Great start to the offseason! Now let's head towards the draft...

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I just don’t see it. I see. This as further validation that it is a philosophy change. We aren’t going to be allocating solid resources to rotational guys. CB certainly isn’t an option because you don’t have a starting spot available and you traded up in the 1st, 2 years ago for your 4th CB. S just isn’t impactful enough to wait on WR. You’ll likely sign the 2nd starter there next week. 
 

The philosophy is let’s win with Josh. Until Kincaid, the only 1st round pass catcher to catch a pass from Allen was Kelvin Benjamin. Let’s load up around him to make the strength of this team stronger. The goal is no longer to keep the game close with KC and to try to have the ball last to win. The goal now is to have the most explosive offense in football and see if they can keep up with you. The Bills want to be be the aggressor, not react and adjust to the aggressor. WR2 is the top priority and it isn’t even close. 

 

I agree with you. I hope they continue to build around Allen. Kincaid is a nice start, but they need another weapon at WR especially with Diggs turning 31 this upcoming season.

[Kirby Jackson]

3 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

I think you’re overshooting how much we need pre draft. Your example shows a less active approach. A lot of the backend of the 90 man roster comes after the draft with undrafted free agents and free agents that haven’t signed a deal yet post draft. The bills are a team that over the last few years have had to cut guys they’ve drafted because we paid so much in free agency for “washed” older vets. I don’t want us spinning are wheels again. Let’s stick to the youth movement we’ve got going no reason to have our 10th D lineman be another Poona Ford and let our 6th and 7th round picks get released to some other teams active roster 

 

and CJG is not washed. He’s been injured but still very young and will be very cheap imo because of the injury history. He also can play free safety and nickel so the versatility is money. 

I’m not overshooting. It’s math. If you add 20 guys between late FA and UDFAs (which would be a TON) you still need to add 10 pre draft.

 

Of the 50 guys currently on the roster, that already accounts for a whole bunch of camp fodder. 

[John from Riverside]

3 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Agree. I still hope they take a WR at 28 but you know how McDermott and Beane love to build around the defense. Although Beane did take Kincaid in the first-round last year so maybe their philosophy is changing.

We have 11 pics in this draft there are going to be some guys in the high second they can fill the bill at wide receiver if they decide to go defensive line at 28
 

I don’t know if it wouldn’t be a bad idea to actually trade out of 28 to the top of the second round take either defense lineman, or a wide receiver and then depending on who you take trade back up into the second and take the defensive lineman, or wide receiver, that you didn’t with your first second round pick 

[Gregg]

2 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

We have 11 pics in this draft there are going to be some guys in the high second they can fill the bill at wide receiver if they decide to go defensive line at 28
 

I don’t know if it wouldn’t be a bad idea to actually trade out of 28 to the top of the second round take either defense lineman, or a wide receiver and then depending on who you take trade back up into the second and take the defensive lineman, or wide receiver, that you didn’t with your first second round pick 

Good point and Beane has shown he is not afraid to make trades on draft night. He traded up for Allen and Edmunds too if I remember correctly. Also, we have to see how FA plays out. If Allen restructures maybe the Bills can sign a quality FA or two.

Edited March 7 by Gregg

[NeverOutNick]

6 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I’m not overshooting. It’s math. If you add 20 guys between late FA and UDFAs (which would be a TON) you still need to add 10 pre draft.

 

Of the 50 guys currently on the roster, that already accounts for a whole bunch of camp fodder. 

I’m not saying your math is wrong. I understand how math works believe it or not lol. I’m saying your approach is wrong. And honestly from your example I don’t know why you’re fighting me so hard on this lol. You have us taking 7 players pre draft not 10, not 20 so you’re more on my side than you’re acting. Those veteran minimum guys you signed pre draft could be had after the draft too. No reason to jump in so quickly in free agency is my point. It’s gotten us in trouble in the past and I think Beane would finally like to keep some of his late draft picks from now on

[Kirby Jackson]

5 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

I’m not saying your math is wrong. I understand how math works believe it or not lol. I’m saying your approach is wrong. And honestly from your example I don’t know why you’re fighting me so hard on this lol. You have us taking 7 players pre draft not 10, not 20 so you’re more on my side than you’re acting. Those veteran minimum guys you signed pre draft could be had after the draft too. No reason to jump in so quickly in free agency is my point. It’s gotten us in trouble in the past and I think Beane would finally like to keep some of his late draft picks from now on

I’m sorry if it’s coming off as challenging. We are actually in agreement on most of this. A lot of guys will be added post draft. 
 

Where we differ is “jumping in.” The Bills aren’t going to sit out and let the market settle before trying to address holes. They are going to be targeted and thoughtful with their budget. If As an example, if McKinney is their target, and that contract from above is where they’re comfortable, they’ll get that on the table ASAP. If he commands more than where they’re comfortable, they’ll walk away. That’s the difference in what we are saying. They aren’t going to wait for it to settle; they are going to be aggressive while sticking to a budget.

 

They aren’t going to let guys that they want go off the board without taking a shot.

Edited March 7 by Kirby Jackson

[NeverOutNick]

2 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I’m sorry if it’s coming off as challenging. We are actually in agreement on most of this. A lot of guys will be added post draft. 
 

Where we differ is “jumping in.” The Bills aren’t going to sit out and let the market settle before trying to address holes. They are going to be targeted and thoughtful with their budget. If As an example, if McKinney is their target, and that contract from above is where they’re comfortable, they’ll get that on the table ASAP. If he commands more than where they’re comfortable, they’ll walk away. That’s the difference in what we are saying. They aren’t going to wait for it to settle; they are going to be aggressive while sticking to a budget.

If they have a target or 2 they really need pre-draft that’s fine if it’s at a reasonable price. I don’t think we need to do anything splashy because the splashiness is what got us in this cap hell in the first place. 
 

Beane is a master of wheeling and dealing I just think this is an offseason he needs to sit on his hands a little more than usual and trust his scouting department for the draft. 
 

What I don’t want to happen is McClappy to get his way again and we spend a lot on a pass rusher or for the FO to be like “look bills fans here’s Derek Henry or Hollywood Brown” now be distracted while we bypass all this amazing WR talent in the draft to get younger on defense for McDoucher lol…the ol misdirection magic trick “ooh how pretty, hey wait a second wasn’t this a good WR draft, what happened?”

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

I don't see the Bills going WR in the first two rounds.  I believe they will take one in one of the first two rounds.  It will depend on who is available when they pick.  Many of us have forgotten that they signed Hamler to a futures contract.  He could already be the second guy that they need to add.  If an good edge guy falls in the range of 28, don't be surprised if they pick him.  Pass rushers are less available in this draft than d-tackles and other positions of need.

 

Just like Beane's previous years in Buffalo, his free agency moves tell us a lot about his approach in the draft.

[dje85]

Personally, I don't agree at all about waiting for free agents after the draft. I feel like we need to go into the draft without any glaring holes so we don't have to over draft any players or get other teams jumping over us for the obvious players we would be going for to fill said roster holes.

That said, we don't have to go after the top name players to get solid roster players, and we all know Beane won't over pay market value on mid-tier players. 

 

That way we can just go bpa and based on where we are drafting and projected boards that is likely wr in round 1. I also do not feel we need to draft a second wr that early though do agree about dipping back in and drafting a second wr in the 4th or 5th round. This guy will be a depth player who can play special teams and develop. Much like shorter will be after missing last year. In free agency I would at minimum pick up two vet dts hopefully one of them Daquan Jones and another a run stuffing dt, a vet rb for short yard/ redzone goal line situations, and a vet DE for rotation (two if we don't resign Epenesa). The DE's because DE's take time to develop and I would rather have a solid DE rotation we know is reliable rather than relying on a weaker DE class.  

 

In the second I would draft the best C/G available (if any fall to us worthwhile like last year)  for competition with Edwards and/or McGovern starting spots. Obviously if the player wins out at center slide mcgovern back over to guard. If there aren't any guard/ C that are worth a second round pick by the time we select I'd draft Safety as I do not agree with your assessment that this is a weak safety draft. I think there are quite a few good safety prospects who should be available at that 2nd round or third round selection position. 

 

Personally, I would sign a safety in free agency to start and draft two young safeties one earlier in the second or third round if we go G/C in the second and then double dip in a later round for competition at both safety spots as well as special teams depth. 

 

In the later rounds if we keep all our 11 picks (which is doubtful) I would go bpa while focusing on third rb, cb depth, the safety, a tackle for the oline competition, DT depth, the previously mentioned safety depth player, and the final picks bpa whatever position.

[NastyNateSoldiers]

5 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

I don’t disagree on Haack and Rapp but Trubisky was an awesome backup for us. I’m none of them hurt the comp formula so that’s probably the main reason but Rapp isn’t a very good safety imo. He’s heat seeking missile with no feel for coverage and Haack is just why…

To me Trubisky is also just why! 😂

[nedboy7]

Most likely we are going DL or WR depending on value.  No need to draft another RB in any round. Sign Zeke and Ty. 

[27yankees]

1st: Trade 2024 1st with Arizona for a 2024 2 (pick 35) and a 2025  2/3

2nd: DT Sweat  Tx, WR Legette SC

3rd:  WR  Wilson Fla St

4th:  LB Ford Tx

 

Edited March 7 by 27yanks

[hondo in seattle]

Great start?  We've lost a bunch of starters and contributors, signed a backup QB, and restructured some contracts to keep a couple of guys without emptying the bank.  Objectively, not a great start.  

 

But I get the point.  Given the circumstances that he himself created, Beane seems to be doing a good job managing the cap challenges.   

[ngbills]

7 hours ago, NastyNateSoldiers said:

It was a great start until they overpaid Rapp and are trying to sign the Garbage man Trubisky btw also bringing back Matt Haack was lazy work by Beane . Great start horrible ending like a bad movie! 

Agreed. I would like to see them wait out on all of those signings. None scream of better get that guy before someone else does. Rapp looks overpay unless the report is greatly exaggerated. No way he should have gotten 3/$15M. 

9 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

Great start?  We've lost a bunch of starters and contributors, signed a backup QB, and restructured some contracts to keep a couple of guys without emptying the bank.  Objectively, not a great start.  

 

But I get the point.  Given the circumstances that he himself created, Beane seems to be doing a good job managing the cap challenges.   

Yes - weird use of "great start". Did some obvious things (Harty, Hines, Bates, Douglas, Miller), some tough things (Morse, White, Poyer) and some "what" things (Rapp, Haack, Trubisky).