Bills sign Damien Harris

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I can’t believe anyone would complain about this move. Exactly the kind of RB this offense needs. And my guess is we got him very cheap. 

[HappyDays]

3 minutes ago, RocCityRoller said:

What did Buffalo pay for Harris?

 

I don't know yet. If it's more than $1.75 million I'm not a fan of the signing. That would be the same as effectively trading a 2024 3rd rounder for him. We've been willing to roll with starters from rounds 4-7 at seemingly every position other than RB. If we yet again spent a 3rd round pick (indirectly, but still) on a no-more-than-decent RB, I give up.

[newcam2012]

35 minutes ago, astb41 said:

This 1 year deal for Harris makes me think even more strongly they’ll target Bijan in the draft. Honestly feel like a trade up is in the cards. Then you go into 2023 with the Vet, Cook more comfortable in year 2, and Bijan learning the ropes but with less pressure and fully taking the reins in 2024

Bijan won't be there at 27.

[ArtVandalay]

27 minutes ago, LOVEMESOMEBILLS said:

 

 Hey I'm happy if you're happy with Harris playing in 70% of our games next year.

 

 

Singletary playing 0% with real NFL caliber guys back there will have me grinning ear to ear. 

[newcam2012]

35 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

disagree. We have a bunch of ok role players but not enough impact to elite players. 

Excellent point! 

36 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

You know what’s coming… more rotational D-linemen/big nickels/special teams aces to get their balls kicked in in historic fashion come January while Allen is evading rushers and jumping over linebackers to try and carry his offense. 😉

Sad but true. 😤😁

[Bruffalo]

6 minutes ago, ArtVandalay said:

Sorry but I was a big Gabe fan going into last year, but dude he was LOST last year. Not in the same page running the wrong way, tons of drops, miscommunications, just a brutal year. It was all mental too.

I'm with you.  Gabe is in the final year of his contract and I don't see how the Bills can feel comfortable about offering him another deal. It's why even if they land OBJ I still want to see investment into WR early into the draft, and then maybe take a flyer on a guy late as well.

[jwhit34]

Signing a player who has played very well vs. Bills is part of Beane's MO. 

 

Pending the contract details, which given what Singletary got would probably be a $1.7-2.5 million salary with incentives and that would be good, this is exactly how you play the RB game. Draft players in rounds 2-4 a majority of years, don't give them a 2nd contract, pick up 1-2 vets to round out the RB slots on cheap, 2nd contracts because (a) they are interchangeable and (b) when you are a pass first offense and have Allen (who is probably going to get 500-700 rush yards) keep the investment in the position at about $6 million on the cap. 

 

[Aussie Joe]

2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

This is exactly what they are doing. Sad.

 

All this attention on O which you have been calling for..and nothing on D

 

You must be giddy...

[strive_for_five_guy]

[Niagara Dude]

3 hours ago, aristocrat said:

 

Like I said Singletary was average speed and no burst.  Harris is 5'11 220 lbs with 4.45 speed,  burst to the line and one cut and go.  Watch these tapes and watch how many big runs he makes.  Explodes,  this is going to a great addition.  We finally are going to a have a running game

 

 

[newcam2012]

7 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

I'm with you.  Gabe is in the final year of his contract and I don't see how the Bills can feel comfortable about offering him another deal. It's why even if they land OBJ I still want to see investment into WR early into the draft, and then maybe take a flyer on a guy late as well.

I'm not on board with the OBJ hype. He's older coming off an injury and wants a ton of money. 

 

I'm more inclined to draft a WR and spend that OBJ money on the oline. Protect Allen and he will deliver. 

[Doc Brown]

48 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

Unless they got this guy dirt cheap, they might have well just stuck with Motor. He isn’t any better. Just another jag. People want to dream about how he ripped up our poor run defense and think he is amazing for it. He is just another dime a dozen back. 

You're making the assumption Motor wanted to re-sign with the Bills.  Maybe he doesn't like state taxes or cold weather.

 

Harris has a no bs straight ahead run you over type running style whereas Motor was more cerebral trying to make guys miss.  He's the ying to Cook's yang.

[BillsFanForever19]

36 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Being ranked 7th behind a has-been like Kareem Hunt isn't impressive. The 7th best RB available in any given free agency period is almost always a JAG. Even taking that author's opinion as accurate that doesn't tell me anything about Harris's value.

 

And Spotrac's market valuations have notoriously been all over the place. Their market value is calculated from some algorithm they use, presumably based on stats and the player's age. They had Edmunds' market value as $11 million AAV before the offseason. Anyone who pays attention to the market could have told you a young athletic specimen coming off his best year, and entering a weak free agent class, was bound to earn at least $15 million AAV from a team with cap space to burn. Lo and behold he gets $18 million AAV.

 

Similarly, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, a downhill only RB coming off his second injury ridden season is not getting anything close to the $7.1 million AAV Spotrac's algorithm laughably predicted for him.

 

I agree that 7.1 is too high and he's not getting that. But Spotrac's been pretty close with most RB numbers this year. About a million too high on the other top end RB's. I'm willing to bet they're a couple million too high on Harris. 

 

But even if you think 5 is too high, you're absolutely just wanting to trash this move if you're going to be unhappy if it comes in over $1.75m. You're nuts if you think we're getting him for less than half of what Devin Singletary got on the same day.

Edited March 21, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[Bruffalo]

2 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

I'm not on board with the OBJ hype. He's older coming off an injury and wants a ton of money. 

 

I'm more inclined to draft a WR and spend that OBJ money on the oline. Protect Allen and he will deliver. 

I understand the sentiment, but are there any meaningful upgrades left with the O-Line in FA?  I'd like to see investment in the offense heavily this draft, but I'm not holding my breath.

[newcam2012]

39 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

I knew going in they couldn’t afford to do much. This offense needs to get better one way or another though. So far I don’t see it. Lost some role players. Picked up some role players to replace them.
 

Last thing I wanna see is Beane scrambling at the end of the season to pick up over the hill Brown and Beasley because he knew we weren’t good enough. Now and the draft is the time to do that. This staff has shown it can’t handle trying to figure out what to do with new players mid season. Brown and Bease weren’t good enough anyways and that same thing can’t happen again this year. Time to get a real receiver, probably already too late. I hope they at least hit on some o line picks or something. More defensive picks or reaches for players will be nauseating. 

We are on the same page here.

 

In an earlier post I stayed none of the Bills moves are needle movers. I don't see how the Bills have gotten significantly better. 

 

In short, it's exactly what your post says. Swapping of role players. Guess we have to keep our fingers crossed.

 

Folks, the Bills are "running it back" hoping for different results. I smell regression...

[K D]

Guys saying Fournette and Elliott are old and washed...they are the same age as Harris.

[HappyDays]

3 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

But even if it is too high, you're absolutely just wanting to trash this move if you're going to be unhappy if it comes in over $1.75m. You're nuts if you think we're getting him for less than half of what Devin Singletary got on the same day.

 

I don't want to believe that Beane threw away a free 3rd round pick to sign an injury ridden RB with a limited skill set. Personally when I saw the announcement I assumed we were giving him like $1.6 million. A RB signing this late in free agency isn't typically getting more than that. Seeing some of the discussion about his value admittedly makes me nervous now. Hopefully I'm right.

[NoSaint]

1 hour ago, LOVEMESOMEBILLS said:

 

 Cook doesn't need to make a big jump, he just needs more touches. T-1st among all RBs with a 5.7 ypc average. Was T-14th among RBs with (6) 20+ yard runs even though he only had 89 carries. He was the only RB with a sub 15 carries per 20+ yard run. Matter of fact he was the only sub 20 carries per 20+ yard run. 2 RBs had 1 every ~22 carries, another had 1 about every ~25 carries. Everyone else averaged 1 every 28-30+ carries. 

 

he’s flashed a ton of talent. To be a top 5 or so back in the league would still be a very large jump. To scale his productivity into 3 times as many carries wouldn’t be a fair expectation. He could certainly be that guy but it’s not a small step to take. 

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

They are essentially middle of the pack by position group everywhere on offense(maybe worse on offensive line) except elite at QB….as the team preps to go defensive heavy in the draft…. Maybe they shock me and take a WR that falls or sign OBJ, but right now it’s probably a McD filled draft once again. 
 

On the bright side as you said if cook makes a jump or they land a WR in the draft they get better in those two groups. Davis is what he is.

my only pause is that I do believe Davis was more injured than thought. He was slow, and lacking agility. And he never was a burner so losing a step isn’t something he can afford.
 

that said he was still making some odd decisions and didn’t seem to be playing particularly qb friendly ball even if you sped up his game. 

[DCofNC]

1 hour ago, RocCityRoller said:

A few Dolphins players hate that Sherfield came to Buffalo too.

 

Open minded about both TBH.

I don't expect fireworks from either, but I think they will help this team be more physical and be able to produce.

 

Shrefield is 6'1 220

Harris is 5'11" 215

 

McKenzie was 5'8" 175

Singletary was 5'7 205

 

It adds up over a season. Main reason i didn't like the other WR signing.

 

So the funny part to me, is if you say a guy is 4” taller and (per the listed weights) a whopping 8lbs heavier, I’m gonna guess the shorter guy is far more stocky.  I don’t really think we are getting much in the way of an upgrade, especially considering the injury picture.  Harris is just more likely to go down hill vs DS who was more shifty.   I don’t think we are any better off here in all reality.

 

Sherfield, I’m kinda excited about.  The only thing I do have to point out is we are stocking up on guys who primarily work from the slot again and that was a problem last year, there was nobody who could work outside besides Diggs.

[Jay_Fixit]

6 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

Guys saying Fournette and Elliott are old and washed...they are the same age as Harris.

Lol.

 

Harris is 26 and has 449 career carries.

Elliott is 27 and has 1881 carries

Fournette is 28 and has 1132 carries

 

Bit of a difference.