BillsVet

Yeah. And, this is the first year that McD has an OC and the personnel to run his complementary version of football to the max. Because Brady is aligned with McD in a way Daboll and Dorsey were not. He'll design an offense that fits within the HC's concept. And if it doesn't work, the long knives will come out for Allen. I hope it doesn't reach that, but this isn't so much a Josh issue as it is the wrong strategy/vision for how to win in the modern NFL with a franchise QB.

I've now seen in this thread how Brady's statement of offensive philosophy can be compared to: 1. Geno Auriemma's UCONN women's basketball teams 2. The San Francisco 49ers offensive skilled position talent 3. Top Euro soccer stars of the 1970s 4. McDermott's concept on defensive personnel Kenny Bania would respond to this kind of material in this way:

Looking back, their significant moves at WR amount to: 2017: Draft Z. Jones (trade up in 2nd) and trade for Benjamin (cost a 3rd) 2018: ? 2019: Signed Brown and Beasley in UFA 2020: Trade for Diggs (cost a 1st) and perhaps G. Davis in 4th 2021: Sign E. Sanders in UFA to 1 year deal 2022: ? 2023: ? 2024: Sign Samuel in UFA and draft Coleman (2x trade downs in 2nd) Slim investment at a position of high positional value...particularly when the draft regularly offers talent. And yeah, shouldn't happen with Josh as your QB.

It's abundantly clear from this post GB that...you hate the Bills. So pessimistic!

It's one thing to move out an underperforming player and another to do it with a replacement on the roster who has produced in that role already. Their process, as it relates to higher-performing players that are disgruntled, seems to be just move the guy and deal with the ramifications later. It's not a stretch to think they just rolled the dice they'll get production from this group of slot receivers. When it doesn't happen that way, then what? Another in-season trade? Draft a guy in 2025? It never made much sense that, if McBeane wanted Diggs gone that you'd do it at the beginning of the league year and not wait weeks to move him. Possible they expected the market to yield more, which is odd considering that Diggs' contract they gave him would be difficult to deal for a higher return in 2024. They took the 2025 2nd and I'm sure that'll be part of whatever move they make in-season to find someone else when their slot receiver group struggles to produce.

We're going to revisit the bolded above during the season because it's likely to be a point made by others if these receivers live up to their history or first year status. Amazing that people can make this claim here after what he's proven what he can do as a passer, particularly in 2020 and 2021. You know, when he had better WRs to throw to.

Harmon does not address how Samuel, bereft of a primary option in this passing game, will produce the way he thinks. That element has been minimized throughout this thread. Those seasons in Carolina and the last 2 in Washington featured him as no better than a WR2. In both situations, other receivers were the primary options (DJ Moore, and Terry McLaurin) and drew better defenders.

Quantify this assertion. Because I don't get how a guy who has seen his yards per reception decline 4 straight (full) seasons as someone who is "one of the top man beaters in the NFL." It would be funny if they used assets, like the 2nd in 2025 acquired for Diggs, to get a better receiver at or near the deadline. They'd be paying a buyers premium given the point in season and by then what's likely to be their clear need at WR. I'm sure opposing GMs would make them pay for miscalculating that WR group was capable of replacing Diggs and providing solid receiving production. It would also be another major in-season direction turn for the offense after the last few years of being adamant Josh not need to carry the ball. Which doesn't happen because the offense struggles. And this year, with a WR group that is ranked by multiple sources as bottom of the league, it signals they don't know what they're doing to devise an offensive scheme and resource it which can win in different ways.

I can imagine McD would love to have another WR come over in a trade that was disgruntled with his last team. Besides, they have Chase Claypool and if he has a career season after being pretty much out of the league he'll be their WR1, er X.

If you're tired, best to get some rest and quit quibbling in this thread. All the massive stretching you've taken here is clearly tiring you out. P.S. Stevie Johnson has more 1,000 yard seasons (in a 16 game schedule) than Buffalo's entire receiving group heading into camp does in their careers.

This thread has devolved into the ignorant and the aware. The quibblers and the rational. The head in the sand types and those with solid vision. NFL Caliber? Talk about pure sophistry. What is that? How do you define "NFL-caliber"? Is that a guy on the PS to open the season? Does that player offer the same potential for "strong production numbers" as say, a guy who had 1,000 yards last year? This is the mindset of surface-level of analysis that won't go deeper because doing so requires intellect, rational thought, and understanding for how the game is played across the league. Next year, I can hear it now: Josh begins questioning the team's commitment to putting top-end receiving talent around him. And McBeane in unison say they already put "NFL-caliber" talent around him. Oh, sorry. I'm not allowed to conclude anything before the season begins.

We ain't comparing the drought years to this. Little more nuanced than that. This is about the idea no one can have an opinion, using data or not, before Week 1. Different eras, same rhetoric.

This is funny. You're essentially doing what a bunch of people did during the drought years of saying that, because they haven't played we can't do any sort of predictive analysis which might portend underwhelming results. And then you go and predict target numbers based on wishful thinking. There's been enough analysis using past performance in this thread I won't repeat, but suffice it to say, this may be the least talented WR group since that 2018 season when Buffalo's offense was one of the worst since the 1978 rules changes through the first half of the season. Lot of people here, using the wishful thinking analysis "methodology" who assign trust to McBeane to build an offense. Looks like to me, it's again just the idea that Josh will make everyone better. I bet Joe Brady didn't plan on coordinating this offense minus Diggs. But, someone made the call to unload their best WR and go with a cast of lesser heralded types. It's a bold strategy Cotton. Let's see if it works out.

Vet receivers can make mistakes in that offense like the INT Week 18 at Miami where Davis went left in the EZ and Allen threw right comes to mind. For that reason, I can see them going with veterans and maybe Coleman earns more snaps by mid-season or later. Hard to imagine he'll learn the offense AND opposing defense coverages well enough to not only play, but produce as their X in that offense.

I can just imagine Josh now mouthing this inaudibly on national TV to his receivers: "Hey Curtis and Khalil just go long and I'll find you!" Only question I have is will there be ample dirt available for Allen to draw it up on the field?

The hyperbolic responses in this thread. Wow. Never seen anything like it on TSW before.

Is he channeling Monica Seles with those grunts?

I have a friend who, when Josh has a bad play references his contract as though he's never allowed to overthrow a receiver or a pick. It's just massive cognitive bias. And, for a fan base that struggled for 25 years to find a franchise QB, it's amazing how quick people are to highlight Josh's mistakes. For reference, Pat Mahomes had his highest interception % since he began starting in 2018. It's not a coincidence that he probably had the worst group of receivers to work with either. There's going to be a lot more wailing and gnashing of teeth this year about Josh. Nor is he immune from criticism, but the idea that a QB can perform with a sub-par group of receivers will show up early this season. Inevitably, it'll lead to people criticizing the QB without looking deeper to see the true causes behind lackluster offensive performance.

Josh didn't get the memo to score slower so as to protect the defense in those playoff losses. The good news is, now they have the offense in place which will eat clock, be safe, and therefore reduce turnovers. The biggest benefit is, this helps keep the defense healthy and we all know defense wins championships when complemented with a plodding, predictable and ultimately safe offense. It's how teams win in the modern era now: by being safe and risk-averse.

Their offense will be more predictable post-Diggs/Davis primarily because all of their receivers save for a declining MVS have the same skill-set. It's why throwing to backs isn't the change up that people might be hoping for. There's almost nothing dynamic about this offense, particularly given who the QB is. And their offensive philosophy is revealed in those skill position players. As in, having a bunch of slot guys who'll play nearer the LOS. Speaking of Chan, that 2011 team with Fitz and his modest arm was scoring almost 30 ppg through game 7. Their passing offense was timing based, although closer to the LOS given their receivers and Fred was running it well. Jets came to town and disrupted those timing routes by jamming receivers at the LOS and Buffalo went 1-7 thereafter. Buddy and Chan limited themselves in personnel and could not adapt in-season. At some point this season, Buffalo will revert back to needing Josh to carry them and that's on McBeane for failing to surround him with not only better talent, but a scheme suited to his talents.

And maybe one day, just maybe Sean McDermott could become elite. This roster he's built with Beane is just waiting to break out and become elite.

Tyrell Shavers and Bryan Thompson could become elite. Let's keep this going. Who else?

Comparison really should be 2020 - the team which made the AFC Championship Game. Still, for those who follow the NFL in general (and clearly not as many on TSW do), the game is evolving rapidly. What worked a few seasons ago isn't necessarily going to work 4-5 years later, but alas... the 2024 team is not constructed like 2020 nor as talented offensively. Yes, there were some areas that team was not as good, but the end result is what they should be focusing on achieving and exceeding: winning in the post-season. Buffalo's big issues above the WR fray is staying offensively with or ahead of their primary AFC competition. And, doing so as you note using some youth to keep cap spending down.

Your draft status doesn't mean squat 5 years down the road. It earns zero credit when you become a street free agent signing. Absolutely zero. And signing an incentive laden contract after playing in KC isn't the big win you point it out to be. MVS barely average 2 catches per game last year and was among the lowest catch rate in the NFL - playing with Patrick Mahomes. I pointed out that Shorter was a big disappointment former 5 star recruit. You didn't know that before posting, nor that he averaged about 2 catches and 32 yards per game in about 4 college seasons. These are clown takes bro.

And if I hit on that quick pick down at the convenience store I'll be golden for a month. Or win the VFW Cash Raffle on Labor Day. Or, my penny stocks really take off. Either this is a parody take or you actually believe college disappointment 5 star recruits suddenly figure it out after years of no production. I can't tell anymore.