This is now on Beane, no question he needs to step up.

[Mikie2times]

I think we overvalue "fit". Fit could be a players size, speed, or intangible background all relative to the position they play. I imagine we feel this optimizes our picks but it tends to shun some damn good football players. Look at Keon Coleman as a recent example. 

 

I think Beane likes larger WR's. Gabe Davis => Kelvin Benjamin => Devin Funchess. Now, could Coleman still be a great player? Sure! But if you need size, then you exclude Worthy, McConkey, Pearsall...Now are we in position to knock out that many very good players because our preference says we like bigger WR's? If you do that you're limiting the talent pool. Which I truly believe we do. I think we go for the guy who is best for "us". But lets be real here, this is hardly an exact science and at the end of the day you need some REALLY talented guys. So can you afford to find that level of fit vs just the best player?

 

Further, this concept of a cultural fit just bothers me. If your good culture can't allow you flexibility to draft some unsavory talent (Aaron Hernandez) then what is your good culture actually worth? 

 

 

 

 

[Best Williams Available]

9 hours ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

Its simple. Beane needs to stop trying to outsmart every other GM and pick a consensus defensive lineman from the top 10.

 

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/positions/DL/1/2025

 

 

I think this is it too. He’s trying to hit HRs with guys flying under the radar, that most teams are passing on, trying to find his diamond in the rough ala J Allen. See Elam, Kincaid, Rousseau, Oliver and Edmunds. None of these guys are stud game changers but all are or will be serviceable starters somewhere for years. We need more game changers!

[Buffalo716]

12 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

I think we overvalue "fit". Fit could be a players size, speed, or intangible background all relative to the position they play. I imagine we feel this optimizes our picks but it tends to shun some damn good football players. Look at Keon Coleman as a recent example. 

 

I think Beane likes larger WR's. Gabe Davis => Kelvin Benjamin => Devin Funchess. Now, could Coleman still be a great player? Sure! But if you need size, then you exclude Worthy, McConkey, Pearsall...Now are we in position to knock out that many very good players because our preference says we like bigger WR's? If you do that you're limiting the talent pool. Which I truly believe we do. I think we go for the guy who is best for "us". But lets be real here, this is hardly an exact science and at the end of the day you need some REALLY talented guys. So can you afford to find that level of fit vs just the best player?

 

Further, this concept of a cultural fit just bothers me. If your good culture can't allow you flexibility to draft some unsavory talent (Aaron Hernandez) then what is your good culture actually worth? 

 

 

 

 

Did you just say we should draft murderers because our culture can handle them?

[3rdand12]

Just now, Buffalo716 said:

Did you just say we should draft murderers because our culture can handle them?

That's what I heard lol

Just kiddin Mikie

[Mikie2times]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

Did you just say we should draft murderers because our culture can handle them?

 

Just now, 3rdand12 said:

That's what I heard lol

I said Tom Brady sucks as an athlete and we shouldn't be afraid to draft "character concerns". Hernandez is an extreme example to make a point. 

[3rdand12]

Bills need to figure what they are drafting for. A couple wasted early years big time.

But we all know that

 refine the vision

We just got the recipe for the Chefs for free

 Now get the players , strengthen the depth though draft and tweak the Defensive mindset

Where's Jim Schwartz to mentor Babich when I need him !

[EmotionallyUnstable]

I do think Beane has too often opted to take BPA at a position of need early in round 1 and 2 while not taking purely BPA because of positional fit and current roster.

 

This is evidenced by passing on Cooper DeJean just this last year. He was constantly being mocked to the Bills, and by many accounts, exactly the kind of player the bills would covet. 
 

Sitting on pick 33 all day Friday resulted in taking the 5/6th best WR because we knew we needed help on the boundary. I would be shocked if Coleman was truly ranked higher on their big board than DeJean.

 

This has resulted in have a solid roster with good players but not enough elite and high level talent across the board.

 

I wonder if they’d have flipped picks in rounds 1 and 2, instead taking the better DB (DeJean) at 33 and the best WR left in the second, how different things would be? 

[3rdand12]

2 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

 

I said Tom Brady sucks as an athlete and we shouldn't be afraid to draft "character concerns". Hernandez is an extreme example to make a point. 

Just bustin on ya.
But they couldn't manage Diggs. and he wasn't all that awful

1 minute ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I do think Beane has too often opted to take BPA at a position of need early in round 1 and 2 while not taking purely BPA because of positional fit and current roster.

 

This is evidenced by passing on Cooper DeJean just this last year. He was constantly being mocked to the Bills, and by many accounts, exactly the kind of player the bills would covet. 
 

Sitting on pick 33 all day Friday resulted in taking the 5/6th best WR because we knew we needed help on the boundary. I would be shocked if Coleman was truly ranked higher on their big board than DeJean.

 

This has resulted in have a solid roster with good players but not enough elite and high level talent across the board.

 

I wonder if they’d have flipped picks in rounds 1 and 2, instead taking the better DB (DeJean) at 33 and the best WR left in the second, how different things would be? 

should have traded up for Thomas and then again for Worthy

[Mikie2times]

2 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

Just bustin on ya.
But they couldn't manage Diggs. and he wasn't all that awful

should have traded up for Thomas and then again for Worthy

Ya, I hear ya. All good dude. Just been a long day. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, 3rdand12 said:

That's what I heard lol

Just kiddin Mikie

Depends...how many superbowls do we win before they are arrested?  😁

1 hour ago, 3rdand12 said:

Just bustin on ya.
But they couldn't manage Diggs. and he wasn't all that awful

should have traded up for Thomas and then again for Worthy

BTJ yes, Worthy no.

[GASabresIUFan]

After reading all the negative comments on Beane's drafting, I decided to compare Beane's draft slot to Mel Kiper's lists for that season.  I recently saw a study that named Kiper the best and most consistent draft evaluator.  So here are our top 2 round draft picks and Kiper's rankings.  Walter Football was 2nd.

 

2018 1-7 Allen - Kiper 5

2018 1-16 Edmunds - Kiper 11

2019 1-9 Oliver - Kiper 9

2019 2-38 Ford - Kiper 22

2020 2-54 Epenesa - Kiper 45

2021 1-30 Rousseau - Kiper 39  FYI Groot is 3rd in his draft class in sacks behind Parsons (12th overall) & Paye (21st overall) Paye only has 1.5 more sacks than Groot.

2021 2-61 Bashman  - Kiper 59

2022 1-23 Elam - Kiper 41 - First real reach by Beane and he got burned

2022 2-63 Cook - Kiper 99 - 2nd reach and Beane knocks it out of the park

2023 1-25 Kincaid - Kiper 19

2023 2-59 Torrence - Kiper 61

2024 2-33 Coleman - Kiper 33

2024 2-60 Bishop - Kiper 61

 

Beane Draft steals using Kiper's rankings (I didn't through every pick)

2022 5-148 Shakir - Kiper 81

2021 3-93 Brown - Kiper 72

 

From looking at the picks in the top 2 rounds, it's pretty clear that Beane rarely reaches and that most of his evaluations have been solid.  Sometimes the physical tools don't match the on field performance in the NFL like Ford and Basham.   You can B word and moan about certain picks, but the for most part Beane hasn't picked anyone from left field.  Even Elam has a 1st rd grade from some evaluators (for example PFF had him 29th).

 

The truth Beane has done a good job early and an excellent job from the 3rd rd on.  It's hard to hit HRs when you are drafting in the last 3rd of the 1st rd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by GASabresIUFan

[Franchiseneedsme]

Did someone do a cap breakdown? Usually I have some sense of how much money the Bills have to play with , but this off-season i am lost. Seems like Bills are real tight to the cap. 

[MasterStrategist]

11 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

  Beane has been average on his drafts and horrible at evaluation of DL.  I have to wonder if we need a change in our scouts? 

 

For all our (esp. My) ripping of McDermott it seems he gets that we need a change and is making coaching changes/ Adds to back that. So what's left?  Beane MUST do better in his evaluation of talent and who he picks.  We all saw what McClusky and BTJ did this year vs Coleman, that is a miss for me.  He picked a bad DL who is  no longer here vs a guy who became an all pro center. There are way too many instances of this.

 

McDermott has always wanted pressure from the front 4 so he can do more on the back end, and it is a MUST this offseason. Ill just say it, another average to bad draft, and we need to re evaluate our GM position with this team.

 

That said, I really hope he starts hitting, we all like him, but he needs to step up.  

Both Beane and McD to blame IMO.  Beane for not finding the "home run" picks, and Coach has a certain "mold" he wants (traits/character).

 

At some point, you realize this is football and you draft best talent that's available, period.  Not reaching for need, or being too conservative with player trait evals.  Don't ignore altogether, but we will always find a way to field talent.  

 

Qb aside, we should be looking to acquire as many premier talented athletes as possible.  They will find their way onto the field.

 

Beane absolutely lies about drafting the best talent available.  It's best talent at a position of need, who happens to be average to high character. 

 

We need to have a philosophical change in our evaluations, if we continue to produce good to above avg players in the draft, and ZERO really great to elite guys.

 

Beane has put us in a predicament where we have ALOT to fix on defense.  He needs to hit on 4 impact starters, IMO.  DE, CB, S, DT.  I hope it happens, but my head says Beane does his usual find "good", not great players.  

 

If it's McD or drafting or a philosophy, we need to find a way for our early draft picks to be difference makers immediately.

[Jrb1979]

18 minutes ago, GASabresIUFan said:

After reading all the negative comments on Beane's drafting, I decided to compare Beane's draft slot to Mel Kiper's lists for that season.  I recently saw a study that named Kiper the best and most consistent draft evaluator.  So here are our top 2 round draft picks and Kiper's rankings.  Walter Football was 2nd.

 

2018 1-7 Allen - Kiper 5

2018 1-16 Edmunds - Kiper 11

2019 1-9 Oliver - Kiper 9

2019 2-38 Ford - Kiper 22

2020 2-54 Epenesa - Kiper 45

2021 1-30 Rousseau - Kiper 39  FYI Groot is 3rd in his draft class in sacks behind Parsons (12th overall) & Paye (21st overall) Paye only has 1.5 more sacks than Groot.

2021 2-61 Bashman  - Kiper 59

2022 1-23 Elam - Kiper 41 - First real reach by Beane and he got burned

2022 2-63 Cook - Kiper 99 - 2nd reach and Beane knocks it out of the park

2023 1-25 Kincaid - Kiper 19

2023 2-59 Torrence - Kiper 61

2024 2-33 Coleman - Kiper 33

2024 2-60 Bishop - Kiper 61

 

Beane Draft steals using Kiper's rankings (I didn't through every pick)

2022 5-148 Shakir - Kiper 81

2021 3-93 Brown - Kiper 72

 

From looking at the picks in the top 2 rounds, it's pretty clear that Beane rarely reaches and that most of his evaluations have been solid.  Sometimes the physical tools don't match the on field performance in the NFL like Ford and Basham.   You can B word and moan about certain picks, but the for most part Beane hasn't picked anyone from left field.  Even Elam has a 1st rd grade from some evaluators (for example PFF had him 29th).

 

The truth Beane has done a good job early and an excellent job from the 3rd rd on.  It's hard to hit HRs when you are drafting in the last 3rd of the 1st rd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disagree with the bolded. Just look at the Eagles roster. They have high talent all over that were drafted in the last 3rd of the 1st Rd or later.  

[billsfan89]

4 minutes ago, Franchiseneedsme said:

Did someone do a cap breakdown? Usually I have some sense of how much money the Bills have to play with , but this off-season i am lost. Seems like Bills are real tight to the cap. 

 

The Bills come in "tight" but the Bills also have a lot more flexibility to create space than they did last year. If they can get Von and Knox to adjust their contracts the Bills should be in good position by the time they hit free agency should be able to have 40-60 million in space on the cap. 

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/_/year/2025

[GASabresIUFan]

2 hours ago, Jrb1979 said:

Disagree with the bolded. Just look at the Eagles roster. They have high talent all over that were drafted in the last 3rd of the 1st Rd or later.  

You are absolutely wrong.

Jalen Carter 9th over all in 2023

Jordan Davis 13th overall in 2022

Devonte Smith 10th overall in 2021

 

The Bills top picks in 2021-2023; 2021 - 30th, 2022 - 25th, 2023 - 33rd

 

Apples and oranges.   In fact the worst 1st pick for Philly in the last 5 years was 22nd.  The best Bills 1st pick in the last 5 years 23rd.

[NewEra]

Yeah- he needs to hit on star soon