Taylor Rapp Signing with Bills

[The Jokeman]

Just now, Yantha said:

Beck Water, yes I'd agree.  I just think that Center is still a significant draft need and I was lumping OG and OC together.

We might add a C/G guy but think you do so in Round 3 at the earliest now as Bates/McGovern both have the ability to play OC as needed. I think we could see a TE or DT early in the draft. 

[ColoradoBills]

12 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

With this signing and many signs pointing that Hamlin will be back, have to think safety is off the table for the draft.

Now MLB and puke in my mouth DL again will probably be chosen with two of the top 4 picks.  I can live with that if they still get WR and OT in the first three rounds. They seem to have done enough to address IOL in free agency. Still need an OT to push Brown and possibly be Dawkins replacement in 2024.

 

I would agree.  They already have 7-8 safeties coming to camp.  One more UFA/UDFA after the draft and they are done.

Hyde

Poyer

Rapp

Hamlin

Lewis (although I will point out Beane's presser comment that Cam is best at backup NCB)

Neal

Anderson

Mayden

I know I'm a broken record and the ultra-pro special team's guys will jump on this, but I have to ask it again.

Is Siran Neal really worth $6.725M for the next 2 seasons?  I think he will have real competition this summer for that position.

 

 

[Logic]

20 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Have to wonder if Rapp saw the Safety market is a disaster this year, sees what the Bills did with Poyer, and decided to see if he can earn a multi-year contract here for the future by joining the Bills for a year.  At least, that's my thought process.   Rapp seemed like an ok starter option in free agency. 

This makes sense to me, too.

If there's one coaching staff in the NFL that has shown it can get great production out of safeties that were previously considered "average", it's Buffalo's. McDermott is the safety whisperer.

Maybe Rapp sees an opportunity to get on the field in sub packages, special teams, and as the first safety off the bench, and then to see if he can impress the staff enough that he can be the future at one of the safety positions in the years to come.

[Beck Water]

5 minutes ago, Yantha said:

Beck Water, yes I'd agree.  I just think that Center is still a significant draft need and I was lumping OG and OC together.

 

Well.  As some know, I'm still salty about Boogie Basham when Creed Humphrey was on the board so I, too, see improvement at C and a long term plan there as a Strong Need.

 

But Morse is still under contract for 2 more years, and the Bills seem to like Bates as a backup C and perhaps McGovern as a 3rd string. 

 

Bottom line, I'm with you, but I don't think the Bills have any plans to draft a C, at least not in the first 4 rounds.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Beck Water

[BillsShredder83]

2 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

 You may disagree, but many think that signing Connor McGovern and Dave Edwards changed up our draft needs at IOL

Love all these signings. I don't think it means dismissing these positions all together, but allows the board to fall to us.

Full BPA is a myth, maybe you reach a smidgen for a position you definitely need before. This takes a bunch of stress off draft day, if the value isn't there at position of need. 

 

Also allows you to maybe take a gamble on a guy with higher ceiling lower floor.

 

Tl:Dr- options options options. Lots of them.

[947]

In Rapp's 3 full seasons, he has averaged 95 tackles & 3 INTs. Wow!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

22 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Wonder if the Bills are planning on using him in sub packages. Milano and 3 safeties 3 CBs on the back end.

Is that the surrender 8 yards per carry sub package? 

[1onemangang7]

Hamlin probably isn't playing?

[Saxum]

33 minutes ago, Green Lightning said:

Maybe we're getting a bum Rapp?

 

Beasley not being signed again so Bills need a Rapper.

 

I can see a free agent safety wanting to go to Buffalo because Coach McD has shown that on his defenses safeties get a lot of attention plus with Hyde questionable and Poyer injury rate going up the new player likely to get a lot of reps.

[MrEpsYtown]

1 minute ago, Beck Water said:

 

Well.  As some know, I'm still salty about Boogie Basham when Creed Humphrey was on the board.  But Morse is still under contract for 2 more years, and the Bills seem to like Bates as a backup C and perhaps McGovern as a 3rd string. 

 

Bottom line, I'm with you, but I don't think the Bills have any plans to draft a C, at least not in the first 4 rounds.

 

I tend to agree with this take. I think they feel good about their starters and depth there. Whether we do or not is irrelevant...

 

But I do think Joe Tippman could be a target in that 2/3 area. He makes sense on a lot of levels and is a long-term play. 

[Beck Water]

Just now, 1onemangang7 said:

Hamlin probably isn't playing?

 

That's what I took out of McDermott's comments in the SI article I linked above - that maybe right now he's leaning "no", or at least if he's leaning "yes" he might decide to change his mind on the way in the door.

[boyst]

33 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

move Poyer into the box on a lot of looks to essentially be the MLB?

@DrDawkinstein

"21 is the mike!  21 is the mike!"

[BeavercreekBillsFan]

Happy this hopefully takes a wasted 1st round pick on a safety off the board. Look’s unfortunately like that 100% means it’s either a DE, DT or LB though. 

[Success]

Probably one of our future safeties.  He brings depth & youth to that unit, and if they end up extending him, can take over as a starter eventually.

 

This is a very interesting FA period for the Bills. I expected almost nothing, but we've really picked up a bunch of very solid players, across the board.

 

[BuffaloRebound]

I highly doubt he’s coming here to strictly be a backup.  McDermott must have a plan to get him on the field or I don’t think he’d be coming to Bills.  

[Johnnyp566]

When McDermott wants a safety I think everyone should perk up a bit. The Poyer signing in 2017 was met with eye rolls as well. 

[SCBills]

Interesting..

 

Cover 1 Air-Raid hit up a Rams podcaster on Twitter and asked about Rapp.   The podcaster said he's up and down at Safety and always saw Rapp as more of a pseudo-linebacker.  

[Captain Hindsight]

34 minutes ago, Coach55 said:

Contingency plan on Micah Hyde's return?

 

Or Hamlin

 

They needed another safety, Rapp has played alot, could do worse for your 3-4th safety 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

7 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

Is that the surrender 8 yards per carry sub package? 

More teams running mostly 11 personnel it makes sense to defend the pass first and worry about the run later.

Why do you want big bodies out there vs 3 WRs and a pass catching TE?

 

[NoSaint]

45 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

isn't this guy starting caliber? 

his contract says the nfl thinks otherwise