MLB - When, Who, How, and Why Not

[LABILLBACKER]

2 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

I’m sorry you don’t like it.  No team is going to pick up guys until cuts to 53 are made.  And as I keep saying Ivthink we’ll see a lot of 1LB/6 DB looks with Milano and Rapp on the field.

As long as Dorian is the first guy rotated in.  I'm tired of waiting around for Dodson, Bernard or Spector to step up and take this position.  And we better bring someone in after cut down day.

[PBF81]

3 hours ago, Special K said:

Who's on first, What's on second, I don't know is on third.

 

I'll let the shortstop speak for me.  

 

 

 

[gobills404]

Why are we worried about MLB? Apparently Edmunds sucked and he was able to captain an elite defense for multiple years. So we should be just fine with another sucky MLB, right?

Edited August 22, 2023 by gobills404

[PBF81]

41 minutes ago, gobills404 said:

Why are we worried about MLB? Apparently Edmunds sucked and he was able to captain an elite defense for multiple years. So we should be just fine with another sucky MLB, right?

 

LOL, there is that conundrum element to it for some.  

 

 

[dave mcbride]

Greg Cosell thinks Williams will be starting at MLB before too long because he's more talented:

. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

13 hours ago, gobills404 said:

Why are we worried about MLB? Apparently Edmunds sucked and he was able to captain an elite defense for multiple years. So we should be just fine with another sucky MLB, right?

EXACTLY

 

I've said all along the money we gave to Lil' Ed should have gone to Edmunds. It would have been better spent

 

[Augie]

16 hours ago, HOUSE said:

I will never understand how you can lose a MLB to free agency that was completely expected then have no clear replacement entering training camp. 

This would be ok on a rebuilding team but not on SB contender

Brandon Beane knew before last season Edmunds was gone..

It appears Matt Milano is moving to MLB 

 

I think they did it to punish all the people who said Edmunds was no good and was not a significant loss to the team. Boy! Did he show THEM!!!  

 

 

😋

[RyanC883]

I think Williams is the MLB by the end of the year.  He has the physical and football IQ talent.  If he's not, it's either a terrible pick or terrible coaching.  

[GunnerBill]

17 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

I’m sorry you don’t like it.  No team is going to pick up guys until cuts to 53 are made.  And as I keep saying Ivthink we’ll see a lot of 1LB/6 DB looks with Milano and Rapp on the field.

 

Fine when we are in obvious passing situations... which is playing the mike responsibilities in the run game? Because that more than anything is where I am concerned. 

[Simon Says]

17 hours ago, ngbills said:

It’s hard to understand the lack of action bringing in an MLB. We have brought in random RB and OL just to make a few. We clearly have lack of talent and depth at MLB but what has this team done? Are we waiting for cuts? Some believe the starting MLB is not even on this roster right now. 

Well ,you probably answered your own question. Not much to choose from at the moment but there will be 1000 guys cut-down and I'm sure Beane will be shopping g

[folz]

A few thoughts on MLB: 

 

1. At this point, I think they would like Dorian to man that position, but it is a lot for a rookie from a small school to learn the defense well enough to call it right away. And if they had come out and said he's going to be the MLB and then he struggled early, it would be a much harder road (fans down on him, maybe he loses confidence in himself, etc.). Hopefully as the season goes on he gets plugged in more and eventually takes over. He's smallish, but he's a tackling machine...and fast enough to cover.

 

2. Obviously McD had a plan to change the defense up a bit (faster, cover LBs; putting three safeties on the field, etc.). I don't think they purposefully ignored the position, instead they wanted to change direction with the position/defense. They didn't want an Edmunds-type replacement. We'll have to wait until the season begins to see how McD is calling the defense and what the personnel groupings really are, but I'm sure he doesn't want to tip his hand too much before then. Will the change work...we just have to wait and see at this point. But it is silly to believe that they just forgot to get a MLB. I mean, with teams like KC, Cinn, and Miami, etc. speed is more important than bulk at LB. How many times have we been killed by quick hitting slants over the middle. A guy like Tremaine Edmunds (and probably even Dodson) don't have much of a chance covering or tackling slants by Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Jamaar Chase, Tee Higgins, or fast and athletic TEs and slot guys. I don't think they wanted a Bobby Wagner or similar type of  LB...they want faster LBs who are sure tacklers, so they can cover the speedy receivers we have to face without being a liability in the run game. I think it is a change in philosophy, not an ignoring of the position.

 

3. The Bernard injury hurts. I have a feeling he was the preferred option (with how they want to run things) until Dorian got good enough to take over. The idea also may have been to platoon the position for a while, much like they did with CB2 last year (though it's a much tougher position to do so with since they call the plays). But if we are playing a heavier run team, we'd see more Dodson and Klein; a better passing team, we'd see more Bernard/Rapp/Spector/Williams. And I don't think we even really have a traditional Will and Mike anyways. The LBs will be more interchangeable. With only two backers on the field, you don't really have inside and outside LBs, it is more your side and my side.

 

4. Beane is the type of GM who looks under every rock (see the kid they brought in from the USFL---not that his signing prevents them from bringing in someone better, say after team cuts or whatever). To think he is ignoring the position is silly. And yes, last year there was a problem with depth across the team because we had so many injuries. But to the guy complaining about the WRs last year, I think you may have forgotten that Crowder went down in what game four. Had he stayed healthy, I don't think the WR position would have been as rough as it was last year. Lack of production from the slot and interior offensive line were the issues with the offense last year and they tried very hard to address that this off-season.

 

Again, we have to wait and see how it all plays out...maybe the posters who are very concerned about the position will turn out to be right, or maybe we just don't really know what their actual defensive plan is yet, and we are thinking too much about how we were previously rather than the new direction they want to go to combat the types of offenses that exist now, so everything will be fine. Not too much longer until we find out. 🤞

 

[ngbills]

15 hours ago, whorlnut said:

Bull. Beane and McD has literally thrown every premium resource at the d…until this year. No way you can say that. How many first rounders are on the defense as opposed to the offense?  I’ll wait…

 

Tell me about the offense last year. Tell me about how we called brown and Beasley off their couches because we completely messed up WR. Tell me about our lack of oline that nearly got Allen killed.  Don’t give me that sob story about the d. 

Well I guess that is part of the point. He drafted Bernard and Williams to replace Edmunds? Using thirds on both. Did many people really think either was the answer at MLB? With free agent $ he resigned Dodson and Klein. Did anyone think that was the answer? Maybe McD thinks they can just plug anyone in that position or he thinks he/Beane think Bernard or Williams are the answer because he drafted him. I would rather have at least one ILB that can get the job done while those guys develop - Wagner, David, Long, Perryman, Bush, Alexander all signed deals that were manageable but we decided to bring back Dodson, Klein, Matakevich. Heck we spent another $7M on Floyd. We could have done that and still not impacted the money to spend on the O. 

[ngbills]

2 minutes ago, folz said:

 

 

4. Beane is the type of GM who looks under every rock (see the kid they brought in from the USFL---not that his signing prevents them from bringing in someone better, say after team cuts or whatever). To think he is ignoring the position is silly. And yes, last year there was a problem with depth across the team because we had so many injuries. But to the guy complaining about the WRs last year, I think you may have forgotten that Crowder went down in what game four. Had he stayed healthy, I don't think the WR position would have been as rough as it was last year. Lack of production from the slot and interior offensive line were the issues with the offense last year and they tried very hard to address that this off-season.

 

People always say this but then we wind up with Klein, Brown, Beasley, Marlowe, Lawson and the Carolina retreads. I see more signing guys he knows than leaving every rock unturned. The these issues are not due to surprises or injuries. Any average Bills fans has talked about MLB, WR, OL for several years now. Beane and McD get to run the show and are making the decisions. As fans we get to discuss what they are doing. Unfortunately the reality is the decision made at these positions has hurt the team the past few years and could be worse this year. Hopefully not. 

[oldmanfan]

42 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Fine when we are in obvious passing situations... which is playing the mike responsibilities in the run game? Because that more than anything is where I am concerned. 

I know you are more knowledgeable about football than me, but it should be obvious by now after we had Edmunds in McD’s D for 5 years that the concept of a traditional middle LB stuffing the run game is not how this defense is designed.  

25 minutes ago, folz said:

A few thoughts on MLB: 

 

1. At this point, I think they would like Dorian to man that position, but it is a lot for a rookie from a small school to learn the defense well enough to call it right away. And if they had come out and said he's going to be the MLB and then he struggled early, it would be a much harder road (fans down on him, maybe he loses confidence in himself, etc.). Hopefully as the season goes on he gets plugged in more and eventually takes over. He's smallish, but he's a tackling machine...and fast enough to cover.

 

2. Obviously McD had a plan to change the defense up a bit (faster, cover LBs; putting three safeties on the field, etc.). I don't think they purposefully ignored the position, instead they wanted to change direction with the position/defense. They didn't want an Edmunds-type replacement. We'll have to wait until the season begins to see how McD is calling the defense and what the personnel groupings really are, but I'm sure he doesn't want to tip his hand too much before then. Will the change work...we just have to wait and see at this point. But it is silly to believe that they just forgot to get a MLB. I mean, with teams like KC, Cinn, and Miami, etc. speed is more important than bulk at LB. How many times have we been killed by quick hitting slants over the middle. A guy like Tremaine Edmunds (and probably even Dodson) don't have much of a chance covering or tackling slants by Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Jamaar Chase, Tee Higgins, or fast and athletic TEs and slot guys. I don't think they wanted a Bobby Wagner or similar type of  LB...they want faster LBs who are sure tacklers, so they can cover the speedy receivers we have to face without being a liability in the run game. I think it is a change in philosophy, not an ignoring of the position.

 

3. The Bernard injury hurts. I have a feeling he was the preferred option (with how they want to run things) until Dorian got good enough to take over. The idea also may have been to platoon the position for a while, much like they did with CB2 last year (though it's a much tougher position to do so with since they call the plays). But if we are playing a heavier run team, we'd see more Dodson and Klein; a better passing team, we'd see more Bernard/Rapp/Spector/Williams. And I don't think we even really have a traditional Will and Mike anyways. The LBs will be more interchangeable. With only two backers on the field, you don't really have inside and outside LBs, it is more your side and my side.

 

4. Beane is the type of GM who looks under every rock (see the kid they brought in from the USFL---not that his signing prevents them from bringing in someone better, say after team cuts or whatever). To think he is ignoring the position is silly. And yes, last year there was a problem with depth across the team because we had so many injuries. But to the guy complaining about the WRs last year, I think you may have forgotten that Crowder went down in what game four. Had he stayed healthy, I don't think the WR position would have been as rough as it was last year. Lack of production from the slot and interior offensive line were the issues with the offense last year and they tried very hard to address that this off-season.

 

Again, we have to wait and see how it all plays out...maybe the posters who are very concerned about the position will turn out to be right, or maybe we just don't really know what their actual defensive plan is yet, and we are thinking too much about how we were previously rather than the new direction they want to go to combat the types of offenses that exist now, so everything will be fine. Not too much longer until we find out. 🤞

 

Thank you.

[GunnerBill]

20 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

I know you are more knowledgeable about football than me, but it should be obvious by now after we had Edmunds in McD’s D for 5 years that the concept of a traditional middle LB stuffing the run game is not how this defense is designed.  

 

 

Completely. Edmunds was always a better pass defender than run defender. But as I keep saying what we have got through the pre-season isn't even mediocre level play. It is liability level play. If we can get to mediocre I'll be pretty relaxed about the defense's ability to scheme around it. But if it is Dodson or Klein just run wide zone and get them moving laterally and they won't reach their landmark in time to stop your running back whizzing by and if it is Bernard, Milano or Williams I am just gonna run straight at you and see if you can get off blocks consistently. I'm concerned. And I don't say that to be negative. I say it because it is how I honestly feel about what I've seen on the field through 2 weeks. And basic run fits and zone drops are not the sorts of thing that usually need a lot of game planning. It is what McDermott would call playing fundamentally sound football. I honestly think he will be very concerned privately. Especially given his name and reputation is now on this defense. We have all seen before in the NFL if you have a guy who is liability level.... teams will just go after him play after play. 

[BullBuchanan]

It's completely unacceptable the way it was handled. They would have been better off with one less guard and a real player at LB, instead of 6 backups. McDs ass is on the line to scheme around it.

[SCBills]

For whatever reasons they have, Buffalo clearly isn't worried about the MLB position like we are.  If they were, I have to think a stronger move is available for a non-premium position than signing a USFL guy. 

 

Maybe it's a scheme thing, a role thing.. maybe we watch MNF in a few weeks and realize why they don't seem as panicked as the fanbase. 

 

It's not like OT, where we can just trade for someone or pick someone up off waivers and immediately have them active on Gameday as Spencer Brown's backup.. They don't even trust Dorian Williams to go out there yet.. they're not going to trust someone off the street or via trade if they don't do it asap.  We're only a few weeks away and apparently MLB in our Defense is more complex than quantum physics. 

 

 

[MJS]

Well, I would like to see how things go in the regular season before I start freaking out about what we don't have and who is to blame.

 

I do know this: there will always be a position or two of concern. There simply is not enough talent and money to be spent in order to have good starters at every single position.

[ngbills]

Slim pickings but I would take a flyer on a Rashaan Evans. Jayon Brown is out there. Nothing to lose Beanester except them being better than our current stable. 

[HappyDays]

6 minutes ago, MJS said:

Well, I would like to see how things go in the regular season before I start freaking out about what we don't have and who is to blame.

 

I do know this: there will always be a position or two of concern. There simply is not enough talent and money to be spent in order to have good starters at every single position.

 

MLB is not just a position of concern though. CB is a position of concern. LT and RT are positions of concern. We don't necessarily have ideal starters at those roles but they are starting caliber players. MLB on the other hand is a gaping hole without even a known replacement level player. I don't know of any other contender that has that kind of vulnerability at a full time starting position.