AJ Klein Expected to Sign with Bills

[Yantha]

26 minutes ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

We are not drafting a LB day one two IMO. We only play two linebackers on the field and one of them is a first team all-pro. We are not in desperate need of another high-quality linebacker to put on the field. We will roll with Dodson, Bernard and Klein. Probably draft another on Day 3. 

 

Teams are only as strong as their weakest player.  Good opponents know how exploit.

[C.Biscuit97]

It’s fine. This is the most boring off-season besides Allen gossip. 

13 minutes ago, Yantha said:

 

Teams are only as strong as their weakest player.  Good opponents know how exploit.

I get the saying but there are a lot of garbage players on championship teams. 

[Jamie Mueller]

53 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

It’s fine. This is the most boring off-season besides Allen gossip. 

I get the saying but there are a lot of garbage players on championship teams. 

It's probably more correct to say "ordinary" players... rather then "garbage" players. There's a lot of space between "all Pro" and "garbage".

[SCBills]

1 hour ago, Yantha said:

 

Teams are only as strong as their weakest player.  Good opponents know how exploit.

 

If we get to a point next season where our starting base defense is as follows:

 

Von-Daquan-Oliver-Rousseau

 

Klein-Milano

 

T. Johnson

 

Elam-White

 

Hyde-Poyer

....

 

I'll take my chances.  

 

I'm perfectly content going into next season with Klein, Bernard, Spector and Dodson battling it out to start next to Milano.  Also factor in Rapp, who I have to believe was signed to play a hybrid LB/S role, and I'm willing to roll the dice on those pieces competing for the one spot on our Defense that doesn't have massive investment (even though there is still a recent Day 2 pick in the mix).  

[Beck Water]

19 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

 

Officially announced by Bills:

 

 

[McBean]

LB1

47 minutes ago, SCBills said:

 

If we get to a point next season where our starting base defense is as follows:

 

Von-Daquan-Oliver-Rousseau

 

Klein-Milano

 

T. Johnson

 

Elam-White

 

Hyde-Poyer

....

 

I'll take my chances.  

 

I'm perfectly content going into next season with Klein, Bernard, Spector and Dodson battling it out to start next to Milano.  Also factor in Rapp, who I have to believe was signed to play a hybrid LB/S role, and I'm willing to roll the dice on those pieces competing for the one spot on our Defense that doesn't have massive investment (even though there is still a recent Day 2 pick in the mix).  

This.

 

Give me a big guy at 27 or a playmaker for Josh.

[Beck Water]

7 hours ago, Yantha said:

Sorry but I just disagree with all that. 

 

You disagree with the question about "Why would we have a cap penalty to move on from Klein?"

 

You disagree with the question "What better options are there in FA at his price point?"?

 

It's all very well to say in the abstract "I'd rather have a younger option with upside as a situational player and backup", but who exactly do you have in mind?

 

7 hours ago, Yantha said:

And he'll be 33 this year, and slower, more injury prone etc.  I'm reading a lot of excuses above, and I'd rather have a younger option with upside as a "situational player, and backup". 

 

32 actually.  31 now, and his birthday's in July, but that's a nit.  'Zo Alexander was 33 when he signed in Buffalo in 2016, and played for 4 years, until he was 37.  The last year, he was slowing down a lot, but he still contributed.   Klein has never been a player who depended upon his speed and athleticism, but rather on his understanding of the game and his ability to diagnose the opposing defense quickly and read-and-react.

 

The Bills are critically depending upon Poyer (same age as Klein, 32), Hyde (6 months older, will be 33 in Dec), and Von Miller (2 years older, 34).  So frankly if being 32 makes a player "slower and more injury prone" and we should therefore not roster him, the Bills are in Deep Kim Chee with their starting safety duo and star DE all that age or older.

 

I appreciate your kind words, but frankly, it's very easy to sit there and crap on a move but a lot harder to identify the better move the team should have made, and you appear to be following that principle at present. 

 

The fact is, this guy over the last 3 seasons and including a game last season, has played very capably as a backup LB for the Bills - not on a star level, but capably.  He started for Edmunds ahead of Dodson, Bernard, Spector in Week 12 vs the Lions because the coaches perceived him as the best choice at the time.  Now hopefully, that changes with another year and an off-season under Bernard and Spector's belts, and hopefully re-signing him won't keep the Bills from making a move in the draft.  But I don't see how putting a capable vet who is knowledgeable in our defensive system (and capable of playing in it as recently as Week 12 last season) in the room with 2 second year LBs (and maybe a rookie) to watch film and diagnose defenses in any way makes the Bills a weaker team

 

Having looked over the FA list (signed and unsigned), I don't see a clear choice that meets your criteria either.  I would have liked to see the Bills pursue Lavonte David harder, but he's even older than Klein (33). 

 

I don't want to argue with you, but since you seem very strong in this view, I think it's only fair to ask you who you believe the Bills should have gone after instead.

 

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Beck Water

[Airseven]

But of course he's back!!

[Paup 1995MVP]

19 hours ago, KDIGGZ said:

AJ is the backup QB of linebackers. He's a "team player" and a "locker room guy" and apparently that trumps talent and gets you a few extra years in the league. He's the Matt Barkley of the defense

Come on man.  AJ Klein has talent.  You don't play a decade in the NFL if you don't have a decent amount of talent.  Is he a physical freak?  Of course not.  But he understands playing defense and where he is supposed to be on the field.  And he can hit you.  He will be in the mix for playing time at LB.  Our defense doesn't need to be great.  It just needs to be good.  We need to draft offense.  We need more weapons for Josh Allen.  Draft a WR, OT and TE in the first 3 rounds.  And our offense can be top 3 in the NFL with Josh Allen.  Sprinkle in a little more grit and savvy on defense, and we will be tough to beat.  Klein brings us that.  A healthy Poyer and Hyde brings us that.  Taylor Rapp brings us that.  Edmunds did not.  Frazier did not.  Beane just needs to hit on some big time guys on the offensive side of the ball.  Because he certainly can not draft D Lineman to save his life.  

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Legend has is Russ Wilson didn’t demand a trade to the AFC East out of fear of seeing Klein twice a year. 

[Beck Water]

18 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Legend has is Russ Wilson didn’t demand a trade to the AFC East out of fear of seeing Klein twice a year. 

 

That was a helluva play.  I think Klein sacked him by the ball.

[BillsFan4]

Glad to have him back. I think he’s a good fit in this defense.

[Mark Vader]

5 hours ago, TC in St. Louis said:

Regarding Klein...a couple years ago I watched him and declared him "the worst player I've ever seen."  Hated him.  Then, a couple weeks later they apparently figured out how to use him, or he switched bodies with somebody, but he turned into a beast.  He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.  And I had a crow tartare for lunch that day.

 

I'm glad they brought him back.  

You should have had a bag of stale donuts.

[YattaOkasan]

7 hours ago, DapperCam said:

Just like Lawson, Klein is a good depth vet signing at a low cap hit. He’s better at stopping the run and rushing the passer than Edmunds is. But Edmunds is better at pass coverage.

 

I like this move, there wasn’t much to do about MLB other than reach in the first round, which would be a mistake.

I like this move but prove to me he is better at stopping the run.  The data  doesnt agree for the games he played for Edmunds.  I think the only game where you can argue he stopped the run better than edmunds is the Detroit game last year.  His other games in substitution of Edmunds (2021 Colts, 2021 NYJ #1) would suggest hes worse than Edmunds.  

Edited April 17, 2023 by YattaOkasan

[billsfan89]

Klein is a nice depth player, certainly gives the Bills something at MLB.

[John from Riverside]

I had started a thread a while back, saying that I had wish they would bring klien back

Especially because they didn’t go after any veteran linebackers in free agency

 

You can’t use him the same way you did Edmonds, but that doesn’t mean this is not a good player. Having a veteran presents on the team that actually won’t look horrible is a good idea because we don’t know what’s gonna happen in the draft.

 

The only linebacker I really want out of the draft is Captain Jack and whenever you only have one player that you think fits the bill, you have to cover yourself because there’s no guarantee that you get that player we don’t even know if the bills want that player

[Eastport bills]

Devin White is the move that would make a huge difference for our defense. He would be like bringing in Cornelius Bennett for a LB needy team. He’s the perfect replacement for Edmunds. Beane needs to be bold this season. All these options like Klein, Dodson, Bernard,  or a3rd rd draft choice don’t move the needle. The Bucs may not want to move him but if he wants out and Beane is aggressive enough, he could be had.

[TheBeaneBandit]

19 hours ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

Come on man.  AJ Klein has talent.  You don't play a decade in the NFL if you don't have a decent amount of talent.  Is he a physical freak?  Of course not.  But he understands playing defense and where he is supposed to be on the field.  And he can hit you.  He will be in the mix for playing time at LB.  Our defense doesn't need to be great.  It just needs to be good.  We need to draft offense.  We need more weapons for Josh Allen.  Draft a WR, OT and TE in the first 3 rounds.  And our offense can be top 3 in the NFL with Josh Allen.  Sprinkle in a little more grit and savvy on defense, and we will be tough to beat.  Klein brings us that.  A healthy Poyer and Hyde brings us that.  Taylor Rapp brings us that.  Edmunds did not.  Frazier did not.  Beane just needs to hit on some big time guys on the offensive side of the ball.  Because he certainly can not draft D Lineman to save his life.  

Some of the best said stuff in quite some time. I concur.

14 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I had started a thread a while back, saying that I had wish they would bring klien back

Especially because they didn’t go after any veteran linebackers in free agency

 

You can’t use him the same way you did Edmonds, but that doesn’t mean this is not a good player. Having a veteran presents on the team that actually won’t look horrible is a good idea because we don’t know what’s gonna happen in the draft.

 

The only linebacker I really want out of the draft is Captain Jack and whenever you only have one player that you think fits the bill, you have to cover yourself because there’s no guarantee that you get that player we don’t even know if the bills want that player

More very well said stuff. Today has been some good reads.👍

[Warriorspikes51]

33 minutes ago, Eastport bills said:

Devin White is the move that would make a huge difference for our defense. He would be like bringing in Cornelius Bennett for a LB needy team. He’s the perfect replacement for Edmunds. Beane needs to be bold this season. All these options like Klein, Dodson, Bernard,  or a3rd rd draft choice don’t move the needle. The Bucs may not want to move him but if he wants out and Beane is aggressive enough, he could be had.

I had originally thought along those lines....but White's game isn't that great and he has effort issues 

 

I guess Jack Campbell in the 2nd would be okay....and seems to be extremely popular amongst fans.

I'd rather just add 1 more cheap vet like Cunningham or a summer camp cut (never know who may become available)
 

& invest the premium picks in Offense 

Edited April 18, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[Eastport bills]

12 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

I had originally thought along those lines....but White's game isn't that great and he has effort issues 

 

I guess Jack Campbell in the 2nd would be okay....and seems to be extremely popular amongst fans.

I'd rather just add 1 more cheap vet like Cunningham or a summer camp cut (never know who may become available)
 

& invest the premium picks in Offense 

Your assessment of White is not fair and based on a year where the whole Buc defense and team was disfunctional. How about his body of work for the rest of his career. You. want to dumpster dive to replace a very talented LB who covered up many deficiencies in our defense, it won’t result in us being better.