Williams, C J Spiller, Bobby Moore

I see a lot of his games on local TV. He has not been the player that he was projected to be. Some of it has been coaching and some has been the team around him. Even considering those issues, he seems to have underachieved. He makes the throws that you see average QB's make but he hardly every makes the throws that elite passers pull off. He also comes up small in big moments in games.

Next year, with the projected cap space, will be a good time to extend and level out the salary. Allen is worth every dollar that he will earn. Allen and Mahomes should be the two highest paid guys and I have a hard time justifying any of the other guys being above them. Contract timing and desperate teams have driven considerable disparity, as it always will.

So he was the inspiration for the TV series "Suits" I would never have guessed.

I think you are probably going to be correct. Elam's future may be tied more to the progress of the other young corners on the roster than to his own performance. Time will tell on this. As far as the o-line, the Bills have more guys that can play than roster positions to keep them. In addition, there are a few teams that have poor o-line talent and/or depth. Beane was able to move Bates and he may be able to move someone else.

I traveled in Brazil for work on several occasions. We always had armed security. It is a much more dangerous place than many people realize. Americans stand out there because we often dress differently, speak differently, and definitely are seen as spending larger amounts of money than locals. Americans are targets for criminals. Kidnapping, robbery, and violent assaults to tourists are not uncommon. In some places, local law enforcement is corrupt and enables the dangerous environment to exist. There's not a chance that I would go there for a game and I find it hard to believe that the NFL chose to schedule a game there.

This is easy for me. Getting a Cookie Gilcrist autograph at the rock pile as a young kid sealed the deal for me. I have been hooked ever since.

They are not contractors but are probably considered exempt but are non-management employees. This is the second lowest level of status for full time employees. Non-exempt hourly employees would be considered the lowest level. No matter who ends up paying for this, the victim will be compensated and it will probably happen behind the scenes. You would think after the Watson debacle, players would understand that they can't just go out and do reprehensible acts. If proven guilty, I hope he never plays in the league again.

In the realm of the legal system, it is a hair that is split. People working for a company fall into several categories. They can be contractors, can be non-exempt, exempt, officers of the corporation, or directors on the board of directors. Directors on the board and officers legally act on behalf of the corporation and their actions can be treated like actions of the company. In general, the other types of employee actions are less directly tied to a corporation in terms of liability. The flight attendants do not sign away their ability to seek a remedy but their employment agreement may define where they can seek remedy. In this case, the flight attendant can and should seek a remedy directly from the offending player. She may also be able to seek a remedy directly from her employer for failing to maintain a safe and harassment free work place. Third party lawsuits usually come into play when the party of primary responsibility lacks the resources to provide sufficient restitution. In this particular case, the player probably has more than sufficient funds to settle the issue. A suit against the team or the NFL would be a reach.