folz

As an out-of-towner, I actually listen to the show quite a bit, to feel connected and to hear discussion of our Bills. To be honest, yes, Murph and Tasker are not the greatest talk show hosts. Task often changes his opinions in mid-ramble and Murph often doesn't understand caller's points and isn't always polite to guests. But, I will miss Murphy's knowledge of team history, going back to the old Rock pile/AFL days, and not only do I like when Tasker talks about the 90s teams and his career, but I have a feeling that he (along with money from PSE) really helped to bring on some of the higher profile guests over the last couple of years (with his respect as a former player and his connections from all the years at CBS). Plus, what Bills fan doesn't just love Tasker regardless? So, it will be sad to see them go for those reasons. And even if they weren't the best, they are part of the family. They did bring something to the table, even if they weren't the most entertaining or knowledgeable hosts. I still enjoyed listening to them. As to Brown and Glab, I think some of you are being much too harsh. Yes, Brown works for the team, so he will never be overly negative about the organization. But, first of all, there are plenty of other places to get negative news about the team. And secondly, Brown's position, basically being embedded with the team for the last decade plus, often gives him a much deeper perspective about the team than a regular reporter from the outside can give. Brown knows this team inside and out and he knows football. On his appearances on the show, he would get into much more depth about play calling, personnel, etc. than Murphy or Tasker ever would. I don't always agree with every take he has about particular players or whatever, but the guy knows his stuff. And he has strong, sometimes negative opinions that he shares on players or coaching or whatever, he just won't be the one to say break a Bills scandal or talk about that in a negative light maybe. Also, don't listen to a show paid for by the team if you don't want a generally positive outlook on the team. And I'm wondering how many of you have actually listened to one of the shows where Maddy filled in as host (rather than just hearing one of the more fluff pieces that they would bring her in for). She may not have a full grasp of Buffalo Bills history yet (as some derailed her for), but she is only 27 and probably never gave the Bills a second thought before she was hired like a year ago. So, give her some time to get up to speed. She is learning. But, she is actually very knowledgeable about football. She's not just "a pretty face" as they say. She worked as a reporter and video producer for the University of Missouri, Stanford, and the University of Tennessee football, was an athlete herself (softball), and was an SEC reporter before coming to Buffalo. And on the One Bills Live shows that she has hosted, she actually impressed guys like Greg Cosell with her football knowledge/questions. Yes, her voice takes some getting used to, no doubt. But just because she is a young woman, don't automatically assume that she doesn't know what she is talking about when it comes to football or the current players on the team or in the league. I'm not saying I wouldn't have been down if they had hired from outside the organization, but I just don't think Brown or Glab are as bad as you guys are making them out to be. And before you ask, no, I do not work for the Bills or PSE, and I am not related to anyone discussed above. ?

Great post...and I think this is exactly what the 2017-2019 Bills have been. But, like BillsVet says, now it's time for the Bills to play with the big boys. In the playoffs, the best teams have depth too, so if the weak links are even, the team with the best talent will win. However, I'm with billsfan89. I think the talent is there on the Bills roster, it's just not known nation-wide yet or hasn't fully blossomed. First, we now have Diggs, who is a top-end/superstar player. Jerry Hughes is a pretty top end talent (if he comes back well from the injuries). Poyer and Hyde, as a tandem, are one of the best safety duos in the league. Mario Addison has been averaging 9 sacks a year for four years straight. Tre is already one of the best in the league. John Brown and Cole Beasley as your #2 and #3 WRs is pretty high-end. So, we have some top-end talent. And, we may even have some more superstar players (beyond Diggs and White) on the team, it's just we didn't buy them---they're home grown---so it's taken some time for them to grow into it. But, I really think that Josh, Tremaine, Singletary, Knox, Moss, Oliver, and possibly AJ, all have the potential to bust out into household names, sooner rather than later. So, not surprising that the Bills weren't well-represented on that list as of now. But, I have a feeling that is about to change, starting with this season.

I agree with your love for Fitz Gungy, but disagree with the career backup label. (And by all means I don't mean this to sound like I'm going off on you...this is just a discussion that I used to have with some posters back at the end of Fitz's time in Buffalo, when some of them would say that he's not a starter, or even a backup, but third-string level.) Fitz has started 139 of the 156 games he has been dressed for. That equates to almost 9 full 16-game seasons as a starter in the league (probably almost 10 full seasons by the end of this year). Or another way to look at it, across his 15-year career, he has been a starter for 58% of his career (and that includes his slow career start, where he dressed for only 6 of 48 games in his first three years; injury time out; etc.). So, he is starting more often than he is not. And when he has started across his career, he has always been a middle-of-the-pack QB stats-wise (like 16th to 20th), rather than a bottom third quarterback. So, for the majority of his career, he has been one of the, say, 20 best QBs in the league at any given moment/season. Since there are 32 spots, that makes him a starter. Also, he's 39th place in career passing yards all time and 38th in career passing TDs all time. That's a lot of starts in order to get that high on the all-time NFL lists. So, rather than a career backup, I would say that he is a journeyman starting QB (someone who is going to play a lot---always find a home, often as a bridge player---but who you are always hoping to upgrade from when you have him starting). But he is definitely a starting-caliber QB (one of the 32 best QBs at any given moment over most of his career), he's just not a franchise QB, or a QB you are going to build your team around.

Loved when he said, "If you want to tackle me, it's going to have to be a business decision."? ??

I was in high school at the start of the Super Bowl years. In the offseason, some of the Bills players would travel around to high schools to play basketball against the faculty of the school for charity. I can't remember every player that came, but it was definitely Andre, Tasker (I remember being shocked that he could dunk), Cornelius, maybe Thurman, and a few others. My buddy and I got to be the announcers for the game and at one point Cornelius scored a layup and I shouted into my mic, "Biscuit for two!" And as that rang out across the PA system in the gym, Cornelius, who was running back up court, looked up at me sternly and shook his head and wagged his finger at me (as if to say, "Don't call me Biscuit"). Not sure why (thought it was his nickname), but I have never referred to him as Biscuit since. ? But, Bennett is definitely Wall of Fame worthy in my opinion. He really was the final piece that put that team over the top into championship-caliber level. I guess it just depends on if the club is ok having his name up there with that past incident. I realize that it's a tough call in these times, but I would be ok with him going up on the "Wall" at this point. To err is human, to forgive, divine.

Good post. I was going to post something similar. Not everything Sammy talks about is crazy or out of the realm of possibility, but he seems to be facing so many demons/past trauma that I don't think he understands any of it as much as he thinks he does right now. He's kind of all over the place with it. As Confucius is quoted: “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." But good on him for at least looking for truth/answers/a better way. It's a long and hard road to go down with a lot of wrong turns and dead ends, and he seems like he has a lot of things to get over and work through personally first, but maybe it will eventually lead him to a better place. However, I think that the article (and Sammy's own words) unequivocally show that it was the right decision for the Bills to move on from Sammy when they did. What would the Bills have gotten out of him in that last year with both his mindset and his actions (not taking care of his body, not getting enough sleep, not being a part of the team, etc.). And the following year, are you going to pay a guy that you aren't sure you can count on $10+ million dollars a year for multiple years? Plus, how does McDermott build his new culture when the highest paid player doesn't buy in, gets bad vibes from the coach, doesn't talk to or hang out with his teammates? Sammy was just not mentally able to help the team at that time, no matter how physically gifted he was/is. With the Chiefs, he was walking into a veteran team, with an established culture, and where he didn't have to be the savior, but just a small piece of the puzzle. So, it's not surprising that he has had some successful moments there. But on a Bills team that was building from scratch, where he was in an even worse mental state, heavy drinking and drugs, bad stuff going on in his life (with family and friends), with all of the expectations, with a coach trying to establish a new way of doing things, a new mindset...it was just never going to work.

I live in NYC and have been going to the Bills/Jets games in the Meadowlands almost every year since the 90s. I'll agree with you that the average Jets fan isn't as knowledgeable as the average Bills fan (about their team---as we are about ours, or football in general), and there is obviously no fan base that compares to Buffalo's in my opinion. But you say... "fans are aggressive and mouthy until the wheels come off" First of all, that sounds like most fans. Also, New Yorkers just have a very direct (sometimes loud) way of interacting that some may feel aggressive and off putting at first, if you're not used to it, but it's just how people have learned to interact in the City. They are not as obnoxious as they may first appear to someone from the outside. They're good folks. "That's when they switch over to blaming the refs and making other excuses." I don't know, that sounds like you're talking about Bills fans (myself included), or fans of any team that has been bad for a while, or doesn't get the love from the league/media/refs (like the Bills and Jets). We're actually not that unalike in what we have suffered through. I have actually bonded with tons of Jets fans over our mutual hatred of the Patriots. Plus, the Jets fans are as loyal to their team through all of the hard times as Bills fans have been, probably due to the Jets being the more blue-collar, younger brother to the Giants. It's like a badge of honor/pride for them. Most of the Giants fans come from New Jersey, Long Island, upstate New York, Connecticut, and even Pennsylvania. Jets fans mostly come from New York City. The Jets are not a regional team like the Patriots and Giants, they are the New York City team. Their fans understand hard work, they understand disappointment, they understand being overlooked (not unlike our fanbase---they maybe just express it a bit differently?). But, honestly, I have never had a bad experience with Jets fans in almost 25 years...and believe me, I go to the games in full Bills regalia and cheer loudly. There is always a lot of good-natured taunting and ribbing (you just have to give it back to them without any anger or aggressiveness behind it); and even when the Jets lose, I've never had an issue with any of them. It's always kind of, "we're still better even though we didn't win this one," "good game...we'll get you next time," or "Bills suck." And you just laugh it off. And speaking of leaving in the 4th quarter...you think getting out of the parking lots at New Era field is bad? Try taking public transportation in the largest city in the country to and from the game with 70,000 other people at the exact same time. I do it every time I go and I'm telling you, it's not pretty, and it's a long time before you are getting home. Longer than getting out of the New Era parking lots and driving back to Rochester. I still don't leave in the 4th quarter, but I can understand why people do if they think the outcome is decided. Maybe your experience was different and you had some jerks ruin it for you (every fanbase has some of those), but I definitely wouldn't paint all Jets fans in a bad light. Sure it is a different experience than a lot of other venues, because New York City is a very different place than a lot of other NFL cities. But Jets fans have always been cool with me.

Is there even a need to watch the debates this year? I think the majority of people are already decided one way or the other and no debate is going to change their minds. It's a mere formality. So no need to sit in front of the TV and get frustrated and angry every time the guy you don't like speaks. There is Bills primetime football to watch instead! I am stunned by this schedule. It feels so strange (because it's been so long) to have the NFL and media showing the Bills respect. I know some people felt like the rebuild was moving too slow, especially after the 2018 season. But as Sean and Brandon have been saying, they didn't want to just buy a quick turnaround and then fall off again, they were going to build a team that could have sustained success. And while that build to a good team may have been a bit slow for some, the ascension to (at least) AFC Championship Game contention came more quickly that I thought it could. Of course, they still have to prove it on the field first, but I really think they are going to do exactly that this year. A storm is coming NFL. A lake-effect squall fueled by a lifetime of disappointments, and it goes by the name of the Buffalo Bills/#BillsMafia.

No...that's definitely Foxboro. ? Which I guess would make this Gase in Jersey. ?

That's what I was thought/assumed going into the draft too, that most likely the guys in rounds 5-7 are going to have a really hard time making this roster. But after reading a lot about our picks and seeing their highlights, I actually think that most of them have a decent shot at making the squad. You don't waste a pick on a QB in the 5th round only to cut him in camp. They obviously liked the guy enough to pick him when they already have what they believe to be a franchise QB, so it was not a need. So if they liked the guy that much, you don't just throw him away. And I don't think he makes it past waivers if they try to put him on the practice squad. So I think they carry 3 QBs this year...unless Fromm were to somehow win the backup spot in his rookie year, in which case Barkley could get let go. But they are going to want to develop this kid and have him in the QB room. So many people have been high on Hodgins. And what our receiving corps really needs is height. Plus the guy catches everything. We don't have a true possession receiver, and that's what Hodgins is. The Bills will probably keep 6, possibly 7 WRs on the roster (6 may be more likely if you carry 3 QBs). Locks: Diggs, Brown, Beasley, Roberts (for return duties). So, two more spots. I don't feel real confident in Foster or Duke making the squad after last year. I think RayRay's time is done. So, that leaves McKenzie and the two rookies battling it out for the last two spots. McKenzie is basically a gadget player (jet sweeps, etc.). If the staff thinks they can get those plays out of Brown and Diggs in that role at times, the two tall rookies have a good shot at making the team. If they keep McKenzie for that role, then the two rooks battle it out. Dane Jackson has also received high praise. But, he has a much tougher hill to climb, but I'm not counting him out (due to his tackling ability). Let's say the Bills keep 5 CBs like last year. Locks: Tre, Levi, Taron. Also, I think Siran is a near lock. That leaves 1 spot for Norman, E.J., and the Rook (unless they were to keep 6). We're not sure what Norman has left or if he'll be resurgent in the defense he made his name in, we love E.J., but he has been cut by this staff before (and can he stay healthy?). So, it's a longer shot for Jackson (he'll probably wind up on the practice squad to start the season), but not out of the realm of possibility. The kicker, Bass, who knows. Hausch did have a bit of a slump early last season, so maybe the kid could beat him out, or maybe they keep a kickoff specialist. I don't feel like any of the picks are an Austin Proehl kind of pick, where everyone knew he didn't have a real shot at making the club.

1984: 2-14 1985: 2-14 1986: 4-12 The recent drought was much longer, but the team wasn't anywhere near as bad at any point during the drought as it was in '84 to '86---except for maybe 2001, but at least that year we thought it was because we were rebuilding.

To stay Bills centric...it's maybe not the best ever, but you gotta give Terrence an honorable mention for the shear number of jukes (or juked players) in one play...despite no TD ☹️.

No one cares about the place kicker or punter until you don't have a good one. Only then does it becomes readily apparent how important they are.

After watching highlights of our draft picks, what I really liked about our draft (including giving up the first for Diggs) is this: What were our major areas of weakness last year (in no particular order): 1. We need to score more points (red zone): In comes Diggs (and his precision route running), 2 tall rookie receivers that can be red zone threats, and a RB (Moss) that can bull his way into the end zone. 2. No height in the WR room: Diggs 6'0", Gabe Davis 6'2", Isiah Hodgins 6'4" (all with reliable hands) 3. We need to stay on the field (3rd down production): We already have Beasley, who is good on 3rd downs, and then we add Diggs, who is also good there and will keep teams from doubling Beasley. Zach Moss, the guy is a beast in short yardage for those 3rd and shorts Isiah Hodgins, if he can make the team, he's a true, big possession receiver. He's not going to blow the lid off, but like 90% of his receptions go for first downs (and he has sure hands). He was a move-the-chains beast in college. Gabe Davis, big, great at 50/50 contested catches, loves and excels at taking the quick slant over the middle. It'll be much harder to knock him off that route than Brown or Beasley. 4. Pass Rush: Added Epenesa (after already getting Addison). Can hold the edge as well as Shaq did, but a more powerful pass rusher and can kick inside too (more versatility). 5. Stouter against the run: Addressed in free agency and A.J. mitigates the loss of Shaq 6. Bigger, stronger, tougher (especially on offense): All of these draft picks (save the QB and K) are strong/tough/physical players. Have you watched Dane Jackson's tackling? It's like watching Antoine Winfield, Sr.; A.J. is one tough SOB; the receivers are physical (they're big, good blockers for the run game, make catches in traffic, etc.), Zach moss (fuggetaboutit), the kid is a beast. 7. More targets forJosh: Diggs and two big WRs and a complimentary back who is good at catching passes out of the backfield. There's 4 more possibly dynamic targets for Josh. 8. No #1 WR: Diggs And in the department of always needing to improve, Hauschka had some rough moments early last year and Barkley couldn't pull the New England game out when he came in. So, adding competition to those two spots definitely is not a bad thing. By no means a splashy draft, but with what we already added in free agency, it does feel like Brandon Beane and Co. really attacked our areas of weakness with value picks and guys that have a chance to actually make the team. And is it just me? Or does Dane Jackson remind you a little of Fred Jackson, looks-wise? Like he could be his son or nephew? (I know he is not.)

I am not disagreeing that the TE position has been a bit of a wasteland since the mid-90s. The only names that jump to my mind in that time as being decent are Jay Riemersma and Scott Chandler and we didn't even have a good number two behind either of them. But, like QBs, there just aren't that many elite TEs at any given time. I think that sometimes we see the Travis Kelce's and George Kittle's of the world and think, hey, we need one of those guys. But not every team can have a Rob Gronkowski or a Patrick Mahomes or a Deandre Hopkins, etc. There just aren't that many of those guys out there. Everyone else has to make do at that spot. For instance, only 3 TEs had over 1,000 yards last year; Only 8 TEs had over 700 yards; and only 14 teams had a TE go over 500 yards. So, more than half the league didn't have a TE top 500 yards. And only 6 TEs had more than 5 TDs last season. So, if you are thinking that a good number one TE should be getting say 600 yards and 5 TDs (or better), well, only 8 guys accomplished that last year. So, 24 teams in the league don't have that guy. Right now, the TE position is not bleak, it just has a lot of unanswered questions. Will Knox take the next step and be more reliable; will Kroft come back from the injuries (you can't base his value on the little he played at the end of the year---the guy was coming off of three consecutive injuries); can Lee Smith stop the dumb penalties, can Tommy progress; what's going on with Croom's development (we haven't seen him in almost two years)? But, outside of finding one of those, maybe 8-12, elite TEs, I don't see where they could have improved this group much. They brought in 3 TEs last year, two rookies and one who got injured, so unfortunately we just have to be patient and see if these guys develop. Unless you pulled off a trade for an elite TE, bringing in another rookie wouldn't have helped that much this year. The first TE didn't go off the board until the mid-second round (before our pick) and the next one didn't go off the board until the late third round. So, it doesn't seem that there were any high-end TEs in this draft. And that being the case, I'd rather see Knox and Sweeney develop than pick guys of the same or lower caliber this year (who would just be a year behind in their development). A stud TE would be nice, but there just wasn't a way to get one this year (outside of the attempt to sign Greg Olsen). The only other option for an upgrade was maybe Hooper, but he had a lot of suitors and went for 10.5 million a year. Oooof. If Knox or Sweeney doesn't takes the next step, then we won't be spectacular at the position, but still having Smith and resigning Kroft (and getting at least what we got from Knox last year), we should at least be solid and functional. Plus, adding Diggs, 2 rookie WRs, and a back who can catch passes, well, there are only so many balls to go around. We probably won't need the TE position to produce elite stats, but rather just play their role. So, to me it seems that It just wasn't the right time to address the position this offseason.

That image still makes me sick to my stomach! Great post! ? I don't have a sub for the Athletic, but if you click on the link, you get a preview of the first three paragraphs and it explains that when he came back for Thurman's jersey retirement, that he got a bigger ovation from the Bills fans than he did in San Fran when they inducted him into the Niners HOF. And that no other fans of teams he played for accept him like they do in Buffalo. His quote in the article is: "Dude, honestly it gets me a little choked up now just from taking myself back to that night. As soon as they recognized that I was in the stadium, just the response that I got, you would have thought that I spent my entire career there in Buffalo."

Yes, I would.

Yeah, it was a bit too long...but still funny. I laughed out loud at the Rams fan: "For real, what are we doing? We don't have a first round pick this year or next year. I'm depressed. We don't have any cap space. We cut Gurley...THAT'S OUR NEW LOGO!?!"

Look, this is how the NFL works. I do not believe they totally rig games (with the outcome decided before the game starts), but the team with more star players or a bigger market or a better story, are often going to get a little help from the refs here and there. Whether it is the other team getting the call on 50/50 or iffy calls, or helping to dig that team out of a hole with a bad call, or calling back positive plays for the Bills (or other so perceived lower-tier teams), it is just the way it works. I mean, how easy is it to call a block in the back on a great return, or a holding call on a first down completion without it looking like bias. Usually we won't even get a replay of it to verify it. It's the same way that a star player in the NBA gets a foul almost every time he drives the lane and the no-name player doesn't get the call even when he is hacked badly, because the NBA wants their stars to score a lot of points, etc. It is pure and simple marketing by the leagues. And if you don't think that an organization as big and powerful as the NFL doesn't have major Marketing and PR departments that influence how the league does business, then I just don't know what to tell you. The NFL absolutely has preferences in certain games for certain teams to win, either because they are the bigger market or the NFL wants to push a particular story line. See Super Bowl XL (2006) - the first time that this became blatantly obvious to me. The Seahawks were robbed because the NFL wanted Cowher to get his ring and to have the story of the Bus riding off into the sunset with a championship. Those two things dominated the media the weeks leading up to the game. So, that's how the NFL wanted it to go---and probably overreached a bit too much to make it happen, by basically calling back two Seahwak TDs, among other bad calls that all seemed to go Pittsburgh's way. And I believe that even though I was rooting for the Steelers at the time and have never liked the Seahawks. Here is what Ed Hoculi had to say about it, "The Super Bowl was one of those games where it seemed the big calls went against Seattle," Hochuli said in August 2006. "And that was just fortuitous -- bad fortuitous for Seattle." Freudian slip maybe? And how about the ref who actually called the game (Bill Leavy)? He had this to say, "I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official, you never want to do that...I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better." The NFL has learned to be more subtle about it, but it still happens all the time, especially in big games. So, the only solution for the Bills (and for us) is not to complain about it or hold onto it, but instead to get good enough that the refs can't tilt the game without it being obvious. Where the Bills can overcome a few bad calls and still win the game. And it wouldn't hurt to become a popular team (i.e., have some NFL-wide star players, etc.). Now, I am not saying that this is why the Bills have been as bad as they have for so long. We all know that is down to the Bills themselves: bad ownership (in Ralph's later years), bad GMs and/or front office personnel, bad coaching, lack of talent, etc. But, being a small market team, we will continue to not get the calls in close games (especially if it is a big game), until we can overcome that with superior play and some popularity (star players, etc.). Yes, we'll still get mad in the moment of a bad call, but we kind of have to just accept that this is the way it is until the Bills ascend high enough...which will hopefully start this year. Their play and popularity is definitely on an uptick and we have a lot of guys that could become NFL-wide stars (Tre, Diggs, Josh, Tremaine, Devin). So, don't grieve too much for what is past, but instead look to a better future. I know many will call me a tinfoil-hat guy for suggesting this, but to me, it just seems painfully obvious.

I'm not saying they misrepresented what he did at the time that it happened. It was more about them representing him as a prima dona, diva, me first player at the time of the trade. Every article I read threw in a caveat like "if the Bills can keep him happy" "if Diggs doesn't act up, play the diva, not buy in, get frustrated with Josh Allen's inaccuracies," etc., etc. Was he frustrated and did he want out of Minnesota? Yes. Did he maybe handle the situation poorly last September? Yes. But I just believe the frustrations came from wanting to win, not because he is a selfish, prima dona receiver who is always acting up. He was not alone in his frustrations. At the time, in the same game that Diggs got frustrated and then followed it up by missing those meetings/practices (a 16-6 loss to the Bears in week 4), Thielen was also visibly upset on the field and later called Cousins out in the media. And three of the four Diggs incidents you mentioned all happened during and after this game (over a 4-day period). And then, even though everyone knew he wasn't happy in Minnesota, he was a quiet and good soldier the rest of the season (until throwing his helmet in the playoff game---but is that so unforgivable?) and he produced for them all year. In his 5 years in the league, he didn't have any other issues, was a hard worker, a good locker room and team guy. I just don't think that it is any type of chronic diva behavior that he will bring to the Bills. So, what happened last year? Was it just a me-first receiver wanting the ball more because he's a diva? Or was it something bigger? Well, in 2018, Diggs and Thielen averaged 9.3 and 9.56 targets a game, respectively, and had 1,021 and 1,373 yards on the season. Then... "Zimmer overhauled Minnesota’s offense this year (2019) to focus on the running game, bringing in zone-blocking wizard Gary Kubiak as an adviser and installing a game plan that calls for passing as infrequently as possible. They are executing that plan. The Vikings are attempting the fewest passes per game in the league (24.75), are the only squad that has thrown fewer than 100 passes in four games, and are one of two teams with more run attempts than pass attempts. On the passes Cousins is throwing, he isn’t providing much value. He’s 32nd of 33 qualifying quarterbacks in ESPN’s total quarterback rating, essentially tied with the Jets’ Luke Falk." https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/10/3/20897444/minnesota-vikings-stefon-diggs-trade-rumors-kirk-cousins-adam-thielen Also from that article, "Cousins is the least aggressive quarterback in the league with just 8.1 percent of his passes going into tight windows (defined as a defender being within 1 yard of the receiver when the ball arrives)...So not only are the Vikings not passing often, but Cousins isn’t trusting Thielen and Diggs to come down with the ball like the offense did with Keenum and Shurmur." "Minnesota’s run-focused game plan is curious considering the team gave Cousins an unprecedented fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million contract and signed Diggs, Thielen, and tight end Kyle Rudolph to healthy extensions in the past 18 months. Minnesota is one of 11 teams that spends over 10 percent of its salary cap on receivers and is spending the second-highest percentage of its cap at quarterback in 2019. The Vikings’ front-office plan and their on-field strategy are akin to two halves of a brain that cannot speak to each other. Making matters worse is that Cousins has failed to deliver in the handful of moments he’s been asked to." Referring to that Bears game: "Midway through the third quarter of Sunday’s game, Diggs and receiver Adam Thielen had fewer combined targets than fullback C.J. Ham." “Everybody’s frustrated right now,” Zimmer said this week when asked about Diggs and Thielen. “When you lose and you don’t play well enough to win, everybody’s frustrated. Wasn’t just those two guys.” To me, it was an entire team philosophy issue and not just with Diggs. It wasn't Stefon just saying I want more balls so I can be on more highlights. Diggs and Thielen were the strength of that team and they weren't using them at all and in the process losing to the Bears 16-6. He wasn't saying give me the ball, he was saying we need to use our passing game to win. And it was the one and only time in his career that he did something like that. It wasn't consistent behavior. I'll end this extremely long post with a quote from a different article that is a really good read on the topic and very fair (as far as looking at both sides of the issue). "Diggs had never been given any type of lazy label like “diva,” nor had he been a “culture” problem until Week 4’s 16-6 loss to the Bears in which the offense was abysmal and the Vikings lost to Chase Daniel. Losing that game was peak frustration, even though he’s put up impressive numbers that day (seven catches for 108 yards)." "Now Diggs will have to deal with the diva label and the notion that he’s bad for his new team’s culture. Labels are lazy. " https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2020/03/what-happened-between-the-vikings-and-stefon-diggs/

Exactly. These coaches seem to back up what I heard at some point as to the reason why Diggs had some issues in Minnesota. It wasn't because he was a prima dona receiver, wanting the ball more to pad his own stats and get on highlight reels to stroke his own ego or get more money. It wasn't because he didn't work hard or do all of the right things. It wasn't because he had another great receiver on the other side stealing targets from him (Diggs and Thielen are tight, like brothers). What I had heard was that his relationship with Cousins soured because Diggs felt that when they got into crunch time, 3rd and 4th quarters, the game on the line, he felt Cousins would fold under the pressure and that frustrated Diggs because he is such a competitor and just wants to win all of the time (but that's what makes all of the great ones great---think of a Tom Brady or a Michael Jordan, their will to win and get better is insatiable and they won't accept less from their teammates. You may not be as good as them, but you better be at least trying as hard as they are). People who worry he'll act the same way with Josh, should stop worrying. First, because Josh is so humble and so damn likable, I do not see any ego clashing between the two or personality issues. I think Josh will win him over like Josh has with everyone else (look at Josh and Shady when he was here, LeSean was seen as a bit of a prima dona, and was definitely a big name in the league...he loved Josh). And it doesn't hurt that John Brown is also a super humble guy. Secondly, because as Diggs said himself, Josh is a baller and a dog. Whatever Josh's flaws might still be, the kid is an ultimate competitor and is always trying to win. Yes, he might do something crazy, like lateralling the ball in a playoff game or hurdling a defender, but it's because he wants to will his team to victory. He'll put his body in harm's way to win. He might not be successful every time, but he never folds or quits (didn't he have the most 4th quarter comebacks of QBs last year?). I think Diggs will love that about him, so he won't be complaining (as some have surmised) if the balls aren't pinpoint accurate, etc. As long as Josh is fighting to the end, Diggs will be good. And lastly, the coach and culture. One of the quotes above was, "With Stef, the biggest thing I found is that if he trusts you and you have a real relationship with him, you won’t have issues with him." McD is all about trust, respect, and building real, family-type relationships. And so is Josh. I think Diggs is going to love it in Buffalo and the team will embrace him to the point that if any issues were ever to arise, they will talk them out and move on. I'm not worried at all about Diggs in that sense. Plus the media blows everything out of proportion. Remember before the draft, how Josh was being treated like a horrible, racist person because of some old tweet. I think we can all see how far off base that was about Josh. I think Diggs and the Bills are a perfect marriage.

The interesting thing about Orlovsky is that he was a BIG Josh Allen detractor at the time of the draft, really down on his chances of succeeding in the NFL. But Josh has won him over with his play the last two years and now he is on the Allen bandwagon (but while he will point out where Josh has improved and is "getting it," he will still point out where Josh needs to improve further, so he's fair).

The other issue with Cam right now (or previously with a trade) is that any team who wants him would want to do a physical to see how he is progressing with his injuries. He missed 14 games last year. Will that scare teams off and lower his market if they can't get him in for a physical right now?

The way I'll look at it is in order of needs: What were our biggest needs from last year: WR (A+)- addressed that in a huge way. 1st rounder totally justified for Diggs. Problem solved. With his contract (years and pay), this was way better than drafting a wideout. DE/pass rusher (A) - Love Shaq and what he brought, but he was not a true pass rusher. Addison is a pure pass rusher (he's averaged 8.25 sacks/yr over the last 6 years and 9.75 sacks/yr over the last 4 seasons). Yes, he's older. But, two things, first, he was an UDFA, so he basically didn't play at all his first two years, and then only sparingly or situationally for another 3 years before becoming a full-time starter in 2017. He earned his way there and also therefore has less wear and tear on his body than guys who are his age and were starters in their first or second years---think of a Lorenzo Alexander-type, the best years late in his career. And, to some people's chagrin, we still have Trent Murphy. So, they can monitor Addison's snaps (like they do with older vets) to keep him fresh and healthy (not overload him). If Jerry comes back well from the injuries he was playing with last year, he and Addison could be a scary combo rushing the passer. You can't double both of them and Ed Oliver. Plus, we could still draft a young guy to groom, but we don't have to count on him being ready right away. Special Teams needed improvement (and leadership with Lorenzo's departure) (A+) - In comes two of the acknowledged best STers in the league in Mattekevich and Jones. Still an important part of the game. Remember, just two years ago, our special teams probably cost us 2 or 3 games that season. I'm all in with these moves. Needs due to departures or possible departures: DT (A+) - We needed a replacement for Phillips. We got what many, including Greg Cossel, think is actually an upgrade in both play and versatility in Quinton Jefferson. Like a Hyde or a Feliciano, a player who has been an extremely high caliber backup, who is ready to bust out and take a starting role (even though he'll still be rotational here). LB (B-) - Needed someone to take 50% of snaps that Lorenzo took. I don't know much about Klein, but seems like a security move. If we don't get anything better in the draft, or a rookie that is ready to start right away, we at least have a certain level of competency at the position that it won't be a major liability. Not a home run here, but a play it safe move. I expect we will be picking a LB in the draft. But who knows, back in McD's system, maybe Klein will be better than expected. LG (A-) - Resigning Quinton Spain. On the one hand, I thought we would probably let him walk and try to upgrade there. But the fact that he is said to be really smart, knows the schemes, etc. as good as anyone; is well liked by his teammates; and having continuity on the Oline is sooo important, makes me like this move. Plus, with one of the best Oline coaches in the league, I defer to him that Spain was their best option and that he can coach him up on his weaknesses. He should still be improving though he will always lack some athleticism at the position. CB (B) - Josh Norman is the enigma for me. He could come back and in McD's system, get back to his old play and take over the starting spot from Levi, which could make it an A+. But, if he just isn't as good as he used to be, lost a step, then we are probably overpaying for him, even though he would likely be fine as the third corner [in the Kevin Johnson role (not necessarily the slot but as the third outside corner)]. So, at worst, we replaced Kevin Johnson. At best, we get a Pro Bowl level CB. We'll see, but I don't mind the gamble, as it is basically a one-year prove it deal. So, Beane, true to his word, will be entering the draft without any desperate needs. They have all been addressed with at least a decent-level of play. And as others have noted, with the Coronavirus scare, we may be looking at a truncated off-season for the NFL. So, bringing in 4 defenders who already know the system, another player who already knows the team (Taiwan), and resigning Spain, Long, and Kroft (see below) could really help with not being caught without enough time to get new guys up to speed. Other moves: Resigning Kroft (A) - I like this move for a couple of reasons. First, with the acquisition of Diggs, I think the need for a major upgrade at the TE position (like getting a Hooper in FA) was lessened. Plus, I think this team really expects and wants Knox to become the guy, and getting a Hooper (if that would have even been possible) could have stunted Knox's growth a bit. But, this is not your old Buffalo Bills, where you count on a player coming through but you don't have a plan B. Kroft is plan B for this year. If Knox. Sweeney, and Croom don't progress to a high enough level, Kroft is at least the floor of what you'll have. Despite his injury-plagued season last year, I'm still higher on Kroft being a very solid (not great) starting TE, than most on this board. And like I said about the addition of Klein, this move brings a certain amount of security to the position. And the restructure gave them cap relief and the ability to move on and upgrade next year. Extending Poyer (A+) - No need at all to break up the strength of your defense (Hyde, Poyer, White). DT (C) - Vernon Butler. They may be overpaying for a boom or bust player. He was a first rounder and obviously the Bills coaching staff thinks they can coach him up, but so far he has been a bust in Carolina. I don't mind them taking a gamble though. Sometimes it works (trying to reclaim high draft picks that haven't yet panned out--thinking Jerry Hughes and Jordan Phillips). Overall, a very shrewd but aggressive offseason by Beane and his staff. I think we are in really good hands.

I get the point of your post, but it is probably a little premature to say that they are either good or not good at making late round picks. 2017 was McDermott and Whaley (no Beane and his staff), so you can't really use that as a template for how they might draft now (plus as you said, Milano is a stud). So, McDermott still hit on 1 of 3 picks. 2018 Siran Neal is a player (I think you write him off too easily); Teller didn't work out here, but we did get a 5th and a 6th round in trade for him, he is in Cleveland now, he played in 15 games for them, starting 9 of them; Ray-Ray has not been good, true, but he's still hanging on the fringes of the league (practice squad), Proehl was a throw away pick (we all knew it even at the time). 2019 Too early to tell with these guys, but Sweeney looked good in preseason and when he got opportunities, the team seems pretty high on Darryl Johnson, and he flashed in preseason too. Joseph was on IR all year, so who knows; and Jaquan Johnson played well on teams (have to wait and see if he'll be good at down and distance as he didn't get many opportunities). Plus, I know you were talking specifically late round picks, but here are some of their UDFAs: Levi Wallace, Robert Foster, Corey Thompson, Mike Love, Ike Boettger, Jason Croom (all still on the team for now), and Cam Phillips (best WR in the XFL). I agree that as the talent of this team keeps getting better, it is going to be really hard for 5th, 6th, 7th round guys to make the team (unless the Bills find gems that slipped through the cracks), so those picks hold less value than they did, say, two years ago. But I think it is too early to determine that this FO is not good at drafting in the late rounds when they have only had two drafts and you can't really assess last year's class until we see more.