BillsVet

Nah, the material from click-bait/copy and paste-type OPs isn't worth it. OTOH, there are some members who do make TBD what it is though.

Just say Dallas signs TY Hilton and be done with it...no one's paying you here for clicks.

This is what people don't seem to get...you're not going to be able to keep a defense together for very long. It's a costly and ineffective strategy just like the Seahawks demonstrated about 6 years ago. Invariably there are injuries and guys want raises. Look at their 2023 cap room and then explain to me how you're going to extend those 3 guys? What cuts are you making to get there? Is this franchise gonna keep doubling down on defense to keep that unit together, or is it more cost-effective to have a decent defense with an elite offense? The long-term negative effect of continuing to invest in defense is a shortening of Josh Allen's career. That guy needs to be clean and not depended on to run the ball so often while having the time to make throws downfield. Who had expectations of McKenzie? And Davis was someone that a deeper analytical dive showed was not as good as OBD wanted him to be this season.

Wouldn't surprise me if CBS told him to be less X's and O's and more goofy to satisfy the lower-intelligence fans. Some of us may like that sort of analysis, but most don't. Makes one wonder if John Madden could be successful today.

The only thing in common between Edmunds and Rousseau is they were both taken by the Bills in the 1st round. Their NFL careers are at different junctures and the former may not even play on the team next season.

No...and it tells me you don't know how the game is played.

Funny that he's already initiated process to sell the team, ergo they got him out. But they're still going after him for a..."toxic work environment." NFL must have some friends in Congress, but not surprising given how the anti-trust exemption just never seems to get up for a vote. Snyder is no angel...but this is how the power players operate: to destroy enemies.

I doubt any franchise is going to go for a defensive coordinator who is 64 when next season starts. EDIT: It's ageist, yes, but the NFL is a young man's game. Defensive coordinators as HC's are fewer because it's an offensive game. Almost 2/3rds of HC's who began the season were not from the defensive side. It's also a consideration that this is McD's scheme that Frazier manages for him. Whether that's fair or factors into hiring him. And, to @BullBuchanan's point, he'll be evaluated on whether that prospective team will invest in defense as much as the Bills have. And when you're at or near the top in many categories it's hard to quantify how much better he made that unit. Teams will consider that as well. Perhaps Houston will hire him after they inevitably fire Lovie Smith and before that David Culley.

Gonna take some big moves to clear space to address the offense this off-season. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/2023/ They've already restructured quite a few guys already. For the credit McBeane receives building the roster, they went for broke this season and next season the bill starts coming due.

Every coach who has an elite QB is made to look better than they are...it's why finding a franchise guy should be job 1 for a new regime. Carolina didn't figure that out and they're on to another HC. Credit to Buffalo for, after the 2017 1st round when McD was collaborating with Beane through backdoor channels, they found their guy the following year. Most fans are never going to expect greatness, i.e. a SB win, for fear it won't happen. It's just human nature to protect one's ego/fanhood because many people associate their team with their identity and when the team fails that hits too close to home. After they signed Von Miller it was SB win or bust for me unless a major injury occurred. Anything less given the spending (particularly on defense) and having Josh in his prime demands that result. I believe McD's vision for NFL strategy has topped out, but we'll see this post-season.

KC was a late defensive offside away in 2018 from a 3rd (of 4 years) SB appearance in the Mahomes/Reid era. I always love how fans rip down other successful teams to distract from their own teams' shortcomings. Never in NFL history has there been the amount of parity and this high level of play is not coincidental or lucky. Gotta beat the Cheaps to get to the SB likely this season. Bills haven't done it in the post-season twice now, but there's likely another matchup.

They have Mahomes. When he's not there, then they'll be a lesser offense. Andy Reid doesn't win a SB without Mahomes' play in the 4th quarter against San Francisco. It why, while there are no absolute guarantees, hiring an offensive HC is preferred in the NFL. In fact, 4 of the last 5 SB's were won by offensive-based His with the lone exception Belichick and I'm not sure he's a defense first guy. Before him it's Pete Carroll 9 years ago. We're off track here, but wanted to note, with Hodgins and Stevenson now gone, who fills the void left?

I remember during the off-season some vocal types criticizing KC's front office for trading Tyreek Hill and claiming their offense would not recover. Somehow, they did and got it was production from UFAs while cutting some salary and adding picks in that deal. Starting next off-season the Bills are going to be faced with a tighter cap and some players widely liked here will not be re-signed. None of them will garner a contract like Hill received from Miami, but it will be new territory unless of course the 2000 off-season purge is a vivid memory. Something has to give.

You're a rabid anti-Billsite and it should be illegal on TBD to look at what other teams do because this is Bills territory! No other teams allowed, even if they are upcoming opponents. I wonder if, in a nod to the Superfans with Coach Ditka, people shave their heads and wear long sleeve Bills shirts to work and clap a lot on their way in to emulate McDermott.

Better than Quessenberry and Hart?

Raw numbers don't tell the story or factor in changing variables. As in, he's been a WR3 or less in his rookie and 2nd years, competing for targets in that role with Beasley, Brown, Sanders, etc. Of course this season as a WR2 he'll have better numbers The catch rate has dropped to 52% of targets from 55-56% in 2020 and 2021. To put that into perspective, among WR/TE with 35 or more receptions, Davis is 78th out of 78 in the league while catching passes from Josh Allen and having Diggs get closer coverage. He was set up to succeed and hasn't been the guy they expected when they decided to do essentially nothing at outside WR this off-season.

None of this matters now...McBeane determined he was capable of going from WR3 to WR2 and it's clear he's not that guy despite having Josh Allen throwing him the ball. And, they eschewed the outside WR position in UFA. See above, now add in the injury history. So much of this board focuses on whether the player performs or doesn't, while almost completely ignoring the personnel and strategic decisions that go into the player being into the position he is. The OL and WR positions point to a larger issue that OBD does not do offense from a personnel standpoint all that well.

I'm concerned that this investment will hinder the HC from adding another depth DT, 4th DE, or backup SAM who can play ST to say nothing over another safety.

Teams watch film. Player/scheme versatility and talent in the right areas helps to adapt.

Whatever happened before the salary cap is completely irrelevant and only a historical footnote in comparison. Colts success was underwhelming considering what they had on offense. Packers never lived up to expectations in the last decade, went defense over offense often and banked on Rodgers since he became starter in 2008 on offense (BTW...he was not on team from 2000-2004). Besides, the players are predominantly Gen Z and later Millennial types. They don't respond to the coaching of guys like some of those referenced above. It's why McD preached "trust the process" to gain some sort of support when he had little in the track record area. There's nothing wrong with doing trend analysis, but it really doesn't begin until around late 00's/early 10's when offensive production became the key to winning in the NFL. It's noteworthy that 4 of the last 5 HC's to win the SB came from the offensive side of the ball, with the lone exception being Belichick. Before him it was Pete Carroll in 2013. Speaking of Carroll, they found themselves a QB with Russell Wilson, but made sure to go defense heavy. Eventually, that defense got older/more expensive and their run as a contender ended. He's probably the closest comp to McD, who loves him more defense but can't seem to figure out what to do with a franchise QB.

The Pegula's have some off-field issues going on and probably aren't paying close attention to the HC, but their quarter-billion dollar QB investment taking hits to keep drives going should alarm them about the HC and his roster construction/vision.

Still don't understand OBD prioritizing RBs over WR's after drafting Josh. You take a guy 7th overall in 2018, and the follow that with 3 2nd/3rd round RBs in the ensuing 4 drafts? And now they've traded for Hynes and before that signed Yeldon? When it comes to pass catching RB's they go all out, but receivers evidently aren't as critical to their offense. Compared to RB, even after their offensive spending in '19 with Brown and Beasley followed by the Diggs trade in '20, their highest pick at WR was the 4th on Davis in '20. And before that Zay in '17. You get into trouble around here wanting to see them address problems before they become obvious, but their inability to give Josh more WR options is something they'll address in the off-season. That's too late for this year. People seem hopeful that OBJ will sign, but your off-season planning shouldn't bank on that situation working out. What's also interesting is they've historically under McD struggled with scheme/personnel versatility on defense as well so it's not surprising the receiver group is constructed this way.

The chroise had some special powers. Hell of a throw...and he did it when it mattered. Now, if they can get him better receivers aside from Diggs...🙂

Irregardless of the result, Buffalo needs to resign some of their DB depth, orientate to the playoffs and straight up play dominate football. My gut tells me they must of learnt something from this game. 🤣

Roster construction is effectively over this season (cue the OBJ reference) so the issue is now moot for 2022. Josh's contract kicking in for 2023 and the cap used on defense is going to be something to watch this off-season. Teams with a big QB cap hit cannot spend ~50% of their cap on defense and maintain a solid offense. The draft has never meant more to them as being solid in rounds 2-4 will be more crucial to replace the talent they can't afford to re-sign.