Bills sign Devonta Freeman

[Alphadawg7]

6 minutes ago, realtruelove said:

The Giants O Line is putrid.

Yet ALL other Giants RBs averaged at least 1.1 yards MORE per carry who had same or more carries than him.  

[dorquemada]

48 minutes ago, T&C said:

Reminded me of a Balrog to be honest... they call him a fullback but imo he's a nimbler than normal guard.

 

That's the first Ravens game I watched this year and I was pretty surprised by how quick he is on his feet.  Love the LoTR reference

[1ManRaid]

25 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

New flash unexplosive 75 year old Alfred Morris was better on that same Giants team than Freeman...as was EVERY RB on the Giants this year.  
 

Freeman YPC over 6 games:  3.2 YPC

 

Gallman: 4.6

Morris:  4.3

Lewis:  4.0

 

Freeman only RB with at least 20 carries to average under 4 yards per carry for the same Giants team, and he barely averaged over 3 YPC.

 

So yet another terrible take here in this thread.

 

News flash CJ Spiller and Devin Singletary both managed higher averages in lower carry backup roles, then dropped off when thrust into a starting role.  The "change of pace" or whatever you call it backup often gets a higher average.

 

Would you call Hines better than Taylor based on their performances Saturday afternoon?

I'm not even saying Freeman is good, just pointing out the flaws of simply invoking averages without context.

Edited January 12, 2021 by 1ManRaid

[Jobot]

2 hours ago, msw2112 said:

I agree that Williams played well against Miami and deserves a shot.  Yeldon is also a capable player with NFL experience who is available.  He played pretty well in his limited action this year (against Tennessee, I believe).  That said, for some reason, this coaching staff has always been reluctant to use Yeldon.  I assume those 2 guys will play ahead of Freeman, as they know the playbook and have put in the work all year.  Freeman is likely insurance in case of another injury - Stills appears to be the same as to the WR corps.

 

In one of Digg's recent interview sessions, Micah Hyde jokingly jumped in and asked who the last player from the team you would want to date your sister. Digg's answer - TJ Yeldon.

[Shaw66]

I like this signing.   

 

1.  Bills didn't sign him, I don't think, for the Ravens.  It's too hard to get him up to speed in this offense in one day.  A receiver, maybe, but not a running back.  You've got too many things that can go wrong:  blitz pickups, mesh point on option plays, mesh point generally, messed up screen passes.   Yes, a veteran knows about those things, but they still don't happen automatically.  

 

2.  Moss goes down, the Bills need to add SOMEONE to the roster, and few teams are going to have really good choices off their practice squads.  I'm not a Yeldon fan - he'll do his jobs, but he doesn't execute anything - speed back, power back, pass receiver, anything at a level that can be explosive.   Williams does promise some explosiveness, but his inexperience is a challenge.  Still, at least he's practiced with the team.   He may not have real time experience, but he's like to do his job fine.  So picking up someone who may be at the end of his career isn't a horrible move - you need someone.  

 

3.  There's no reason to expect the Bills got Kareem Hunt or something.   Anyone who's certifiably good is on a roster somewhere.   Don't jump all over me, but signing Freeman and expecting him to be able to contribute makes some sense, in the same way signing Frank Gore makes some sense.   He's a guy who has done this at a high level in this league, he isn't completely aged out, even if his talents have declined a bit.   And, again, like Williams, he still might give you something.  He might be a better and effective power back in short yardage.  He knows what he's looking at running behind zone blocking schemes.   

 

Solid move by Beane.   These signings don't come out of the blue.  They result from McD telling Beane where he thinks he might need help, because the PS is thin.   It's McD saying "give me another option, if I have to call on someone," and Beane delivering.  

[Ethan in Cleveland]

He doesn't know the playbook.

Yeldon knows the plays, blocks, and catches the ball.  

He's the best option. 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

26 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I like this signing.   

 

1.  Bills didn't sign him, I don't think, for the Ravens.  It's too hard to get him up to speed in this offense in one day.  A receiver, maybe, but not a running back.  You've got too many things that can go wrong:  blitz pickups, mesh point on option plays, mesh point generally, messed up screen passes.   Yes, a veteran knows about those things, but they still don't happen automatically.  

 

2.  Moss goes down, the Bills need to add SOMEONE to the roster, and few teams are going to have really good choices off their practice squads.  I'm not a Yeldon fan - he'll do his jobs, but he doesn't execute anything - speed back, power back, pass receiver, anything at a level that can be explosive.   Williams does promise some explosiveness, but his inexperience is a challenge.  Still, at least he's practiced with the team.   He may not have real time experience, but he's like to do his job fine.  So picking up someone who may be at the end of his career isn't a horrible move - you need someone.  

 

3.  There's no reason to expect the Bills got Kareem Hunt or something.   Anyone who's certifiably good is on a roster somewhere.   Don't jump all over me, but signing Freeman and expecting him to be able to contribute makes some sense, in the same way signing Frank Gore makes some sense.   He's a guy who has done this at a high level in this league, he isn't completely aged out, even if his talents have declined a bit.   And, again, like Williams, he still might give you something.  He might be a better and effective power back in short yardage.  He knows what he's looking at running behind zone blocking schemes.   

 

Solid move by Beane.   These signings don't come out of the blue.  They result from McD telling Beane where he thinks he might need help, because the PS is thin.   It's McD saying "give me another option, if I have to call on someone," and Beane delivering.  

Where to begin on this.

 

Frank Gore made some sense? I guess if you love 3.0-3.5 yards per carry and no ability as a pass catcher. We all read the ESPN piece. He works hard, he’s a locker room mentor, but every time he touched the ball, it was a wasted down.

 

Speaking of 3.0-3.5 ypc, you’re stumping for Freeman, and then citing lack of explosion from Yeldon? Freeman has nothing left. He is beyond slow at this point. Wayne Gallman was more productive. And again, he has tons of injury history.

 

This is like the Duke Williams thread last week. He may be a great guy, but no way does he need to ever see the field.

Yeldon? He’s got some size, and he can catch out of the backfield. 
 

Yeldon > Williams > Wade > Freeman

[T&C]

5 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Where to begin on this.

 

Frank Gore made some sense? I guess if you love 3.0-3.5 yards per carry and no ability as a pass catcher. We all read the ESPN piece. He works hard, he’s a locker room mentor, but every time he touched the ball, it was a wasted down.

 

Speaking of 3.0-3.5 ypc, you’re stumping for Freeman, and then citing lack of explosion from Yeldon? Freeman has nothing left. He is beyond slow at this point. Wayne Gallman was more productive. And again, he has tons of injury history.

 

This is like the Duke Williams thread last week. He may be a great guy, but no way does he need to ever see the field.

Yeldon? He’s got some size, and he can catch out of the backfield. 
 

Yeldon > Williams > Wade > Freeman

Wade is simply out of the picture here. Hope he gets a SB ring though!

[Shaw66]

49 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Where to begin on this.

 

Frank Gore made some sense? I guess if you love 3.0-3.5 yards per carry and no ability as a pass catcher. We all read the ESPN piece. He works hard, he’s a locker room mentor, but every time he touched the ball, it was a wasted down.

 

Speaking of 3.0-3.5 ypc, you’re stumping for Freeman, and then citing lack of explosion from Yeldon? Freeman has nothing left. He is beyond slow at this point. Wayne Gallman was more productive. And again, he has tons of injury history.

 

This is like the Duke Williams thread last week. He may be a great guy, but no way does he need to ever see the field.

Yeldon? He’s got some size, and he can catch out of the backfield. 
 

Yeldon > Williams > Wade > Freeman

Fair enough, but I think you're applying the wrong standard. The right question to ask is who might give give you something for a few plays?  Yeldon gives me the least mistakes.  Williams gives me the best all round big play potential. Wade gives me explosive play potential. Freeman gives me experience and the best power running potential.

 

As I said, you’re not going to get a really good back, and McD wants options. 

Edited January 12, 2021 by Shaw66

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

7 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Fair enough, but I think you're applying the wrong standard. The right question to ask is who might give so etching for a few plays?  Yeldin gives me the least mistakes.  Williams gives me the best all round big play potential. Wade gives me explosive play potential. Freeman gives me experience and the best power running potential.

 

As I said, you’re not going to get a treally good back, and McD wants options. 

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

3 hours ago, H2o said:

I'm just here to say I can't figure out how on God's green earth someone broke a story before Yolo. It's mathematically, scientifically, and pretty much physically impossible. 

I suspect he’s got Ohio state on his mind right now... 

[BillsFanForever19]

What a strange, strange world we live in where Devonta Freeman and Kenny Stills are members of the Buffalo Bills Practice Squad.

[billykay]

2 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Yup, still a decent signing given he’s a veteran for the PS in the event there is any injuries.  But he wasn’t signed to play this week and likely won’t play without more injuries any time this post season.  
 

End of the day, this is most likely Devin’s run game now, he will get the lion share of the snaps at RB and be featured and someone like Yeldon and Taiwan Jones will come in on some 3rd downs or to spell him.  
 

People forget they still love Devin who is now by far the best RB we have available.  
 

It’s possible they activate Williams too, but with Taiwan almost certainly active for ST reasons, I doubt they activate both Yeldon and Williams for this game.

Against a blitz crazy team like Baltimore I like Yeldon flairing out for the quick dump offs you need against the blitz.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

4 hours ago, The Gravytrain said:

Agree. Williams was a beast in the Miami game. He's another version of Moss, but seemed to have more of a burst. Freeman can play Dobbins with the second unit.

 

You're making an excellent point here.  It's under-appreciated that we need talent on our scout team to help the active team prepare.  If one of the scout team guys gets called up, we need to back-fill his role.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 hours ago, Draconator said:

 

 

We should have like a little crown icon, and if you break a story before @YoloinOhio you get to claim it and pin it to your avatar for a day

 

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

Fair enough, but I think you're applying the wrong standard. The right question to ask is who might give give you something for a few plays?  Yeldon gives me the least mistakes.  Williams gives me the best all round big play potential. Wade gives me explosive play potential. Freeman gives me experience and the best power running potential.

 

As I said, you’re not going to get a really good back, and McD wants options. 

 

Another standard is: when you need him to, who can you count on to Protect the Franchise?

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

Man they gave him #32 lol. I like it.

You can do at lot worse then this guy. It’s not the offseason, it’s the the 2nd round of the playoffs.... He’s not as good as he was in ATL but he’s better then Gore was for us last year. I will take it.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

3 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Isn't this nearly identical to the Stills signing with Beasley and Diggs battling ailments.  Get a veteran practice squad player who's been there before (the playoffs) on the roster in case of an emergency.

 

That's exactly what it is.  It's also a "scream before you're hurt" playoffs=start-of-a-second-season move.  If you lose or might lose a player, the time to backfill and start teaching them the playbook is while you still have a "next man up" on the team, not wait until you lose a second player at that position and you're running on fumes.

 

 

[Shaw66]

16 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 

Another standard is: when you need him to, who can you count on to Protect the Franchise?

Yes.  Another box Freeman can check.  

 

It isn't a move to remake the running game. It's just a move to have a player available if he might add something.

[Dablitzkrieg]

They gave Freeman OJ's number 32🤣🤣🤣

[CSBill]

Call me crazy, but i have a feeling we see Reggie Gilliam in the backfield this week: knows the play book, can block, good receiver, some speed.  ????