Will Epenesa be inactive on Sunday? Interesting scenario

[JaCrispy]

17 minutes ago, Maynard said:

Indeed, spin it anyway you want, but it’s a big disappointment 

Yup...at least give him some game reps

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, JohnNord said:

TBH I ask glad they kept him.  The cap space would be nice in 2021 but I think he’s an I flashy but solid DE who plays the run well

 

I think Murphy plays the run appallingly. But he does give you some pass rush ability.

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

Is Dobbins  a healthy scratch today?

 

Look, Epinesa might turn out to be a good productive DE.  I’m just saying that the fact he was made a healthy scratch given his high draft selection, the position he plays, and the player who beat him out, his career is off to a very disappointing start.  
 

Find me another 2nd rounder who is a healthy scratch in week one?

Ha!  Well this is partially true.  There are some good veteran players who’d be ahead of most rookie DE’s like Jerry, Mario, and Jefferson.  But a stronger training camp by Epinesa probably pushes Murphy off the roster and saves the Bills $7 in cap space next season

Found one.  Josh Uche.  That didn't take long.

[Jamie Mueller]

I guess they think he's not ready yet.

[Meatloaf63]

On 9/9/2020 at 8:39 PM, GreggTX said:

I think Butler is a serious liability. I expect other teams to exploit that weakness. Oliver has yet to prove himself and fans overrate Edmunds. I see a big day for Bell running the ball.

Yup Bell tore us up... LOL...

[LB48]

7 hours ago, Virgil said:

Unless there’s an injury or a QB being groomed as a replacement, and player drafted in the top few rounds that’s inactive Week 1 is a concern.  
 

I’ve read he didn’t show much in training camp and was seriously overmatched.  
 

I’m not making any assumptions, but concern and disappointment is warranted. 

Similar concern with Ed Oliver.

[Jerboski]

I like the draft philosophy of stocking up the DL but im worried about AJ... not even dressing wow

[Cheektowaga Chad]

If the defensive line wasn't as deep as it is I would be really worried.

 

As it stands right now it should be a concern because you drafted him high and you expect those players to be instant contributors. 

 

The real test is when there is an injury and how they handle him

[PromoTheRobot]

41 minutes ago, Cheektowaga Chad said:

If the defensive line wasn't as deep as it is I would be really worried.

 

As it stands right now it should be a concern because you drafted him high and you expect those players to be instant contributors. 

 

The real test is when there is an injury and how they handle him

 

Don't forget he was a 2nd round pick. Not a 1st.  There's no need to play him until you need him.

[Coach Tuesday]

1 hour ago, LB48 said:

Similar concern with Ed Oliver.

Oliver had a great game today...

[JaCrispy]

9 hours ago, Virgil said:

Unless there’s an injury or a QB being groomed as a replacement, and player drafted in the top few rounds that’s inactive Week 1 is a concern.  
 

I’ve read he didn’t show much in training camp and was seriously overmatched.  
 

I’m not making any assumptions, but concern and disappointment is warranted. 

That’s 2 years in a row the Bills 2nd round picks have had disappointing starts to their careers...that’s not a trend you want to see...

[billsfan89]

18 minutes ago, JaCrispy said:

That’s 2 years in a row the Bills 2nd round picks have had disappointing starts to their careers...that’s not a trend you want to see...

 

Ford played decent to end the season once Ty went down with injury. AJ not even dressing while a concern I wouldn't exactly call a need for panic or a pattern just yet. Ford looked pretty good today.

[Dr.Sack]

Maybe AJ can play LB? 🤣

[JohnNord]

20 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

While I agree it isn't ideal that he hasn't shown enough to make him a must dress let's be clear what has happened here. The Bills are in win now territory and they have 3 vets they like. Murphy might have been on the bubble before camp but played well and might even start. And then their 4th defensive end is a core special team player with rare athleticism at the position. He played more special teams snaps than any other Bill in 2019. If it came down purely to DE play AJ might have dressed. Once you add in teams Daryl Johnson was always dressing.

To everyone trying to pretend that AJ sitting is normal, take the word of Matthew Fairburn on the Bills Beat podcast:

 

“2nd round pick not dressing for his NFL game is fairly significant”

 

”Bills have a deep defensive line and he’s got a long road ahead of him”

[GunnerBill]

8 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

To everyone trying to pretend that AJ sitting is normal, take the word of Matthew Fairburn on the Bills Beat podcast:

 

“2nd round pick not dressing for his NFL game is fairly significant”

 

”Bills have a deep defensive line and he’s got a long road ahead of him”

 

I never said it was normal. It is sub optimal. But the fact is he has to be in our top 3 to be sure to dress given that the guy he is currently battling with for that 4th spot is always going to dress because he is a core STer.

[YoloinOhio]

13 hours ago, LB48 said:

Similar concern with Ed Oliver.

Oliver was a beast yesterday 

[GunnerBill]

7 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Oliver was a beast yesterday 

 

He was excellent first half, got loads of push Darnold had guys in his lap constantly.

12 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Oliver had a great game today...

 

These people don't know what they are watching.

[Coach Tuesday]

5 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

He was excellent first half, got loads of push Darnold had guys in his lap constantly.

 

These people don't know what they are watching.

 

They really don't.  Oliver wrecked Darnold's timing and confidence from the jump yesterday and was a big reason the Bills got out to such a big lead.  

[DCofNC]

I don’t know where he would be getting reps at the moment, but generally you would hope he was good enough to let them release Murphy, save that cap and see some production from a 2nd rounder.   Then again, you can’t overlook the fact he really didn’t have a huge impact at Iowa until late in his career and he was really just out there clubbing baby seals with raw power, which in the NFL is not enough.

[Alphadawg7]

1 minute ago, DCofNC said:

I don’t know where he would be getting reps at the moment, but generally you would hope he was good enough to let them release Murphy, save that cap and see some production from a 2nd rounder.   Then again, you can’t overlook the fact he really didn’t have a huge impact at Iowa until late in his career and he was really just out there clubbing baby seals with raw power, which in the NFL is not enough.

Man this board is obsessed with releasing Murphy.  
 

AJE is a rookie, playing behind 3 vets, 2 of them are pretty damn good too.  Gunner pointed out, the 4th spot isn’t up for grabs because of ST contributions.

 

This is not common, but also not a big deal.  This is COVID era, no preseason, limited camp reps, etc.  They went with the two vets who KNOW our defense in Hughes and Murphy and also the guy they signed as a FA whose been a stud in Addison.
 

How is this so hard for so many people to grasp?  If we had losers at DE ahead of him, that would be a concern.  But week 1 against a divisional opponent they rolled with their ST ace, our two starters who know the D, and our FA guy whose a double digit sack DE (and also learning the D).

 

Seriously, this is no where near the issue like 99% of the people here are making it out to be.  And let’s not forget, McD loves bringing rookies along slow as well.  End of the day, AJE was a luxury pick (in terms of this year) at a position we are deep at for the intention of being a guy for our future to take over for our older DEs.  It was never about week 1.