BillsFanForever19

If it comes down to only being able to retain one of Cooper or Douglas - it's Cooper and it's not even a question. But I would hope we can get them both done. If not, Ingram has shown some promise. And Elam will have one more chance with the team, if we don't trade him. I think we'd roll with them, sign a Cheaper vet that McDermott thinks he can make work, and then Draft someone. Depending on how negotiations with Benford are going in the early stages will determine how high that selection would be.

When it comes to the trade deadline, if we're to acquire someone for a push, it should be someone who is on a one year deal or nothing guaranteed beyond this season. After this year, we're either going to need to re-sign Amari Cooper and Rasul Douglas or find a new WR1 and CB1. We're also probably going to want to extend at least one, if not more, of the many successful Draft Picks from the 2022 Draft. As James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Terrel Bernard and Christian Benford will all be unrestricted after next season. As will Greg Rousseau at the same time after using our 5th year option on him. I'm not against trading for someone who can help us now and won't cost us anything after this year (which is a big part of why Cooper got done instead of others IMO). But we've got way too many pieces of our core coming up to commit any money for next season. As it is, we're probably not going to be able to retain all 7 of those players over the next two offseasons. Having to say goodbye to even more of that core than we're already going to have to do doesn't seem to be in Beane's MO - and rightfully so.

If you're referring to the last game, you have to keep in mind that the Titans, although a losing team - have one of THE best Defenses in Football. So I equate our slow start there with having to adjust the game plan to what we saw they were doing. One way to look at it is that they sometimes start slow. The other way to look at it is that the coaching staff does a very good job of switching up plans mid game to counteract what isn't working.

On top of the cost in compensation is the cost of keeping him beyond this year. There's no way we'd pay even close to that for a 1 year rental and no way Cleveland would trade him and eat that much Dead Cap for what we'd like to pay in compensation for a 1 year rental. And that money that we'd have to pay him would cost us any opportunity to re-sign Amari Cooper.

This is a joke, right?

I wouldn't read anything into that at all. McAfee and crew have that "I'm just f-cking with you" sense of humor and Beane enjoys their brand and plays into it. It's way more likely than not them just going "oh, the audience knows we're talking to you and we're muted - lets act like you just said something crazy. People will go nuts". Hell, it wouldn't even shock me if Beane himself thought of the idea. This is the exact kind of reaction they wanted and almost assuredly manufactured it for the lolz.

... how do you figure? We would have had to trade above 23 to get BTJ. Which would have been damn near impossible to pull off with no Round 3 Pick and not using a 2nd Round Pick which we'd need to get Keon as well. Even if we could get a package together that way that would fit the trade value for Pick 22 - we'd then need to put together ANOTHER package to get from 60 to the top of Round 2 to get Coleman. Considering Ja'Lynn Polk went at 37 and Keon Coleman was their first choice and we don't know that LA would have still taken McConkey at 34 if Coleman were still there, we'd probably have to get to the very top where we took him to insure it. And the cost to move from 60 to 33 is even more than moving from 28 to 22. To pull that off would be a total fantasy style trade that would require giving up pretty much all of this Draft (as Round 4 and later picks don't move the needle much in terms of value for people moving in Rounds 1 and 2) and multiple picks in the 2025 Draft - including top picks. Even if we were inclined to do that, which he most assuredly wouldn't, the most important part of these scenarios is finding someone who is willing to move down. Trade up's are always talked about as if once you meet the Trade Value, it's a done deal. The biggest hurdle is getting someone to not just stand pat and take their guy. Which is what teams WAY more often than not just do. And then even if through some crazy stroke of uncharacteristic actions of Beane and other GM's, we were able to pull this off - we wouldn't have Cole Bishop, DeWayne Carter, Ray Davis, and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger for sure (probably others as well). Plus, whomever we'll end up taking with the myriad of 2025 picks we'd need to use wouldn't be here next year either. And on top of that, with us moving so many picks to get BTJ and Coleman, ain't no way we'd be giving up a 3rd (if we even had one) to acquire Amari Cooper. All of this to say "we could have" isn't even close to realistic and with the players we'd be giving up to do it, debatably not wise.

Don't look now, but Damar Hamlin has matched Hyde and Poyer's combined INT total from all of last season through 7 games.

So the call was changed from a completed catch to a completed catch with a fumble that went out of bounds. So we retained possession but since the review resulted in the call on the field being changed - it was deemed a successful challenge and thus they weren't charged a Time Out.

He's getting used to how Josh throws, head is probably spinning with what he's supposed to be doing play to play - even motioned that he didn't know the call on the TD. Give him a little time to get comfortable with everything and I think he'll be better with the hands.

Considering they brought in a number of Kickers to try out, signed one to the Practice Squad, and we're looking at another next week - I wouldn't say he's in his circle of trust right now. The problem is, and the reason why he's still here (besides the contract), is there isn't a better option available in the market. Even the guy we're bringing in next week for a look just got cut from the Packers recently after going 12 for 17. And the guy we just signed to the Practice Squad went 15 for 20 and missed 3 XP's last season. If there were good Kickers available on the market right now, you wouldn't see so many bad Kickers (like Bass) employed league wide.

He was just released by the Packers in favor of Brandon McManus. He went 12 for 17 for them before bringing in McManus to replace him.

The thing i'm seeing with Keon as a Rookie is that it seems he has one bad play and then he makes up for it with a number of good plays. It reminds me of James Cook as a Rookie. Hopefully he kicks that like James did.

What I said about starting someone with just mental reps was that he's never going to start someone Year 1 with the team, defensive scheme, and playbook. Bernard, even though missing time with injuries that year, didn't miss the *entire* offseason and more importantly, had a full year with the coaches and the defensive scheme before it.

I keep seeing this referenced and it's not entirely accurate. Hamlin didn't "beat out Edwards". Hamlin got the job basically by default. Cole Bishop and Mike Edwards were injured for all of Training Camp and the Pre-Season. McDermott is not going to start someone who is in their first year with the team on mental reps alone. In the meantime, Hamlin looked very good during Training Camp. So he ended up starting. This is also true. Is Hamlin a stud? No. But has he cost us games and had a number of horrifically bad plays? No. He's been a perfectly average Safety for us. After last season, fans had it in their heads that he should be cut and that he's terrible. So now that he's starting, even though he hasn't done anything to lose the job he got - fans believe that he's performing terribly bc he's not popping off the screen with multiple INT's. It's not the case. And that really compounds the issue. Bc McDermott isn't going to supplant a Starter unless a.) It's a clear massive upgrade - and I get the feeling that with him only seeing 1 snap when Rapp was down, McDermott doesn't see him as one or b.) He's performed inadequately to deserve to lose the job - which to date, he really hasn't.

That's exactly who I was about to bring up. Mike Edwards is this years Poona Ford. Someone who was expected to be more but just didn't live up to expectations with McDermott. Not so bad that we'd cut him. But not cracking the starting lineup unless there's multiple injuries. If that's the case, they aren't following it bc when Rapp was out, we rolled with Bishop and Hamlin. Bishop, like Rapp, may be interchangeable as well. I'd expect if Hamlin went down - they'd roll with Bishop and Rapp. It seems Edwards is firmly planted as the 4th Safety, at best.

I didn't watch the game yesterday, but the way some of you are talking, I had to look up what he did. 5 receptions on 6 targets for 50 yards against a putrid Saints team in a 33-10 route. Yeah... I mean he could continue to improve and turn into a very good WR. But I don't know how we're taking that statline as any kind of "I told you so".

Oh thank god. I thought this was another "we should trade (this player) - what do you think their worth?" thread.

Seriously. "I'm going to go tell something to my child that's going to upset him.... ooh, let me grab my phone and make sure I record his reaction so I can exploit his sadness for clicks" Real solid stuff, "Dad"

15 of 20 in Field Goals 19 of 22 in Extra Points Yikes.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBJ_gyDyE0u/?igsh=cndtZWxzdnIzemY0

Exactly this. He was using it as an example in which he was essentially saying that he has open dialogue with teams throughout the year every season and how trades come about. There's probably a 100+ conversations regarding players that are never reported as available and we don't know about to every 1 player that is traded. I wouldn't read into that as "ooh! Another trade is definitely coming!". Beane is always working the phone. Myles Garrett isn't happening. Cooper happened bc there was a need and we could afford it. At DE - with Rousseau being Rousseau (and needing an extension soon), what we paid Epenesa to retain him this offseason and how he performed on Monday, Von Miller exceeding expectations and returning in a couple weeks, Smoot signed this offseason and performing well when called upon - I don't see Beane seeing it as a need worthy of giving up either the compensation it would cost or the money. Even if we had the money to pay him, which we don't. I'd definitely be here for Budda Baker. Love him as a player. However, just like Edge, I'd be surprised (albeitly pleasantly) if we made a move like that at that position. Idk what the remainder of his contract would be this season. But he's on his 5th year option as a 1st Round Pick. It's a 14.2m base salary and a 19m cap hit. Even if it's half of that - that's still way too much than we can take on. Especially since we did SO much to the Safety position this offseason. Re-signing Taylor Rapp and Cam Lewis, spending Pick 60 on Cole Bishop, signing Mike Edwards, signing Kareem Jackson and former 1st Round Pick Lewis Cine just before the start of the season and having both on the Practice Squad right now. I feel like Damar Hamlin is in the position he's in just because Cole Bishop and Mike Edwards missed all of the Offseason and Kareem Jackson came in so late. If/when he needs to be replaced, one of Cole Bishop, Mike Edwards, Kareem Jackson, or Lewis Cine will be up to speed and ready to step in as an upgrade - without having to spend a Draft Pick or a dime.

I don't think it takes anything away from the move or enjoying him on the team this year to review all the ramifications and possibilities of the trade. I'm sure we all want him to be successful and re-sign with the team in the Offseason. But looking at all angles of the deal doesn't make anyone less of a fan of the team, Cooper, or the move. It's good to know that either: a.) Cooper re-signs with the team after this season and is a long term piece of the team. or b.) He was a one year rental at the cost of a 3rd in 2025 and a 7th in 2026 in exchange for a 6th in 2025 and a 5th in Compensation for 2026.

In the case of Cooper, being a 10 year veteran, it isn't just based on the contract he signs. In the comp pick formula, 10 year veterans do not exceed a 5th Round Pick in compensation if lost. So, yes, that is the ceiling and no, it cannot be higher.

@paulmm3 beat me to it, but being a 10 year vet, we can't get more than a 5th as a Compensatory.