Bills Sign OG David Edwards

[Inigo Montoya]

49 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

You also have Doyle, so that leaves 12 OL and means you'll be cutting three of them, plus any other lower rated players they may have as typically teams go wit h9 on the 53 man roster.

 

To me that's not a good use of money as likely cutting players you just gave a signing bonus too.  Granted not high bonuses, but when tight against the cap to start with, every $$ counts.

 

It’s about competition and insurance against injury I think.  If we didn’t sign these guys and a starting O line guy tears an Achilles in camp or preseason the guys we signed aren’t on the market anymore.  I think Beane is just being prudent.

 

🍻

[947]

Having 3 starting caliber Guards protects against any issue with Morse. If he gets a concussion, Bates is the new Center & we still have 2 capable OGs who are both big upgrades from Saffold in pass-protection..

[Snappysnackcakes]

1 minute ago, f0neguy said:

As Williams and Bates both have some experience at center,  is there a chance that Morse has had enough concussions and walks away?   He’s been dinged up a few times over the last couple of seasons.   I realize that Williams had a concussion last season but don’t think he’s had multiple like Morse.  Now we’ve got two bigger, younger players to possibly step up.

This is possible. They’ll give the young ones every chance to prove themselves in camp. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

45 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

 

I assume Doyle will be a camp body and then placed on IR to "red shirt" I also assume Ike will be a camp body unless he shows out or there is an injury. Ideally, I would like to see a top 9 Oliine that looks like this. 

 

Dawkins-McGovern-Mitch-Bates-Brown

Bench: Queese, Edwards, 2nd round rookie tackle, and a mid-round rookie center. 

 

I would then like to see a vet tackle or guard brought in to push Edwards and Queese for depth or allow the team to carry a 10th O-line player which I am not against. 

 

Unless he were to actually be hurt, doubt you can do that, not that it's not done.  But also would be surprised if Doyle would go along with it as I'd think at this point, he'd want a chance to actually play, not another year sitting out.

 

Having two rookies backups is a bit risky if any of the 7 above him were to get hurt.  It's one thing if rookie were a 1st rounder or even lower level pick but is starting and getting time with other starters.  But to have get by with a mid round rookie starting due to injury is risky on a SB contending team.

 

I see the Bills in a bit of a Catch 22 with the OL.  They need to bring in and develop rookies for long term, but could downgrade the line short term.

[billsfan89]

2 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Unless he were to actually be hurt, doubt you can do that, not that it's not done.  But also would be surprised if Doyle would go along with it as I'd think at this point, he'd want a chance to actually play, not another year sitting out.

 

Having two rookies backups is a bit risky if any of the 7 above him were to get hurt.  It's one thing if rookie were a 1st rounder or even lower level pick but is starting and getting time with other starters.  But to have get by with a mid round rookie starting due to injury is risky on a SB contending team.

 

I see the Bills in a bit of a Catch 22 with the OL.  They need to bring in and develop rookies for long term, but could downgrade the line short term.

 

Didn't they do something similar with Ike in 2021? They basically put him on IR after he ended the previous season with an injury. I think Doyle would like the chance to basically stay within the organization and get paid to rehab and then get a shot in 2024 to make the team and extend his career. I just don't see him doing all that much on the open market if he were to show up mediocre in camp coming off a serious injury. Just better off taking a "red shirt season". 

[Beck Water]

7 minutes ago, f0neguy said:

As Williams and Bates both have some experience at center,  is there a chance that Morse has had enough concussions and walks away?   He’s been dinged up a few times over the last couple of seasons.   I realize that Williams had a concussion last season but don’t think he’s had multiple like Morse.  Now we’ve got two bigger, younger players to possibly step up.

 

Who is Wililams? 

 

Bates has not shown himself to be anywhere near Morse at C.

[billsfan89]

7 minutes ago, 947 said:

Having 3 starting caliber Guards protects against any issue with Morse. If he gets a concussion, Bates is the new Center & we still have 2 capable OGs who are both big upgrades from Saffold in pass-protection..

 

I think the odds of drafting a center in rounds 3-5 are pretty high. The Bills need an "heir apparent" for Mitch. Having a rookie slot in as depth and primed to take over in 2024 would be a prudent move. 

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

You also have Doyle, so that leaves 12 OL and means you'll be cutting three of them, plus any other lower rated players they may have as typically teams go wit h9 on the 53 man roster.

 

To me that's not a good use of money as likely cutting players you just gave a signing bonus too.  Granted not high bonuses, but when tight against the cap to start with, every $$ counts.

 

The Bills probably figure it's worth the signing bonuses to carry quality competition at OL into camp.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

4 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

 

Didn't they do something similar with Ike in 2021? They basically put him on IR after he ended the previous season with an injury. I think Doyle would like the chance to basically stay within the organization and get paid to rehab and then get a shot in 2024 to make the team and extend his career. I just don't see him doing all that much on the open market if he were to show up mediocre in camp coming off a serious injury. Just better off taking a "red shirt season". 

 

Agree if he really does still need rehab.  Wasn't he hurt though back in September??  If so would think he'd be ready to go this year.  Think a better likelihood would be they just cut him end of August and he makes it through to PS.  Agree in that not likely much of a market for him.  But there are the Giants, or Bills East I guess they should be called now.

[Beck Water]

4 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Agree if he really does still need rehab.  Wasn't he hurt though back in September?? 

 

Doyle was injured at the end of September (Dolphins game).  That means he likely had surgery mid-October.  The league average time to return, I believe, is 12-13 months, so it's a pretty realistic expectation that he'll go through TC and into training camp on PUP. 

 

I could be wrong, but I think Big Men need more time to build their strength back up.  They're basically bending their knees and trying to leverage the hell out of other big men with them every snap.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Beck Water

[The Jokeman]

16 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

 

I think the odds of drafting a center in rounds 3-5 are pretty high. The Bills need an "heir apparent" for Mitch. Having a rookie slot in as depth and primed to take over in 2024 would be a prudent move. 

You slide McGovern to C and re-sign Andrews to start at LG. No need to develop a rookie. 

[Shaw66]

I just jumped in here and was reading some of the recent posts.   I'm really in no position to say what all this means on the oline, especially because we can only speculate about the draft.   I think the reason we've seen these moves on the line is all of the above.   Some of these people ARE going to turn to have been only camp bodies.  Some of this collection will emerge as starters - maybe even as a starting right tackle.   Some will be versatile interior line all-purpose depth.   And even some of those camp bodies may show up on the roster if there's a bad string of injuries.   

 

The objective here is to have 10 or 12 guys, all with a role to play, and to be good at oline however the pieces are mixed and matched.  I've never been convinced that this all-purpose oline approach is the best way to go, but it seems to be what McBeane believe in.  Morse was their only big-time player on the offensive line, draft, trade, free agent (and Cody Ford)..   The versatile role players can be had more cheaply than the studs.  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 hour ago, Doc said:

 

Who cares as long as he acts like him...

Indeed, I miss Richie

 

[Beck Water]

11 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

 

I think the odds of drafting a center in rounds 3-5 are pretty high. The Bills need an "heir apparent" for Mitch. Having a rookie slot in as depth and primed to take over in 2024 would be a prudent move. 

 

I 100% agree with you it would be prudent, and in fact would have liked to see the Bills do that 2 years ago (yes, I'm still salty about Boogie Basham over Creed Humphrey, why do you ask?).

 

However, and we'll have to wait and see what Edwards contract is to get an idea how the Bills see him - the fact that the Bills have signed two guys who are at best, upgrades and at worst, solid competition for Bates and Boettger says to me that a draft pick who's attracted enough attention and is pro-ready enough to not slide through onto the PS are unlikely.

 

The Bills typically have 9 OL: the 5 starters, two backup G (one of them a G/C), two backup T - one swing, one who can play as a 6th OL

 

They just paid Connor McGovern their biggest FA $$ of the season - he's the frontrunner to start one G position (initially, LG) and has played C.  They may have a battle between Bates and Edwards for RG, but they're unlikely to slice Bates and count 100% on a guy who missed 13 games with a concussion last season if Edwards wins. 

 

I guess they may cut Boettger - he's on a 1 year, Veteran Salary Benefit contract with only a $76k bonus to take him into camp? 

 

Maybe I'm just jaded about the Bills likely OL investment.  I still feel when it comes to investing in OL, they're like the 2021 Fed - they have a Low Interest Rate.

[RoyBatty is alive]

3 hours ago, streetkings01 said:

People gotta be more original……posting “Super Bowl” after every signing ran its course back in the early 2000’s of the message boards!

Agree 100%.

[Floydboy12]

I like the signing. Liked him in his draft class. Young. Get him healthy. Wise statement whoever made it about Morse. If something happens, Bates moves over and you have a quality guard to step in. 

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

Now we just need to add a veteran lb so we can go BPA in the draft without reaching.

[Dr. Who]

They should still spend a first or second on OL.

[CSBill]

3 hours ago, NewEra said:

Depends on the $

 

It always does. 🤷‍♂️

[Brand J]

Morse is to the point where he’s so susceptible to concussions, that when it happens, we as fans don’t even recognize the cause. The knock to the head might look harmless or routine, but shortly after we hear “Morse has suffered a concussion and is out for the game.”
He’s a decent pass protector, but has always been average to below average in the run game. If he suffers another concussion this year you can assume it’ll be his last season in Buffalo.