Marquez Valdes-Scantling meeting with the Bills (UPDATE: Signed)

[Logic]

At this point in the offseason and given where the Bills WR depth chart is/was....I like the signing of MVS.

The WR corps is still not where I'd like it to be, I'd still rather they had taken a WR in the 3rd and spent the MVS money on a free agent DT (rather than the other way around), and I still feel they didn't do enough on offense this offseason.

All of that being said, and with me having cried over spilt milk enough already...I think MVS will help this team. He has a skillset that this WR corps was lacking. As pointed out in a Tweet above, while he does struggle with drops at times, he also makes big catches in big moments. See: vs Bills, vs Ravens, vs 49ers in the playoffs this year.

I'm just irritated because it has constantly felt like we're a step (or two) behind the Chiefs lately, and this just continues that trend. Two years ago, they decided to get cheaper and younger, shipped off a highly paid WR1, and said "we'll get by on scraps and young guys". They drafted a WR in round two, signed a mid-tier WR and some bargain bin guys in FA, and proceeded to have one of their worst offensive outputs of the Mahomes era. They then had to spend the next two offseasons signing and drafting MORE wide receivers because they realized that, even with Mahomes at QB and Reid at OC, they needed more offensive weaponry in the 2024 NFL.

We're where they were two seasons ago. We're at the "we'll just get a pile of different matchup guys and trust the QB and OC to make it work!" part of the story arc. I predict that the offensive output will take just as much of a dip as theirs did, and that we, too, will spend the next two offseasons trying to dig out of it. Hopefully, our tight end and defense step up the way theirs did to allow us to win even though our offense is, predictably, sagging.

It would just be nice to feel like we're setting the trends, or zigging when others are zagging. That we're learning from others' mistakes, blazing our own trail, and being the team that OTHER teams want to copy.  Instead, it just feels like we're doing whatever the Chiefs are doing, but two seasons later. I hate it.

Edited May 14 by Logic

[BillsVet]

10 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

Another way to look at it is that they will have added drain-circling vets like Hollins and MVS to an already unimpressive cast of never-been's.

 

Not a big fan of Warren Sharp, but on X the other day he posted that Buffalo has the 4th cheapest WR room at 15.2M in the league ahead of only the Cardinals, Chargers, Steelers, and Packers.  Baltimore was next at 20.3M.  

[Matt_In_NH]

16 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

Somebody should tell Beane that three WR3s doesn't make a WR1.  

 

I don't hate the MVS signing. In a vacuum it's fine, but we're using our whole paycheck on scratch offs and expecting a big payout. 

 

MVS could work out, but he's played with elite QBs his whole career and still had drop issues.

Most of the people I play fantasy football with disagree with the bolded

 

I don't like this signing....similar drop rate to Gabe and will probably be worse with Allen's heaters.  Statistically he is very much a Gabe replacement probably at a very low cost so its ok from that perspective.  Curious to see the contract, assuming 1 year at a low rate so I am ok with that.  Not sure we really want this guy taking a roster spot or reps though but I guess as a WR4 it can work.    He has a low catch % and drop percentage and high yards per catch, all similar to Gabe.  Overall output is lower than Gabe but also with a lower snapcount.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

5 minutes ago, BeastMaster said:

That's fair, but we are in a win now mode with Josh, so the experience MVS has is valuable right now

 

BTJ could become much better than MVS will ever be, but I'd take MVS this season over him

I don’t think this season is a win now mode roster construction wise. It’s not a win now roster. It’s more of a let’s see what happens roster. 

They’re definitely going with a cap reset year in 2024.

 

 

Edited May 14 by Buffalo_Stampede

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

14 hours ago, appoo said:

 

Game recognizes game in this case. Can't believe that nimrod in NY couldn't make use of him

Dude stepped up huge in the playoffs…had some big catches against us too 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Meh

 

[Kirby Jackson]

MVS can get down the field. He adds a skill that I’ve thought the WR room lacked. The Bills didn’t have a guy to run those Gabe Davis routes. MVS is good at that. He’s not a great WR but adds that dimension. I am good with the signing. If he hits 3 or 4 big plays this season it could make the difference in 1 or 2 wins. This division should be pretty close so 1 or 2 wins could be the difference in a home playoff game or missing the playoffs all together.

 

The WR room is still a bottom 3 group. It’s better today than it was yesterday. We should feel good about that. 

[Sweats]

[billsfan89]

41 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Anyone who says that Beane hasn't tried to help Josh this offseason needs to stop trolling the board. While I'm not the biggest MVS fan he definitely is improved depth to what had previously. He could be a good #3/4 WR with speed on the outside. 

You can argue that Beane could have done more (I can see an argument for Troy Franklin at pick 95 but I also don’t think this teams fortunes are going to rest on if they took a WR in late round 3). But after losing Diggs, Harry, Sherfield and Davis: Beane has done a decent job of attempting to replacing them.
 

Hollins is a better version of Sherfield, Samuel is a nice vet addition, Coleman was the teams top pick invested into the position. They added MVS who is a better receiver than Harry or Sherfield and they are kicking the tires on Claypool, Hamler and Isabella again. That’s in addition to Shorter coming in off his red shirt season.

 

The Bills also invested 3 additional picks at other spots along the offense. Davis, Van Pran and Grabel all add depth to the offense and Van Pran may be a starter.

 

Given the limited resources I think they have put together a solid offense for Josh. They also have the 2025 draft capital and the ability to add 6 million more in space by restructuring the rest of Josh’s contract both of which can assist in an in season trade if there is more help needed.

[BarleyNY]

20 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

My point is that this numbering stuff is artificial.

It’s just a shorthand for the quality of a player. Nothing artificial about that. You don’t need to use it, but it’s helpful to understand it. 

[HappyDays]

1 hour ago, Big Blitz said:

This beat the 49ers - build your Olines

 

 

 

Here's the thing - If the Bills offense got shut out in the 1st half against the 49ers, and then Allen started the 2nd half by throwing a terrible interception that gave the 49ers the ball at the 50, the game is over by the end of the 3rd quarter.

 

We can't try to copy the Chiefs. We have to build the best possible team that this coaching staff and defensive roster can win with. That team needs to have a better WR corps than what the Chiefs had last year.

[SCBills]

15 minutes ago, Logic said:

At this point in the offseason and given where the Bills WR depth chart is/was....I like the signing of MVS.

The WR corps is still not where I'd like it to be, I'd still rather they had taken a WR in the 3rd and spent the MVS money on a free agent DT (rather than the other way around), and I still feel they didn't do enough on offense this offseason.

All of that being said, and with me having cried over spilt milk enough already...I think MVS will help this team. He has a skillset that this WR corps was lacking. As pointed out in a Tweet above, while he does struggle with drops at times, he also makes big catches in big moments. See: vs Bills, vs Ravens, vs 49ers in the playoffs this year.

I'm just irritated because it has constantly felt like we're a step (or two) behind the Chiefs lately, and this just continues that trend. Two years ago, they decided to get cheaper and younger, shipped off a highly paid WR1, and said "we'll get by on scraps and young guys". They drafted a WR in round two, signed a mid-tier WR and some bargain bin guys in FA, and proceeded to have one of their worst offensive outputs of the Mahomes era. They then had to spend the next two offseasons signing and drafting MORE wide receivers because they realized that, even with Mahomes at QB and Reid at OC, they needed more offensive weaponry in the 2024 NFL.

We're where they were two seasons ago. We're at the "we'll just get a pile of different matchup guys and trust the QB and OC to make it work!" part of the story arc. I predict that the offensive output will take just as much of a dip as theirs did, and that we, too, will spend the next two offseasons trying to dig out of it. Hopefully, our tight end and defense step up the way theirs did to allow us to win even though our offense is, predictably, sagging.

It would just be nice to feel like we're setting the trends, or zigging when others are zagging. That we're learning from others' mistakes, blazing our own trail, and being the team that OTHER teams want to copy.  Instead, it just feels like we're doing whatever the Chiefs are doing, but two seasons later. I hate it.

 

Does John Parry not move the needle for you? lol

 

This is well said though.. However, until someone dethrones the Chiefs, I think it's always going to kind of feel that way.  I'm sure the Bengals and Ravens fans feel the same.  I'm sure Jets and Dolphins fans feel the same about us. 

 

 

Edited May 14 by SCBills

[Logic]

Not sure if this was posted yet, but it looks like most of the stuff that comprises the "up to" part of MVS's contract comes in the form of not-likely-to-be-earned incentives. It's likely that he'll carry a $1.5million cap hit.
 

 

[Rad Likes The Bills]

I think this shows that BTJ was their primary target in the draft…

[Logic]

1 minute ago, SCBills said:

 

Does John Parry not move the needle for you? lol

When your "biggest offseason additions" list contains John Parry and Marquez Valdes Scantling, it's probably going to be a "pour me another round, barkeep" kind of year 

[harmonkillebrew]

10 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

MVS can get down the field. He adds a skill that I’ve thought the WR room lacked. The Bills didn’t have a guy to run those Gabe Davis routes. MVS is good at that. He’s not a great WR but adds that dimension. I am good with the signing. If he hits 3 or 4 big plays this season it could make the difference in 1 or 2 wins. This division should be pretty close so 1 or 2 wins could be the difference in a home playoff game or missing the playoffs all together.

 

The WR room is still a bottom 3 group. It’s better today than it was yesterday. We should feel good about that. 

Agree.  He adds an element outside that wasn't there before he signed.  

Not a #1 or even a #2, but can keep Defenses honest

[Buffalo_Stampede]

 

[Logic]

Just now, Rad Likes The Bills said:

I think this shows that BTJ was their primary target in the draft…

Gosh I hope not, because he fell far enough that the Bills really wouldn't have had to trade up very far to get him. Beane claims they never tried. Guess we'll never know.

[LLCoolCy]

Just now, harmonkillebrew said:

Agree.  He adds an element outside that wasn't there before he signed.  

Not a #1 or even a #2, but can keep Defenses honest

This is the idea. MVS isn't a sexy signing but does fill the Gabe role that the roster needed. Big WR with speed that forces safety's to be honest and play deep. He wlll play the true X role and allows Coleman, Shakir, and Samuel to mix and match in the slot and the Y defense. Kincad will also benefit by keeping the middle more open with the safety's respecting MVS speed. We all know about the drops but he's had that since Green Bay and still got the respect from the opposing secondary's. 

[Starr Almighty]

1 hour ago, Don Otreply said:

Iirc someone posted here recently that Diggs has all of four TDs in his playoff career as well, so…, 

TDs aren't easy to come by I was more focused on yardage and receptions