Bills cuts

[Pete]

3 hours ago, Big Turk said:

The Bills cut Hardy?? WTF?

 

He was supposed to be their return guy and from all accounts was doing very well at CB both in the slot and outside.

 

Plus he was a draft pick. Doesn't make much sense 

Marino speculated, just guessing,  that McDermott thought Hardy was reckless with punt returning decisions.  How many punts did Hardy field inside our 5-three I think.

[NeverOutNick]

11 minutes ago, Pete said:

Marino speculated, just guessing,  that McDermott thought Hardy was reckless with punt returning decisions.  How many punts did Hardy field inside our 5-three I think.

It’s ridiculous that most good teams like the rams just use one of their active offensive or defensive players to return kicks but the bills need to allocate a specific roster spot for player who only returns kicks. 

[GunnerBill]

12 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

It’s ridiculous that most good teams like the rams just use one of their active offensive or defensive players to return kicks but the bills need to allocate a specific roster spot for player who only returns kicks. 

 

The Rams primary returner last year was Austin Trammel who had 25/28 punt returns and 6/9 kick returns. He had one game all season where had more than 4 offensive snaps. He had 9 weeks where he had 1 or 0 offensive snaps. The Bill primary returner last year Deonte Hart played more than double the number of snaps of Trammel. 

 

So remind me, which team only gives a spot for special teams? Almost every team has a primary returner and almost every team uses that guy pretty sparingly on offense or defense. 

 

The Bills have brought in a returner because they didn't like what they saw out of Hardy in the pre-season in the return game re. presumably his decision making. I don't have an issue with that at all. I do question still the decision to cut him because IMO he had shown enough to be worth a roster spot ahead of hopeless vets like Toohill and Morrow who bring nothing except a voice in the room that you could easily get from a PS guy. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

20 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

It’s ridiculous that most good teams like the rams just use one of their active offensive or defensive players to return kicks but the bills need to allocate a specific roster spot for player who only returns kicks. 

And how has it worked out?  No significant difference at all.

[balln]

17 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

It’s ridiculous that most good teams like the rams just use one of their active offensive or defensive players to return kicks but the bills need to allocate a specific roster spot for player who only returns kicks. 

Been saying that over and over again. They value special teams way way too much. That part of football has been so devalued. It’s just kicker and punter. Someone earlier made a good point. If Hardy was ONLY selected for returns….. and he was so “bad” during preseason and practice …… and we traded for an UDFA to replace him….. isn’t that a fairly substantial MISS on the draft ? 
 

It’s not logical. Hardy is better. How about you coach him up. This 5’6 that run a 4.6 guy is never gonna see the field beyond fair catching the ball

[balln]

furthermore. Hardy at penn st. Big school. Cold weather

 

this guy from jets. Hbcu and the south. 
 

Makes no sense. IF and it’s a big If I cared about returns I want someone to catch that dang ball in orchard park in December !

[RunTheBall]

4 hours ago, No_Matter_What said:

I don't disagree with your post, but if Hardy was drafted as a returner, and Cordington has much better tape as a returner, why didn't we draft him instead of Hardy?

I meant Cordington has much better tape this pre season returning punts/kicks than Hardy does. Who knows why they picked Hardy? Maybe they liked his speed and thought he’d make a good returner but his decision making is suspect. Cordington doesn’t have the measureables but he has a good college pedigree with returns and he looked a helluva lot better than Hardy in the 3 preseason games.

[oldmanfan]

People all butt hurt about Hardy, but odds are he winds up on the practice squad anyway.

[balln]

1 minute ago, RunTheBall said:

I meant Cordington has much better tape this pre season returning punts/kicks than Hardy does. Who knows why they picked Hardy? Maybe they liked his speed and thought he’d make a good returner but his decision making is suspect. Cordington doesn’t have the measureables but he has a good college pedigree with returns and he looked a helluva lot better than Hardy in the 3 preseason games.

His pedigree is playing against hbcu borderline d1 players in the south….

[stlbills13]

I hope that the goal is that Hardy is too injured for any team to sign him. He gets on the practice squad and heals up and is a factor next season.

[Royale with Cheese]

7 minutes ago, balln said:

His pedigree is playing against hbcu borderline d1 players in the south….

 

There are plenty of good to great players that came from an HBCU schools....

 

 

[Shortchaz]

Really struggling to find a kick returner 

[Bray Wyatt]

5 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It was described to me by people from inside as McDermott technically has the power of veto in that overall in the organisational sense he is the more powerful of the two (although I am interested in whether that might be changing but that is just vibes nobody has told me that) but he doesn't use it to override personnel. He has input, sure he does. The final decision on draft picks, free agent signings and the 53 is Brandon Beane's.

 

I know it because that is how Pegula and Beane have described it and because people I have spoken to who have worked inside that building have said it works exactly how they say it does. McDermott has that overall power but he doesn't override. He has input, but Beane makes the final calls on personnel. 

 

I don't know what evidence people think they have that it isn't exactly how the Bills say it is? Other than their narratives created in their heads.

 

I feel like you have this conversation with someone every year hahaha

[BobbyC81]

9 hours ago, Fan in Chicago said:

For a team short on WR talent in most years of the Allen era, I would have liked that last ratio to be reversed. Also, you bring up Benford and there hasn't been an equivalently good player from the lower rounds at WR. My thought is that if a D minded coach wanted more picks in the earlier rounds on D, then Beane should have flooded the lower rounds with WR picks to hope we hit the lottery on at least one a la Benford. He double dipped with Shorter and Shavers, but both were not good enough to make the roster this year.

But I have partly hijackrd this thread and will stop now with the statement that I appreciate your points but didn't fully agree with them re:WR

They say they “stick to their board” even though it made no sense to draft Rousseau and Boogie Basham in back to back picks.

[GunnerBill]

11 minutes ago, Bray Wyatt said:

 

I feel like you have this conversation with someone every year hahaha

 

Multiple times. 

[Mat68]

4 hours ago, Big Turk said:

The Bills cut Hardy?? WTF?

 

He was supposed to be their return guy and from all accounts was doing very well at CB both in the slot and outside.

 

Plus he was a draft pick. Doesn't make much sense 

Not in McDermott's trust tree as a return man.  Too small to play slot in Buffalos defense.  Less than ideal size outside.  He was drafted as a return guy.  No real big returns, some poor decisions.  Possible PS candidate but could see them moving on completely too.   

[Mat68]

40 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

I meant Cordington has much better tape this pre season returning punts/kicks than Hardy does. Who knows why they picked Hardy? Maybe they liked his speed and thought he’d make a good returner but his decision making is suspect. Cordington doesn’t have the measureables but he has a good college pedigree with returns and he looked a helluva lot better than Hardy in the 3 preseason games.

Hardy had 2 returns Tds vs Umass at PSU.  Tight situations he was not the return man at PSU. They used a safe return man.  He has very good speed but is a cut and straight line runner.  The new kick off rule will require instinctive runners.  Hardy is not. Do roster your 3rd slot, punt return only but would be part of a committee?   They didnt know how the new kickoff would look.  Thought maybe Hardys style would work better.  It did not. 

Edited August 28 by Mat68

[SoCal Deek]

All this chatter about a punt returner? Really? While at the same time we keep a fullback as a legacy luxury and a field goal kicker who can’t seem to keep it between the uprights. 

Edited August 28 by SoCal Deek

[stlbills13]

I don't mind Cordington over Hardy at all. Although if he was that good, I can't believe the Jets would essentially give him away to a division rival. I'm just a draft geek and I'm so tired of cutting picks every year, especially for guys like Toohill. 

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

Hardy, Toohill, and Codmanington are like 53, 54, and 55. Who cares, IMO