2025 Annual Joe Marino Bills Mock Offseason

[KOKBILLS]

I listen to Joe every day. He's great. But because I listen to him every day I also hear the yearly recap shows, like the one he does with Bruce Nolan on the Draft. The results are usually mixed. Which can be expected I guess...

 

That being said here are some thoughts. 

 

Josh Sweat would be great. I'm guessing he gets overpaid by some team and it's just another guy we don't get.

 

I like the Charvarius Ward idea. I know how good a player he has been, and I know his play in 2024 can be ignored due to some really terrible off the field stuff the guy had to go through. He'll only be 29 in May... That would be a nice stabilizing get. 

 

Deatrich Wise... I trust Joe... I really do. But if he's any good why would a team like a billion dollars under the cap that needs good players let him go? Maybe he's a better fit here? I don't know. 

 

I like the Bobby Brown idea.

 

Josh Palmer is a good player. But I'm not sure how much he moves the needle. One thing I'm assuming next year is that we get the Curtis Samuel we signed. That might be a bad assumption, we'll see... I'm a sucker for a redemption story... But if Samuel is healthy he's going to chew up a lot more snaps. And where I would like to add snaps at WR is a legit deep threat. A player that steps on the field and demands safety attention. Palmer can do that a little. But not like what I think the Bills need. 

 

I really like Darius Alexander and certainly think he's in the mix at #30. This is a much better pick IF they sign Sweat. If not, I prefer Landon Jackson because not only do I believe in him as a prospect, I think the Bills love him. His measurables and RAS are equal to only top 5 DE's, and I think he's going to get better. I also think he'll thrive as a base DE in this Defense instead of what he was asked to do at AK. I also think they can get a much better DT at 56 than a DE... It really thins out at DE after the early 2nd Round IMHO.

 

I think #56 is too high for Ivey, though I do think he's a decent prospect. Just not at 56. See my above comment about the thinning. And if you sign Sweat why take a DE here that is going to have to fight Javon Solomon to be on the gameday Roster? I realize you want to be deep at DE, but the Bills desperately need CB help as well. Ward or not... And I think this area of the 2nd may be a sweet spot for CB... With his Wise and Sweat signings, I don't understand this pick at all. If you want pass rush I think there are better options that are pure DPR's... If Darien Porter or Tre Amos were around at 56 and the Bills took Ivey I think I would greatly disappointed. In fact if either is within striking distance (around 50-54) Beane should use some of this Draft capital to get up there and get one of them. 

 

I like the Jalen Noel idea, but IMHO now I don't need Josh Palmer as long as Samuel is healthy.

 

I like everything about that Kevin Winston Jr. pick assuming he's healthy. That could be a steal.

 

Dorian Strong makes sense considering what he had done up to that point. He said he traded up to 117 to get him. If Jacob Parrish was still around I might prefer Parrish, even though he's a little undersized. 

 

All in all it's a decent off-season plan... Joe usually brings up players I had not really thought of much, so it gets me pondering all kinds of options. 

4 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

I'd LOVE for Beane to finally go BPA instead of "kinda BPA at position of need" for once.

 

It would have given us DeJean over Coleman. Humphrey over Basham. Metcalf/Brown over Ford. And just about anyone left in the 2022 draft over Elam.

 

Just pick the true ballplayers and figure out the rest another way.

 

I agree with you in theory... And I'm not saying you were saying this about Joe's Draft specifically...

 

But I read your post and just wanted to point out I don't think Joe's draft was BPA at all...

Alexander is #41 on the consensus board right now. He took him at 30
Ivey is #99 he took him at 56.

Noel is #72 he took him at 62.
Winston Jr. is #101 he took him at 97
Strong is #123 he took him at #117

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:54 AM by KOKBILLS

[nosejob]

15 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

The only free agent signing I don't like is Sweat. I also have questions on the draft as a whole feels like a mismatch of needs and just felt like BPA. 

43 sacks over 7 yrs? 8 last year? 3 yrs. older than Groot? Obviously going to get more money? PASS

[The Jokeman]

49 minutes ago, nosejob said:

43 sacks over 7 yrs? 8 last year? 3 yrs. older than Groot? Obviously going to get more money? PASS

Which averages to 6 sacks per season which what AJE has averaged the last 3 seasons, is that a serious improvement?

[nosejob]

2 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Which averages to 6 sacks per season which what AJE has averaged the last 3 seasons, is that a serious improvement?

Fool's gold. some team will overpay.

[BillsFanForever19]

Joe was correct on Josh Palmer. But *very* incorrect about the price.

[BuffaloBill]

23 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Creating Space:

 

Josh Allen Extension: 11.8m Saved (Done)
Greg Rousseau Extension: 9.8m Saved (Done)
Connor McGovern Extension: 4.2m Saved 
Von Miller Cut: 8.4m Saved (Done)
Ed Oliver Restructure: 8.7m Saved
Dion Dawkins Restructure: 9.8m Saved
Dawson Knox Restructure: 6.3m Saved

 

Approximately 49.3m Under the Cap

 

Re-Sign:

 

RB Ty Johnson: 2 yrs, 6m
FB Reggie Gilliam: 2 yrs, 5.5m
WR Mack Hollins: 1 yr, 3m
TE Quintin Morris: 1 yr, 2.5m
LS Reid Ferguson, 2 yrs, 3m (Done)

 

Free Agents Signed:

 

DE Josh Sweat: 3 yrs, 60m
CB Charvarius Ward: 2 yrs, 30m
WR Josh Palmer: 2 yrs, 10m (Done at 3 yrs, 36m)

DT Bobby Brown: 2 yrs, 7m
DE Deatrich Wise: 1 yr, 3.5m

 

NFL Draft (with trades):  

 

Round 1: DT Darius Alexander (Toledo)
Round 2: DE Jared Ivey (Ole Miss) 
Round 2: WR Jaylin Noel (Iowa State)
Round 3: S Kevin Winston (Penn State)
Round 4: CB Dorian Strong (Virginia Tech)
Round 5: RB Jarquez Hunter (Auburn)
Round 6: TE CJ Dippre (Alabama)

 

Thoughts:

 

- Joe is usually much more conservative than this. When I put on the video, I wasn't expecting he'd have Josh Sweat and Charvarius Ward on his list. Both players I would be really happy with. Though I'd bet Sweat will cost more than 20m after the deals to Garrett and Crosby.

 

- I'd like to see something a little more at WR then Mack returning, a 2nd Round speedster, and Josh Palmer. But he makes a good argument for why Palmer would fit this offense well.

 

- I wouldn't re-sign Morris and I'd probably pass on paying Gilliam that much.

 

- I agree that with the roster as it would be after his moves in Free Agency, we wouldn't have room for 10 Draft Picks. So he probably would move around a bit using those picks.

 

All in all, a fun video by Joe and an offseason i'd be relatively happy with. I really like what I've seen from Josh Sweat and how he could fit in with this Defense, opposite Groot. And a Christian Benford, Charvarius Ward starting duo would be a big step up from last season.

I have really come to appreciate Joe’s insights.  He is not out for attention grabbing comments. He analyzes and comes up with realistic ideas.