The changing role of Buffalo's veterans vs. younger players in 2021

[Ray Stonada]

Sean McDermott has always been vocal about having steadying, wise old veterans in each position group, and has brought in a number of players for this purpose. Lorax and Kyle Williams would be the archetypes of this role on the team. 

 

The 2021 season suggests that the younger and medium-age players are ready to take the reins, and are beginning to outplay and "out-mature" their veteran counterparts.

 

On D-line, Ed Oliver and Harry Philips are emerging and making players like Hughes (33 yo) and Addison (34) less critical. Star (32) has been neither productive nor a team leader. Efe Obada, who is 29 but without much tread on his tires, is playing better and benefiting from getting more snaps at DE. Epenesa, Rousseau and Basham need seasoning but have great potential. In the secondary, Hyde and Poyer are indispensable but still just 30. Younger guys like Dane Jackson are getting good playing experience this year and holding up. Klein is playing alright but the younger starting LBs (Edmunds and Milano) are better. 

 

The last two weeks, at least, Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie were more effective than their veteran counterparts, Sanders (34) and Beasley (32). Knox has improved his play and has no more need of a veteran like Lee Smith. I would love to see Antonio Williams get some carries over Moss as well. Dawkins and Brown are the most promising players on the line, and if Buffalo drafts a great guard and center to complement those two and Daryl Williams, the O line could be super solid AND young.

 

Josh Allen (25 y.o.) just played his most mature and effective game; he needs no one other than himself to become the most dominant QB in football. 

 

All in all, this season the younger guys have stepped up--in almost every case this year, they have shined when called on. And the veterans (Star, Addison, Feliciano, Sanders, Beasley, etc) are not providing leadership which Buffalo would fall apart with, either. If the Bills want to keep one vet in the symbolic Lorax/Williams role, I'd vote for Jerry Hughes. 

 

A crucial aspect of this is that McDermott and Beane recognize this shift we are making, from a young team in need of those older warriors to one ready to thrive and dominate with our increasingly experienced young core. These potential of these guys (Allen, Diggs, Davis, McKenzie, Knox, Singletary, Dawkins, Brown, Oliver, Philips, White, Wallace, Jackson, and more) is massive. And they can begin to mentor the incoming 22-25 year olds themselves. 

 

One of McDermott's best qualities is the ability to change, not to stay locked in any dogma other than the "process" of improvement itself. A small example would be benching Moss and going for it on 4th down 4 times in NE. As McDermott matures, he can let go of the need to have expensive veterans and guys from Carolina around as safety blankets, and let the players Buffalo drafted, developed or rejuvenated (like Diggs) take over. When this dynamic shift is complete, the older veterans will drop away, and their money can go to retaining our young core, who will respond to being given true responsibility. They will answer the call.

 

If they complete this process, multiple Lombardis are in reach.

 

 

[H2o]

We do have a solid group of young players. Opinions on here will vary from week to week though. One week everyone loves what Beane and McDermott have been doing, the next week they're wanting to run them out of town on a rail. I also think Bates showed he belonged last week stepping in against a tough NE defensive front. We do have some people coming up on contracts though and we won't keep them all. It will be interesting to see how the offseason plays out, what we choose to address, and how we choose to address it. I still have full confidence in the FO and Coaching Staff to keep this going in the right direction.  

[JMF2006]

I noticed that with the snap counts that get posted..

 

Nice to hear Addison miked up last game and encouraging the young guys like Harry, Boogie and Obada

[billybrew1]

No QB ever needed no one; ever.  It's a eleven man, team game and for any QB to look good he has to have a good team around him. We just witnessed that in full against NE as the OL finally gave Josh some time and we all saw what he can do if given time.

His receivers got open, hustled their asses off and made plays. Singletary ran vey hard in this game. A QB needs a very good OC in most cases as well.... It's the ultimate team game.

[Rock'em Sock'em]

Nicely written post!

[Ray Stonada]

1 hour ago, billybrew1 said:

No QB ever needed no one; ever.  It's a eleven man, team game and for any QB to look good he has to have a good team around him. We just witnessed that in full against NE as the OL finally gave Josh some time and we all saw what he can do if given time.

His receivers got open, hustled their asses off and made plays. Singletary ran vey hard in this game. A QB needs a very good OC in most cases as well.... It's the ultimate team game.

 

Good point. I just meant he doesn't need older mentors anymore, just good teammates and a decent scheme.

 

[Bob in STL]

No mention of Poyer and Hyde, two of the biggest leaders on defense.  Also Morse and Feliciano on offense.  
 

The Bills are getting to the point we’re the mid-aged vets need to take the resigns and become the leaders (Allen, Dawkins, Tre, Edmunds, Milano).   That seems to be happening.  

[Ray Stonada]

41 minutes ago, Bob in STL said:

No mention of Poyer and Hyde, two of the biggest leaders on defense.  Also Morse and Feliciano on offense.  

Three of the four are mentioned. Hyde and apogee are still only 30 and should be playing well as the leaders of the secondary for minimum 2 more seasons. Hopefully 4-5.

 

 

 

[FireChans]

6 hours ago, Ray Stonada said:

Sean McDermott has always been vocal about having steadying, wise old veterans in each position group, and has brought in a number of players for this purpose. Lorax and Kyle Williams would be the archetypes of this role on the team. 

 

The 2021 season suggests that the younger and medium-age players are ready to take the reins, and are beginning to outplay and "out-mature" their veteran counterparts.

 

On D-line, Ed Oliver and Harry Philips are emerging and making players like Hughes (33 yo) and Addison (34) less critical. Star (32) has been neither productive nor a team leader. Efe Obada, who is 29 but without much tread on his tires, is playing better and benefiting from getting more snaps at DE. Epenesa, Rousseau and Basham need seasoning but have great potential. In the secondary, Hyde and Poyer are indispensable but still just 30. Younger guys like Dane Jackson are getting good playing experience this year and holding up. Klein is playing alright but the younger starting LBs (Edmunds and Milano) are better. 

 

The last two weeks, at least, Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie were more effective than their veteran counterparts, Sanders (34) and Beasley (32). Knox has improved his play and has no more need of a veteran like Lee Smith. I would love to see Antonio Williams get some carries over Moss as well. Dawkins and Brown are the most promising players on the line, and if Buffalo drafts a great guard and center to complement those two and Daryl Williams, the O line could be super solid AND young.

 

Josh Allen (25 y.o.) just played his most mature and effective game; he needs no one other than himself to become the most dominant QB in football. 

 

All in all, this season the younger guys have stepped up--in almost every case this year, they have shined when called on. And the veterans (Star, Addison, Feliciano, Sanders, Beasley, etc) are not providing leadership which Buffalo would fall apart with, either. If the Bills want to keep one vet in the symbolic Lorax/Williams role, I'd vote for Jerry Hughes. 

 

A crucial aspect of this is that McDermott and Beane recognize this shift we are making, from a young team in need of those older warriors to one ready to thrive and dominate with our increasingly experienced young core. These potential of these guys (Allen, Diggs, Davis, McKenzie, Knox, Singletary, Dawkins, Brown, Oliver, Philips, White, Wallace, Jackson, and more) is massive. And they can begin to mentor the incoming 22-25 year olds themselves. 

 

One of McDermott's best qualities is the ability to change, not to stay locked in any dogma other than the "process" of improvement itself. A small example would be benching Moss and going for it on 4th down 4 times in NE. As McDermott matures, he can let go of the need to have expensive veterans and guys from Carolina around as safety blankets, and let the players Buffalo drafted, developed or rejuvenated (like Diggs) take over. When this dynamic shift is complete, the older veterans will drop away, and their money can go to retaining our young core, who will respond to being given true responsibility. They will answer the call.

 

If they complete this process, multiple Lombardis are in reach.

 

 

Lets get Epenesa in pads first. And win one Lombardi.

[Ray Stonada]

1 hour ago, FireChans said:

Lets get Epenesa in pads first. And win one Lombardi.

 

Yup. That’s why I wrote “within reach.” I have maybe forty years to live and just really want to see the Bills get one. Everything after that, after a lifetime of rooting for them, will be gravy for me personally and maybe for lots of us fans. But I do think the Bills’ young core could become a dynasty—they have that talent and potential.