dave mcbride

I sincerely hope I’m wrong, but I think it’ll be hard for him to ever reproduce his 2020 season statistically; it was just so good when viewed in its totality. The Bills were remarkably injury free on offense too. They had a couple (Ford, Brown), but nothing crippling.

The league has in all likelihood told them to keep it a secret. This is a potential ratings bonanza, and the league needs drama. The 49ers are part of the league, not independent of it. “Close” to reaching his potential? He literally just had the best season for a QB in the 61-year history of the Bills and finished number one in the league in PFR’s AV measure.

One thing I disagree with you on is the idea that Pittsburgh doesn’t draft o-line early. They drafted o-line in the first round in 2010 and 2012, and both those guys lasted a long time (decastro and pouncey). More importantly, the same regime was in place. They haven’t drafted o-line first for a while because the need wasn’t there, but this year it is, and they are desperate. I fully expect them to go o-line first.

The Pats may well be looking to move up and including Gilmore as part of the package: https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/04/27/patriots-stephon-gilmore-nfl-draft-trade-rumors-top-10-quarterback/

Albert Breer has us drafting Etienne too in his final mock: https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/04/27/nfl-mock-draft-san-francisco-49ers-mac-jones-bengals-jamarr-chase 30. Buffalo Bills: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson I got the Alvin Kamara comp on Etienne from a couple of teams. I vetted it out: Is that a little much? And everyone I’ve talked to has said no, it’s an appropriate parallel to draw. That’s why I love the fit with Buffalo. With the amount of space the Bills receiver group—and Josh Allen’s ability to push the ball downfield—should create underneath, Etienne could really wreak havoc.

Do you think Farley will really fall that much? I'm not saying to 30, but to a point where the Bills could make a reasonable move up to get him? Aside from the back issue, isn't he regarded as the best CB in the draft by many?

Shaq-o-meter - love it! (And the joke about 1st round RBs!) That said, he at least measures as more athletic than Shaq. He was apparently timed at 4.59 or 4.62, which is pretty darn fast for a big man. Still, lots of doubts about him: https://primetimesportstalk.com/2021/04/26/2021-nfl-draft-scouting-report-carlos-basham/.

He is no Tyreek Hill. I will definitely grant you that. But I will say that Hill is one of the most explosively fast WRs I have ever seen play the game. If Beane sees a player as a true comp of Hill, then they should go after him.

This is why I continue to believe that Jones will be SF's pick, especially given the early funeral announcement for Jimmy G. SF is built to win NOW. To repeat for emphasis (and I've seen a LOT of similar quotes from NFL people about him being more ready to play at a high level early than any other prospect save for Lawrence): QB Coach 1: I am driving the bandwagon. I think he is the best thrower of the football by a lot. Zach Wilson is freaky; but he’s not hitting people in stride on time. Mac is processing. He’s accurate. He’s layering it. He has pinpoint accuracy and throws with anticipation. ... He was substantially better in the interviews than all of the other quarterbacks. QB Coach 2: In my mind, if I had to win right now, this year, he’s the most advanced quarterback of any of them. Jones is gonna walk in Day One and just have to flip terminology because he’s gonna know pro football. He’s been coached by Sark (Steve Sarkisian). He understands run checks, understands moving protections — not that these others don’t, but he’s on a different level. The question is, are Mac Jones’ physical tools worthy of being a top-5 pick or even first-round? I don’t know that his physical abilities warrant that, but if you tell me that I have to win now, I think his physicals are good enough.

I really don’t know a ton about him but have read that his athleticism is above average. He was productive, and his size is good.

There were covid wars on PPP? I am so glad I never check it.

Moss is better than I suspect you think he is. He player well late last season, averaging 4.85 ypc in the final 6 games and passing the eyeball test to boot. Hardly a "waste."

Oh come on. That's a far more reliable and indicative stat than the 4.46 you cite. Diggs, a rare five-star recruit, went to a bad program with a bad QB, and I would bet a fair amount of money he didn't get coached up for his 40 time at the combine. Yet since he's come into the NFL, he's been one of the best receivers in the league, and just a couple of years ago averaged over 17 ypc on a high volume of catches. Anyway, instead of fixating on his terrapin-like 40 time coming out of UMD, do some searching about his speed as an actual NFL player. This is just one example: https://www.startribune.com/vikings-receiver-stefon-diggs-has-speed-to-burn-but-can-he-sustain-it/491812421/.

I thought the myth that Diggs isn't that fast had died the death it deserves, but apparently not. https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Stefon-Diggs-fastest-player-in-NFL-Minnesota-Vikings-48715901/

6 years as one of the best receivers in football HISTORY, and he was quite good in the 9 games he played last year (his only significant injury year). Still, he's never going to come to the Bills for about 25 obvious reasons. Jacksonville, though? If you're Jax, are you spending that second first on Etienne or Julio Jones knowing you have a ton of cap space to easily manage his salary? I'd take Jones in an instant.

Trading down from 30 a few slots won't get you a third round pick. 4th rounder is far more likely.

Carlos Basham Jr. He has the size profile (6'4" " and 280 lb) and athleticism that matches what the Bills want from their DEs. He is versatile (able to play in and out), hasn't gotten hurt, and has been consistently productive.

I initially thought that I wouldn't be shocked if the Jets took a running back with their second first round pick given how bare the cupboard is there, but if you look at Joe Douglas's career -- 2000-2015 with the Ravens; 2016 as director of college scouting for the Bears; and from 2017-19 as VP of player personnel with the Eagles -- he's never been part of an organization that has drafted an RB first. The best you'll find is Ray Rice and Miles Saunders with late seconds. That's it. They desperately more o-line or a wide receiver anyway to help their rookie qb, so I can't see them going after Etienne/Harris. I can't see the Steelers being dumb enough to take a RB either; the last time they took one in the first, it was Rashard Mendenhall, whose career was pretty mediocre. (They got Bettis and a third for a second and a 4th, and Bell was a mid-second round pick.) Before Mendenhall, they hadn't taken a RB first since 1988, when they picked the bust Tim Worley. For a team that always has had a good running game, I think it's pretty clear to them that you don't need to spend first round picks on RBs. They spend them on Casey Hamptons and Alan Fanecas. So I can't see them taking a RB in the first either. As for Miami, they're another team that hasn't taken a RB in round 1 for forever. The last three they took -- Ronnie Brown in 2005, JJ Johnson in 1999, and John Avery in 1998 -- were colossal busts. The reason I mention this is because those strike me as the three teams most likely (at least in theory) to take a RB before the Bills and I just don't see it. I guess you could make a case for Miami given how weak their current stable is, but I have to think that second first rounder will be dedicated to the secondary -- they have to stop Josh Allen. Anyway, I have a hunch that at least one of the two RBs -- Etienne and Harris -- will be there when the Bills are up. We'll see if they can avoid the shiny object.

I am not in favor of drafting him, largely because he has 788 touches over 55 college games. He's old in dog years, as they say. That is a LOT of hits. He "only" averaged 5.4 ypc in 2020 after averaging a ridiculous 8.1 and 7.8 in the previous two seasons, but you can't hide the fact that the trendline pointed downward this season after 460 touches in 30 games the previous two seasnos. However, he is not a dump off guy (and nor is Kamara) -- he averaged 12.3 ypr on 48 catches last year and 11.7 on 37 the year before, and it wasn't because he was taking dumpoffs to the house with regularity. He has more ability to do actual wide receiver stuff than most RB prospects.

Um ... I think you’re not getting the joke??

Wrong you are.

Good thread. The Bills have only 4 safeties on the roster at present. I would not be surprised if they draft one early.

I think QBs are different. I think it's more about players like, say, Stefon Gilmore - a clearly good player at a premier position - whose contractual negotiations are going to be difficult. The Bills DID pick up his option, and he had his best season as a Bill: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GilmSt00.htm. The Bills weren't a good team overall, but if they had the coaching/offense of the last couple of seasons, that fifth year from an elite player might win them a game or two more - enough to maybe get them over the hump. More recently, the Saints picked up Marshon Lattimore's option, which was obviously the right thing to do. With a running back, though, I don't think so. And I tend to view MLBs as the defensive mirror image of RBs -- guys taking tons of hits and not really being game changers. There are a couple who are -- Kuechly certainly was, as is Devin Bush now -- but that's because they can cover. In other words, they're assets in the passing game. The number of RBs who are above replacement level in the passing game is pretty small -- Kamara and McCaffrey come immediately to mind. Kamara in my opinion IS a guy worth keeping (he does so much more than most RBs, like Marshall Faulk), but of course he was a third rounder. LeVeon Bell was another terrific receiver, but his career went completely sideways early on, mostly because of bad decision making on his part.

Teams actually still do care about the fifth year option, which only makes sense assuming you trust your judgment about whom you’re drafting. If they draft the next Stefon Gilmore, you can bet they’ll use that option. From Beane himself yesterday: ‘1. The Bills’ spot at No. 30 in the first round is a good one to attract offers. Teams may want to grab another first-round pick due to a run at a position and because first-round picks can be kept under contract for an extra year, via the fifth-year option that teams are allowed to apply to the contracts of first round picks. “I would be surprised if we don’t get some calls for 30,” Beane said. “We just have to make a judgement about how we see the board and if we’re willing to give it up. “I would definitely take this pick if there's a guy that we're excited about and we've got a good solid first round grade on,” Beane said of No. 30. “We're very comfortable staying at 30 and getting that fifth-year option. But again we'll just kind of listen to the board and see what happens.”’ https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/draft-deals-scouting-problems-and-more-from-brandon-beanes-pre-draft-news-briefing/article_f627bb96-a219-11eb-93f7-e77fce545469.html

And LOL: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/04/20/dave-gettleman-prioritized-devontae-booker-thinking-giants-cant-have-too-many-running-backs/