BillsVet

It used to be on these boards individual players were run out of town when they didn't do as fans expected. Now, it's a graduation to owners. I understand that losing, especially with the Sabres, has become hard to stomach. The Bills seem to be on the right path, but fixing the owners as bad because they're wealthy is something I don't subscribe to. It is speculated the Pegula's source of funding in the natural gas industry has been the root cause for the pro sports team decisions. And it seems reasonable to conclude they became over-leveraged with other business interests. Still, it doesn't make my life any better criticizing them or their business decisions. I do not understanding how needing a grievance makes anyone's life better. It's horrible people are let go, but sharpening the ax because of that is not value added.

Yeah...stop talking about football 5 days from the draft. Will ya?

I don't think you understand what purpose the draft serves. It's not about this upcoming season as much as it is 1-2 years into the future when guys like Brown and Beasley are nearing or at the end of their contracts. The point is, nothing remains the same for very long. Players age, their contracts end, the cap must be managed, and (hopefully not) injuries occur. No one is "hating" on Brown and Beasley and this is most definitely not a clown thread. It's a solid question because Buffalo's 2nd and 3rd receivers are over 30. In NFL years that's kind of old and why wouldn't a team plan for their replacement? Every organization under the sun needs a plan and in the NFL if you're content with the status quo you're falling behind. Throw in the fact that Foster, D. Williams, and McKenzie aren't the types who should be getting major minutes. The draft could go any which way, but if there's a solid WR prospect sitting there when Buffalo picks, I'd hope McBeane realize they need depth and a future starter or 2 at the position. If KC is rolling 4 WR's in their offense, Buffalo should be looking to match them if the arms race if they expect to advance deep into the playoffs.

The NFL and the PA both have a mutual goal: make the league into a 25B industry by 2024. That element to the league starting is going to have an impact if many teams are in regions that pass thru the phases identified by the Task Force today. Making money is a huuuge factor to all of this. If it can be done the powers that be will get it done.

And every Bills draft pick who performs under this regime will remember that decision. There is a macro perspective necessary to a decision, although I'm not saying to re-sign him for that sake alone. This is why a GM gets paid the way he does - to make those difficult choices. You can't run from every less than simple decision and if (still a huge if ) White wants a big contract. Remember, this is a team that let Stephon Gilmore walk and replaced him essentially with White, who under your scenario, would be allowed out for a pick this time. And if someone's giving up a 1st for him, doesn't that sort of indicate another team values him AND the contract he'd presumably demand? Team Building requires more than surface thinking. It's a deep dive and almost requires one to anticipate the externalities of a decision.

Saw a link today that Buffalo ranks 32nd in draft capital for this draft. Not a dig at the team because I'm thrilled with the Diggs trade, but should indicate the Bills aren't going to be moving up. The draft is a player acquisition method for the long haul, not satisfying the fantasy football types who think everything is in the now. The roster is much improved for this coming season, but there are several positions which need an influx of youth for down the road. And that goes for every team. Right now, Buffalo needs some young depth who hopefully can start in the future at WR, DE, and CB. Because whether Bills fans like it or not, some players are not going to be re-signed because they'll be allocating cap space.

Interesting to see how the board views White if contract negotiations are difficult. That's a huge if at this point, but the board turned against Clements when he wanted a big contract. Difference is now that Buffalo has the Pegula dollars and isn't constrained by the Ralph/Littman penny-pinching. Second, how would the Bills locker room view not signing someone like White? He's the first marquee player to be up for contract extension (apologies to Dawkins and Milano - they're not All-Pro caliber) and Buffalo has spent heavily on UFAs. If he's not signed, it sends a message that McBeane's process talk is just that and they'll reward outside guys as opposed to home-grown. There's a lot we still don't know about McBeane and their approach to negotiating contracts. Many of the UFA deals are ones they can get out of after 1-2 seasons, but a Tre White deal likely is a 4-5 year extension. I would think he'a cornerstone player despite playing in a system where he gets help.

I've never understood why the Pegula's didn't hire someone to look over the franchises and offer recommendations for each when they finalized each purchase. They've pretty much gone with management they inherited, fired them, hired new people, and the process began anew again. At least with the Bills they found someone (McD) who had a plan and had connections (Beane) who've organized that franchise. I'd expect that having someone to manage those franchises day to day would be a high priority. But you're right, their attempt at running the Sabres has been amateur hour and it sounds like they're not willing to relinquish that. They're trending into Daniel Snyder territory with their ineptness. And, could something else is going on behind the scenes. Pure speculation, but financially are they over-leveraged?

And the ability to sift through datasets to identify which data matter. Right now, there's an overload and it's hard to know what is relevant. The vaccine is required mantra is moot when you consider many viruses after years have no vaccine: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/health/vaccines-poverty.html Vaccines are not easy to develop. I wish the narrative demanding a vaccine before anything can start would be viewed appropriately. Things will start before, owing to the fact owners and players want to earn money AND the virus diminishes significantly from current state.

Call up Bill O'Brien. I'm sure he'd figure something out. EDIT: That's not going to work. BOB already traded his 2020 1st away. Should have known!

Brown and Beasley are 30 or older this season and on contracts that expire in 2021 or 2022. Having talent in the pipeline is essential at all positions, particularly WR with injuries. Right now if (perish the thought) one of the top 3 WR's was injured, their depth at the position is nil. Foster, D. Williams, and McKenzie are not guys I want logging serious minutes and anyone who is OK with that over-values them. None of them have distinguished themselves over an entire season. The draft is about putting players in your system who at a minimum will be there down the road when UFAs leave. And the Bills are depending heavily on UFA to start. Eventually your young guys need to step into those roles. Correct. Down once for Tre and up twice for Zay Jones and Dawkins in the second.

They are...and some of them are plain wacky. The last time I remember someone trading up in a substantial move it was AJ Smith for Eric Weddle more than 10 years ago. McBeane has been the polar opposite of people like Nix who believed in this strategy. And they moved up once in '17 then down twice that year. There were the moves to trade up for Allen and Edmunds. Then last year, moving up for Ford and later Knox. The point is, if someone can help them now and later it's a move to consider moving up. And both WR and DE are areas they could use a player for today and future seasons.

No one knows nuthin bout nuthin and these doom and gloom articles are nonsense at this point. It's kinda like running presidential polls in February when the election is in November. Sports will return and this will pass. I cannot imagine the rabid NFL fans sitting idly by and not being able to tailgate. That will not go over well. I still remember tailgating in the fall of 2009 amid the H1N1 virus. People were scared but out and about.

For years Buffalo used the draft to fill needs and could go BPA because they had issues all over the field. That's not the case, but as the rebuild progresses the positions they need to improve are fewer and going BPA isn't as straightforward. The natural tendency by some is to still think the draft as an opportunity to fill holes. It shouldn't be viewed that way anymore. I'd say WR and DE are two positions this team needs to focus on for the long term. RB has been an object of intense debate, but positional value says WR and DE are more important. And that is especially the case with their DE depth aging and the WR position similar. Yes, on paper they've got 3 WR who fit 3 types of WR needs (X, Y, Z). They need depth who can play in 1-2 years when Brown and Beasley are slowing down. And, with their top 3 DE's currently 29 or older, having someone to develop is necessary now.

Yes. Except people in the late 70s/early 80s did not know what you and I do now.

Did people stop going to sporting events when HIV/AIDS was first recognized? There's still no vaccine for that and at the time, people didn't know how it was transmitted.

I doubt the doctors in Miami today were there in 2006 who did not clear Brees.

Subterfuge at this time of year is the watchword. And yet over years, fans continue buying in to whatever "insiders" state.

Bills fans typically over-value their players compared to the market. Still a need to take a WR who can play this draft given that their depth beyond Beasley is player who've been consistent in the passing game.

Wade had some good sound bites. Maybe not as many as Bum, but that was a great quip. For the record, Roscoe Parrish jumped into the stands where I sat with my friends upon returning a punt against Denver in the 2007 opener.

Fake News and a waste of time posting this nonsense.

Lynch did some dumb stuff. But not trading him until the 2010 season after having Jackson AND then drafting Spiller was the definition of Buddy-stupid. Getting Eric Wood was nice, but the trade was lopsided. Peters had been named 2nd Team All-Pro twice when Buffalo dealt him. They knew he was among the league's best already when he got traded in April 2009.

Let's talk about whether these guys are core players when they're re-signed. That's the indicator how management sees them, although not saying they cannot be. Of that list there I'd say only White and perhaps Dawkins are guarantees, both being 2017 picks and the former a 1st Team All-Pro. I'm still going to wait on the non-QBs until they've been in the league 2 years to evaluate them honestly. And I think we can do that with Allen after this season. We Bills fans are seeing for the first time since the 90s a team transition from rebuilding to maintaining a solid roster.

Sadly, incompetent leadership allowed 2 of those guys to be traded in the prime of their careers. I do not miss the Ralph/Littman/Marv/DJ/Mr. Smithers years at all. Those were Romper Room days compared to now.

Something I've noticed is how this team has been built, to this point at least, via UFA. I remember years ago people here saying you can't build that way when Buffalo was known for not spending big. McBeane seem to have turned that mindset on its head. The OL is largely UFA, as are 2 of their top 3 WR's. Not to mention, the defense is loaded with guys acquired via UFA/SFA: Star, Addison, Murphy, Jefferson, Butler, Klein, Hyde, Poyer, Norman, E. Gaines. And this doesn't include all the guys who aren't here anymore. Interesting to see how Buffalo transitions personnel-wise from a team that replaces their UFAs who worked fairly well in the regime's first years to a team that drafts most of their starters.