TE3 more important than ever. Room for a TE4?

[benderbender]

Much has been made of the 2 TE set potential with Howard and Knox. I think featuring those sets would add a wrinkle to what the opposing defense has to prepare for, even if we don't use it often. Not to mention adding the possibility of play action in scenarios that in the Dabol era were clear running formations. However very little has been made of OJ and Dawson's combined injury history. Don't get me wrong, the upside for their tandem is amazing. The ceiling is sky high. But with a longer season and early bye week, it's not unreasonable to prepare for the eventuality that we'll be without either or both of them at some point. Assuming Dorsey is serious about 2 TE sets, are we going to roster an extra TE at the cost of an RB? Do we utilize Morris as a FB/TE hybrid? Are we keeping Wydermyer around for any other reason than he's 6'5" and spells his name weirdly? And just what exactly do we have in Sweeney? 

[Ya Digg?]

To me there’s way too much talent at other positions to have to cut someone just to have a 4th TE

[BarleyNY]

The league changed their active roster rules in 2020. Teams can now dress 48 players as long as 8 are offensive linemen. Otherwise it’s 47. That’s leading to the demise of blocking TEs who are being replaced by OTs who can block better and still catch a few balls during a season. I’m sure that some of the better blocking TEs will be reclassified as OTs as well. I think Doyle is the guy taking on that role for the Bills.

[TPS]

7 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

To me there’s way too much talent at other positions to have to cut someone just to have a 4th TE

Gilliam effectively gives them a 4th and FB.

[TBBills]

I doubt it... we don't even know if they will even use much 2 TE sets during the season. Practicing it doesn't mean it will make its way into the game plan, especially this early in TC.

Edited July 30, 2022 by TBBills

[gonzo1105]

They could carry “4 TEs” but not in the traditional sense. They could go Knox, Howard, Sweeney or whomever, and Gilliam. 
 

You could also go Knox, Howard, Gilliam(FB), and Doyle (OT) who played a lot of blocking TE last year.  

[Don Otreply]

3 minutes ago, TBBills said:

I doubt it... we don't even know if they will even use much 2 TE sets during the season. Practicing it doesn't mean it will make its way into the game plan, especially this early in TC.

Conversely, it doesn’t mean it won’t, I would expect all teams practice stuff that they potentially see a use for, teams are always looking for a new wrinkle to use against their opponents. 

[SCBills]

Sweeney better show marked improvement from last year.

 

The dude was unplayable after the Jax game. 
 

Roll with Knox/Howard, Gilliam as FB/TE and Doyle as Jumbo TE.   Done. 
 

Not interested, at all, in discussion of taking away a valuable roster spot because we all suddenly became obsessed with 2 TE sets due to Dorsey playing for the Miami Hurricanes decades ago. 
 

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by SCBills

[Matt_In_NH]

54 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

To me there’s way too much talent at other positions to have to cut someone just to have a 4th TE

Not to mention you can dress 8 OL and bring in a tackle when you want the beef

[Mr. WEO]

They just get a TE2 now they gotta get 3 and 4?  
 

Why not 5? 4 looks like he may have some injury issues

[machine gun kelly]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

They just get a TE2 now they gotta get 3 and 4?  
 

Why not 5? 4 looks like he may have some injury issues

Do I hear 6, 6, 6, how about 7?

 

just kidding bud.  We are fine with Howard, Knox, Gilliam as the hybrid FB/TE, and sub Doyle as a blocking TE.  They may keep Sweeney still, but there are no quality TE’s out there.  

[Big Turk]

On the practice squad 

I think people are making way too big a deal of something we likely will only run a few times a game on average and will be opponent based matchup related.

 

If you think this is going to turn into a run first team you will be sadly mistaken.

[BADOLBILZ]

49 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

To me there’s way too much talent at other positions to have to cut someone just to have a 4th TE

 

 

As shallow as they are at WR they could literally run with 5 WR's(Diggs, Davis, Shakir, McKenzie and Crowder).  

 

Maybe even 4 if Crowder doesn't get right.

 

Unless they have amazing camps or preseasons Austin, Hodgins and Stevenson would all probably have to take practice squad jobs anywhere else in the NFL so they'd be there to provide playbook familiarity if nothing else.

 

[billybrew1]

5 hours ago, benderbender said:

Much has been made of the 2 TE set potential with Howard and Knox. I think featuring those sets would add a wrinkle to what the opposing defense has to prepare for, even if we don't use it often. Not to mention adding the possibility of play action in scenarios that in the Dabol era were clear running formations. However very little has been made of OJ and Dawson's combined injury history. Don't get me wrong, the upside for their tandem is amazing. The ceiling is sky high. But with a longer season and early bye week, it's not unreasonable to prepare for the eventuality that we'll be without either or both of them at some point. Assuming Dorsey is serious about 2 TE sets, are we going to roster an extra TE at the cost of an RB? Do we utilize Morris as a FB/TE hybrid? Are we keeping Wydermyer around for any other reason than he's 6'5" and spells his name weirdly? And just what exactly do we have in Sweeney? 

It think just two TEs make it, Howard is a better blocker than Sweeney or anybody else but he is really too slow now to be that much of a weapon. I think Sweeney got f***ed over by Covid…

Cook and Shakir change the playbook, but If OBJ signs look for more of the same except for Josh trying to check it down more than last year…. But at the same time, you have to let Josh be Josh and dominate the game.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

No way they carry 4 TEs. 

If I'm McD I go with Knox, Howard, and Doyle or some other backup OT. 

Cut Gilliam. I have no idea why he is on the roster. He does nothing well. He doesn't block well, he doesn't catch well out of the backfield, and he doesn't pass protect well. Their should be no roster spot for a FB unless they are a special talent, which he is clearly not.

As others have said they need to reserve a few roster spots for special teams and backup OL.

 

[Rampage]

Four TE's is just bad roster management. Your third tight end is only getting a handful of snaps at best in a game and now you want a fourth one to do even less? You're better off investing in an extra lineman or corner.

[nucci]

I think you guys are expecting too much from Howard

[NoSaint]

6 hours ago, BarleyNY said:

The league changed their active roster rules in 2020. Teams can now dress 48 players as long as 8 are offensive linemen. Otherwise it’s 47. That’s leading to the demise of blocking TEs who are being replaced by OTs who can block better and still catch a few balls during a season. I’m sure that some of the better blocking TEs will be reclassified as OTs as well. I think Doyle is the guy taking on that role for the Bills.

I’ve often said that a developmental OT is still your best blocking OT and it’s only gotten more true

 

a young guy can get live reps in a role he’s growing into instead of a super limited TE that has little upside 

[ColoradoBills]

31 minutes ago, nucci said:

I think you guys are expecting too much from Howard

 

I don't expect much from any TE2.  Hoping for some good blocking and catching 15-20 passes.

[Patrick Duffy]

6 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I don't expect much from any TE2.  Hoping for some good blocking and catching 15-20 passes.

I get it, but I do expect more than what we had in Sweeney.