Training Camp practice and Media Sessions 8/5

[Mat68]

7 minutes ago, Kwai San said:

 

Not repeat NOT what I wanted to see tweeted about Knox.  DAMN!

Knox is just too inconsistant a pass catcher.  His athletism is good but needs to start producing.  Wont be surprised if Hollister starts.  I expect alot of 10 personal.  Kumerow or Davis attack the seem as a big slot. 

[Warcodered]

4 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

Tre White and Isaiah McKenzie are national treasures they crack me up everytime.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Warcodered

[Shaw66]

44 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Correct on Roberts.

 

I think in general McKenzie has improved with the ball security.   Hope so.  I guess we'll see. 

 

Where he's scared me, is his ability to track the ball while assessing the gunners and calling it promptly - fair catch, catch and run, "poison poison" get away.

There was a punt in the Miami game that he decided not to field that came uncomfortably close to touching him.

 

Those are all fair points.  Roberts was a natural back there, catching the ball and going.  Like Hyde.  I'm always comfortable when Hyde is back there.  

 

But one of the comments from Farwell is that he can't keep McKenzie off the JUGS machine.  It's pretty clear that McDermott likes Mac not just because of the Swiss-Army-knife factor, but also his dedication.   He clearly improved last season as a receiver, it sounds like he's taking seriously the punt return job.  

 

My view on punt returning is that top-end speed isn't so important any more.  In the modern NFL, with the rules as they are, and with the specialization of players and teams, punt returns for touchdowns are becoming rare.  The punting team has to make a mistake to give up a touchdown.   I think the best you can reasonably expect is a guy who can get you 10 to 15 or 20 yards, which is a nice flip in field position.  That doesn't require top-end speed; it requires recognition and quickness - it's classic broken field running.  That's why I mentioned Saimes, who most people here never saw.   He was a master at it - he wasn't going to outrun everyone to the end zone, but he'd get you 15 when everyone else would get you 5 or 7.  

 

Anyway, like all the positions (except tight end - Knox dropped another today?  C'mon, man!) on the Bills this season, the Bills have punt returning covered with McKenzie.  If anyone can beat him out, it's just an upgrade over a solid answer.  

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

36 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

It's time to start talking about Kumerow as a roster lock.

That's 6 WRs accounted for.

[Buffalo Boy]

“Dawson Knox missed a sure TD. More on that in observations later. Bad drop.”

I said it last year, the kid is up in his own head on the catchable balls.

Linking this to the instinct threads, when he is just reacting he makes Sick catches ( Colts game, over the middle while getting mugged on a bad pass by JA)

When he sees it coming, especially in the EZ you can see a full body pucker happen. When he does catch it in the EZ on the easy ones he turns into a statue and falls down like a statue…. It’s ugly!

Kid needs a sports psychologist in the worst way.

[Blank Stare]

58 minutes ago, jeremy2020 said:

 

What's wrong with the practice squad?  He was a 6th round pick... if some other team had wanted this guy they could have had him.

Right. If that happens great. All for it. This isn’t between keeping McKenzie or Stevenson for me. I said I like Mckenzie and want him on the team. But if Stevenson flashes any of that potential he put on tape in college in the preseason he may not make it through to PS. Plus, McBeane typically doesn’t give up on draft picks this early. Although, that’ll likely change as we go now that they’ve created this depth. 
 

You (not you specifically, but the broader board you) want to bail on Stevenson’s shot at returner on day 2 of pads and before any preseason games have been played, that’s up to you, but I’m not sure the Bills have the same philosophy.
 

Not only that, if it did turn out that it was either McKenzie or Stevenson, not sure McKenzie is such a slam dunk pick if Stevenson flashes as camp goes on. McKenzie is a diminutive former 5th round pick with a career receiving stat line of 79 receptions for 744 yards over 4 years in the NFL. Plus, he’s only on a 1 year deal (Stevenson on a cheap rookie contract).  I like the guy, and want him on the team, but it’s not like he’s irreplaceable.  

[Logic]

To be fair to Knox, it seems like he's been catching the football much more consistently throughout OTAs and camp....until today.

This is the first "oh geez!", facepalm worthy drop I've heard about from him this offseason. 

Still, a "surefire touchdown" in the end zone is certainly not one you want your TE1 dropping -- in CAMP, no less.

[Paup 1995MVP]

18 minutes ago, Kwai San said:

 

Not repeat NOT what I wanted to see tweeted about Knox.  DAMN!

 

Oh yer gonna have a bunch of peeps down your throat when they read that......I am admittedly not a big fan of him.....I hold out hope he can improve. 

 

Bill's TE room - where hope goes to die.....ugh!

Anyone hear anything about Tommy Sweeny?  The kid showed some good stuff in 2019.  Maybe he steps up and shines this year.

[YoloinOhio]

6 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

Tre White and Isaiah McKenzie are national treasures they crack me up everytime.

They need to move in together and do a reality show. 

[Shaw66]

25 minutes ago, DJB said:

Looking forward to the day we replace Knox as our starter. 

 

Dude just can't catch the football. 

My view of catching the football is like a lot people's view about QB accuracy - it's hard to teach it.  Guys with sticky hands are sticky when they come into the league (like Davis), and it sounds like we're all getting frustrated with the fact that Knox doesn't seem to have learned the skill he didn't come with.   Now, granted, they didn't throw to him in college, so he hasn't had a lot of experience catching the ball in quality live action, but he's taken a ton of reps through college and the pros, and it just shouldn't be an adventure when you throw to him.  

 

It was a known problem that he should have worked on in the off-season after his rookie season, and definitely after year 2.  He simply shouldn't be dropping the ball.  

 

On the other hand, McKenzie had trouble catching anything difficult a couple years ago, and last season he began to look like a reliable pass catcher, so maybe there's still hope for Knox.   However, I gotta believe McDermott and Daboll are looking at their other options.  The tight end will get open in this offense, and Allen needs to know the guy is going to catch the ball when Allen goes that way.  

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

29 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Yes.  Yes, Sal did:

"I’ve felt CB Dane Jackson had been too up-and-down over the first week. But today was his best day. Much more consistent."

 

It just goes to show that different people see things differently.  For example, most commentators have said that Trubisky has looked good in camp, consistent and steady, but Matthew Fairburn (I think, might have been Joe B) wrote a more criticial assessment for The Athletic.

If Mitch is checking down a lot I can imagine that might look more impressive to some observers than others.

[Rochesterfan]

3 minutes ago, TheProcess said:

Right. If that happens great. All for it. This isn’t between keeping McKenzie or Stevenson for me. I said I like Mckenzie and want him on the team. But if Stevenson flashes any of that potential he put on tape in college in the preseason he may not make it through to PS. Plus, McBeane typically doesn’t give up on draft picks this early. Although, that’ll likely change as we go now that they’ve created this depth. 
 

 

 

The other side is this year the draft was very shallow - guys like Stevenson drafted in the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds - mostly would have been UFAs in a typical year.  The pool was roughly 1/2 the size due to COVID. 
 

I think Stevenson needs to more than flash to make this roster.  He need to outshine McKenzie and he needs mistakes from McKenzie to catch up and pass him.

 

I don’t see it at this point - Stevenson will be a nice PS player and will have a shot next year.

[Blank Stare]

5 minutes ago, 2020 Our Year For Sure said:

That's 6 WRs accounted for.

I have nothing to support this other than the Marcel Louis-Jacques cryptic tweet from the other day, but I’m wondering if Bills keep 7 WR this year with Kumerow replacing Taiwan Jones in special teams. That would leave Diggs, Beasley, Sanders, Davis, McKenzie, and Kumerow. And the last spot a battle between Hodgins and Stevenson.

[Shaw66]

4 minutes ago, Logic said:

To be fair to Knox, it seems like he's been catching the football much more consistently throughout OTAs and camp....until today.

This is the first "oh geez!", facepalm worthy drop I've heard about from him this offseason. 

Still, a "surefire touchdown" in the end zone is certainly not one you want your TE1 dropping -- in CAMP, no less.

On the other hand, I suppose that's what training camp is for - getting the wrinkles out.  Maybe his consistency was the result of some new and better pass catching habits and today's drop was just a momentary relapse.   If so, the drop may reinforce the importance the new habits and redouble his efforts.   

 

As I say often, we'll see. 

[Charles Romes]

49 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

It's time to start talking about Kumerow as a roster lock.

 Or at least a Fifth rounder coming back our way!

Edited August 5, 2021 by Charles Romes

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

The other side is this year the draft was very shallow - guys like Stevenson drafted in the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds - mostly would have been UFAs in a typical year.  The pool was roughly 1/2 the size due to COVID. 
 

I think Stevenson needs to more than flash to make this roster.  He need to outshine McKenzie and he needs mistakes from McKenzie to catch up and pass him.

 

I don’t see it at this point - Stevenson will be a nice PS player and will have a shot next year.

I don't know if the draft was thin or not, but I definitely agree that Stevenson has to affirmatively win the job to make the 53.  If he just looks as good as Mac and has potential, that's not enough.  McKenzie is useful, experienced and reliable.   Stevenson has to win the job.   

[McBean]

Knox dropped a pass!?? No way!!!

[Rochesterfan]

2 minutes ago, 2020 Our Year For Sure said:

If Mitch is checking down a lot I can imagine that might look more impressive to some observers than others.

 

It doesn’t sound like he is “checking down” - he had 2 long TD passes in practice Tuesday and again today.  I think there are just different takes based upon what you are looking for.  We see the same thing with Dane Jackson and Wallace with people saying one had a good day and another giving him a thumbs down.  Just different viewpoints depending on exactly which play you noted.

[Brand J]

With all the gushing about Chief’s 6th round rookie OG Trey Smith in the other thread, I wonder how Jack Anderson is coming along. Haven’t read a single word about him. The Doyle pick still has me scratching my head because interior help is what the Bills needed most.

[Rochesterfan]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I don't know if the draft was thin or not, but I definitely agree that Stevenson has to affirmatively win the job to make the 53.  If he just looks as good as Mac and has potential, that's not enough.  McKenzie is useful, experienced and reliable.   Stevenson has to win the job.   

 

Because of COVID the number of eligible available draft picks was significantly lower this year and many juniors and seniors that sat out were granted an extra year of eligibility and decided to come back.

 

It was talked about several times that many guys would never have been drafted and teams were actually looking ahead and actively trading picks in this draft for picks next year because the anticipation is that next year could have nearly twice as many eligible players declare for the draft making it one of the deepest ever.

 

That doesn’t mean the top end talent was not as good, but a lot of the depth was missing and it allowed some very middle of the pack guys to get drafted based upon potential rather than on the field play.