bearstobills

Good stuff here. I watched one interview with Rosen during the pre draft process and was personally out on him. I stayed away from Allen because of the completion percentage for as long as I could. But you could tell Beane was interested. So I watched a highlight clip. Much like Keon's one handed spear, Josh did his roll to the right and dart across his body to a breaking receiver in the end zone thing, and it was just different. So I watched an interview. And he so clearly had that "it" factor. It almost felt like a no-brainer. I love that about Beane, that he looks for the complete person. Watching Coleman's combine interview, I instantly thought Beane would have a hard time passing on him. He really values personality. And is able to look past 40 times and completion percentage that would turn away other gm's. He sees football players. I mean....DeWayne Carter, Ray Davis, Solomon....these guys are off the charts. As for Caleb, he has a creepy confidence that would be give me pause if I were selecting.

Whether he stays or goes....helluva pick by Beane. He traded back twice (what would become the Benford pick I believe). Clearly they didn't have a 2nd round grade on him, but they still liked him. I'm never on team running back early in the draft. But I appreciated that Beane took a weapon. A clear explosive upgrade over Devin. Just like Kincaid was a clear explosive upgrade over Knox. And now Keon. So that pick, to me, heralded a new approach.

Personality wise.....he's one of my favorite guys on the team. I like him as a player too. I forgive his drops. For whatever reason, I couldn't forgive Gabe's drops as much. Good tight ends are hard to come by. I think he's a good football player and I'm happy we have him. He took a pay cut so this board had to shut up a bit. He's worth 7 million dollars and a guaranteed contract next year.

Grew up in Chicago. Lifelong Bears fan. Moved to Buffalo during the drought in my late 30's. Went to Bada-Bing on Chippewa to watch the Bears game. The Bills were playing also, trying to break some horrific losing streak. My eyes kept darting over to the Bills game. Late in the game, they got a first down that sealed the game and broke the losing streak. I started clapping. Not a single other cheer in the bar. I thought to myself, "This team needs me." True love ever since.

Not to mention how strong that class was after that pick. Edmunds was a day 1 starter and a multi year pro bowler, Harrison Phillips is a starting DT for the Vikings, Taron is Johnson in the 4th (pro bowler), Siran Neal and the dearly departed Wyatt Tyler (multi year pro-bowler) in the 5th, Ray Ray Mcloud in the 6th. That's 4 pro bowlers in his first draft.

For me, it's not the in game decisions that are concerning. I don't think he has 'the eye of the tiger'. He's got the 'eye of the process' down pat. And the process is important. The culture is right. But it rarely feels like we have the mental edge in games. Heck...it looks like he's about to cry most of the time. Dan Campbell has it with the Lions. McVay seems to have it. Reid oozes it. Anybody into basketball? Anthony Edwards absolutely credited his coach after beating the champs yesterday. They believed they were the better team, even down 20 in the 3rd/15 at half time. He told them at half-time, "If you do (insert strategy) you will win, if you don't, you will lose." He went on to say he will call out every player equally if you aren't doing your job. Do you get those vibes from McD? I'm guessing he was somewhat scared of Diggs. Watched video of Bellichik and Brady parsing tape together before a regular season game. Two complete pros figuring out a path to victory together. Do you sense that relationship with Josh? If he's such a great defensive coach, tell Josh how to beat the other defense. Finally, and I keep going back to this.....as a Bulls fan who grew up in Chicago. The switch from Doug Collins (who they won with) to Phil Jackson was the start of the dynasty. The Bills need their Phil Jackson. So, either McD morphs into him, or Beane has to swallow hard and let go of the dude who hired him. Me thinks it will be the later.

My bad....this fact was already called out much earlier in the thread. It still stands though.

And McD took a Tyrod Taylor led team with mediocre weapons to the playoffs in his first year. I'd say that's getting the best out of your players. Btw, I'm not a McD believer, but I definitely wanted to counter your argument.

Guys that average double digit sacks usually go in the top 10 of the draft. The Bills usually don't draft until around 28. Groot was damn good pick at that point.

OK....maybe not Belichick (although maybe). But if it's wishful thinking for us, of course it has crossed Pegula's mind. I grew up in Chicago during the Bulls run. They had a good coach (Doug Collins) who kept losing to the Pistons. So they fired him and hired a great coach (Phil Jackson). It's a business decision. Losing is not OK when you have Josh Allen. This is urgent. So I'm with you on an O guy. And I firmly believe a first round exit may herald a move in that direction.

We all watch these things every year, and yet some people still cling to the idea that McD is pulling some invisible strings. First of all, if they flame out this year, Beane stays. As for McD.....I could easily see a change being made (especially with Bill Belichick lurking). The Bills are Pegula's baby. He's an astute business man. After Josh Allen, there is no other loss this franchise could endure that would be as crippling as losing Brandon Beane. This board's meltdown after the trade down with the Chiefs did nothing but expose the ignorance, short-sightedness, and irrationality of so many fans. The best moment of the video was Beane schooling Brian Gaine at the combine. Gaine voices concern regarding Keon's 40 time. Beane, as usual, looks beyond the metrics (see Josh Allen 56% completion percemtage) and sees a very good football player. I doubt Gaine picks Keon, and he probably doesn't pick Josh either. Thank god we have a GM who doesn't fall into those traps. As for McD....he's a pretty good football coach. My wife thinks he always looks like he's about to cry. Beane has to take care of both Pegula and McD during the draft. It's like a family trip, and everybody has to honor Grandpa (Pegula) by keeping him abreast of the plans. As for McD, he just wants to help dad change the tire to prove to the family he's important.

Anyone who continues to think that McD secretly runs the draft is just foolish.

This is such a great topic. It deserves its own thread. First and foremost, I'd still be dancing if we took Walker. That being said, the Carter pick makes so much sense. Every year it's the same song and dance about how we have no long term D Line guys signed past this year. This pick takes care of a huge yearly concern. Yes, McD hovers over him like a nagging step mom. And yes, Beane owes his job to McD. Yet, if one of them get canned, it aint gonna be Beane. If the Bills flame out this year, I could see McD being shown the door out, and Belichick being shown in. I also don't think McD is short-sighted enough to believe offense doesn't matter. They met with and worked out both Walker and Franklin so many times they could probably tell you what each got for Christmas last year. If they reached the conclusion that adding a possession guy like Keon and a vertical threat like Walker was the key to unlocking everything, I gotta believe McD would have been on board with that over a rotational D lineman. They, and the rest of the NFL, passed on both of those guys over 3 times. It just may be they aren't difference makers on the NFL level. And my hope, bringing this full circle, is KJ is secretly running 4.33 over in the field house. Finally, the Bills drafted Vosean Joseph LB out of Florida years ago. In the embedded video, Beane turns to McD and says "You'll like him." McD had his usual intense but slightly clueless look on his face. Don't me wrong. He's a huge part of the process and of course has a respected opinion. But he can't run a draft. He wouldn't have identified or picked Kincaid. But he can watch tape, pinpoint a safety he likes, and push hard for what he wants (as can Joe Brady and the rest of the staff). It was Eric Washington who was ultimately pounding the table for Rousseau. Lastly, Beane's "F**K Yea" reaction to Bishop being available was the reaction of a GM getting HIS man.

2 things; I don't believe McD runs the draft. I think it's a group-think fallacy that has gained traction on this message board. Beane makes the calls, you can see it on the embedded videos. McD strikes me as a bystander (who I'm sure has plenty of opinion and sway) but a bystander nonetheless. In 2020, after the Epenesa draft, Beane looked visibly disappointed. It was a stacked wide receiver class and I think he was hoping one of Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman, Laviska Shenault, KJ Hamler, or Chase Claypool would fall to them. He jumped all over Hamler when he became available. That says something.

He is not a JAG. He was a high 2nd round draft choice, who would have been a high second round draft choice this year also. He tore the same ACL twice, dislocated his hip, and had a heart issue. Watch below and tell me he's a jag. He's electric. Beane would have taken him over Epenesa I'm pretty certain. If he could somehow find 90 percent of what he was, we'd be dangerous.