Possible McKenzie Replacement Bills sign Deonte Harty (formally Deonte Harris)

[MarkyMannn]

58 minutes ago, Einstein said:

Wow. Some of the Saints fans (his former team) are obliterating this signing.

 

 

Here are the comments from the 

 

"Already missed 23 games in 4 years due to injury and 3 to suspension. Not to mention the 9 fumbles in the games he did play. Buffalo did us a favor, we will break a table for em." - 44slayer

 

9 fumbles on 64 touches. Geez.....

 

Edit. 79 touches. 64 passing, 15 rushing. But still

Edited March 15, 2023 by MarkyMannn

[ngbills]

Just now, Warriorspikes51 said:

& prior to that? What did they miss since 2017? like a combined 3 games? 

Yeah but this how injuries typically work. When guys start getting banged up in their 30’s it generally gets worse not better. I love Hyde and Poyer as a tandem. It’s just at this point you need solid back ups. We don’t have anyone I trust on this roster and I can’t bank on them playing every week. 

Just now, MarkyMannn said:

9 fumbles on 64 touches. Geez.....

So confused by this move. 

[chongli]

3 hours ago, PetermansRedemption said:

So did he change his last name? I’m confused by the Harris Harty thing. 

 

Didn't read this entire thread, so someone may have already posted, but I found this:

 

https://saintswire.usatoday.com/2021/12/25/saints-deonte-harris-name-change-deonte-harty-nfl/

 

"Deonte Harris changes his legal name to honor his stepfather

 

New Orleans Saints All-Pro returns specialist Deonte Harris gave his stepfather a great Christmas gift on Saturday, announcing from his official Instagram account that he has legally changed his name to Deonte Harty. A sergeant in the Baltimore Police Department, Marlon Harty has been in Deonte’s life since he was 7 years old. Now he’s making a permanent move to honor someone who’s had a profound impact on him."

[newcam2012]

11 minutes ago, Jerboski said:

Seems like we overpaid from my view 

Seems like a big reach for speed. 

 

I don't get the pick up when the Bills have Hines as their special team returner. 

 

This guy can't stay healthy either at 5'6" 170. 

 

What a head scratcher pick and not exactly cheap either. 

[JohnBonhamRocks]

16 minutes ago, ngbills said:

Him and Hyde will miss games next year. And only have a couple years left. We need depth. 

Sure we need depth. Benford and a draft pick.

[FLFan]

4 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Maybe over a 3 course lunch.  There's not much to see.  He's had under 100 targets and had 2 seasons of single digit snap counts, max coming in at 36% once. 

 

I think some of the criticism may be related to the question of: is this guy better than McKenzie, who would play for a fraction of this guy will cost, or if he's just another receiver decision that doesn't work out (like Sanders, Crowder, Duke Williams, Foster, Andre Holmes, Beasley 2.0, "Smoke" 2.0....).

Yes, there is not much on the record to digest in evaluating this move for fans.  Personally, that is why i tend to trust to people who do this for a living and despite the girlish hysteria around here, have done it pretty damn well, as opposed to completely uninformed fan opinion from this board or any other.  The Bills needed upgrades at WR and this looks like an upgrade to me.  If it spells the end of MacKenzie on the Bills I am thrilled.  I have seen quite enough of him.  He is overpaid at any price, but particularly the $ 2.5 m he will be paid this year.  This guy will count another $1 m or so against the cap this year, which will be a bargain if he can actually play to his speed and hang on to the damn ball.  Well worth a shot in my opinion.  I hope the cut “Lil Dirty” today and spend that money on another useful player to fill one of our many other holes.   

[PBF81]

7 minutes ago, In Summary said:

You cannot question the commitment of the 90's Bills to OL.  

 

Or the DL and Front 7.   Smith, Hanson, Wright, Talley, Biscuit.  

 

That's much of my point here, almost all of our units were better back then.  Without any hesitation whatsoever, I'd swap out our OL, RBs, DL, LBs, even WRs.  

 

DBs are probably a wash as is TE.  Special teams were great back then, we don't have a Tasker on the team now.  

 

There are some other years since then that overall had better units too, OLs with Glenn, Wood, Levitre, I'd trade in a moment.  Some of our D backfields were better as a unit as well.  Same for our LBs, RBs for sure, and even WRs at times.  Gailey and Williams probably had the best, but they didn't have Allen.  

 

That's what Allen means to this team.  Put him on some of those overall better teams back then and IMO we wouldn't be talking about winning our first Championship anymore.  

 

Go BILLS!!!  

 

 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

If he was great he’d be a prime time player.

 

He’s a fringe NFL player because his size limits him.

 

Its delusional to think he comes here and becomes a Tyreek Hill kind of playmaker. 
 

Until further notice he’s in the pile of James Cook, Nyheim Hines, Isaiah McKenzie, guys that supposedly have the ability to take dump offs to the house, but the Bills in reality DON’T do that on offense. 
 

 

[Bray Wyatt]

14 minutes ago, MarkyMannn said:

9 fumbles on 64 touches. Geez.....

 

Edit. 79 touches. 64 passing, 15 rushing. But still

 

His fumbles were all due to muffed kicks, not when he was receiving or running the ball out of the backfield

[GreggTX]

Wake me up when we sign a good football player. Well, it's still early, but other teams are signing the good OL FA's and we're just signing backups so far. We'll just have to wait, I guess.

[Mr. WEO]

5 minutes ago, FLFan said:

Yes, there is not much on the record to digest in evaluating this move for fans.  Personally, that is why i tend to trust to people who do this for a living and despite the girlish hysteria around here, have done it pretty damn well, as opposed to completely uninformed fan opinion from this board or any other.  The Bills needed upgrades at WR and this looks like an upgrade to me.  If it spells the end of MacKenzie on the Bills I am thrilled.  I have seen quite enough of him.  He is overpaid at any price, but particularly the $ 2.5 m he will be paid this year.  This guy will count another $1 m or so against the cap this year, which will be a bargain if he can actually play to his speed and hang on to the damn ball.  Well worth a shot in my opinion.  I hope the cut “Lil Dirty” today and spend that money on another useful player to fill one of our many other holes.   

 

 

The point is that all of the guys I listed sure seemed like upgrades to McBeane when they signed them.

 

I get fans being down on McKenzie because of drops.  But he is a significant part of the Offense.  They would throw that away for a guy who for 4 years can hardly see the field:  he doesn't score, he doesn't get many 1st downs.  He's a sometimes return man.  The Bills already are paying Hines for this. 

[OldTimer1960]

8 minutes ago, PBF81 said:

 

Or the DL and Front 7.   Smith, Hanson, Wright, Talley, Biscuit.  

 

That's much of my point here, almost all of our units were better back then.  Without any hesitation whatsoever, I'd swap out our OL, RBs, DL, LBs, even WRs.  

 

DBs are probably a wash as is TE.  Special teams were great back then, we don't have a Tasker on the team now.  

 

There are some other years since then that overall had better units too, OLs with Glenn, Wood, Levitre, I'd trade in a moment.  Some of our D backfields were better as a unit as well.  Same for our LBs, RBs for sure, and even WRs at times.  Gailey and Williams probably had the best, but they didn't have Allen.  

 

That's what Allen means to this team.  Put him on some of those overall better teams back then and IMO we wouldn't be talking about winning our first Championship anymore.  

 

Go BILLS!!!  

 

 

Well, the salary cap started in 1994, that might have something to do with your observation that the Bills were better back then.

[GreggTX]

27 minutes ago, Jerboski said:

Seems like we overpaid from my view 

 

We overpaid McGovern too and by a LOT. Why are we throwing so much money at backups? I'm starting to have serious doubts about Beane's talent evaluation.

 

[OldTimer1960]

1 minute ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

The point is that all of the guys I listed sure seemed like upgrades to McBeane when they signed them.

 

I get fans being down on McKenzie because of drops.  But he is a significant part of the Offense.  They would throw that away for a guy who for 4 years can hardly see the field:  he doesn't score, he doesn't get many 1st downs.  He's a sometimes return man.  The Bills already are paying Hines for this. 

He caught 36 passes for 15.8 yard average in 2021 before being injured for most of last season.

[Mr. WEO]

Just now, OldTimer1960 said:

He caught 36 passes for 15.8 yard average in 2021 before being injured for most of last season.

 

yes

[NewEra]

11 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

If he was great he’d be a prime time player.

 

He’s a fringe NFL player because his size limits him.

 

Its delusional to think he comes here and becomes a Tyreek Hill kind of playmaker.

 

Until further notice he’s in the pile of James Cook, Nyheim Hines, Isaiah McKenzie, guys that supposedly have the ability to take dump offs to the house, but the Bills in reality DON’T do that on offense. 
 

 

Who are the delusional that are predicting he becomes a Tyreek Hill type of playmaker?

[ColoradoBills]

31 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

Am I right to feel that Harty is an attempt to upgrade on McKenzie at four, with Diggs, a newcomer and Davis above him? Cut McKenzie and there’s very little cap hit either.

 

He has pace and he seems to be pretty reliable with his hands which is a plus. The Saints fans don’t seem overly upset with his departure because of his injury record. Him staying healthy will be key as we have been able to call on McKenzie, more often than not.

 

Shakir is going to get a ton of snaps with the 1's this camp.  It will be a competition for the top 4 once my expected rookie gets drafted.

[Success]

19 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

Seems like a big reach for speed. 

 

I don't get the pick up when the Bills have Hines as their special team returner. 

 

This guy can't stay healthy either at 5'6" 170. 

 

What a head scratcher pick and not exactly cheap either. 

 

The injuries are mostly hammy - not size related.

 

And "speed" is no small thing.  We haven't had a guy who can truly stretch the field.

 

[PBF81]

5 minutes ago, OldTimer1960 said:

Well, the salary cap started in 1994, that might have something to do with your observation that the Bills were better back then.

 

OK, then default to my comments about the team under Williams & Gailey, and frankly many others for certain units of the team.  Don't leapfrog them.  

[John from Riverside]

4 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

27 minutes ago, Jerboski said:

Seems like we overpaid from my view 

 

We overpaid McGovern too and by a LOT. Why are we throwing so much money at backups? I'm starting to have serious doubts about Beane's talent evaluation.

 

Lol
McGovern got what $7 million whenever the going rate for starting guards was 10?

 

If they plan on starting him, they did not overpay