Lurker

This just in: Television is about ratings. Full stop. Giving head to big markets like NYC, Boston and Miami feeds the beast. Buffalo. Not so much. Even during the Super Bowl years, Buffalo got comparatively little national coverage. It's the nature of the beast. "Hey, sailor...Looking for a good time?"...

Forty times are useful in the open field, but in the trenches and close to the LOS I think quickness is more important. Closing speed in those situations won't be tied to how fast the tackler can sprint, it will be more about how well they can do a 3-cone. After all, a 5.0 YPC average for a RB is a fantastic number. If he can "win" that match up over and over, we should be OK with him getting chased down more easily on his 10- and 20-yard carries...

Barry Sanders was the same size. Just saying...

They have the cap space for this season, so why not. Next year he's gone and DE will probably be a round one priority like 3-T was this year...

Which is exactly the blueprint marginal HOF candidates use to stay in the public eye. Don't underestimate the power of familiarity when it comes to a popularity contest...

Yep. Damn that excellent management year after year! Why can't other teams be more like the Bills....

There's still time to do that as teams move on from the draft and lay out their plans for the season. I expect Beane to stay aggressive and work the phones and waiver wire in the weeks ahead. He's not sugar coating his desire to improve the WR group--and the draft was only one way to accomplish that....

I'm one of the guys. The Bills gave up $35,000 for Sills and would have needed to use a second on "Mr. Universe." If Sills busts, we're out nothing. If he hits, we've won the lottery. If Metcalf busts, we've wasted a valuable draft asset and probably set back Allen a bit (we already have an underperforming 2nd round WR--and we saw how well that helped Allen last year). If he hits, we've got a big, fast guy who struggles to stay healthy and might get 3-4 targets a game.

No. I like Sills a lot. What I posted that for was to show that UDFA WRs are all over the league--taking 17% of the snaps since 2006. Foster showed it can be done and I think Sills has a chance as well...

No. He has very good hands from the video clips I've seen. He was on the Cowboys radar as well (they had him in as one of their 30 visits). Here's what the Dallas guy who writes for The Athletic had to say: "...Knox is more of a big wide receiver than a tight end, often times lining up in the slot or outside. He hardly ever lined up as the in-line tight end, but often went into games as a wing back." "...Despite not being used correctly, Knox shows some of the key traits you look for out of tight ends. Good hands, the ability to separate down the field, toughness and concentration over the middle, speed, and a knack for getting yards after the catch. On the negative side, you’d like to see his route-running tighten up just a little bit, but it’s hard to knock him for that, considering he wasn’t asked to run many routes." "...I typically don’t like player comparisons, but I see real similarities between Knox and George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers. Like Knox, Kittle had limited college production. Knox caught 39 passes in college, while Kittle had 48. They are both 6’4, with Knox being seven pounds heavier. Kittle ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the combine, Knox ran the drill in 4.51 seconds at his pro-day. Kittle bench-pressed 18 reps at the combine, Knox managed 16."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPWD5SrD4h7/?utm_source=ig_embed

Lodge had just as many question marks as Sills, without the production. Production matters to some GMs and coaches more than potential... Damarkus Lodge Receiving Rushing Scrimmage Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD Career Ole Miss 65 877 13.5 4 0 0 0 65 877 13.5 4 2018 Ole Miss SEC SR WR 11 65 877 13.5 4 0 0 0 65 877 13.5 4 David Sills Receiving Rushing Scrimmage Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD Career West Virginia 132 2097 15.9 35 0 14 0 132 2111 16.0 35 *2015 West Virginia Big 12 FR QB 4 7 131 18.7 2 0 0 0 7 131 18.7 2 *2017 West Virginia Big 12 JR WR 12 60 980 16.3 18 0 0 0 60 980 16.3 18 *2018 West Virginia Big 12 SR WR 12 65 986 15.2 15 0 14 0 65 1000 15.4 15

Actually, I'm not sure it would be hundreds vs. 32 per round. There are probably one (maybe 2) UDFA per team per year that make a roster. No different than if there was an 8th round of the draft. And yes, they are cheap! The encouraging thing for guys like Sills and Easely is that 17% of the snaps by WRs since 2006 have gone to UDFAs. Those are pretty good odds in the grand scheme of things...

Here's another version from 2016 that's even more favorable for UDFAs: https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/one-staggering-stat-shows-how-important-undrafted-players-are-in-the-nfl-090516 According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there are more undrafted players in the NFL right now than there are first- and second-rounders combined. 5,240 people are talking about this

That's great--until you think about all the mid-round WRs drafted every year that don't pan out. A whole lot more of the later than the former. A whole lot. People who only cite the hits and not the misses are what keep casino's going...

That could have been on Day One. Bills were trying to trade up but got no takers. The Panthers may have been trying as well, then flipped to Little on Day Two. Alternately, Carolina could have said they were trying to get Ford just to screw with McBeane for the time the Bills snagged a player the Panthers wanted (can't remember his name)...

Not many that I've been to...

Wait...are the Bills up against the cap? So they can't sign anybody? And in cap jail for the next few years? Whoa. I'm so done with this FO....

Low probability, but guys still slip through the cracks--and one of then is a new Bill as well... Doug Baldwin Seattle Seahawks Rod Smith Denver Broncos Victor Cruz New York Giants Josh Cribbs Cleveland Browns Drew Pearson Dallas Cowboys Danny Amendola Detroit Lions Conner Vernon Detroit Lions Cole Beasley Buffalo Bills Jermaine Kearse New York Jets Malcom Floyd Los Angeles Chargers Andre Holmes Oakland Raiders Davone Bess Miami Dolphins Lance Moore New Orleans Saints Nate Washington Tennessee Titans

Sorry if this was already posted....but I didn't see it, so: E:60 Another good one: http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/20923614/west-virginia-david-sills-7th-grade-phenom-failed-qb-elite-receiver

Austin Proehl--a 5'10" slot receiver with 1,200+ yards and 5 TD catches in four years at North Carolina? Yeah, that's a good comp....

https://www.rotoworld.com/article/evaluations/nfl-draft-rb-deep-dive?page=1 "Motor is also a skilled receiver — you’ll have to return to 2017 to see it, as FAU’s offense lost all its creative chutzpah this past season when Lane Kiffin was replaced by Charlie Weis’ 24-year-old son and receiving was yanked from Motor’s list of things to do"

Corey Ballentine.... https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/giants-draft-pick-injured-in-shooting-just-hours-after-being-selected-in-2019-nfl-draft/

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fau-owls/fl-sp-devin-singletary-drafted-20190426-story.html Good read...