Gonna throw this out there and then duck lol. Pass rush.

[Logic]

Haven't read through all six pages, but...

I'm officially in the "please just devote one offseason to improving the offense for once" camp.

 

I'm not on the same level of frustration with this front office's continual investment in the defense as some posters on this board. I think that having both a top 5 defense and top 5 offense show that they've done pretty well building the team overall and having some semblance of balance. I also recognize that as long as Sean McDermott is the head coach, they're never going to stop caring about having a quality defense.

With all of that said...

It's time to invest some serious draft capital into restocking the cupboards on offense. They're in good shape at QB, LT, C, TE1, and WR1. Nothing else should be off the table. Get a serious WR prospect (or two). Take a swing on a TE2. If one of the really talented running backs fall (and they don't re-sign Singletary), take a swing there. And most of all, draft some capable offensive linemen.

People will be able to make legitimate arguments for safeties, defensive linemen, etc, and they won't be wrong, BUT...Please, please, please, build around Josh Allen. Work towards making his life as easy as Mahomes' is. You want to keep the Bills' championship window open for as long as possible? Then protect Allen and give him weapons. A healthy, productive Allen is the best, most direct, and -- over the the long haul -- most logical way to win championships.

[GunnerBill]

6 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

Top receiver is going to cost you a trade up, which likely means a 2024 1st rounder which is a tough sell when the team is now becoming quite expensive.  Need picks to include on rookie deals. 

 

I'd rather see what it would take to trade for Godwin or DJ Moore, especially if you include davis in the return.  

 

2022 - 6 went in the first - and the next tier was watson, robinson, metchie, thornton and pickens.  Combination of low statistical production, off field issues, injuries, and slot WRs.  Shakir honestly fits decently among that group as a projection going forward.  

 

2021 - 5 went in the first  - next tier was E. Moore, R. Moore, Eskridge, Atwell, and Marshall.  St. Brown and Palmer were the best players outside round 1 and they were 3rd and 4th round picks.  

 

This is more akin to 2021 to me. Last year's class had 5 guys who were legit first round talents. Dotson went in the 1st as well (and actually went 5th of the 6 I think) but the other 5 were all legit first round talents. This class doesn't have that. It has possibly 2 maybe 3 legit first round talents and then a bunch of guys that fit more in the Toney, Bateman, E.Moore category. 

 

The question is whether the Bills are willing to take one of the 2nd tier receivers at the end of round 1 over and above a legit round 1 talent (if one falls) at another spot - and Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M is the guy I am particularly thinking of as potentially in that category. 

[dpberr]

I think the talent is there on the defensive line.  The shortcomings of pass rush is strategy. 

 

In the first game against the Rams, most fans would have thought Jordan Phillips or AJ Epenesa were going to break the regular season sack records with how often they were in the Rams backfield.  The game plan wanted them back there, applying that pressure.  

 

Historical case in point - it's really no different how the Bills went from all-world sack machines Marcel Dareus and Mario Williams under Marrone in 2014 to near invisibility with Rex Ryan the following year.  

 

Or why Jerry Hughes had his second highest number of sacks this year in Houston (9) this year since, you guessed it, he was with Marrone/Bills in 2013-2014.  

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

What we have seen from Beane is that he takes a strategic approach to the addition of free agents.  He goes after filling remaining roster holes during the draft.  He must forecast which positions with the right level of talent will be available when the Bills draft in the early rounds.  Therefore, where the draft talent isn't going to be available, he targets those positions in free agency.  It seems like a simple and logical approach but other teams struggle to match up free agency and their draft strategy.  Many of us try to start at the wrong end of the process by trying to predict the early round draft picks first.  Until we know how free agency plays out, it is impossible to know or accurately guess what positions will be early draft picks.  Teams that are inherently good have a disciplined approach.  Teams that are up and down, are not systematic and disciplined.  They get enamored with specific players regardless of need and ignore the best players available in positions that will improve their team.  I trust Beane to work his process for the best possible outcome.

[frostbitmic]

If the Bills first two rounds ended with

 

Rashee Rice - WR - SMU

Cooper Beebe - G - Kansas St

 

I'd be a happy camper

Edited January 12, 2023 by frostbitmic

[97bills]

13 hours ago, SCBills said:

Hit on another Rousseau and I’ll never criticize them going after pass rushers early. 
 

They better be right though.  
 

Fanbase justifiably has zero patience for another rotational DE like Epenesa and Basham early while we ask Allen to do everything. 

Your right….. and those two second round picks could’ve been huge on offense. Epenesa and basham hardly move the needle, and one is a 3 year player and the other is in his second. Those picks not looking so great. 

[CSBill]

Best Player Available

 

Or, Best Offensive Lineman Available (if worthy)

[MarkyMannn]

14 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

We found Kingsley and from what little we’ve seen in the kid he looks phenomenal

JFR, you are a cheerleader no doubt. One game one tackle and he is phenomenal. No, Mahomes is phenomenal. Be realistic

[Paup 1995MVP]

14 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

We have put a huge amount of draft resources into our defense of line over recent years
 

We paid Von Miller that huge contract

 

Groot has been excellent

 

I am wondering how this board will feel if another highly rated pass rusher is on the board in the first round of the draft and they end up taking them over a pass protector or a wide receiver

 

I’m not endorsing it I’m just saying that it’s possible if they go best player available and given the fact that Von Miller is coming back off of an ACL injury and we don’t know how long it’s going to be before he can actually play

 

Jerry Hughes signed a contract with another team, the Texans I believe but he’s getting on an age. I wonder if they were lease him for cap Considerations if fans would like to have him back rather than using a first round pick on a pass rusher

 

The legend of Jerry Hughes is just that, a legendary story.  The guy was nothing special his last few years on the Bills.  And I can not imagine that he is going to be better next year when he will be at least 35 years old. 

[LABILLBACKER]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

Haven't read through all six pages, but...

I'm officially in the "please just devote one offseason to improving the offense for once" camp.

 

I'm not on the same level of frustration with this front office's continual investment in the defense as some posters on this board. I think that having both a top 5 defense and top 5 offense show that they've done pretty well building the team overall and having some semblance of balance. I also recognize that as long as Sean McDermott is the head coach, they're never going to stop caring about having a quality defense.

With all of that said...

It's time to invest some serious draft capital into restocking the cupboards on offense. They're in good shape at QB, LT, C, TE1, and WR1. Nothing else should be off the table. Get a serious WR prospect (or two). Take a swing on a TE2. If one of the really talented running backs fall (and they don't re-sign Singletary), take a swing there. And most of all, draft some capable offensive linemen.

People will be able to make legitimate arguments for safeties, defensive linemen, etc, and they won't be wrong, BUT...Please, please, please, build around Josh Allen. Work towards making his life as easy as Mahomes' is. You want to keep the Bills' championship window open for as long as possible? Then protect Allen and give him weapons. A healthy, productive Allen is the best, most direct, and -- over the the long haul -- most logical way to win championships.

It's really sad that this discussion has to be a "camp". The vast majority of Bills fans like myself have been screaming for over 3 years to drastically upgrade our "bargain basement" OL.  We saw Quessenberry almost end Josh's season. Saffold and Spencer have also struggled. Josh has had to escape the pocket early just as much this season as any other. It needs to start with 2-3 OL replacements and a legit Wr2. McB has been given more than enough chances to find a pass rusher.

Edited January 12, 2023 by LABILLBACKER

[DJB]

If we don’t go oline this off-season we riot

[VaMilBill]

15 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

where did we pick up groot end of the first?

Not endorsing it offensive line is my pick as well just trying to gauge what are management actually thinks

I wouldn’t call Groot a blue chip pass rusher. To be frank, I think some people on this board overestimate how good of a pass rusher he is. He’s a good DE, but I think his ceiling is like 8-10 sacks a year. Not ideal for your “premier” pass rusher. certainly not what we want to draft considering bigger needs on OL, WR2, S and maybe LB if edmunds leaves
 

 

[BrooklynBills]

Where they are picking should typically be where you can find elite interior OL which has been an ongoing issue. I'm more inclined to try to swing a trade for a WR who can contribute right away.

[John from Riverside]

18 minutes ago, VaMilBill said:

I wouldn’t call Groot a blue chip pass rusher. To be frank, I think some people on this board overestimate how good of a pass rusher he is. He’s a good DE, but I think his ceiling is like 8-10 sacks a year. Not ideal for your “premier” pass rusher. certainly not what we want to draft considering bigger needs on OL, WR2, S and maybe LB if edmunds leaves
 

 

Remember we do a line rotation groot doesn’t get all of the snaps that you would get on another team

[Dopey]

Before Jared Verse announced he was returning to FSU, I picked him in a few of my mocks. Von is on the wrong side of 30 and coming off of a knee injury. I don't think we have a starter waiting on the bench for Von to retire. It wouldn't be the worst thing to happen. As long as it's not a RB, I trust Beane.

[BuffaloBillsGospel2014]

12 hours ago, UConn James said:

It makes less and less sense to spend on DL, and D in general, when the league & refs allow / turn a blind eye to OLs holding on every play.

 

League wants scoring, at the expense of having good defensive players but getting boned by the rules changes so in favor of offenses. They want an arms race and comparatively besides Diggs, we’ve gotten Josh just a few drones to work with. I mean, he can do a hell of a lot by himself, but if we got him some REAL WRs and better protection on IOL & RT who were also not liabilities in the run blocking… we’d be unstoppable on O against anyone.

 

I still don't understand the Gabe Davis hate, I get he's dropped a bunch of passes but has also almost eclipsed 1,000 yards (he had 836 yards) as his first year as the true starter across from Diggs, 7 TD tied him for 15th in the league and his 17.4 YPC was 3rd in the league on only 48 receptions. No team in the league has 2 Stefon Diggs at WR and I think Davis is going to be a perfect compliment. I think he'll show his worth in the playoffs like he did last year and was a go to when teams focused on Diggs but that's just my opinion, I see a bunch of threads that think otherwise.

[Gunsgoodtime]

22 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

I swear to God if we go defense again in the early rounds in lue of OL/WR, I'll lose my S#!+.  

You and me both

[Gunsgoodtime]

14 hours ago, TheBeaneBandit said:

Has has actually shown to be a horrible pass rusher in every opportunity presented to him.

He had a great pass rush in the last game, put Mac on his back.  Some of you guys are atrocious with your hate

13 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I am actually wondering if this is the year that we start unloading guys like boogy and Epenesa for draft picks

I would be ok with this.  Neither will be missed

[Gunsgoodtime]

13 hours ago, whorlnut said:

It was a horrendous pick so far.

Hated it when it happened,hate it worse now.  Enough with all the Defensive picks!  Especially when they are missing on 80% of them

[Alphadawg7]

25 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

So you are saying they drafted for need and missed, whilst BPA would have landed far superior results.. cool

Not remotely what I said.  Cool