Super Bowl window of opportunity is now

[Inigo Montoya]

We are in a unique situation right now in Buffalo with a very talented roster from top to bottom, while at the same time being in a very cap friendly situation.  That will change significantly over the next 2 seasons as Beane begins re-signing our solid players who are currently on their rookie contracts.

 

Below is a list of the top six highest paid positions in the NFL, and the average salary for that position across the League;

 

https://sportsaspire.com/average-nfl-salary-by-position

QB   $16-16.3 mil

DE   $13-13.2 mil

DT   $9-9.7 mil

RB   $9-9.5 mil

WR  $12-12.4 mil

CB   $11-11.2 mil

 

Here are the highest paid players at each of those positions on the Bills' roster right now;

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/

QB  Allen       $5.8 mil

DE  Hughes  $9.5 mil

DT Star         $8.1 mil

RB Yeldon    $1.9 mil

WR Diggs     $11.5 mil

CB Norman  $5.8 mil 

 

At every position our highest paid player is below the NFL average for that position.  Those savings at the marquise positions free up money for Beane to add solid depth along the entire roster.   Beane can bring in quality back up / depth players and roll players on $2-3 mil contracts. We have at least one more year with that flexibility.  After that it will be time to look at extending Allen, and White should have his new contract and things will start getting tighter for Beane.  We are in a two year window to get to a championship. 

 

Beane has been quoted as saying that the Bills are ready to win now. The numbers and our roster bear that out.  The Bills are ready to win now and I think he will change his draft philosophy to reflect that. He may not be drafting to build a roster for success down the road like in the last two drafts, but instead looking at drafting who this team needs to win right now. It may also color how he looks at bringing in an additional difference making free agent before the season starts.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Inigo Montoya

[stowellez]

I don't see him breaking with his philosophy, and the philosophy that got us to this point.  Motor did a fine job last year when asked to.  I can't imagine using our first pick for what might amount to RB depth.  If Beane doesn't keep looking far down the road we'll end up in cap hell again before we know it.  And no Superbowls again...to show for it.  My $.02

Fortunately we don't have many glaring holes but I could imagine Beane keeping the first picks on the Def side of the ball.  A CB perhaps to stay young there, in case we can't resign White.  

Go Bills!  

[Inigo Montoya]

1 hour ago, stowellez said:

I don't see him breaking with his philosophy, and the philosophy that got us to this point.  Motor did a fine job last year when asked to.  I can't imagine using our first pick for what might amount to RB depth.  If Beane doesn't keep looking far down the road we'll end up in cap hell again before we know it.  And no Superbowls again...to show for it.  My $.02

Fortunately we don't have many glaring holes but I could imagine Beane keeping the first picks on the Def side of the ball.  A CB perhaps to stay young there, in case we can't resign White.  

Go Bills!  

 

I agree that to have sustained success you need to look at roster and salary cap management with the long view.  I think you also need to take advantage of a situation when it presents itself to you, and I think we are in a legitimate window to bring a Super Bowl back to Buffalo in the next two years.

 

We have a QB on his rookie contract, most of the other "skill players" are also on reasonable contracts.  We have an established offense and defense in a League where we will have a truncated off season placing those franchises with new head coaches (5) new D coordinators (11) and new O coordinators (10) at a serious competitive disadvantage.  How many more teams will have a new QB under center?  On top of that we are now sitting in a division where for the first time in 20 years we are favored to win and grab a home playoff game.

 

Everything is lining up this year for the Bills (if we have a season).  This year is the best chance we've had to win a Lombardi since the Kelly Era.  It's not the time for Beane to be timid, it's time for him to strike while the iron is hot.  All I want is just one Super Bowl for the Bills in my lifetime, for these long suffering fans and our beleaguered city.  That's all I ask for.  My brothers and I buried our wonderful father last year in his favorite Buffalo Bills sweatshirt.  He never got to see his Buffalo Bills, Braves, or Sabres win a championship.

 

It's f***ing time. 

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Inigo Montoya

[Stuartjohn]

4 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

 

I agree that to have sustained success you need to look at roster and salary cap management with the long view.  I think you also need to take advantage of a situation when it presents itself to you, and I think we are in a legitimate window to bring a Super Bowl back to Buffalo in the next two years.

 

We have a QB on his rookie contract, most of the other "skill players" are also on reasonable contracts.  We have an established offense and defense in a League where we will have a truncated off season placing those franchises with new head coaches (5) new D coordinators (11) and new O coordinators (10) at a serious competitive disadvantage.  How many more teams will have a new QB under center?  On top of that we are now sitting in a division where for the first time in 20 years we are favored to win and grab a home playoff game.

 

Everything is lining up this year for the Bills (if we have a season).  This year is the best chance we've had to win a Lombardi since the Kelly Era.  It's not the time for Beane to be timid, it's time for him to strike while the iron is hot.  All I want is just one Super Bowl for the Bills in my lifetime, for these long suffering fans and our beleaguered city.  That's all I ask for.  We buried my father last year in his favorite Buffalo Bills sweatshirt.  He never got to see his Buffalo Bills, Braves, or Sabres win a championship.

 

It's f***ing time. 

 

Well said indigo- I buried my little sister last year with All her Bills gear- just once Please....Win one Super Bowl for All of Bills Mafia- here and upstairs looking down!

[Cal]

Then go sign Clowney. That would prove to me they are all in now

[Putin]

19 minutes ago, Cal said:

Then go sign Clowney. That would prove to me they are all in now

I don’t think Clowney worth 20 Mill 

[The Patriots always cheat]

I Billieve this up coming season is just the beginning of the super bowl window. What Beane and McDermott have done with the rebuild and the change of the culture of this team was done to make the Bills competitive for the long term. I can see it being like when Kelly was QB the road to the super bowl was through Buffalo. Back then there was the core players and when other players left the replacements stepped up. I believe beane recognizes what he needs and has the ability to recognize player's with talent and fit the culture of the team and is able to figure a way to get them. The only unanswered part of this all depends on Allen's development if he continues to improve at the rate he has so far Bills fans are going to enjoy watching the Bills in multiple super bowls.

Edited March 29, 2020 by The Patriots always cheat
Grammatical correction

[Thurman#1]

It's not their philosophy to create a window. Their goal is to be like the Pats, like the Steelers, the teams that are there every year. They've said that every single time they're asked.

 

If there's a window here, no reason to think it's not a fifteen-year window for the length of Allen's career.

 

Yeah, the money situation is nice. But if they're good enough this year to challenge for a title - far from a sure thing, it'll depend on Allen's improvement, on staying healthy, on significant OL improvement as they gel and so on, but if they are ready, this ought to be the first of many years. They're acting like they think it could happen this year.

 

Great. But they show no sign of giving up their long-term goals for short-term opportunities, and that's smart. I expect them to draft with the hope of getting guys who contribute quickly but the expectation of getting guys who will be here for a while. They're building a machine for the long-term.

Edited March 29, 2020 by Thurman#1

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, Putin said:

I don’t think Clowney worth 20 Mill 

I absolutely think he worth it for 2020.  Make the money work on a one year deal.  He’ll get to play on the best defense in football and get paid next season.  

[letsgoteam]

I totally agree. However the most "Billsy" thing that can happen now is if the season is cancelled. ?

[maryland-bills-fan]

7 hours ago, stowellez said:

I don't see him breaking with his philosophy, and the philosophy that got us to this point.  Motor did a fine job last year when asked to.  I can't imagine using our first pick for what might amount to RB depth.  If Beane doesn't keep looking far down the road we'll end up in cap hell again before we know it.  And no Superbowls again...to show for it.  My $.02

Fortunately we don't have many glaring holes but I could imagine Beane keeping the first picks on the Def side of the ball.  A CB perhaps to stay young there, in case we can't resign White.  

Go Bills!  

You forget TT and Davis.  You ignore that we are one hit away from having a low round draft pick or a FA who everyone else didn't want being the ball carrier.  RB 1a and 1b will each carry the ball about 20-40% of the time. Let's just ignore that.

[machine gun kelly]

8 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

 

I agree that to have sustained success you need to look at roster and salary cap management with the long view.  I think you also need to take advantage of a situation when it presents itself to you, and I think we are in a legitimate window to bring a Super Bowl back to Buffalo in the next two years.

 

We have a QB on his rookie contract, most of the other "skill players" are also on reasonable contracts.  We have an established offense and defense in a League where we will have a truncated off season placing those franchises with new head coaches (5) new D coordinators (11) and new O coordinators (10) at a serious competitive disadvantage.  How many more teams will have a new QB under center?  On top of that we are now sitting in a division where for the first time in 20 years we are favored to win and grab a home playoff game.

 

Everything is lining up this year for the Bills (if we have a season).  This year is the best chance we've had to win a Lombardi since the Kelly Era.  It's not the time for Beane to be timid, it's time for him to strike while the iron is hot.  All I want is just one Super Bowl for the Bills in my lifetime, for these long suffering fans and our beleaguered city.  That's all I ask for.  My brothers and I buried our wonderful father last year in his favorite Buffalo Bills sweatshirt.  He never got to see his Buffalo Bills, Braves, or Sabres win a championship.

 

It's f***ing time. 

 

Inigo,  I’m sorry about you’re dad and know how it feels as my mom died on my 40th birthday, but think it’s great you placed the Bills shirt on him.  Agreed on wanting at least one although I want a couple over the next five years.  Outside of maybe Cleveland, what city deserves it more?

 

I don’t see many more FA, except for depth maybe, but if Beane can trade up more than once to get stars, we could really shine this year.  The other thing as mentioned in another thread is we are set up for success with this quarantine.  A lot of returning veterans and continuity of coaching allows them to come out fast.

 

GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!

[SoCal Deek]

It’s gotten to be broken record but it all depends on Josh Allen. If he isn’t ready to lead them to the Super Bowl in the next two years (or even deep into the playoffs) then everything changes. If you lock him for big money then you’re in danger of being the Detroit Lions. 

[ProcessTruster]

10 hours ago, The Patriots always cheat said:

I Billieve this up coming season is just the beginning of the super bowl window. What Beane and McDermott have done with the rebuild and the change of the culture of this team was done to make the Bills competitive for the long term. I can see it being like when Kelly was QB the road to the super bowl was through Buffalo. Back then there was the core players and when other players left the replacements stepped up. I believe beane recognizes what he needs and has the ability to recognize player's with talent and fit the culture of the team and is able to figure a way to get them. The only unanswered part of this all depends on Allen's development if he continues to improve at the rate he has so far Bills fans are going to enjoy watching the Bills in multiple super bowls.

this is the correct view IMO.  stick to the process, make them financially viable and highly competitive every year,  if you do that the playoffs will take care of themselves plus a SB appearance or two will happen as well, and maybe you win one every so often.  That's just good management and this is the first time since Polian we've had that.  Trust the Process.   Draft well, scout well and sign your own first.  Love the way they have adapted to the non- off season by signing FAs that already know the systems in place.   That is just f ing smart.

Edited March 29, 2020 by ProcessTruster

[stowellez]

4 hours ago, maryland-bills-fan said:

You forget TT and Davis.  You ignore that we are one hit away from having a low round draft pick or a FA who everyone else didn't want being the ball carrier.  RB 1a and 1b will each carry the ball about 20-40% of the time. Let's just ignore that.

That's a fair point.  I was thinking more of a single lead back.  But with respect to the OPs take on it, I just don't think it's the time to abandon Beane's philosophy to this point.  If the best guy on the board, when we're up is an RB, go get em!    

[die hard bills fan]

6 hours ago, letsgoteam said:

I totally agree. However the most "Billsy" thing that can happen now is if the season is cancelled. ?

I hate to say it but I think this may happen, just when the Bills (on paper) look like they could make a serious run at it.  

[maryland-bills-fan]

31 minutes ago, stowellez said:

That's a fair point.  I was thinking more of a single lead back.  But with respect to the OPs take on it, I just don't think it's the time to abandon Beane's philosophy to this point.  If the best guy on the board, when we're up is an RB, go get em!    

...and I think that Beane has figured out that there are 3 sure fire "difference makers" at RB this year and 2 maybe 3 that are in a very good second tier. I think he went about the FA pickups, getting some veteran quality at the positions that were weak and is planning on having a shot at one of those studs at #54 or by trading up from there (like he has done most of the time on the first 3 picks).   [[He already traded up in the first round ( in effect) to get a top 20 receiver- I wonder how many WR's drafted in the first round will be better than that in 2020-21.  He shows (to me) that the draft is where you mover up for stars and even gamble with lower picks for stars ]].... .... ...  If the 3 studs are gone, maybe one of the next 2 or 3 might still be a lot better than the draftniks think or they can take BPA  like LB Queen or Baun.   We could than take a JAG RB in the third and hope for the best..

Edited March 29, 2020 by maryland-bills-fan

[Don Otreply]

11 hours ago, The Patriots always cheat said:

I Billieve this up coming season is just the beginning of the super bowl window. What Beane and McDermott have done with the rebuild and the change of the culture of this team was done to make the Bills competitive for the long term. I can see it being like when Kelly was QB the road to the super bowl was through Buffalo. Back then there was the core players and when other players left the replacements stepped up. I believe beane recognizes what he needs and has the ability to recognize player's with talent and fit the culture of the team and is able to figure a way to get them. The only unanswered part of this all depends on Allen's development if he continues to improve at the rate he has so far Bills fans are going to enjoy watching the Bills in multiple super bowls.

This^^^
 

I have said the same in past threads, they are building to become a long term player in the league , not a short term one or two year window player, they see themselves as another Steelers, Patriots etc, there for the long term perennial post season franchise. The last thing they want is to be a flash in the pan outfit and then fade back into obscurity for another seventeen years.

 

Go Bills

[Beast]

As long as Allen progresses and we continue to draft well, the Bills will be fine now and in the future.

[White Linen]

Somethings wrong with these numbers.  There's only 4 RB's that make more than 9 mil per year - the rest make less.  How can the average be 9 - 9.5 mil per year?