Brand J

You know what’s bonkers? Making definitive statements about someone’s character when you haven’t been in the rooms to fully grasp what happened. Is Richie an a**hole? A jerk? Yep, sure looks like it, but it doesn’t automatically mean he’s a despicable guy. Same could be said for Aaron Rodgers. Some people have said Jim Kelly was a jerk. Michael Jordan was called a bully by some of his teammates. Does that mean all of them are bad guys? We don’t know these people. He’s not apologizing because he doesn’t believe he did anything wrong. He should apologize, even if - in his eyes - the situation was blown out of proportion and - in Martin’s own words - the Wells report was a clown show. Eric Wood is the main guy to come out and defend Richie, but has there been a slew of other players that said “this guy is cancerous”? Richie Incognito is “scum of the Earth”? Not to my knowledge, all I see is a former teammate defending him. Without a full understanding of the situation, I won’t make definitive statements either way on who Richie Incognito is as a person, but you do you.

Yeah, that’s the thing… the trainer’s room isn’t only Incognito and the assistant trainer, it’s multiple trainers, multiple athletes, positional coaches, etc. I of course don’t know how this trainer felt, but if he/she was laughing along and dishing out comebacks of their own, it’s not going to pass as bullying. If it was a situation where it was clearly uncomfortable for the assistant trainer (and thereby uncomfortable for others in the room), somebody would’ve told Incognito to shut the hell up. I take the words he said to the trainer (and Martin) as inappropriate, over the top language, but I struggle to believe Incognito said these things with malice or ill intent. In other words, I don’t believe that he believed what he was saying. I can’t paint him as a “bad person” because of his language, his actions and almost universal dislike of others who’ve associated with him would ring truer to me.

Incognito is not a moral, upstanding citizen that’s for sure, but how much of that can be attributed to mental health? Same goes for Antonio Brown as well as Kanye West. Do you see a similar thread here? They all have screws loose. And again, I don’t want to sound like I’m defending the words that came out of his mouth but context is needed. We can see what was said on a piece of paper, but with the Assistant trainer @Beck Water referenced, did he/she laugh along with the guys, or was it truly a case where they felt bullied and discriminated? If the latter, they chose to reveal this to Wells, but not to anyone else on the team for as long as it went on? If on Incognito’s best day he’s a dangerous human being, then I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before his actions lead him to prison, wouldn’t you agree? Yeah, I don’t disagree.

I don’t know how you can unequivocally state he’s a bad person, especially when you’re not privy to his mental health issues. Eric Wood spent a whole lot more time with him than anyone on this board and still views him as a brother. I have a hard time believing that’d be the case if Incognito was a despicable person. You don’t know the man.

I mean, I’d never do it because that’s not my personality. I’m not defending what he said, but we do have to acknowledge there are people out there who talk like this amongst each other but aren’t necessarily “bad people.” Ignorant? Sure. Richie’s a grown man, but speaks like a middle school wanna be tough guy. You’d be appalled with how today’s youth speak to each other. And I’m talking amongst friends. Richie’s texts weren’t laced with vitriol, he wasn’t saying these things behind Martin’s back. The two were reportedly close friends. Do you think Richie really felt that way towards Martin? That he’s racist at his core? I don’t. I think both men have mental issues.

The “lie” was that Martin never believed it to be bullying but didn’t correct his mother in front of TMZ and also went along with the Wells report, even though he believed it to be a “clown show.” I imagine Martin knows Incognito along with his other teammates didn’t truly mean any ill will towards him, nothing that Richie said is to be taken in the literal sense. It was over the top locker room comments, very inappropriate, but harmless in intent.

Over the top racial and offensive jokes turned into “bullying” (a term his mother used) after Martin stepped away from the team because he needed some time away from football. Martin’s regret is not shutting down the Wells Report, explaining to the team where his headspace was, and allowing the “bullying” narrative to continue its track.

Someone said in training camp that this guy was better than Buffalo Joe.

In honor of Tommy Doyle’s retirement, here are some notable picks that went after him in the 5th round (#161) of the 2021 draft: #162: TE Noah Gray (KC) #167: CB Nate Hobbs (LV) #168: TE Zach Davidson (MIN) #172: CB Deommodore Lenoir (SF) #173: DT Tedarrell Slaton (GB) #175: S Jason Pinnock (NYJ) #180: S Talanoa Hufanga (SF) What a lucky round for the 49ers and a tough break for the Bills.

I think Beane falls in love with a player and tries to move heaven and earth to get him - except that player never materializes into a blue-chip NFL All Pro (except Allen). You’d think he’d learn. He was infatuated with Cole Bishop in the 2nd last year and tried to trade up, but a legit free safety from a big time college program - Calen Bullock - ended up going to the Texans 18 picks later and solidified their secondary on the way to being named to the All Rookie team. Don’t trade up, Beane; aside from Josh, you suck at it.

I’m not rooting against Carter, I hope he becomes a solid to great piece for the DT rotation, but right now he’s a below average player, not “very good.” We need all rookies from this class to step up a notch next season and we need to luck into a blue-chip difference maker in the draft.

What is your criteria for “very good player”? I wouldn’t call a third round pick who was a healthy scratch for half the season a very good player. He might become one, but right now he’s decidedly below average.

I wonder how they’ll handicap it. Tyreek can’t race him straight up.

About?

Going totally off of memory here, but is that Snoop Dogg, Lodi Dodi?

Him and Kincaid should’ve been putting on functional weight and strength in the offseason. That’s probably more on them than Ciano, unless he works year round.

I’d take any of these QBs ahead of Herbert: Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, Stroud, Stafford, Hurts, Daniels (yes, already), Dak, and Love. Herbert I’d have closer to Kyler Murray and Brock Purdy. Guys who are capable of making plays and winning games, but incapable of carrying a team. Maybe I should’ve said Lawrence is a more mistake-prone Herbert. They’ve both flashed at times and displayed big time ability, but I don’t believe in either of them for whatever reason.

He had a down year, giving up his highest QB rating since his rookie season, but he’s always been known as a coverage LB. He’s a converted safety with mid 4.5 speed. I wanted him on the Bills as a UFA a few years ago.

Lawrence equals Justin Herbert. Maybe lesser.

As far as the first round, I’d agree. In the second we have Cody Ford and Boogie Basham. What makes the Ford pick even more heinous is there were rumors the Bills were trying to get back into the first round for him. They tried trading up repeatedly in the 2nd and were sweating bullets, hoping they could get him. All the while DK Metcalf and AJ Brown just go floating by (and we had a need at WR). I always think how differently that draft would’ve played out if the Panthers selected Ford (like they believed) rather than Greg Little.

I haven’t followed the Eagles at all this year, but even some of their fans were saying the narrative from the season was “could we be physical enough?” Their DL hasn’t looked that dominant all year and finished 14th in the regular season for sacks. They certainly turned it up in the playoffs and looked like a defensive juggernaut against KC, but a couple weeks earlier were thisclose to losing to the Rams at home. Basically in the SB, one team had the game of its life while the other didn’t have the goods and it showed.

I’d say they’re definitely used to adversity. The comeback against the Texans when they trailed 24-0? The SB comebacks against the 9ers (twice) and Eagles when they trailed by 10? Mahomes and his number of game winning drives, in addition to his record when trailing by 10+? They know how to battle and win tough, gritty games, but on that night they just didn’t have it. They looked lackadaisical from the start, definitely not the team that arrived fired up to beat the Bills. It was almost as though they were waiting on someone (Mahomes?) to make a play to jump start them and that play never came. If they ran the game back on another day, I highly doubt the result is the same, regardless of how things looked that particular Sunday.

Kelce also has a lot more opportunities in front of the camera since his star shined brighter with Tay Tay. I went to a taping of “Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity” last offseason where he was hosting. He’ll have many more opportunities like that.

When the NFL turned into an aerial league RBs were immediately devalued, but I agree with you. No one can tell me J Jefferson at $35M/yr is worth that much more than Barkley at $12M/yr. I mean, we just saw MVP voting and Offensive Player of the Year awards. I think the contracts are out of whack and because we had two RBs who were serious contenders for MVP much of the season, there needs to be a re-evaluation of value among positions. The little WR from Baltimore, Zay Flowers, may likely be in the $28M/yr range when his contract comes due, but his value to that Raven offense wasn’t greater than Henry and he makes a paltry $8M/yr. I remember a few years ago RBs tried to voice their concerns to the NFLPA, but their voices should be even louder this offseason.

I see Cook’s value as late first, early 2nd round. If he’s traded, we better get another home run hitter with vision in this offense, or it’ll be harder for the Bills to lean on the run game. There were quite a few times Cook got us more on the ground than what was expected.