Bills had the best free agent class according to ESPN

[Low Positive]

3 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

I think on the other hand this shows just how much McDermott and staff extract from their guys. Only Hollins has been signed from our class of free agents. 

It also shows how bad this year's FA class is. The Pats are spending buckets of money and will be only marginally better. 

[BigDingus]

49 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

If he stays healthy (BIG IF)...

 

Chargers fans have been saying this for years now. At this point, just expect the injury & hope he's at least decent in the games he does manage to play. 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 03:13 PM by BigDingus

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, BigDingus said:

 

Chargers fans have been saying this for years now. At this point, just expect the injury & hope he's at least decent in the games he does manage to play. 

 

Give him a light workload throughout the season so he can be as healthy as possible for the playoffs when the Bills really need him.

[The Jokeman]

1 hour ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Palmer is 100% absolutely not filling Mack Hollins role.

 

He's taking the X WR on the outside.

 

Hot take alert, but I don't think Bosa will be the biggest impact of this FA class. 

Palmer going to be a Hollins/Cooper combo role in my eyes. He might not have Coopers breakaway speed but that's what Samuel and Shakir can offer or even Cook if lined up wide.

[Not at the table Karlos]

I feel they’ve pretty much stayed the same as last year. Idk if any of the free agents are guaranteed to be better than who they’re replacing. They still need to upgrade DT and corner. 

[BillsShredder83]

1 hour ago, BILLS55 said:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/44363563/2025-nfl-free-agency-class-rankings-teams-improved-better-worse-signings-deals

 

I think they did a good job of addressing some holes but not sure I'd put them #1

 

B55

1. Buffalo Bills
Key acquisitions and returning players: WR Khalil Shakir, Edge Joey Bosa, LB Terrel Bernard, LB Greg Rousseau, Edge Michael Hoecht, WR Joshua Palmer

I loved: How the Bills retained their own talent before markets got set. The Shakir extension is only $15 million per year. Rousseau got $20 million per year. Bernard is at $12.5 million per year. Those are three young cornerstones of a perennial contender, and they're staying in Buffalo for remarkably less than their open market number. The Bills were right to retain the players who helped get them to the AFC Championship Game, even if they haven't yet slayed the dragon that is the Chiefs.

I didn't love: How expensive Palmer was. Palmer is going to fill the Mack Hollins role, but I'm not sure he's going to elevate it much -- certainly not for double the price tag. He is a good dirty work receiver and should be considered a glue guy on a healthy offense, but if he was a truly dangerous pass catcher, he would have already broken out in Los Angeles. Still, this is a small complaint in an otherwise great class.

 

Idk/dont care who wrote this. Firstly, weird metric to count re-signing players towards FA class... at least from a news point of view... thats more the way Id expect our FO to look at a class, so maybe thats a cool progressive way to view it, and I can accept we did pretty good from there.  If were just counting FA, I dont think were #1, and not because we didnt go flashy Davante Adams, who most of these articles would anoint the best FA class.  We had a Poyer/Hyde offseason that was under the radar and was best FA class that year.  Im splitting hairs a bit on how he defines FA class I guess, so I can get on-board'ishhhh.

 

But the bolded:

Quote

I didn't love: How expensive Palmer was. Palmer is going to fill the Mack Hollins role, but I'm not sure he's going to elevate it much

 EEEEEEKKKKKK.  This smells like a guy only reading headlines.  I dont think we signed him to fill the #4 or #5 WR role, disingenuous at worst.  Uninformed at best.  Obviously that contract for #4/5 role would be an overpay LOL  Beane expects this dude to start as an outside WR or bare minimum compete heavily for the role, and to think otherwise is insane to me.

 

Trash writers. Trash network.  I've had more informative football talks at the urinal with my **** in my hand at any bar in Buffalo, than what this jag writer has to say

[T.E.]

28 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Give him a light workload throughout the season so he can be as healthy as possible for the playoffs when the Bills really need him.

I would just play like you would any other player. They tried this method with Von Miller, and I never really noticed any super-rejuvenated playoff energy from him.

[BuffaloBillyG]

4 hours ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Palmer is 100% absolutely not filling Mack Hollins role.

 

He's taking the X WR on the outside.

 

Hot take alert, but I don't think Bosa will be the biggest impact of this FA class. 

Agree. 

 

I see Palmer taking over more of the role they hoped Cooper would fill. As the roster sits today, Shavers would be more in line to take over the Hollins role especially on STs. I expect more to be added, of course. 

 

I do think Bosa will be an impact player. He has a ONE year deal. It's a prove it year for him and he's acknowledged as much. He's going to be motivated to not only produce, but stay on the field through some of the nagging things he say out through in LA.

 

Also, imagine going from playing in front of perhaps the most laid back fanbase in the NFL to our rabid pack of table smashing drunken idiot fanbase. Guy is gonna feed off our fans.

Edited Wednesday at 06:12 PM by BuffaloBillyG

[TheWeatherMan]

Our secondary is still hot garbage as a grouping.  We need upgrades at S and CB #2.  Not impressed with the changes on the DL, I still don’t see the Bills putting pressure on the QB.  I hope I’m wrong, but I still see the Bills giving up a ton of points per game like last year.  

[Jerome007]

What's with the Bosa dislike? Max Crosby and Garrett were not available anymore. And a one year 12M is low risk high reward.

 

And he is good against the RUN too. With the two new players - after their 6 week suspensions - they should FINALLY be able to be a decent team against the run. And that will help everything else. Including time of possession for JA17 and the offense.

[Mikie2times]

1 hour ago, US Egg said:

Can’t imagine any dissenters in here on the matter.

I disagree with these comments along with myself 

[Logic]

1 hour ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Palmer is 100% absolutely not filling Mack Hollins role.

 

He's taking the X WR on the outside.

 

Hot take alert, but I don't think Bosa will be the biggest impact of this FA class. 

 

1 hour ago, MJS said:

Palmer won't fill the Mack Hollins role. He'll be one of the starting outside receivers.

I'm confused by both of these replies.

Hollins WAS the X WR on the outside.

Hollins WAS, for all intents and purposes, a starting outside receiver.

Will Palmer be a one-for-one swap for Hollins? No, because their skillsets are different and they'll likely be employed somewhat differently.

Is Palmer taking over for Hollins as the veteran sacrificial X receiver and starter on the outside? Yep.

[MJS]

6 minutes ago, Logic said:

 

I'm confused by both of these replies.

Hollins WAS the X WR on the outside.

Hollins WAS, for all intents and purposes, a starting outside receiver.

Will Palmer be a one-for-one swap for Hollins? No, because their skillsets are different and they'll likely be employed somewhat differently.

Is Palmer taking over for Hollins as the veteran sacrificial X receiver and starter on the outside? Yep.

Not really. He rotated with Coleman, and the Coleman injury required Hollins to play more. Hollins was more like the 3rd/4th receiver, run blocker, and special teamer, while Palmer is a legit #2 receiver.

Edited Wednesday at 04:12 PM by MJS

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

Give him a light workload throughout the season so he can be as healthy as possible for the playoffs when the Bills really need him.

You play the guy 70-75 reps a game he will get injured.  Drop it to 35 reps tops and its a different story.

[Logic]

6 minutes ago, MJS said:

Not really. He rotated with Coleman, and the Coleman injury required Hollins to play more. Hollins was more like the 3rd/4th receiver, run blocker, and special teamer, while Palmer is a legit #2 receiver.

Whatever the reasons for it may have been, the fact remains that Hollins started on the outside more last season than did Coleman.

Further, nothing in Palmer's career statistical production indicates to me that he's a "legit" #2 receiver. His career high in receiving yards is 769, and that was three years ago. He hasn't topped 590 in either of the past two seasons. 

I like his youth and potential, and maybe he becomes something more here. But it's only projection and hope at this point. His actual career production paints him as an average, replacement level journeyman type. 

[gonzo1105]

1 hour ago, Low Positive said:

This message board has taken such a drastic turn towards negative groupthink that most posters are angry at ESPN for saying something positive about their team. 

I really liked the Hoecht signing and was a fan of the Palmer signing. It’s roughly really 11 AAV which is about the going rate for a # 3 WR in the NFL.  I think they’re hoping for a guy who can provide good run blocking and a guy who can beat press. Think he’ll play both Z and X so I agree that they see him as a combo of Hollins, Cooper. 
 

Their going to add a speed guy at some point in the draft to fill out the room 

[Saint Doug]

43 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Agree. 

 

I see Palmer taking over more of the role they hoped Cooler would fill. As the roster sits today, Shavers would be more in line to take over the Hollins role especially on STs. I expect more to be added, of course. 

 

I do think Bosa will be an impact player. He has a ONE year deal. It's a prove it year for him and he's acknowledged as much. He's going to be motivated to not only produce, but stay on the field through some of the nagging things he say out through in LA.

 

Also, imagine going from playing in front of perhaps the most laid back fanbase in the NFL to our rabid pack of table smashing drunken idiot fanbase. Guy is gonna feed off our fans.

Is this a Freudian slip? But, in truth, I think the Bills coolers did their jobs better. I doubt there was any warm Gatorade on the sideline. 

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

ESPN, so……..

 

OK, I’ll like them for a day. Just one day. 

 

 

Exactly, 

[BobbyC81]

2 hours ago, chongli said:

 

To be fair, this is what the ESPN writer said:

 

"I didn't want to just rank their incoming free agent classes, because that would simply be a ranking of which teams spent the most money. I tried to consider everything: Not just free agent acquisitions and departures, but trades and extensions and restructures"

So, they should’ve just said “Rankings of Best Offseasons”

[MJS]

25 minutes ago, Logic said:

Whatever the reasons for it may have been, the fact remains that Hollins started on the outside more last season than did Coleman.

Further, nothing in Palmer's career statistical production indicates to me that he's a "legit" #2 receiver. His career high in receiving yards is 769, and that was three years ago. He hasn't topped 590 in either of the past two seasons. 

I like his youth and potential, and maybe he becomes something more here. But it's only projection and hope at this point. His actual career production paints him as an average, replacement level journeyman type. 

You are free to your opinion.