Which Bills players are “Make-It or Break-It” for 2023?

[Turk71]

Spencer Brown

Spencer Brown

I

[BuffaloBillyG]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:10 PM, Gugny said:

Make the AFCCG at the very least. 
 

And if we lose for the same reasons we last the last one (dreadful coaching), then I’d be all for him being gone. 
 

It really depends on why the Bills didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. The Bills’ post-season elimination games during the McDermott era have not been pretty and blame it squarely on coaching. 
 

I don’t think I’m being unreasonable. 
 

In the history of the NFL there have been coaches that are both great at what they do and also not able to get the that next step. Marty Schottenheimer, Marvin Lewis level guys. High character, good teachers and great leaders of men. Right now Sean McDermott is squarely in that realm. 

 

Let's face it, there aren't many (of any) coaches that could have done the job McDermott was asked to do last year. The fact that they had about 100 behind the scenes things going on....some public knowledge some not....and he still found a way to keep the team together, focused and winning is amazing. It goes beyond football and extends into much more and if they gave out awards based on the entirety of the job and not just on field results, McD SHOULD have won CoY honors last year.

 

However, there needs to be a time where if he can't get the Bills moving forward, past the Chiefs, past the Bengals....that both sides need to come together and "mutually agree to part ways". He has shown he can lead and shown he can turn a program from punchline to perineal playoff team. He won't be out of work long if he chooses. But this season of the same old issues pop up in the playoffs...welp the seat could very well be a tad warmer going forward.

[GunnerBill]

16 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

In the history of the NFL there have been coaches that are both great at what they do and also not able to get the that next step. Marty Schottenheimer, Marvin Lewis level guys. High character, good teachers and great leaders of men. Right now Sean McDermott is squarely in that realm. 

 

Marty, yes. Marv? Less so. Marv never won a playoff game. McDermott reminds me more of Bill Cowher or Marty, who won playoff games but kept coming up short. Marty resigned from KC and never won one. Cowher stuck it out in Pittsburgh and did. 

[machine gun kelly]

On 5/14/2023 at 2:20 PM, Allen2Diggs said:

I think Epenesa and Basham are in the same boat. They both need to be more consistent if they want to be a part of the D-line rotation. 

 

If Von Miller wasn't injured, I think one of them would have been traded for a late round pick.

This is a make it year for Epenesa and Basham, and seriously doubt Oliver will be able to do enough to extend.  I’m a little surprised they didn’t choose to trade him while there was value.

[Mr. WEO]

On 5/17/2023 at 12:13 PM, BuffaloBillyG said:

In the history of the NFL there have been coaches that are both great at what they do and also not able to get the that next step. Marty Schottenheimer, Marvin Lewis level guys. High character, good teachers and great leaders of men. Right now Sean McDermott is squarely in that realm. 

 

Let's face it, there aren't many (of any) coaches that could have done the job McDermott was asked to do last year. The fact that they had about 100 behind the scenes things going on....some public knowledge some not....and he still found a way to keep the team together, focused and winning is amazing. It goes beyond football and extends into much more and if they gave out awards based on the entirety of the job and not just on field results, McD SHOULD have won CoY honors last year.

 

However, there needs to be a time where if he can't get the Bills moving forward, past the Chiefs, past the Bengals....that both sides need to come together and "mutually agree to part ways". He has shown he can lead and shown he can turn a program from punchline to perineal playoff team. He won't be out of work long if he chooses. But this season of the same old issues pop up in the playoffs...welp the seat could very well be a tad warmer going forward.

 

 

There's no way to know if that is true. 

 

Even if it was, he certainly did not have the them together and prepared for the Bengals.  

[JohnNord]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:18 PM, RoyBatty is alive said:

McDermott is gong nowhere unless the team is a disaster, he would need a losings seasons even still might be safe.

Agreed…I’m not sure why people seem to think he’s on the hot seat.  With him taking over defensive calls, there’s definitely is more pressure him in 2023 than there was in 2022.  But people sleep on how much power he has with the Bills and how much Terry reveres him.  
 

I think Beane gets fired before McDermott

[Big Blitz]

It’s Spencer Brown and he probably has until week 5 at most.   

[TheWeatherMan]

Looking at the salary cap savings for 2024 the following players need to have an amazing season to remain with the team: Taron Johnson, Jordan Poyer, Deonte Harty, Nyheim Hines, Siran Neal and Reggie Gilliam.  

[JohnNord]

5 minutes ago, TheWeatherMan said:

Looking at the salary cap savings for 2024 the following players need to have an amazing season to remain with the team: Taron Johnson, Jordan Poyer, Deonte Harty, Nyheim Hines, Siran Neal and Reggie Gilliam.  

They love Taron and won’t be moving on from him.  There’s no guarantees for the others 

[Bobby Hooks]

On 5/15/2023 at 11:13 AM, dpberr said:

I think they will trade Ed Oliver at the deadline, regardless of the season he's having. 

This might be the silliest thing I’ve ever read. If he’s playing lights out and we’re battling for first in the afc or another division title you think they trade him? Ridiculous. 
 

Not to mention if he is playing insanely the contract he’d receive would be a good one and we’d get more in comps than what he’d get in trade. 
 

This literally makes zero sense. 
 

If he plays poorly, no one would trade for him. If he’s playing great, we wouldn’t create a hole in the D. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Bobby Hooks

[Matt_In_NH]

On 5/14/2023 at 2:20 PM, Rico said:

Tre White needs to be back-to-form to justify the $.

 

They have not converted his base salary to bonus which is a sign they may be in a wait and see with him.  As it stands now they can save 6.2M by releasing him after this year.

[Matt_In_NH]

6 hours ago, TheWeatherMan said:

Looking at the salary cap savings for 2024 the following players need to have an amazing season to remain with the team: Taron Johnson, Jordan Poyer, Deonte Harty, Nyheim Hines, Siran Neal and Reggie Gilliam.  

I dont understand Harty's contract.  Does his production justify what he got?   He has a hard time staying healthy too.   He does have some interesting upside with how dynamic he is but the numbers seem a little out of whack to me.

[PonyBoy]

On 5/17/2023 at 10:13 AM, BuffaloBillyG said:

In the history of the NFL there have been coaches that are both great at what they do and also not able to get the that next step. Marty Schottenheimer, Marvin Lewis level guys. High character, good teachers and great leaders of men. Right now Sean McDermott is squarely in that realm. 

 

Let's face it, there aren't many (of any) coaches that could have done the job McDermott was asked to do last year. The fact that they had about 100 behind the scenes things going on....some public knowledge some not....and he still found a way to keep the team together, focused and winning is amazing. It goes beyond football and extends into much more and if they gave out awards based on the entirety of the job and not just on field results, McD SHOULD have won CoY honors last year.

 

However, there needs to be a time where if he can't get the Bills moving forward, past the Chiefs, past the Bengals....that both sides need to come together and "mutually agree to part ways". He has shown he can lead and shown he can turn a program from punchline to perineal playoff team. He won't be out of work long if he chooses. But this season of the same old issues pop up in the playoffs...welp the seat could very well be a tad warmer going forward.

 

 

Very logical, thought out post! 

Sad but true.

[GunnerBill]

On 5/18/2023 at 10:21 AM, machine gun kelly said:

This is a make it year for Epenesa and Basham, and seriously doubt Oliver will be able to do enough to extend.  I’m a little surprised they didn’t choose to trade him while there was value.

 

The "value" there was is less than the value he adds to the team in 2023, and was likely less than the 3rd round comp pick they will get if he does an Edmunds, has his best season and then signs a big FA deal elsewhere.

[Chaos]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:47 AM, GunnerBill said:

 

Marty, yes. Marv? Less so. Marv never won a playoff game. McDermott reminds me more of Bill Cowher or Marty, who won playoff games but kept coming up short. Marty resigned from KC and never won one. Cowher stuck it out in Pittsburgh and did. 

Give Bill Cowher Big Ben, and he wins a Super Bowl pretty quickly.  I think the point about McDermott is that he has a top 2 (3, 4 or you rather) QB, and is falling short with that. 

[NewEra]

7 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

The "value" there was is less than the value he adds to the team in 2023, and was likely less than the 3rd round comp pick they will get if he does an Edmunds, has his best season and then signs a big FA deal elsewhere.

Exactly. I was in the trade Ed camp, but only if we could get a stud OL or WR in the deal. 
 

He’s a good DT and will help us this season.  We are better with him than without him. Take the comp pick in the future and hope that he has his best year ever and helps us win a Super Bowl. 

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, Chaos said:

Give Bill Cowher Big Ben, and he wins a Super Bowl pretty quickly.  I think the point about McDermott is that he has a top 2 (3, 4 or you rather) QB, and is falling short with that. 

 

I am not sure I agree on Cowher. Big Ben was very limited the year they won that first Superbowl. It wasn't like they suddenly have great QB play. 

[BillsShredder83]

Can't help but laugh at the epenesa crowd. Dude would have to have 8-9 sack season and be willing to sign for a very friendly team deal to have any chance at staying here. Doubt he has anything better than a 3-4sack year, and doubt he's extended any contract offer at all.

[Pete]

The whole DL not named Von.  No DL signed past next season.  May the best men win the extensions.  Daquan and Roos will get extended and 5th year option imo 

Edited May 21, 2023 by Pete

[Thrivefourfive]

Oliver has carried with him the top ten drafted rap his whole career. He never should have been drafted that high, and he’s absolutely proven that. There won’t be two busts around this guy from the Bills. He’s gone. He won’t play better this season. It’s what it is.