AJ Klein Expected to Sign with Bills

[Warriorspikes51]

Milano

Bernard

Klein

Dodson

Spector

 

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[Bookie Man]

If it helps deter us from taking LB at 27 👍

Edited April 17, 2023 by ßookie_tech

[balln]

3 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

I think he’s a bit underrated. Violent tackler and had some big sacks

 

At the very least he can push for the starting spot in camp.

 

hopefully this also limits our chances of LB in the 1st

I thought he was a very effective blitzer .Seattle game he was dominant 

[JGMcD2]

It feels like every competitive team has guys like this - sign 1-year deals for half a few years and contribute steadily. Shaq and Jordan Phillips are finding their way into this category as well. Not the flashiest/best guy but fills a role. 

 

I know we gripe about running it back, I still want upgrades at OL and WR, but we're in fine shape. 

[RichRiderBills]

Lol at people barf emoji

 

Klein didn't have Edmunds range and coverage traits but he's more than serviceable. 

 

 

 

[NewEra]

@Yantha why the puke emoji?  

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, NewEra said:

@Yantha why the puke emoji?  

 

Not directed at anyone, but people like to have a nasty emoji reaction, then never comment or explain why they disagree. Isn’t that how discussion gets going? Or are they afraid to defend their position? I’m honestly curious. 

[3rdand12]

3 hours ago, Virgil said:

Didn't he serve as MLB in spots and do decent?  Not to say that should be the plan, but good to have options

yes

[Buffalo716]

12 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Not directed at anyone, but people like to have a nasty emoji reaction, then never comment or explain why they disagree. Isn’t that how discussion gets going? Or are they afraid to defend their position? I’m honestly curious. 

I’m not naming names…. But there’s a poster here … who every time he logs on and sees one of my posts …. Straight puke reaction or eye roll lol

 

but never an explanation 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Buffalo716

[Einstein's Dog]

4 hours ago, Virgil said:

Didn't he serve as MLB in spots and do decent?  Not to say that should be the plan, but good to have options

For me part of why I like the signing is when they used Klein best it was with an aggressive defense.  They sent Klein attacking, either at the RB or at the QB.  It hurried the play.  I hope to see the defense get more aggressive with McD, and using Klein would be consistent with going in that direction.

[3rdand12]

3 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

I’m not naming names…. But there’s a poster here … who every time he logs on and sees one of my posts …. Straight puke reaction or eye roll lol

 

but never an explanation 

I am not sure i have ever done the barf emoji.
 if so it was an accident
we need more definition and versatility in our emoji tool shed

 AJ can play physical football when put in the right situations. Shown it.
lets play some four- 3 for a minute with Klein calling the plays.
But no reason not to draft another heavy downhill hitter who can play horizontal along the line of scrimmage , somewhere in the draft

 Go Bills

3 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

For me part of why I like the signing is when they used Klein best it was with an aggressive defense.  They sent Klein attacking, either at the RB or at the QB.  It hurried the play.  I hope to see the defense get more aggressive with McD, and using Klein would be consistent with going in that direction.

yep !

[Chaos]

The biggest problem the next Bills MLB faces is comparisions by fans and the local press to the mythical Tremaine Edmunds.  The actual Edmunds the player was a solid player who in five years has no real legacy of games dominated or game changing plays.  He did miss a lot of tackles, and seem to be out of position quite a bit, particularly earlier in career.  He was good, maybe very good.  The mythical Edmunds when he was playing here was a guy who was going to revolutionize the position and change the way teams thought about linebacker.  Our new Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott amplified this theme (and laid the ground work for the post edmunds mythical edmumnds when he commented "Tremaine Edmunds can't be replaced".    After 7 or 8 games of AJ Klein playing MLB (Klein is clearly not as good as Edmunds") , the the mthyical Edmunds will be some combination of Dick Butkus, Ray Lewis and Lawrence Taylor (with Dieon Sanders like coverage skills built in).  Compared to the mythical edmunds, Klein (or any other replacement) is going to be villified by fans. 

[NewEra]

25 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Not directed at anyone, but people like to have a nasty emoji reaction, then never comment or explain why they disagree. Isn’t that how discussion gets going? Or are they afraid to defend their position? I’m honestly curious. 

I hadn’t read through the pages prior to now.  He did reply.  He thinks he sucks and would prefer someone else

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I hadn’t read through the pages prior to now.  He did reply.  He thinks he sucks and would prefer someone else

 

I give you both credit for that. 

 

 

But the point generally remains. 

[BananaB]

46 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

It feels like every competitive team has guys like this - sign 1-year deals for half a few years and contribute steadily. Shaq and Jordan Phillips are finding their way into this category as well. Not the flashiest/best guy but fills a role. 

 

I know we gripe about running it back, I still want upgrades at OL and WR, but we're in fine shape. 

Problem is these guys have been part of a D that has given up over 100 points in 3 playoff loses. You don’t play playoff teams every week in regular season, you definitely don’t play elite teams every week. This group gotta get better to get to the Super Bowl and signing the same players every year and having our rookies sit on the bench with limited playing time does not make us better. For what Beane has invested in the D, the group has not improved. So Continuing to bring back the same guys is starting to make no sense to me. 

[PBF81]

AJ Klein Expected to Sign with Bills

 

Phew!  Our LB issues are solved.  

 

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by PBF81

[balln]

28 minutes ago, Chaos said:

The biggest problem the next Bills MLB faces is comparisions by fans and the local press to the mythical Tremaine Edmunds.  The actual Edmunds the player was a solid player who in five years has no real legacy of games dominated or game changing plays.  He did miss a lot of tackles, and seem to be out of position quite a bit, particularly earlier in career.  He was good, maybe very good.  The mythical Edmunds when he was playing here was a guy who was going to revolutionize the position and change the way teams thought about linebacker.  Our new Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott amplified this theme (and laid the ground work for the post edmunds mythical edmumnds when he commented "Tremaine Edmunds can't be replaced".    After 7 or 8 games of AJ Klein playing MLB (Klein is clearly not as good as Edmunds") , the the mthyical Edmunds will be some combination of Dick Butkus, Ray Lewis and Lawrence Taylor (with Dieon Sanders like coverage skills built in).  Compared to the mythical edmunds, Klein (or any other replacement) is going to be villified by fans. 

Don’t worry. I’ll never forget how bad edmunds was at times. He was so over rated IMO. Diving at old man cam newton , looking absolutely inept in the open field 

https://patriotswire.usatoday.com/2020/12/29/cam-newton-wowed-with-this-rushing-touchdown-vs-the-bills/

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by balln

[Yantha]

33 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I hadn’t read through the pages prior to now.  He did reply.  He thinks he sucks and would prefer someone else

 

Usually I comment with a bit more explanation.  It's been a hell of a weekend.....

 

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, PrimeTime101 said:

So @Yantha, You puked at this topic? I sure would love to know why you hate this so much.... 

2 years ago first game against KC. They matched him up against Kelce and bumped him around hard, then a Safety took over after 5 yards. Worked very well. I have no issue with this move, especially when we may see more 4-3 do to no Edmunds

 

Hi, "two years ago" can be ambiguous, but if you're talking about the 2021 Oct KC game which we won 38-20, Klein was playing for Milano, not for Edmunds - Tremaine played 100% of the snaps. 

 

It stuck in my mind because that was an interesting game for the Bills defensively.  Klein played 63% of the snaps, but we actually played a fair amount of Dime with Siran Neal coming in.  IIRC we were mixing up the blitzes and the defensive fronts pretty well in that game as well. 

 

Klein has played MLB for us in several games though - two later in the 2021 season (win vs Jets, very bad drubbing vs. Colts) and the game vs. Detroit last season.  Results have been mixed, but I think if they had to rely on him for a stretch of games they would adjust, just as they adjusted in 2020 when Klein initially tried to play for Milano and it went...badly...but after the defensive brain trust got the flick that they couldn't just plug him in and adjusted the scheme, Klein won DPOW.

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, Yantha said:

Certainly.  I was hoping to move on from Klein without a cap penalty.  We had a chance....  I just think there are much better options on the FA and/or draft to fill his roster spot.  He's just not a good player.

 

Why would we have a cap penalty to move on from Klein?  He's likely to have been signed to a vet minimum contract - or has something come out that I missed?  He had vet minimum from the Ravens and then from the Bills last year.

 

What better options are there in FA at his price point?

 

I don't think that signing Klein will preclude the Bills from drafting a player.  The guy is gonna be 32 years old; he's not their future at LB, he's not a guy you want to count on to take 100% of the snaps almost every game like Edmunds did.  He's likely to be a situational player and a backup.

 

I disagree that he's "just not a good player".  He's nowhere near the athleticism or the coverage skills of Milano or Edmunds, but he's a student of the game who makes up for his lack of elite physical tools with his knowledge of the game.  And he can hit hard enough to knock a player back to Friday.

 

59 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I hadn’t read through the pages prior to now.  He did reply.  He thinks he sucks and would prefer someone else

 

I'm chill with wanting someone else, but if Klein signed for more than ~ vet minimum, I'll be surprised.

So who else at that price point in FA?

Edited April 17, 2023 by Beck Water