PBF81

Well then, I suppose it's time to start questioning Beane's regimen and decision making. We must assume then as well by implication, that he's also thought that our OL has been fine in his five seasons to date since likewise, because he didn't go get any significant help. ... or what he did get sucked. You can choose. Same for WRs? RBs to date? If that's your logic then it's only honest and consistent to apply it across the board to the entire team. Heaven knows we've drafted enough DL-men.

Point is that you claim that he is capable of playing middle, whether this season, next, whenever, when there isn't a draft profile out there even remotely claiming that he has the skills, size, etc. to be able to do so effectively. Feel free to think that, I have no issue with it, but I will simply point out that that's an isolated claim not backed by anyone that knows football. We're also indirectly discussing whether or not McBeane have properly planned for Edmunds' departure. There's ample evidence to the notion that they have not. The only evidence against it is that McD has something unconventional planned, yet no one seems to know what it is in a cart/horse type of thing. He'll have to try something if Dodson doesn't work out, and I'm sure everyone will be claiming what a genius he is for doing it even if his hand was forced and it doesn't work out. Many are asking that as well. Not sure why it's posited that I'm the only one. It's even perhaps the position of most uncertainty in McD's entire tenure here.

"I oughta kick my own ass." LOL The voice of Dale Gribble died recently.

What's funnier is you posturing to suggest that I said something that I didn't say or think. I said the entire football media questioned him. Take it up with them. I am merely doing the same as them, pointing out the inconsistencies in his statements. Take that up with him. I'm relying on what numerous other NFL scouts, GMs, and others perhaps even more knowledgeable than McD, despite the fact that I realize many here think that there isn't a coach out there that's smarter than McD besides Reid, have said. Pardon me for doing that. LOL Honesly, some of you ... Can't even have a simple discussion without middle school inuendo. And here's what Shaw "clearly said;" Pretty clear. I'm not sure he needs you to defend his statements.

Many, if not most, would argue that it's presumptuous to think that someone of Williams' stature and abilities could play MLB in the NFL. Not me per se, but pretty much every scout that contributed to his draft profile. Playing MLB at Tulane is a whole lot different than playing MLB in the NFL. They said similar re: Bernard last season. Did Williams even play MLB at Tulane at all? My understanding is that he was the WLB there, which is why he's backing up Milano. IMO most people are simply rendering inconceivable that they simply didn't plan very well for Edmunds' departure. I'm not sure what that possibility is out of the question.

No matter the opinions, Camp observers and the coaching staff are high on Davis so far from what they've seen with him playing injury-free. It should be encouraging.

Amateur Scouts? nfl.com? All the major draft profilers that do that for a living? ... LOL He did? I recall reading the opposite. Do you have any sources for those quotes from camp? I'll give you that he said that earlier in the offseason prior to training camp starting. But I don't believe that Williams was in contention for the role in Camp, I'm not even sure he got any reps at MLB? Did he? Even the football media was questioning what McD was thinking as well. It's definitely odd to suggest that a player that not a single notable draft profile, if any at all, said was capable of playing a position, yet that a coach declares that he'll be playing that position. I'm guessing that this falls right in line with Oliver being the next Aaron Donald. McD's recent statements have indicated that Williams will not be given a chance to start at MLB. Whether he changes his mind once again is anyone's guess. Tells me that it's questionable as to whether McD even knows what he's doing at this point with that hole in the middle of the D. Speaking for myself, it doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Here's a piece on it; https://billswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/27/buffalo-bills-dorian-williams-training-camp-brandon-beane/ You and Shaw aren't arguing with me, take it up with McD. And FWIW, Williams was Milano's backup on the only depth chart that they've released to date.

So you think that even though McD said that Williams won't be playing MLB, the he in fact will be playing MLB? Well, OK. I'll take McD's word for it however. I'm not sure what to say otherwise other than if a player's not suited to a position, then it's likely he's not suited to a position. You say what you think that McD is doing, but then ignore what he's said. I'm not sure that's a wise way to form opinions as to what will happen. Do you? I guess time will tell.

$10 from the sale goes to charity. WTH are these things selling for? And their new Redskins song can be Short People by Randy Newman.

It's pretty likely that we won't get Pro Bowl play from our MLB spot, which you say. But that's not really the question. The question is whether or not we'll even get average play at the position, and if not, how much below-average play we'll end up getting. Then given that, if it does end up being below-average, how will McD compensate for it. A huge resultant hole in the middle of an NFL defense is hardly somethng that one can so easily step over and ignore should it turn out to be the case. I don't recall ever having seen an NFL defense without a capable MLB or at least one capable ILB. Right now we've not proven that we have that. Hope and coachspeak lipservice doesn't equate to proven. We don't know how this is going to play out, we don't even know what McD's solution to the issue is. Not arguing, simply supplementing. But of all the uncertainty on this team, this has to be the most relevant uncertain issue heading into the season, indisputably.

Well yeah, no doubt, particularly as an MLB, a player that often has the high tackles in a game and for sure in a season. Last season the 9 top solo tacklers and the top-10 combined tacklers were all LBs, mostly MLB/ILB. 19 of the top-20 combined and 18 of the top-20 solo tacklers were LBs as well. Every player makes good plays here and there. ... aka even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. It's not strong enough to support the argument that the team didn't miss a beat w/o Edmunds. I realize he only started 3 games, but Dodson ranked 384th in Solo Tackles last year and 416th in Comb Tackles. Edmunds has a lot of detractors here. What McD does is going to be interesting for sure.

I haven't seen a single draft profile out there that even approaches agreeing with that. They say the exact opposite, that he does not have the skillset/phyique to play MLB and is essentially a WLB. I'm not sure that you realize that. Bernard was more MLB than Williams is.

That's where we needed to put the resources, better late than never.

So Basham and Jackson didn't "end the game" on the subsequent 4th-and-1? See how that works. Either way, presumably you are using a single play to sum up that Dodson was no worse than Edmunds then?

That's the rule though, not the exception. I don't disagree. And here are his negatives according to NFL.com's draft profile; - Inconsistency and inaccuracy made it hard for him to have sustained success. - Could use a better feel for the timing of his progressions. - Needs to take some spice off short throws. - Below average touch and ball placement rolling out. - Hasn’t learned to manipulate coverage with his eyes. - Struggles to paint intermediate zone holes with anticipatory throws. - Accuracy issues are often a function of poor footwork. - Loses track of coverage and will throw into danger. - Too willing to flip the ball out instead of taking a sack. From another draft profile; Weaknesses: - Extremely inaccurate as a passer - Consistently misses routine completions - Has a lot of passes go high - Needs to improve ability to make finesse throws - Struggles to throw a catchable ball in the short to intermediate field - Can get rattled by his own play, defenses, the flow of the game - Sometimes holds the ball too long - Ball security - Decision-making needs to improve - Plays down to opponents - Struggled against good defenses - Inexperienced; only 1-year starter Those are very difficult things, particularly collectively, to coach up to the extent that he'll be worth the 4th overall pick.

He was among the SEC's worst passers. That's why Shorter may be underrated. Josh is a whole lot more intelligent than almost all QBs coming out though too.

One could also argue that they let Smith go for more money because they thought that Edmunds could do the same or better, or that perhaps his skillset offered something that Smith's didn't. I'm not arguing one way or the other there, except to say that IMO (as in opinion, and therefore TBD) is that Edmunds at 25 will be a whole lot better than he has been, in the same role that Smith's been in over there in Chicago, and out of the role he's been in here. I do find it amusing that McD's an expert and "knows what he's doing and is there for a reason," while their coaches, Eberflus and their Defensive Coordinator Williams (also from William & Mary BTW) don't know what they're doing and don't deserve to be there and aren't the same "experts" that our coaching staff is. LOL What will be interesting is how the narratives here will change if that in fact turns out to be the case.

LOL $22,000 gone in Final Jeopardy!! Good one! Love the humor here!! That is the rose-colored glasses narrative alright. We'll see how it all shakes out.

Half of his tackles were on plays that resulted in 1st-Downs. Just sayin'. If we're going to analyze, let's look at the entire picture.

Well, we're going to find out. Despite all the rhetoric back and forth, no one knows what's going to happen or how we'll be w/o Edmunds and with Dodson or whomever else starts at MLB. As Gunner points out, it's Dodson's job to lose. We'll see how it plays out once the season gets going. There are more reasons to think that it will be problematic than that it won't be, but until the games get played, we won't know with any certainty. We all have our thoughts on the matter. We're all hoping for the same result! GO BILLS!!!

Sam Mills, the NO LB? He played in the '90s, he was Bills '90s era. LOL I didn't realize that Von was our DC now.

FWIW, we allowed our 3rd and 4th most points against Cleveland and Detroit, two of the games that Edmunds was out. Also, the 4th and 8th most total yards. The other game was vs. Pittsburgh, which was ranked 26th in scoring and 23rd in yardage offense. Their QB was the rookie Pickett, who was terrible last season. It was his second NFL start, on the road here. Probably not the best gauge of our D with or w/o Edmunds. LOL

We'll, it's a new season. 🙂.

I don't know whether we'll lose him or not, but I'm firmly in the re-sign him camp. I've been one of his biggest supporters and apologists.

Thanks for that! They should post a more active video IMO.