Beane again showing why he is a top GM

[TOboy]

I’m a huge fan of Beane’s and the job he’s done putting this roster together. I have complete confidence in him going forward. 
 

That said, I think the real heroes of the offseason so far are the Pegula’s. They keep cutting checks to keep this team competing at the top of the league. After Ralph, it’s pretty amazing to have big baller owners willing to do what needs to be done to win. 

[SCBills]

19 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I like the moves but nothing gets me totally excited.

 

I like the potential for McGovern and Deonte Harris.

 

I like that Bates probably moves back to LG where I think he's stronger and an upgrade over Saffold.  I anticipate McGovern is a better RG than Bates.  Bates IMO made his name as a LG in 2021.  I don't feel comfortable with Spencer Brown at RT.  We don't need a star RT but also don't need a liability like Brown is.

 

Jeremy White brought up a good point.  You have to be really, really special in something if you're a 5'6 and playing in the NFL.  

Looks like the Bills are giving him that shot to untap it.

 

We need another WR and I suspect we aren't done looking.

 

This is where I am on the OL.

 

Dawkins - Bates - Morse - McGovern .... that 4/5ths of a line is pretty solid, and still has untapped potential in the Guard spots... if we had a stud at RT.  

 

Brown has stud potential, but he's been a mess so far.  

 

Bengals (Brown), Chiefs (Taylor) and Dolphins (Armstead) all have a perceived stud Tackle... we don't.   Nevermind the Chiefs IOL, which is the best in the league. 

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by SCBills

[pocoboy]

6 minutes ago, Radar said:

My feeling is you may have over evaluated Beane in your OP. I like him and think he's above average even but you seem to think of him more highly than most I suspect.

 

Frankly, I think our view of the best GM's gets skewed by how absolutely crucial it is to have a top QB. If you have that, your GM is going to look awesome because a) a top QB learns how to win close games, and b) a top QB lures in talent that wants to win. So your top QB rises all boats - a top one will make average offensive talent look awesome and such.

 

Beane deserves some criticism in my book, if only for not planning for necessary departures. This is all a plan that should form your draft strategy in 2021 and 2022. And maybe it did. But in some ways it looks like he just ceded to McDermott whatever he wanted, and viewed the picks as a luxury - i.e. we're all set everywhere, let's just try to hit on something that might take us from A+ to A++.

6 minutes ago, SCBills said:

 

This is where I am on the OL.

 

Dawkins - Bates - Morse - McGovern .... that 4/5ths of a line is pretty solid, and still has untapped potential in the Guard spots... if we had a stud at RT.  

 

Brown has stud potential, but he's been a mess so far.  

 

Bengals (Brown), Chiefs (Taylor) and Dolphins (Armstead) all have a perceived stud Tackle... we don't.   Nevermind the Chiefs IOL, which is the best in the league. 

 

 

Yeah I think you ought to be trying to draft a long term LT this year, and see if he can overcome Brown at RT this season and round into form. Dawkins isn't going to be here forever, and if you can really hit on a great LT that way, you could always push Dawkins to the vision side and maybe it could extend his usefulness/take the pressure off him.

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

“….top GM”…not withstanding the OL…and he has not proven he can draft one either…

[Ponch]

17 hours ago, JaCrispy said:

OP just turned 10 and this is his first full offseason as a fan…😉

You’re on a roll Crispy 😂 

[ngbills]

1 hour ago, Success said:

I thought there might be some disagreement - but the way some are talking about Beane is disconnected, imo.

 

At minimum, he came into a franchise that was absolutely woeful for decades, and turned them into a top contender.

 

And we were in 2022. I keep saying it - but in the first couple of months, we were among the best, if not the best.  We looked great.  Miller elevated the play of so many guys on that D - Groot, Oliver, Epenesa.  We had a real pass rush.

 

We had a LOT of things go against us this past season. Injuries to Hyde & Miller, Phillips & Poyer playing hurt down the stretch, 2 blizzards, one relocation, a guy almost dying on the field in front of his teammates.  Winning a SB is about overcoming adversity, but it hit a tipping point (imo).  

 

Not much Beane can do about that. But he built a team we ALL thought could win a SB last year.  That has to count for something.

 

We were average and never had a QB. Woeful is an exaggeration. 

[Success]

Just now, ngbills said:

We were average and never had a QB. Woeful is an exaggeration. 

 

I'd disagree w/ that.  We had the longest playoff drought in NFL history.

 

We couldn't get out of our own way.  

 

[Paup 1995MVP]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

 

This is where I am on the OL.

 

Dawkins - Bates - Morse - McGovern .... that 4/5ths of a line is pretty solid, and still has untapped potential in the Guard spots... if we had a stud at RT.  

 

Brown has stud potential, but he's been a mess so far.  

 

Bengals (Brown), Chiefs (Taylor) and Dolphins (Armstead) all have a perceived stud Tackle... we don't.   Nevermind the Chiefs IOL, which is the best in the league. 

 

Do we draft a RT in the first 2 rounds?  Are there any where we are drafting that can come right in and plug and play at a reasonably high level?  Someone who knows the O lineman in this draft please let me know.  RT is our weakness on offense.

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, Success said:

I thought there might be some disagreement - but the way some are talking about Beane is disconnected, imo.

 

At minimum, he came into a franchise that was absolutely woeful for decades, and turned them into a top contender.

 

And we were in 2022. I keep saying it - but in the first couple of months, we were among the best, if not the best.  We looked great.  Miller elevated the play of so many guys on that D - Groot, Oliver, Epenesa.  We had a real pass rush.

 

We had a LOT of things go against us this past season. Injuries to Hyde & Miller, Phillips & Poyer playing hurt down the stretch, 2 blizzards, one relocation, a guy almost dying on the field in front of his teammates.  Winning a SB is about overcoming adversity, but it hit a tipping point (imo).  

 

Not much Beane can do about that. But he built a team we ALL thought could win a SB last year.  That has to count for something.

 

It counts for something. It means we were all wrong.  The reasons for our wrongs can be debated. Whats Not debatable is Beame and McD haven't gotten this team over the hump. Three straight disappointing playoff losses. That counts for something too.

 

Depends on your outlook and perspective. Are we happy with playoffs appearances with disappointing results? Surely its better than the past. 

 

As for me, the Bills have an elite QB and I want that Lombard Trophy in Buffalo. Thats the goal and of course its difficult. Nothing short of this will be a success as long as a healthy Josh is in play. 

[TBBills Fan]

17 hours ago, HardyBoy said:

 

Luke didn't have to face Vader to become a Jedi, he had to face himself and the fear that he might behind Vader if he didn't learn to stay calm and within himself and follow his process, while looking for opportunities to self reflect and continue improving... basically that's my interpretation...external pressures are what would lead to the dark side basically.

and Yoda was scared of both as he wasnt sure either could face their own biggest challenge and succeed.  That challenge was themself!

 

May the force be with Beane!

[ngbills]

15 hours ago, Dopey said:

That can be said for any team that loses a qb of that caliber. Beane drafted him…to no credit, apparently. 
Just B word to B word. 

The point is put the same QB on every team and where do the Bills stack up? Yes he gets credit for Josh Allen, but what has he built around him? You have the best QB in the league then you should be a Super Bowl contender. Right now the Bills are slipping out of that category. 

[Low Positive]

The GM and the coaching staff also don’t seem to have the urgency that this moment requires. We need another WR. It’s plain as day to every fan but Beane has to maintain his precious draft capital. Maybe letting someone who has as much football knowledge as a fan run the team like the Bengals do is the way to go. There is no way that Beane drafts Chase over Sewell. He’s got value charts and drafts for team needs. Katie Blackburn, Mike Brown’s daughter who runs the Bengals, let Burrow make the draft pick and he drafted like a fan would. It turns out that in this case, the fan would be right. Let’s let Josh Allen make our first two picks this year. It would at least be fun.

Edited March 16, 2023 by FrenchConnection

[pocoboy]

1 minute ago, FrenchConnection said:

The GM and the coaching staff also don’t seem to have the urgency that this moment requires. We need another WR.

 

***** and the draft was yesterday. Damned.

[QCity]

18 hours ago, Success said:

What he has done so far is like a magic trick. This team was WAY over cap just a week ago.  Yes, a lot of contracts were set up to restructure. But we've signed a speedy receiver, a solid starter at guard and re-signed Poyer.  

 

Why was the team "WAY over the cap just a week ago?" Sounds like you're praising the guy who started the fire for putting it out.

 

Whenever you see a GM restructuring that much money it's telling that something has gone wrong, and there's no amount of homer spin that can hide it.

[Billsguy]

I think it's too early to draw any conclusions. However, I always try to remember that the game is relative to your competition. A team can improve and still fall farther behind the competition if the others teams improve more. It was proven last year that the Bills were not good enough. How has the Bills team improved so far compared to other top teams? On that basis, the Bills are slightly behind where they were last year. Other teams have made some significant additions and the Bills have made a couple minor questionable additions. Since it was Beane who got the Bills into salary cap trouble, I don't think he deserves kudos for re-structuring the mess he created. 

 

Beane gave new signing WR Harty a two year deal for $13.5 million even though he hasn't proven much. On the other hand, the Saints gave RB Jamaal Williams a 3 yr. deal for $12 million. Williams has proven he's very productive. These are the type of deals that show me Beane isn't the genius GM most Bills fans think he is. Beane has to improve the team. Although the jury is still out, he's got a lot to prove. Remember Spencer Brown almost ruined the career of the franchise player Josh Allen last year and it appears the Bills are keeping the status quo at right tackle. 

Cinci and KC are adding quality to their OL's and the Bills are juggling average to mediocre linemen. It's time for Beane to get serious if they are going to contend next year.

 

 

[NC-billsfan!]

20 hours ago, teef said:

Anger incoming!!!!

I hit the laugh emoji but maybe I should have used 🤮. Simply because you’re right and I hate it. 🤞it won’t spiral out of control. 🤣 not! 

[Dopey]

2 hours ago, ngbills said:

The point is put the same QB on every team and where do the Bills stack up? Yes he gets credit for Josh Allen, but what has he built around him? You have the best QB in the league then you should be a Super Bowl contender. Right now the Bills are slipping out of that category. 

😂It’s like pulling teeth around here. 
to your point/1st question…who knows? You can guess,but, so what? It’s an opinion. 

I believe we’re Super Bowl contenders next year, but don’t care to discuss. We can agree to disagree. 
I was going to start a thread discussing us being contenders still but it would just generate 

Positive threads here lead to the above. 

[In Summary]

I'll give Beane points for doing his job to find cap room.  Not sure that I'm overly excited by any of the people he signed.  They help and they prevent glaring holes (+), but none are really "wow" players.  I won't accept signing one free agent "not a power player" guard as significantly improving the OL nor do I consider another diminutive WR the answer to improving the WR corps.  They are at least on the younger side which is good.  

 

Beane needs to be above average in the draft.  Round 1-3 picks need to get on the field and contribute.  They need to be archetypal players and not in some "less than 10%" metric for size, RAS, etc.  Don't try to evolve the position faster than the game only to have it come back on you.

[Alphadawg7]

2 hours ago, ngbills said:

The point is put the same QB on every team and where do the Bills stack up? Yes he gets credit for Josh Allen, but what has he built around him? You have the best QB in the league then you should be a Super Bowl contender. Right now the Bills are slipping out of that category. 

 

Says who?  Vegas still has us as one of the favorites for the SB next year. 

 

We have been mostly top 3 in scoring offense and scoring defense the last 3 years, the only exception was defense in 2020.  

2020:  Offense 2nd, Defense 16th

2021:  Offense 3rd, Defense 1st

2022:  Offense 2nd, Defense 2nd

 

You think you accomplish only because of one player in Josh Allen?  In fact our offense was 23rd in 2019 with Josh Allen the year before Beane invested in the offense more and went and got 3 very important pieces to the offense in Diggs, Davis, and Bass.  Not to mention, guys like Knox and Devin were continuing to grow and give good contributions to this team offensively, guys he also drafted.

 

Beane 100% wiped the whole waste of space roster out, masterfully traded pieces away for far more than they were worth like getting the first pick in the 3rd round for Tyrod Taylor, getting a 2nd and solid CB for Watkins, trading Cordy Glenn to Bengas to get in position for the right QB, etc etc.  

 

And you think you have some case to take the credit away from Beane in how he took bad to middling team for nearly 20 years and completely turned the entire franchise around to where they field one of the top offenses, defenses, and special teams units perennially now and are a SB contending favorite every year.  And why, because you think free agency is like Madden and he can just magically get any player you think he should go get but doesn't?

 

Sorry, you are just completely out of whack on your analysis of Beane.  Guess you forgot what it was like around here before we were fortunate enough to land him and McD to completely turn this franchise around and make it place players want to come play now and a place our current players want to stay.

[eball]

3 hours ago, ngbills said:

The point is put the same QB on every team and where do the Bills stack up? Yes he gets credit for Josh Allen, but what has he built around him? You have the best QB in the league then you should be a Super Bowl contender. Right now the Bills are slipping out of that category. 

 

...says absolutely nobody with an ounce of football knowledge.