So Who Will Not Be a Bill by September?

[Success]

32 minutes ago, BillsBlue said:

edmunds plz

 

Our 2-time pro bowl linebacker?

 

Not likely.  Just because Edmunds isn't playing up to his draft trade/position doesn't mean he isn't vital on this team.

 

[mrags]

Haack is surely gone

 

Moss is likely gone. They aren’t getting rid of Cook, Motor, and either Duke Johnson or Jones. So that leaves Moss out. 

 

Epenesa better come to camp like he’s been dogged his whole life and light people’s hair on fire just by walking onto the field or he’s gone.
 

my personal opinion, is you’ll see Epenesa and Moss both traded during preseason. Likely for mid-late round picks next year. Then look for Beane to make some wheelin and dealin moves next years draft to really move up and get difference makers on offense. Top tier WRs or TEs or OL. 

[Flipnmi]

2 minutes ago, First Round Bust said:

Elam replaces Wallace
Cook replaces Breida - Moss looking at sitting on gameday unless Motor not running

Terrell Bernard likely replaces Dodson or Andre Smith

OJ Howard likely replaces Sweeney ?  Sweeney to PS ?

Punt God replaces Haack

Nobody on current roster replaces Ford as yet...TBD

Shakir likely replaces Stevenson who if makes it thru cuts goes to the PS unless Isaiah get hurt

Rest of draft picks, UDFAs likely cut and placed on PS

 

 

I realize we have little on-field evidence to support this, but I think they like Stevenson more than we may think.  Here's my rational:

 -He has the deep speed that no one else currently on the roster can provide.

 -He was put on IR last year vs. the PS, indicating they did not want to expose him to being poached.

 -When healthy, they moved to the 53. This can be explained as a need for a return guy, but it also gave him some valuable game experience.

 

I'm thinking they'll keep 7 WR's again.  Diggs, Davis, McKenzie, Crowder, Shakir, Kumerow (ST) & Stevenson.

 

[Big Turk]

Haack isn't that familiar, dude was only here one season. But most assuredly he is gone.

[MJS]

Ford will be here. He is decent depth. I am sure Epenesa will remain as well.

 

Moss I could see either way. Depends on how he compares to Duke Johnson, I guess.

 

I think Sweeney will be gone. Either Andre Smith or Tyrel Dodson could be gone, given that we drafted two linebackers. Maybe Matakevich if one of those linebackers takes over his special teams snaps. Haack is for sure gone.

Edited May 2, 2022 by MJS

[BillsfaninSB]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

Haack isn't that familiar, dude was only here one season. But most assuredly he is gone.

He has been with the Bills for only a season but his name has been mentioned countless times on this Board and elsewhere. 

[No_Matter_What]

51 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

Tommy Sweeney could have trouble. 
Duke and Moss might be in a fight for a job. 
But I could see some “injuries” where some of the young talent might do an IR stint at the very least to start the season. I don’t personally see a ton of wiggle room for the roster. We’re gonna cut a couple guys I’m sure are liked. Our practice squad probably gets poached a few times in early season too. 

Sweeney is as good as gone. OJ Howard already took his spot, and if we roster one more TE, it will be Wydermyer.

[JohnNord]

I’m telling you, it isn’t a given that Araizia replaces Haack based on what Beane said.  Remember the Bills had a punter with a pretty strong leg in Bojorquez.  They replaced him with Haack, knowing that he wasn’t as powerful as a punter, but that was an excellent directional punter and holder.  If that’s what they value, than I think Bass has an inside track on the position.  Araizia is going to have to impress in those areas to win the job.

 

I guess I could see a scenario where Moss is traded, though my guess is he will assume the TJ Yeldon inactive RB3 role.  
 

Im not a fan of Epinesa, but I think his job is safe considering the Bills brought back a veteran like Shaq to push him.  He’ll have to have a terrible a TC to get released/traded.

 

The WR room could get interesting.  The only players I’m certain of will be Diggs, Davis, and Shakir.

 

I don’t anticipate Crowder or McKenzie get cut but Shakir has similar attributes, so you never know.  
 

I think the last spot will be interesting with Kumerow/Hodgins/Stevenson 

[GunnerBill]

I think Ford will be gone. Haack will be gone. They both save money and Brandon told Brown and Tasker today he still needs to save money to have a contingency fund for in season.

 

I think both the new linebackers will make it - Bernard as linebacker depth and Spector as a ST ace which might push Andre Smith off the roster. 

 

That final two offensive spots will be a debate again. They went 5 backs (including Gilliam), 7 receivers and only two tight ends last year. Could we see similar again? Will, as ever, come down to teams. They didn't add a return man in the draft so who wins that battle in camp will be determinative. Kumerow might make it as a primary gunner this year because they will also need him as outside receiver depth (🤢) which for the first time means I don't think Taiwan Jones, who did look like he had lost half a step in 2021, is a lock.

 

 

[GolfandBills]

I think the Cook pick makes Duke Johnson a probable cut.  
 

Singletary

Cook

Moss

Jones

[Chicharito]

Bobby hart. I don’t even know why he is on this team again. He is the new Vlad Ducause

[Comebackkid]

4 minutes ago, GolfandBills said:

I think the Cook pick makes Duke Johnson a probable cut.  
 

Singletary

Cook

Moss

Jones

Why would you keep moss over duke?

[LyndonvilleBill]

8 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I think Ford will be gone. Haack will be gone. They both save money and Brandon told Brown and Tasker today he still needs to save money to have a contingency fund for in season.

 

I think both the new linebackers will make it - Bernard as linebacker depth and Spector as a ST ace which might push Andre Smith off the roster. 

 

That final two offensive spots will be a debate again. They went 5 backs (including Gilliam), 7 receivers and only two tight ends last year. Could we see similar again? Will, as ever, come down to teams. They didn't add a return man in the draft so who wins that battle in camp will be determinative. Kumerow might make it as a primary gunner this year because they will also need him as outside receiver depth (🤢) which for the first time means I don't think Taiwan Jones, who did look like he had lost half a step in 2021, is a lock.

 

 

I thought I read that Shakir had punt returns? Or at least return ability?🤔

[No_Matter_What]

11 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

I don’t anticipate Crowder or McKenzie get cut but Shakir has similar attributes, so you never know.  

I am truly surprised how many posters mention Crowder as a possible cut candidate (you mention it as remote possibility only, but some people are even advocating it).

 

He is not going anywhere. If he is healthy, he is super reliable WR who will thrive with Allen, same as Beasley. If he gets hurt, he might be replaced by Shakir or McKenzie and might not get his snaps back, but he isn't going to be cut.

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, LyndonvilleBill said:

I thought I read that Shakir had punt returns? Or at least return ability?🤔

 

Good point. He has. More punts than kicks I think. I think they drafted him to play receiver rather than to return is I suppose my distinction. Stevenson last year for example was drafted as a returner who could play receiver in a pinch. I think Shakir is here to play receiver but he is an option in an open return competition.

[Rico]

6 minutes ago, No_Matter_What said:

I am truly surprised how many posters mention Crowder as a possible cut candidate (you mention it as remote possibility only, but some people are even advocating it).

 

He is not going anywhere. If he is healthy, he is super reliable WR who will thrive with Allen, same as Beasley. If he gets hurt, he might be replaced by Shakir or McKenzie and might not get his snaps back, but he isn't going to be cut.

Ex-Jet on an extremely cheap contract, it would be no big deal to let him go.

[LyndonvilleBill]

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Good point. He has. More punts than kicks I think. I think they drafted him to play receiver rather than to return is I suppose my distinction. Stevenson last year for example was drafted as a returner who could play receiver in a pinch. I think Shakir is here to play receiver but he is an option in an open return competition.

Your right. Had to go double check myself as I knew I saw it somewhere.

 

College career.

24 PR 7.5yrd average (9 in 21' for 8.5av)

7 KR 23.9 yard average. (2 in 21' for 28.5 av)

[Airseven]

Ford better be a Bill this fall or else their backup IOL is a one-legged Boettger. 

[No_Matter_What]

18 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I think Ford will be gone. Haack will be gone. They both save money and Brandon told Brown and Tasker today he still needs to save money to have a contingency fund for in season.

 

I think both the new linebackers will make it - Bernard as linebacker depth and Spector as a ST ace which might push Andre Smith off the roster. 

 

That final two offensive spots will be a debate again. They went 5 backs (including Gilliam), 7 receivers and only two tight ends last year. Could we see similar again? Will, as ever, come down to teams. They didn't add a return man in the draft so who wins that battle in camp will be determinative. Kumerow might make it as a primary gunner this year because they will also need him as outside receiver depth (🤢) which for the first time means I don't think Taiwan Jones, who did look like he had lost half a step in 2021, is a lock.

 

 

Ford saves money but I still think he stays. They will give him one last shot under new OL coach and it's not like we have better options.

 

Haack is gone for sure but he saves only a little money. I think its less than $400k if you consider that he needs to be replaced by Araiza.

 

Don't you think that Matakevich could be cut? Cutting him saves quite a lot. Any chance that Spector (or anybody else) pushes him off the roster?

[blacklabel]

I’ll be real surprised if Luke Tenuta makes this team. Nothing against the kid but aside from his size, I have not read very many positives about the guy. They don’t like giving up on their draft picks too early so I’ll say he might end up on the practice squad but he’s got a tough road ahead if he’s making this team. 
 

In line with holding out on their picks, I’ll say Zack Moss makes the cut over Duke Johnson. He might be the gameday scratch more often than not because we know Singletary is RB1 and they’re gonna get James Cook involved right off the bat, I think. And of course McDermott gots to have his special teams guys so Taiwan Jones will be RB3 over Moss, unless Moss suddenly morphs into a special teams all star or something. 
 

Much to the chagrin of some posters here, Tremaine Edmunds and Cody Ford will make this team. Ford actually showed some real improvement late last season when he played. The Washington DL (Daron Payne, mainly) mugged that kid for his lunch money every down during Week Four last season. That was brutal. But later in the year, he was better. 
 

And with Tremaine, I can *kind of* understand the criticism he gets here. I’m sure with his elite size and athleticism we’d all like to see more game changing and impactful plays, however, he’s more so just been a steady eddie in the middle there with the occasional big play and the occasional lapse. His size and range still makes it tough for opponents to attack the middle of the field with the passing game. Does he have a misstep here and there? Sure. He gets caught on blocks as well but overall he’s a solid player. The grass isn’t always greener. Remember last year when he missed the game against Indy and Jonathan Taylor ran all over AJ Klein, I think Klein still has cleat marks in his face all these months later.
 

So before you go clamoring for someone to be replaced, consider who could possibly replace him and how they’d do wearing the green dot and leading a complex defensive scheme. You gonna have Milano play the middle? Then y’all gonna scream he’s too small for it. Dodson? Andre Smith? Marquel Lee? Matakevitch? Shoot, even the MLB some of y’all thought would be a better pick than Edmunds (Vander Esch) has been all sorts of injured and is pretty much second fiddle to Parsons now. It’s always a crapshoot with the draft and even signing players from the lower tiers in free agency. All told, Edmunds is one of the better LBs in the league but because he went 16th overall he needs to be picking off nine passes, forcing a dozen fumbles along with ten sacks and fourteen tackles for loss per game  otherwise he’s a bust. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by blacklabel