DrDawkinstein

Fix this font or I'm deleting the whole thread.

Only real news imo is Bishop in the starting spot over Hamlin.

About the same as it is running against defenses who are gameplanned to stop McVay's all-out air show. 🤷‍♂️

If Beane is truly the professional executive we all want him to be, then he isnt letting "feelings" get involved at all and understands this is all modern MO in negotiations. JaMar Chase, Tee Higgins, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, all had way more "drama" at this point, but got deals done. Terry McLaurin, Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, all holding in, will get deals done. The GMs dont get nearly as offended as the fans. For good reason. And those are just the names from the past month or so. This happens every year across the league. It's how it goes.

Now do the Billionaire owners who contribute nothing.

Easy to argue that RBs are scheme protected in a McVay/Shanny offense as well. Maybe even more so. Just differently. Should also factor all the times we dont even get to 3rd down because Cook is gaining 5 yards/carry (4.9), while Kyren needs 3-4 carries just to move the chains.

Maybe Cook should politic better in the locker room so he can stand up in Josh's wedding so he can make $14M-17M like Knox who apparently doesnt block well, which I'd argue is a bigger part of the TE job than RB. Guys, thank you, but I get all this. Im obviously being half facetious in my posts. But it really isnt a show stopper for me either, given Cook's other talents which we have not been able to recreate with any other back we've had.

Classic coaches not putting our players in positions to succeed. Should have been feeding our most productive player of that game and the hot hand, not forcing him to do something he doesnt do well.

Big mistake by the coaching staff at the end of a KC game. AGAIN!

We run formations with 6 OL all the time. We've kept TEs to block. Find the hot route and get the ball out before they even get to the LOS like Brady and Mahomes.

Cool. Not a necessity.

We apparently have such a great OL that people give them most of the credit for Cook's success. If they are that great, why are we worried about the RB blocking? Especially with Josh's ability to scramble. He had a league low in sacks last year, even with Cook as our feature back and blowing some blocks. He's already well protected. Adjust to your players' strengths. Leak him out of the backfield and dump it off if the heat is coming. Put it on the Defense to decide to leave Cook wide open. The RB picking up a block here or there is not anywhere near the top of my priority list. Argue it all you want. I disagree. Especially with Josh, and especially with this offense. Things change, gramps! About time the Bills be the innovative ones.

For sure. While I dont agree with it, I understand people being concerned that "if you pay Cook, you wont be able to pay McGovern/Torrence". We'll be able to pay everyone. But I understand their concern with losing those players. McGovern shouldnt be going anywhere either way. Ideally, he's the only taint Josh touches for the next 10 years (unless Josh and I end up in the same bar).

I dont want my RB to block. This is 2025. Slip him out of the backfield and make him a leveraged weapon and let Josh get him the ball in space if the heat is coming. The blocking argument does nothing for me.

I agree with most of this, except the last part about the fall out. IMO, if the young guys pan out, then Ed and Dawson are gone and McGovern and Edwards get their extensions.

From what I can tell, Beane and his team have a plan for what every position it worth and they try to stick to that. Safety is an example, and a position they view like RB. Even with 2 All-Pro Safeties, they never got more than $10M/yr. Even with all the squawking they and their wives did in social media, and the short term deals that they renegotiated. Same with MLB. Not a premium position. Bernard gets $10M/yr.

Any other parents have this take over your house/speakers/lives? Gotta admit, decent movie and great soundtrack. I may have listened to How It's Done on my way to work as a hype song to get me ready for the day.

Theyre just 2 white guys with beards wearing headbands. That's the only similarity.

Probably, since they have a Super Bowl winning coach who doesnt make dumb decisions that cost his team the game despite their talent.

He's been "adamant"? He made one comment on someone else's post that just said "15 mill year". For the second part, it's pretty easy. 4yr/$60M, $40M guaranteed. Add on a void year (Saquon's contract has 4 void years, lol), and the team is down to $12M/yr and only $8M/yr guaranteed. Factor it as an extension to his remaining 1/$5M, and youre at a cap structure of 6yr/$65M or less than $11M/yr. Cook and his agent get to post $15M avg of new money.

Market Value is tricky and always inflated. If 5th round Williams is settling for $11M/yr then his price on the open market, where GMs lose sanity in Free Agency, is probably $13M+. But all it takes is one crazy GM with a lot of cap room and we're off to the races. I agree the Bills offer was probably in the same ballpark, and that is why Cook hasnt accepted it yet. Cook. Need those home runs.

Nice to have this done and get some perspective for both sides. It wont be the same deal for Cook, he'll be looking for more. He's an explosive weapon, and a 2nd round big name vs a 5th rounder. As much as anyone wants to say that doesnt matter, it definitely plays into the player's willingness to "settle". Same thing happened with Benford and Shakir. We'll have a to pay a bit of a premium, but hopefully not much more.

I see your logic, but the reason the players (and many of us) disagree and do not see it that way is due to 1. the ever increasing cap (which has been EXPLODING with streaming money) and 2. the owners needing to give a bigger cut of revenue. The cap is set for a year, but then it goes up and there is new available money. So get every penny you can right now in your current negotiation, and there will be more for me when it's my turn in a year or two. And while I doubt the NFLPA pulls it off, especially in its current weakened state, there is a ton of money to go after with every additional percentage point. It's zero sum year to year, but not over the course of their career or contract.

I mean, check out my post at the top of this page as far as what it looks like when they go to the other RBs. The coaches moving away from Cook is more bad coaching (again) than anything to do with Cook. Why would Etienne, a blue chip 1st round pick from a top program in his contract year, take less than Cook? They are literally in the same situation. Except Etienne can blame the Jags organization for his lack of production. You're just right back where you were. This is Cook with extra steps. Sign the guy you drafted and who has been in the locker room the last 3 years.

He could have, especially in the AFC Championship. The coaches botching the decision making is par for the course, especially when playing KC. Got too cute and over thought it instead of sticking with the hot hand and the basics.