Logic's Buffalo Bills Draft Review -- The more things change, the more they stay the same

[Nephilim17]

We don't know what Keon Coleman will be. He could be the second coming of Eric Moulds; he could be Kelvin Benjamin (post-Bills trade).

If he's good and has the potential to be a bona fide WR 2, at least, I think the draft will be viewed, at least from an offensive perspective, as decent to good.

But if Coleman struggles and looks over-drafted and one of Worthy or Legette looks to be a star (neither is guaranteed but it's possible) then I honestly think Josh or his agent says WTF and has a talk with Pegula. 

We did not capitalize on the first half of Josh's prime; I believe management must show that things are different in the next year or two or they'll be gone. And I'm rooting for Coleman to be great. If he turns out to be a young Larry Fitzgerald or Moulds, I would love it. Not sure. Like most here I was underwhelmed with the Coleman pick but none of us are pro scouts. As with every draft, we won't know for a while.

[Warcodered]

27 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

No it isn't, he literally told us what kind of offense he wants in 2021

 

verbatim: 'That has not been my message from Day 1, I can promise you that. If you were in the team meetings in training camp, you would know what style of offense I want. That identity needs to embody toughness.'

People keep misunderstanding things, for a long ass time the Bills sucked at running the ball so McDermott would obviously hammer the point that they needed to be better at it, so for whatever reason people now think that's what he wants to just run the ball.

 

That's not it at all, he want's to be able to run the ball because that's important, would he want to control the clock of course who the ***** wouldn't. Having a team that can control more of the game is better that's obvious. That in no way precludes or eliminates passing the ball, McDermott wants his offense to score because of course he ***** does.

Edited April 28 by Warcodered

[ganesh]

2 hours ago, KentuckyBillsFan said:

This front office will never build around Allen… and I think the biggest reason for that is Sean McDermott. 

This quote doesn't make any sense.  Why would a HC who has a Franchise QB not want to build around Allen?   '

 

 

[H2o]

2 hours ago, KentuckyBillsFan said:

This front office will never build around Allen… and I think the biggest reason for that is Sean McDermott. 

It's really starting to seem that way. He always has to spend high draft picks on defense. Coleman is the highest drafted WR in the 2nd. Kincaid was a 1st last year, but a TE. Knox was a 3rd, but a TE. Outside of that it's 4th, 5th, 6th Round guys at WR. We did ship a 1st to Minnesota for Diggs. But we've had opportunity to do more. It's like they get one guy every year and say, "We're good." No, we're not good. 

[Gunsgoodtime]

The only thing that needs to change is the GM and head coach.  Maybe then wre can look forward, until then we are 1st round exits at best.  Will be lucky to make the playoffs with Josh Allen at qb.  They all should be fired

[Dr. Who]

16 minutes ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

 

I wasn't just responding to the OP, there are many posters on here who clearly hated the draft. Did you not read my response?

Yes, I guess I don't know why you chose this thread to post those thoughts. I don't think the haters are likely to show up in abundance here, and the overall theme of the OP and those who agree with him is much more nuanced, and quite opposed to extravagant hatred for this particular draft. I could be wrong, of course.

Edited April 28 by Dr. Who

[BillsVet]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes gave way to Robert Foster, Isaiah McKenzie, John Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, et al.

Even Gabe Davis's effectiveness gradually waned the longer he was here. His limited route tree, stiffness, and inability to get consistent separation led to Josh rarely throwing it to him over the back half of last season.

 

You're starting to catch on Logic.  Good for you.  This regime is playing from behind and McD is doing his version of Sinatra's "I did it my way" approach to building a roster.  

 

2 hours ago, DaVinci said:

Our ability to Improve is going to depend on our Offensive coordinator and how much Mcdermott lets him call the Offense. 

 

Brady calls the offense to fit the HC's strategy.  He doesn't get to freelance and certainly is limited by the players he's given.  And the guy who's in charge of player priorities is the same HC. 

 

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

I have no idea why people don’t understand where the Bills are right now. They swung for the fences a few years ago thinking that 13 seconds had them on the doorstep. The swing and missed and now have to pay for it by rebuilding with a much younger, cheaper roster. But somehow through that, and including this draft, have now replaced the starting WR, TE, RB on offense and the MLB, S on defense. And with all of that they’re still expected to compete for a championship. It’s going to take another year. 2024 will NOT be the year. It was NEVER going to be. 

 

You're satisfied that the same people who couldn't get over the hump from 13 seconds are now going to get it right after these cap issues they got the team into?  This group has a tendency to cry cap problems that they themselves have inflicted when the masses aren't enamored with their decisions or limitations.  

 

McBeane are poor stewards of the cap and now they gotta take their medicine.  But it's OK. 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

41 minutes ago, Toyo321 said:

Beane and McD are like a broken record that skips every time before the song can be finished playing.  You hope that the next time you play it again, it might miraculously somehow get the end of the song.  This sounds all too familiar to me.

 

One of these days Josh is going to wake up and throw the damn record against the wall and it will shatter into a million pieces.

 

This is the day I am hoping for because these two guys "Beane and McD" are nothing but pretenders in this league, and they are undeniably the reason this team has failed to get to Superbowl.  It sure as hell is not Josh Allens fault.

 

The day Josh gets a fresh start with a competent GM and Coach will be a day Josh can breathe a sigh of relief and so will I.  IMO.....

 

I am sick and tired of this " Trust the Process " with these two guys.   It getting so old at this point, the process has mold growing on it now.

The process was them getting their foot in the door and landing the job. Once that was accomplished,  permanent job security followed.  And Pegula with Kim's condition cannot be bothered with analyzing McD's game day flaws. It would take Josh stepping up to voice his concern or fans simply not buying in with the new stadium approaching. 

[LEBills]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

Brandon Beane, speaking at his post draft presser just now, said "The cap is the cap. There is not a receiver trade coming". He said it point blank. So...I think at this point a free agency addition is far more likely.

without a trade, this is the list of FA WRs available

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2024/status/available/position/wr/sort/contract_value

 

Slot guys Hunter Renfroe and Tyler Boyd. Washed up Michael Thomas, Allen Robinson and OBJ. Field stretchers only MVS and DJ Chark. Just don’t see much improvement that route…

[FireChans]

To @Logic’s point.

 

what is the biggest need on the Bills roster today?

 

WR.

 

what was it 3 days ago?

 

WR.

 

That’s unacceptable.

[Doc]

They filled needs with promising players. Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see how they turn out.  No one can make any definitive statements right now.

Edited April 28 by Doc

[Logic]

33 minutes ago, FireChans said:

To @Logic’s point.

 

what is the biggest need on the Bills roster today?

 

WR.

 

what was it 3 days ago?

 

WR.

 

That’s unacceptable.

Well said, and in way less words than I said it (brevity has never been my strong suit).

Thank you!

[BCAS Baritone]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

After we just saw his connection with big, limited, non-separating Gabe Davis deteriorate to the point of non-existence, why go back to the well of that type of WR?

I don't think that is a fair evaluation of Coleman.  The non-separating part is true, and obviously the biggest knock on Coleman.  But I think his hands are better.  We also don't know if he will do better on those option routes than Davis did.  There are several all-time bloopers involving Gabe Davis over the years that you don't see from other receivers around the league.  Maybe the problem really is Josh and not Gabe, or the OC and not Gabe, but at the moment I am leaning toward it's more Gabe's fault than the others.

 

If those all-time bloopers turned into catches, then Gabe's name would be on the Wall in a few years.  

 

Also, Coleman's young age and relative lack of experience give him room to grow.  I can't imagine he'll ever be Stefon Diggs in terms of route-running, but if he can be coached up to become an average separator, while still retaining his highlight reel catches, then we could have something special.  Just being bigger than the CB standing next to you does help you win some of those contested catches.

 

Other than the big 3 this year, every WR in the draft had something that made you say "yeah, he's good at that, but not so good at this".  Some of those guys will get better at that second thing and become stars, and some will not get better at that second thing while also getting worse at the first thing and will be a bust.  

 

I've seen analysts that I respect say Coleman will be a stud, and also other analysts that I respect say he will be a bust.  Which is also true of every WR drafted after the big 3.  If we had a healthy and happy Stefon DIggs still on the roster  I doubt we would have picked Coleman or anybody else at WR with our top pick.  

 

Like almost everybody on this board, I definitely wanted a double dip at WR, and I really am baffled that it never happened.  So that part of the "meh" evaluation I agree with.  But I've always maintained that the most important thing is to not have a weak link anywhere on the field.  If your top 11 on both offense and defense are at least average at every position, you can still win a lot of games with that.  But turn one of those into a below average guy, even if you also turn an average guy into a star, you will probably lose more than you win.  Attacking the weak link is the surest path to victory.

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

Yes, I grant that he hasn't had many to work with.

The one that he most recently HAS had to work with was Gabe Davis. Davis's limited route variety, stiffness, and lack of separation ability all led to his being thrown to less and less, until by the end of last year he was barely a meaningful part of the passing game at all. 

My contention is that if we KNOW Josh does well with the fast, shifty guys, and we know that he has not historically demonstrated the same success with bigger guys -- albeit in a smaller sample size, and albeit with a less impressive group of players overall -- then why take on this experiment and this change in philosophy now? 

After we just saw his connection with big, limited, non-separating Gabe Davis deteriorate to the point of non-existence, why go back to the well of that type of WR?

 

Gabe was on the Bills 4 years.  In 2021, he had 10 receptions for 242 yds in 2 playoff games.  In 2022, starting 15 games, he had 48/836 reg season plus  8/147 in playoffs and in 2023, he had 45/746 regular season.    In the latter half of this year where "Josh's connection with big limited non-separating Gabe Davis detereriorated to the point of non-existance" according to you, he had 2 games of over 100 yds: Philly 6 for 105 and LAC 4 for 130.   Would you like to find an example of how Josh thrived better with "fast, shifty WRs who separate well" during the latter half of last season?  Oh, that's right, you can't - because Khalil Shakir, who was playing very well, had 2 games of over 100 yds, Jets 3/115 and Mia 6/105.  But in that latter half, big bodied TE Kincaid had 3 games for 80+ yds. 

I would personally say there were other things going on at the end of last season that affected passing game production including but not limited to: Josh's throwing shoulder sprain; a new OC; and whatever tf was going on with Diggs, our #1 receiver, that affected everyone's production.

 

Do you really want to 'hang your hat' on Gabe Davis as an example of how Josh has "not clicked with big-bodied guys who struggle with separation"?  It seems to me at times, Josh clicked with him Just Fine.  The shoe-string sideline catches in the 2020 Indy game, for example, or the 2021 KC game where he went off for 8 catches, 201 yds and 4 TDs.  #FACTS: Josh racked up more yards with Davis than he did with anyone else but Diggs.  Now you can nitpick that statement, but the fact is, Josh was pretty productive with Davis.  He certainly liked to target him downfield, whether he had separation or not, especially after Beasley was gone.

 

OK, so we've had what?  6? smaller, more shifty WR - Diggs, Beasley, Brown, Sanders, McKenzie, Crowder.  3 of them (Diggs, Beasley, Brown) Josh had arguably more success with than with Davis.  3 of them (Sanders, McKenzie, Crowder) did not seem to have a good connection with Josh; I would say he had a better connection with Davis than with them.   Maybe forming a connection might have more to do with the capabilities of the receiver and what other threats were on the field, and less to do with the receiver's size?

 

Which brings me to where you have a valid point - Gabe Davis was a limited receiver in that he was stiff and ran a limited route tree which, for whatever reason, he couldn't seem to extend.  He was also frequently hampered by ankle injuries.  But where's the logic to extend that to all big bodied receivers?  Are you trying to argue that they're all gonna be stiff and run limited route trees and not develop because Davis was that way, and Fat Kelvin was...well, Fat Kelvin?

 

That would be.....illogical.

 

But let's cut to the chase: The Bills didn't draft Keon Coleman at the top of the 2nd because they think he is stiff and runs a limited route tree and can't separate.  They drafted him because they think he is a high-ceiling guy with exceptional hands and catching skills, who will be able to use his basketball-derived flexibility and weight shift abilities to rapidly improve his route running and his release moves.   If you listen to Beane's presser, he is very explicit about this (17:39): he says Keon has "a really good release package for a college player, kid who's 20" and that "it'll improve - he's gonna play tougher corners so he's gonna have to improve with it"  He said "Of the bigger guys, we thought his release was as good as any."  Beane doesn't think he's a super-slow guy: he said he has much faster game speed, "noting the Bills had access to his GPS information in college, which pegged him closer to the 4.5 range".   Beane said he is good against press.

 

So, one of two things is true:  Either Beane and his scouts assessment of Coleman is correct, and he'll develop in to "all that and a bag of chips" and be able to fill that X receiver role; Or, they're mistaken, and the various media draft scouts and pundits are correct.

 

But I don't think it has anything to do with Josh thriving more with small shifty receivers than with big, above-the-rim, wide catch radius guys.  It has everything to do with the quality of Brandon Beane and his scouts' player personnel evaluation abilities.

Edited April 28 by Beck Water

[Freddie's Dead]

*****in' A Bubba, you nailed it.  Another year of defense and only two skill players on offense.  We're supposed to believe that in the deepest WR draft in years, the Bills didn't have any other WRs worth drafting?

[jkeerie]

4 hours ago, Logic said:

I'll start by saying that this was far from my favorite Bills draft.

I'm usually Mr Optimistic when it comes to draft classes, but I thought this year's class was just...fine. It was like if you fed Brandon Beane's draft tendencies and the Bills' needs into ChatGPT and asked it to spit out the 2024 Bills draft class. It was completely on brand, it filled the needs we all knew the team had, and it'll probably end up producing a few average players and a couple good ones.

Ho-hum. Nobody in this class makes me stand up and say "that guy's really gonna help the Bills get over the hump and win a title". 

Onto the picks:

1. Keon Coleman - I was not a fan of this pick. For a team whose WR corps needed more speed and separation, this guy made the LEAST sense to me of all the 1st/2nd round WR prospects. Josh Allen has historically thrived with fast, shifty WRs who separate well, and has not clicked with big-bodied guys who struggle with separation. So adding Keon Coleman? It feels like "Square peg, meet round hole". He does have great athleticism and RAC ability for a man his size. He's also young to the position, having played football full time for only two seasons and being only 20 years old. I have concerns about his ability to play X in the NFL, and I'll believe that he's a better fit as a big slot until proven otherwise. Here's hoping I'm wrong about Coleman. The absolute ceiling I see for him is "Solid WR2". Not what I was hoping for in a star studded WR class and with a crying need at the position.

2. Cole Bishop - Looks like he should be just what the doctor ordered at safety for the Bills. He seems to be more Poyer than Hyde, in that he's at his best in the box and playing the run, and he packs a wallop when he tackles. He appears to have untapped man coverage potential, with Dalton Kincaid saying Bishop usually got the better of him 1-on-1 at Utah. He also has freaky speed for the position and a great mental disposition. Should be an easy fit in the Bills' scheme. At the VERY least, I expect him to contribute from day 1 as a dime 'backer, but I'll ultimately be surprised if he doesn't wind up starting at one of the two safety spots by midseason. 

3. Dewayne Carter - Good bull rusher, great motor, tons of experience, impeccable character. Seems like a 1T/3T 'tweener. Quickly apparent from his interviews that he's one of the smartest, most likable, easy to root for guys you'll ever see in the NFL. Should be a quality rotational tackle for the Bills and seems like, in time, he will provide quality leadership and a steadying presence on the D-line. May never be a big play guy, but may at least be a "dirty work" guy who allows others around him to thrive.

4. Ray Davis - Hard running inside guy with great vision, ability to get skinny, contact balance, and underrated breakaway ability. Had the most receiving TDs in 2023 of any SEC running back in 25 years. Should provide a nice change of pace to James Cook without the Bills necessarily losing anything in the pass game when he comes on the field. An older prospect, but I don't care, because he's a running back, and he won't be here past his first contract anyway. Another "likability" and leadership All-Star. Davis should provide steadiness and depth, but doesn't do anything that wows you, and I'm not sure he moves the needle much on offense.

5. Sedrick Van Pran - Tons of starting experience at Georgia. Has some traits reminiscent of Mitch Morse in terms of quickness, twitch, and ability on the move. Stop me if you've heard this one before -- lauded for his leadership. Should provide a good backup plan to Connor McGovern at center and/or provide competition at that position. It will not shock me if this guy is starting by year two. Seems like a great value at this point in the draft. One of my favorite picks.

5. Edufuan Ulofoshio - What do you want me to say? You didn't think the Bills would let a draft pass them by without selecting a late round special teams linebacker, did you? The room is starting to get a bit crowded with Milano, Bernard, Williams, Morrow, Spector, and Ulofoshio. However...the Bills lost ST stalwarts Dodsen, Matakevitch, and Neal, and needed some reinforcements there. That's what Ulo seems to be. I'll be surprised if he ever amounts to more than that, but at this point in the draft, that's what you're getting.

5. Javon Soloman - Undersized speed rusher (though he does have a great wingspan for the position) who had absolutely eye-popping production at Troy, where he out-produced Demarcus Ware and Osi Umenyoira. He can be a designated pass rusher and special teams guy and can learn from his idol Von Miller, after whom he says he models his game. Very much a boom/bust prospect, with seemingly equal potential to be the steal of the draft or an outright bust. I liked this pick a lot, and I'm betting on the former over the latter.

6. Tylan Grable - What do you want me to say? Did you think the Bills were gonna let a draft go by without taking a project offensive tackle late? I don't have much to say about this guy. He's just like Tommy Doyle or Luke Tenuta before him: a developmental tackle prospect who's a long shot to make the 53-man roster. With VanDemark and Collins already in place as backup OTs, it's hard to see this guy making the roster.

6. Daequan Hardy - Special teams guy. Standout punt returner and gunner. I usually look to Bills' late round corners with excitement, because they're usually big-bodied guys with zone eyes who only dropped due to underwhelming athleticism. Hardy does not appear to fit that mold. He appears instead to be a punt return candidate and, beyond that, I'm not sure where he'd fit in. His only hope is as a nickel, but the Bills are obviously set there with Taron Johnson.

7. Travis Clayton - At least this one's fun. A guy from the International Pathways program who has never played a down of football in his life. But he's 6'7", 301 lbs and runs a 4.79. The hope is that he turns into the next Jordan Mailata. A fun story and will be fun to track, but obviously a longshot and likely a practice squad guy at best.



Overall, it was clear that leadership, maturity, and experience were high priorities for the Bills this year. Again and again, they picked guys who were team captains and lauded for their leadership abilities. Given all the leadership that walked out the door this offseason, that certainly makes sense. Again and again, they picked guys with lots of starting experience, guys who shined at the Senior Bowl, and guys who have their heads screwed on straight. Given that they will be counting on some of these guys to contribute from day one, and given that they seem to be doing a bit of a locker room reset, this also makes sense. 

The reason that I am ultimately unexcited by this year's draft class is this: I wanted the Bills to prioritize building around Josh Allen. I wanted them to either take a swing for the fences by trading up for a star receiver, or -- failing that -- to go the Packers route and draft a handful of skill position players to surround him with. If they were unable to acquire great quality, then I hoped they would at least acquire quantity. I fear that in choosing Keon Coleman, they may have failed to achieve the "quality" goal, and in refusing to draft any other receivers, they also failed to achieve the "quantity" goal. And Ray Davis is the definition of "uninspiring" at running back. He'll be a fine depth player and grind out tough yards, I'm sure, but he doesn't move the needle much on offense. Neither Coleman nor Davis seem like they upgrade the offense. Just...status quo at best.

In a year where I felt the very TOP priority was to improve on offense, I feel the Bills failed to meaningfully do so. In an offseason where I hoped they'd make a bold move or two to try to find an elite player for this offense, they failed to try. After hearing "Josh needs more weapons" for a couple years running, he now seems to have less. The WR corps seems to have regressed, and seems to lack any true downfield explosiveness or viable deep threat. 

This draft class was not a disaster, by any means. it seems FINE. Just fine. Keon Coleman doesn't scream "Alpha WR1" to me. Ray Davis seems like an average NFL backup. Cole Bishop and Javon Soloman seem to perhaps have playmaking potential on defense. Beyond that -- meh.

When the Bills decided to go young and start a roster reset, I had hope that Beane was gonna try to do things differently, since the old way he was doing things didn't get the Bills over the hump. They've been hitting too man singles and doubles over the years and not enough home runs. Instead, he appears to be doing things exactly the same way this time around. He seems to be content to collect character/culture guys, whose ceiling is "good, solid NFL player", rather than taking any risks or big swings for potential stars. He hasn't really taken those swings, to my estimation, since the Allen/Edmunds class. THAT'S why I'm disappointed in this draft class. It seems fine, solid, steady, and logical, but it doesn't seem like it'll move the needle much.

I will move on to hoping that the post June 1st money infusion brings us a quality veteran receiver and maybe a pass rusher either via free agency or trade. Failing that, it would be hard for me to conclude anything other than that it looks like the Bills are poised to take a step back this year. 2025 looks promising in terms of cap space and draft capital, but if it's gonna continue to be "business as usual" for Brandon Beane, then I'm not sure how excited I should allow myself to get for that. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Logic...I appreciate your feelings on this.  In truth, I was disappointed in this year's draft, but mainly because of who we drafted with our last 3 picks and because we only drafted one receiver.

1.  Keon Coleman was not my first choice of receiver, but in truth, outside of the 40 time, Keon Coleman is the closest to the top 4 receivers in this draft.  Had he run a fast 40 at the combine, he would have been a top 10 pick.  Coleman doesn't need separation.  Any ball thrown near him, he will come down with .  He won't be man-handled by defensive backs (think Jets and Chiefs).   When I think of how many times Bills receivers did NOT come down with contested balls, I understand why the Bills focused on a player of Coleman's stature and ability.  So...don't be so quick to dismiss Coleman.

 

2.  Cole Bishop was the safety I expected the Bills to draft and we did.  He will be solid, providing the abilities and leadership and smarts we're used to.

 

3.  Carter...just as you said.  He'll be a solid rotational DT and when I heard his presser, he reminded me so much of Lorenzo Alexander.  He'll be a strong leader on this team.

 

4.  Ray Davis.  We knew we were going to draft a RB.  Daniel Jermiah loved the pick, saying he was his 3rd best receiver in the draft.  Great running the football and out of the backfield.  I nice compliment to Cook.

 

5.  Sedrick VP.  We needed a center and we got a good one with a lot of experience in Sedrick.  The competition he has faced has been among the best, so I expect him to work his way into a starting role sooner rather than later.

 

5.  Ulofoshio, LB.  I expected the Bills to draft a LB at some point given that we were on our 4th string by the playoffs.  In truth, I don't know much about EU, but the ESPN and NFL pundits seemed to like the pick, saying he was one of the most impactful LBs in the draft.  So...we'll see.  I won't dismiss him just because I am unfamiliar.

 

5.  Javon Solomon.  We needed an Edge and got a good one according to the ESPN and NFL Network guys.  I think he may work his way into the rotation.  I'm optimistic.

 

The remaining picks are where my disappointment stems from.  I would have preferred a second WR especially since the Bills spent so much time evaluating WRs.

 

6.  Tylan Grable.  I expected the Bills to draft an OT.  It's an annual tradition with them.  According to Beane, they liked his traits and sent Kromer down to work him out and evaluate him.  So they see the potential.  He's played both on the left and right side at tackle as well as right guard.  Since VanDemark does not seem to play well on the right side, they likely want to groom another prospect as backup.  

 

6.  Daquan Hardy, CB.  See above.  It's an annual tradition.  Being a Penn State alum and watching a lot of PSU football, I've been critical of their corners.  In years past, if they weren't giving up big plays, they were committing PI.  They were better in 2023.  He'll be good on ST and if he can develop into a backup nickel, I'm good.

 

7.  Travis Clayton.  He has potential albeit he is a project.  However, the upside is the roster exemption for international players.  The Bills can keep 17 on the practice squad as opposed to just 16.  

 

In this draft, the Bills filled a lot of needs.  The veterans they brought in were only signed to one year deals for the most part, so if these rookies can develop there will be spots for them.     So I'm not so down on this draft based on what I've watched throughout the college season.  I'm hoping KJ Hamler can stay healthy and truly live up to the potential he displayed at Penn State and become that deep threat the Bills could use.  He didn't show much at Denver due to health and QB play.  We'll see what UDFA's are brought in as well, and though Beane did say there's no trade in the works for a veteran, he did not rule out bringing in veteran help at the WR position. 

 

My two cents. 

 

 

Edited April 28 by jkeerie

[Beck Water]

47 minutes ago, LEBills said:

without a trade, this is the list of FA WRs available

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2024/status/available/position/wr/sort/contract_value

 

Slot guys Hunter Renfroe and Tyler Boyd. Washed up Michael Thomas, Allen Robinson and OBJ. Field stretchers only MVS and DJ Chark. Just don’t see much improvement that route…

 

I would like to know what DJ Chark has left, myself.  He was a legit "fast guy" coming out - 4.31 40-time.  He showed he can put up 1000+ yd season with "meh" QB like Minshew and Foles throwing to him.

 

He had some very bad luck with a broken ankle early in the season for 2021, and then an ankle injury early in 2022 that put him on IR.  500+ yard guy the last 2 seasons despite that and a rookie QB on a bad team in CAR last season.

 

He's only 27.

 

On the other hand, if he still has it physically, it would be surprising he's still on the FA market, so IDK.

[Toyo321]

3 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

*****in' A Bubba, you nailed it.  Another year of defense and only two skill players on offense.  We're supposed to believe that in the deepest WR draft in years, the Bills didn't have any other WRs worth drafting?

This is the best post of the day.   You 100% hit the nail on the head,  this is our flawed teams entire draft scouting dept. at their finest.

[Logic]

19 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

*****in' A Bubba, you nailed it.  Another year of defense and only two skill players on offense.  We're supposed to believe that in the deepest WR draft in years, the Bills didn't have any other WRs worth drafting?

Yeah. You said it well, and @FireChans said it well.

The Bills came into the draft with a SCREAMING need at WR and 11 draft picks at their disposal in a very deep WR draft.

They picked just one WR. Exiting draft weekend, WR is STILL their biggest roster need.

It really, REALLY doesn't make any sense to me. 

No one can convince me that packaging some of those late picks (heck, they had so many that they didn't even want to use them all, and traded one away for a 2025 pick) to move up higher in the 4th and grab one of Franklin, Baker, or Walker wouldn't have been a great move. Or even using our last 5th on Malik Washington. 

Huge need, surplus of picks, deep WR draft......and yet you get ONE guy. And that one guy is 20 years old and will likely take a couple years to fill out and learn what he needs to know to be a good pro, to boot.

We are one Curtis Samuel injury or slow developing summer from Coleman away from having to depend on Mack Hollins or Justin Shorter to play major offensive minutes. It's roster malpractice.

 

[Shaw66]

5 hours ago, Logic said:

I'll start by saying that this was far from my favorite Bills draft.

I'm usually Mr Optimistic when it comes to draft classes, but I thought this year's class was just...fine. It was like if you fed Brandon Beane's draft tendencies and the Bills' needs into ChatGPT and asked it to spit out the 2024 Bills draft class. It was completely on brand, it filled the needs we all knew the team had, and it'll probably end up producing a few average players and a couple good ones.

Ho-hum.  Nobody in this class m akes me stand up and say "that guy's really gonna help the Bills get over the hump and win a title". 

Onto the picks:

1. Keon Coleman - I was not a fan of this pick. For a team whose WR corps needed more speed and separation, this guy made the LEAST sense to me of all the 1st/2nd round WR prospects. Josh Allen has historically thrived with fast, shifty WRs who separate well, and has not clicked with big-bodied guys who struggle with separation. So adding Keon Coleman? It feels like "Square peg, meet round hole". He does have great athleticism and RAC ability for a man his size. He's also young to the position, having played football full time for only two seasons and being only 20 years old. I have concerns about his ability to play X in the NFL, and I'll believe that he's a better fit as a big slot until proven otherwise. Here's hoping I'm wrong about Coleman. The absolute ceiling I see for him is "Solid WR2". Not what I was hoping for in a star studded WR class and with a crying need at the position.

2. Cole Bishop - Looks like he should be just what the doctor ordered at safety for the Bills. He seems to be more Poyer than Hyde, in that he's at his best in the box and playing the run, and he packs a wallop when he tackles. He appears to have untapped man coverage potential, with Dalton Kincaid saying Bishop usually got the better of him 1-on-1 at Utah. He also has freaky speed for the position and a great mental disposition. Should be an easy fit in the Bills' scheme. At the VERY least, I expect him to contribute from day 1 as a dime 'backer, but I'll ultimately be surprised if he doesn't wind up starting at one of the two safety spots by midseason. 

3. Dewayne Carter - Good bull rusher, great motor, tons of experience, impeccable character. Seems like a 1T/3T 'tweener. Quickly apparent from his interviews that he's one of the smartest, most likable, easy to root for guys you'll ever see in the NFL. Should be a quality rotational tackle for the Bills and seems like, in time, he will provide quality leadership and a steadying presence on the D-line. May never be a big play guy, but may at least be a "dirty work" guy who allows others around him to thrive.

4. Ray Davis - Hard running inside guy with great vision, ability to get skinny, contact balance, and underrated breakaway ability. Had the most receiving TDs in 2023 of any SEC running back in 25 years. Should provide a nice change of pace to James Cook without the Bills necessarily losing anything in the pass game when he comes on the field. An older prospect, but I don't care, because he's a running back, and he won't be here past his first contract anyway. Another "likability" and leadership All-Star. Davis should provide steadiness and depth, but doesn't do anything that wows you, and I'm not sure he moves the needle much on offense.

5. Sedrick Van Pran - Tons of starting experience at Georgia. Has some traits reminiscent of Mitch Morse in terms of quickness, twitch, and ability on the move. Stop me if you've heard this one before -- lauded for his leadership. Should provide a good backup plan to Connor McGovern at center and/or provide competition at that position. It will not shock me if this guy is starting by year two. Seems like a great value at this point in the draft. One of my favorite picks.

5. Edufuan Ulofoshio - What do you want me to say? You didn't think the Bills would let a draft pass them by without selecting a late round special teams linebacker, did you? The room is starting to get a bit crowded with Milano, Bernard, Williams, Morrow, Spector, and Ulofoshio. However...the Bills lost ST stalwarts Dodsen, Matakevitch, and Neal, and needed some reinforcements there. That's what Ulo seems to be. I'll be surprised if he ever amounts to more than that, but at this point in the draft, that's what you're getting.

5. Javon Soloman - Undersized speed rusher (though he does have a great wingspan for the position) who had absolutely eye-popping production at Troy, where he out-produced Demarcus Ware and Osi Umenyoira. He can be a designated pass rusher and special teams guy and can learn from his idol Von Miller, after whom he says he models his game. Very much a boom/bust prospect, with seemingly equal potential to be the steal of the draft or an outright bust. I liked this pick a lot, and I'm betting on the former over the latter.

6. Tylan Grable - What do you want me to say? Did you think the Bills were gonna let a draft go by without taking a project offensive tackle late? I don't have much to say about this guy. He's just like Tommy Doyle or Luke Tenuta before him: a developmental tackle prospect who's a long shot to make the 53-man roster. With VanDemark and Collins already in place as backup OTs, it's hard to see this guy making the roster.

6. Daequan Hardy - Special teams guy. Standout punt returner and gunner. I usually look to Bills' late round corners with excitement, because they're usually big-bodied guys with zone eyes who only dropped due to underwhelming athleticism. Hardy does not appear to fit that mold. He appears instead to be a punt return candidate and, beyond that, I'm not sure where he'd fit in. His only hope is as a nickel, but the Bills are obviously set there with Taron Johnson.

7. Travis Clayton - At least this one's fun. A guy from the International Pathways program who has never played a down of football in his life. But he's 6'7", 301 lbs and runs a 4.79. The hope is that he turns into the next Jordan Mailata. A fun story and will be fun to track, but obviously a longshot and likely a practice squad guy at best.



Overall, it was clear that leadership, maturity, and experience were high priorities for the Bills this year. Again and again, they picked guys who were team captains and lauded for their leadership abilities. Given all the leadership that walked out the door this offseason, that certainly makes sense. Again and again, they picked guys with lots of starting experience, guys who shined at the Senior Bowl, and guys who have their heads screwed on straight. Given that they will be counting on some of these guys to contribute from day one, and given that they seem to be doing a bit of a locker room reset, this also makes sense. 

The reason that I am ultimately unexcited by this year's draft class is this: I wanted the Bills to prioritize building around Josh Allen. I wanted them to either take a swing for the fences by trading up for a star receiver, or -- failing that -- to go the Packers route and draft a handful of skill position players to surround him with. If they were unable to acquire great quality, then I hoped they would at least acquire quantity. I fear that in choosing Keon Coleman, they may have failed to achieve the "quality" goal, and in refusing to draft any other receivers, they also failed to achieve the "quantity" goal. And Ray Davis is the definition of "uninspiring" at running back. He'll be a fine depth player and grind out tough yards, I'm sure, but he doesn't move the needle much on offense. Neither Coleman nor Davis seem like they upgrade the offense. Just...status quo at best.

In a year where I felt the very TOP priority was to improve on offense, I feel the Bills failed to meaningfully do so. In an offseason where I hoped they'd make a bold move or two to try to find an elite player for this offense, they failed to try. After hearing "Josh needs more weapons" for a couple years running, he now seems to have less. The WR corps seems to have regressed, and seems to lack any true downfield explosiveness or viable deep threat. 

This draft class was not a disaster, by any means. it seems FINE. Just fine. Keon Coleman doesn't scream "Alpha WR1" to me. Ray Davis seems like an average NFL backup. Cole Bishop and Javon Soloman seem to perhaps have playmaking potential on defense. Beyond that -- meh.

When the Bills decided to go young and start a roster reset, I had hope that Beane was gonna try to do things differently, since the old way he was doing things didn't get the Bills over the hump. They've been hitting too man singles and doubles over the years and not enough home runs. Instead, he appears to be doing things exactly the same way this time around. He seems to be content to collect character/culture guys, whose ceiling is "good, solid NFL player", rather than taking any risks or big swings for potential stars. He hasn't really taken those swings, to my estimation, since the Allen/Edmunds class. THAT'S why I'm disappointed in this draft class. It seems fine, solid, steady, and logical, but it doesn't seem like it'll move the needle much.

I will move on to hoping that the post June 1st money infusion brings us a quality veteran receiver and maybe a pass rusher either via free agency or trade. Failing that, it would be hard for me to conclude anything other than that it looks like the Bills are poised to take a step back this year. 2025 looks promising in terms of cap space and draft capital, but if it's gonna continue to be "business as usual" for Brandon Beane, then I'm not sure how excited I should allow myself to get for that. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

First, this a great summary of the draft.   Good, solid commentary on each pick. 

 

I'm not surprised that you're disappointed; that's what I expected from a lot of people here.   And we're getting it from a lot of people, and lot of what people are saying is on point, describing disappointment in one thing or another.  

 

I'm not disappointed.  I'm quietly satisfied.  I think that Beane acquired a group of guys with real potential to make the roster, from top to bottom.  And that's all that anyone could realistically expect.  "Nobody in this class makes me stand up and say "that guy's really gonna help the Bills get over the hump and win a title."    Of course, nobody makes you stand up say and that, and we pretty much knew that the only pick that would be satisfactory to most in the public was to make a statement at receiver.  What else would have been viewed as a real statement?  But that would mortgage the future to get one of the great ones, or it would mean spending two early picks on two guys who are projects, hoping that one or both blossom early.   Now, we can talk about why the Bills were in that position, but that's where they were.   

 

So what did Beane (and McDermott) do?   They drafted a bunch of guys with good chances to make the team.  Boring, but a lot of guys that might actually play and contribute and grow into solid starters or role players.   Their approach was well, we're not in a position to get a game changer without giving up picks this year and next year, so let's get solid players, who have real shots at contributing and still have upside.  And they're character guys, too.  I don't see what's wrong with that. 

 

The other side, I suppose, goes like this:  Yeah, well, the went conservative.   Yes, they got a bunch of solid picks, but someplace in there, they should have been using at least a couple of picks on boom-or-bust guys who if they boom, they are game-changers.  Xavier Worthy, for example.  The Chiefs took the bet, the Bills didn't.  I don't know, but I'd guess Beane would tell you they think Keon Coleman was the guy with the big upside.   

 

It's the same discussion people here were having before the draft, about how to build a passing game.  I don't think Bills think having a speed guy is the best addition to the passing game.   I think it's clear that they see in Keon Coleman a collection of skills that will make him very valuable in the passing game, sort of a wide-out version of Dalton Kincaid, a wide-out who can be good at lot of things.   I think the Bills pick is similar to the 49ers pick.  Ricky Piersall was a name that I literally hadn't heard before, a name that wasn't in the usual lists of best prospects.   Why'd they take him?  Because they think he has the tools to be valuable in the offense they want to run.  

 

From that perspective, the Bills took a big swing in the first round (well, second, technically, after Beane masterfully created some extra draft capital) and got the guy they wanted to bet on.   

 

Given the position they were in, I'd say Beane did a solid job, getting the receiver with the potential to be the missing piece in the receiver room, and getting a collection of guys with potential to contribute at positions where they needed help:  safety, running back, d-tackle, o-line (always), corner (always).  

 

I'm sure people can and will put together alternate drafts, showing how the Bills might have gone different ways. Maybe those are other approaches that would make sense and might actually be better.  But what Beane did was a solid job in the circumstances, and leaves him well positioned with picks next year.  

 

The undrafted guys look interesting, and there will be some free agent activity in June.  By the time camp comes, they'll have a roster McDermott will like to work with, a roster that he thinks he can challenge for the championship with.  I'm looking forward to camp.   It'll be interesting.