7 Bills players that are trending up and down (per Joe B)

[chongli]

18 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

One would think it is easier to defend the punt return if they pin the ball to one side of the field. 

 

As long as there is no "Homerun Throwback" with defenders not maintaining lane integrity, lol!

2 hours ago, Offside Number 76 said:

 

A punter certainly can outkick his coverage.  That's why the hang time stat was discovered/invented (in large, as a response to Reggie Roby with the fins, who could seemingly kick a ball into the clouds) to begin with.  It's a delicate balance.  Directional punting, which fell out of favor for about 25 years but seems to be regaining a foothold, can combat that.

 

BTW, off-topic, but your user name reminded me of Smerlas's tendency to jump the gun. Drove me crazy. Thanks for that, lol! That, and the tendency of those 80's Bills always running up the middle under Chuck Knox. Even as aq kid, I knew what was coming when the Bills O lined up a certain way. At least we had Cribbs and Leaks.

Edited August 6, 2022 by chongli

[Big Blitz]

I've seen all I need to see of Siran Neal and Cam Lewis.  I mean....They're so meh.  

 

I'm rooting for McCloud and Benford to really show in the preseason games.  

 

I really like McCloud.  

 

I think the CB battle is just as intriguing as the WR group.   

[Rico]

12 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

Don't believe any of it. These guys know nothing about football or have any insight into what the plays/assignments are.

 

Over the years I've enjoyed reading the "play-by-plays", so to speak, of each practice. Just the bare bones recap, not this stupid "who's trending" crap. You can notice trends from day to day on your own, but none of it matters until the games are played. It's the same song and dance every offseason.

You have to take them with a grain of salt, but IMO at least general observations and ‘trending’ are interesting and readable, the play-by-plays are not zzzzzz.

[Doc Brown]

1 hour ago, Big Blitz said:

I've seen all I need to see of Siran Neal and Cam Lewis.  I mean....They're so meh.  

 

I'm rooting for McCloud and Benford to really show in the preseason games.  

 

I really like McCloud.  

 

I think the CB battle is just as intriguing as the WR group.   

Neal is a lock with his special teams ability and reports he's having a strong camp.  I think Lewis is cut and Benford makes the team.  McCloud will pry be the most difficult decision and it may come down to whether they put T. White on the pup list.

[machine gun kelly]

I’ve listened to reports Elam has been a little handsy, but is keeping up with Diggs and Davis.  Most of this report was obvious, but glad to see Moss is practicing better.

 

I doubt Shaq is making the team if the inside guys do their job against the run.  Shaq used to be able to set the edge, but was never a penetrating DE.

[BuffaloBill]

13 hours ago, TBBills said:

Hard to know who to believe in these reports. I have heard many positives abut Elam.

 

 

Exactly … this name as trending down was a surprise to me.  I would say the same for Brown.

[Bill from NYC]

11 hours ago, FLFan said:

All due respect to the SEC, college is not the NFL, and he was not facing polished NFL receivers, no matter how the players you mention “could wind up”.  According to Elam, Allen is the best QB he has ever seen.  That is most certainly true.  He has not faced competition like this before. 

 

Don't get me wrong,  I think Elam is a good player and will be just fine.  I was just responding to concerns being expressed as to why he has not been out of the gate dominant as pointed by Joe B in the quoted article.  

Allen might be the best that any of us ever saw! This is not my point. Elam faced, and played well against Mac Jones (behind a GREAT OL) throwing to the Heisman Trophy winner (Davonta Smith) and a receiver on the other side who is probably just as good as Smith (Jaylen Waddle). Oh, Jones also had Najee Harris (a great blocker and receivcer) helping out. 

 

My point is that Elam is a proven skilled player. Great competition is not new to him. 

[Bill from NYC]

11 hours ago, NewEra said:

Both a great.  Neither are Stefan Diggs.  

At this point I fully agree. Down the road, who knows?

[bigK14094]

Taron Johnson is an good pro, so we do have CB3 covered well.  Just need to squeeze out some play from the rookies.  I expect play by committee at CB until White comes back.

[LABILLBACKER]

18 hours ago, chongli said:

 

Thanks for posting this good nugget.

 

If Araiza can punt farther but with the same hang time as (or less than) Haack, wouldn't that give the returner a running head start against the defenders? Just wondering. 

Not if he kicks it over their heads instead of watching Haack shank a 7 yarder.  The short Haack era will soon be over.

[BADOLBILZ]

20 hours ago, Southern_Bills said:

I wouldn't stress over Elam, I'm not sure any CB comes into the league with things "figured out" mentally. 

 

I would think they are throwing the book at him to attempt to get him ready. If he gets it figures out be week 8 it's a win for the Bills.

 

 

Yeah..........but if it takes Elam 8 weeks to not be a liability...........and by then White, Jackson and Johnson are all good.........then it would have negated the value of drafting Elam for need.    Which is almost always the problem with drafting for need..........the player is rarely ready to step into an uncontested or lightly contested situation and play that large of a role on a contending team.

 

Best scenario is to fill your needs in UFA or within...........and then if you draft a player you hope can start,  they have a veteran that they have to compete with for the job.    That puts the focus where it belongs......competing against an opponent rather than themselves.  

[Doc Brown]

2 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Yeah..........but if it takes Elam 8 weeks to not be a liability...........and by then White, Jackson and Johnson are all good.........then it would have negated the value of drafting Elam for need.    Which is almost always the problem with drafting for need..........the player is rarely ready to step into an uncontested or lightly contested situation and play that large of a role on a contending team.

 

Best scenario is to fill your needs in UFA or within...........and then if you draft a player you hope can start,  they have a veteran that they have to compete with for the job.    That puts the focus where it belongs......competing against an opponent rather than themselves.  

They should've gave Wallace competition at CB2 last year either through free agency or the draft while White was healthy.  They could've jumped Green Bay for Stokes or drafted Tyson Campbell.  Instead we spend our first two picks on DE's after drafting one in the 2nd round the year before.

[BADOLBILZ]

58 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

They should've gave Wallace competition at CB2 last year either through free agency or the draft while White was healthy.  They could've jumped Green Bay for Stokes or drafted Tyson Campbell.  Instead we spend our first two picks on DE's after drafting one in the 2nd round the year before.

 

 

I don't agree with that..........CB in a zone system like the Bills play is at the bottom of the premium position list.     If they get consistent pass rush they should never need first round corners in this defense.   I know people assume you can't "mix in" man coverage without having first round CB's but that's not true.    I will say that I didn't care for the Basham pick but Rousseau was definitely the right call.        

[Buffalo Junction]

9 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

Allen might be the best that any of us ever saw! This is not my point. Elam faced, and played well against Mac Jones (behind a GREAT OL) throwing to the Heisman Trophy winner (Davonta Smith) and a receiver on the other side who is probably just as good as Smith (Jaylen Waddle). Oh, Jones also had Najee Harris (a great blocker and receivcer) helping out. 

 

My point is that Elam is a proven skilled player. Great competition is not new to him. 

It’s not. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Elam have a similar rookie season to Eric Stokes (GA) last year…. Looked bad in preseason trying to guard Davante Adams, looked better against lesser competition, got burned bad a few times by top WRs but displayed talent, everything started to come together by the last third of the season. 
 

It takes a season for a lot of these corners to round into form. As Fans we often want instant success, but displayed talent and trending upwards with experience is the more realistic expectation. 

[Offside Number 76]

17 hours ago, chongli said:

your user name reminded me of Smerlas's tendency to jump the gun

 

Yep, that's why it is...

[HappyDays]

2 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

Yeah..........but if it takes Elam 8 weeks to not be a liability...........and by then White, Jackson and Johnson are all good.........then it would have negated the value of drafting Elam for need.    Which is almost always the problem with drafting for need..........the player is rarely ready to step into an uncontested or lightly contested situation and play that large of a role on a contending team.

 

Beane didn't pick Elam solely because CB was a need. He said Elam was their last remaining player with a 1st round grade. He is like every other 1st round pick Beane has made - raw talent with high physical upside and high football chacter. If Elam ends up a bust it won't be because Beane forced the pick to fill a need. I think their silence in the CB free agent market is a sign that they expect White to be ready sooner rather than later, not a sign that they expect Elam to immediately be a plus starter.

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by HappyDays

[HappyDays]

3 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Eh… I think knew they were going CB and they were sure of it since February… they wanted to make sure they got one hence the reason they traded up with all of them coming off the board…

 

They traded up two spots to get the last remaining 1st round grade on their boars. Unless you think Beane is lying for some reason. Personally I take him at his word.

[MasterStrategist]

23 hours ago, Success said:

I think Moss will surprise people this year.  He's really talented, and has rarely been at 100% over the past couple of years.  

 

Agree.  We have an "under rated" group, each bringing a different skill set that compliments the other.

 

I'm looking forward to how Dorsey utilizes the trio of Rbs, along with the all the other skill position talent.

 

 

[Dr. Who]

2 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

They traded up two spots to get the last remaining 1st round grade on their boars. Unless you think Beane is lying for some reason. Personally I take him at his word.

I have a hazy memory of reading that in the wake of the KC defensive debacle in the playoffs, it was determined that we needed a cb with greater athleticism, speed, and the capacity to play man. The fellas we had out there when White went down could only handle very limited scheme specific roles and it made our defense more predictable. If that recollection is correct, it implies cb was considered a need. The urgency for Elam may have been he was the last cb with a round one grade, though I am just speculating.

[MasterStrategist]

1 hour ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I don't agree with that..........CB in a zone system like the Bills play is at the bottom of the premium position list.     If they get consistent pass rush they should never need first round corners in this defense.   I know people assume you can't "mix in" man coverage without having first round CB's but that's not true.    I will say that I didn't care for the Basham pick but Rousseau was definitely the right call.        

Basham was a steal in the 2nd, get ready for him to prove it this year.

 

Adding premium players at CB is exactly what a team like Buffalo can afford to do, at this point of their roster construction.  Especially against the plethora of talented Afc offenses.  Cincy/Kc/Chargers/Raiders/Broncos/Dolphins all have stacked offense skill position groups and/or Qbs.  We will likely match up with one of these teams in the playoffs.  Then there are the Colts/Titans/Pats style offenses, where physicality and being able to stop the run is more critical (hence the Jones/Settle/Phillips/Shaq signings and overall rebuild of DL).  We are much better equipped to not have 42 points dropped on us in the playoffs/regular season