McD on the AFCE for '23

[YardRat]

https://www.nfl.com/news/bills-head-coach-sean-mcdermott-shares-outlook-on-afc-east-division-for-2023-sea

Bill head coach Sean McDermott is aware of Buffalo's opponents getting better during free agency. Speaking with NFL Network's Judy Battista at the Annual League Meeting on Saturday, McDermott opened up about the loaded AFC East in 2023.

"Yeah, we have a tremendous amount of respect for them," McDermott said. "Not only at the coach level but at the talent level they've been able to accrue. You look across the division, and to your point, it's impressive. So, we have to make sure we continue to reinvent ourselves to stay on top of the division."

[DraftBoy]

Not that he would have answered, but I wish she asked if he thinks the Bills got better or worse during free agency.

[swiper]

Not that he would have answered, but I wish she asked if he thinks the Bills got better or worse during free agency.

Oh that's not a fair question. What's he supposed to say? He lost some home-grown and "core" players to his team in free agency. They made no splash in free agency. Do you really expect him to say that they did not get better? He would have likely said to you, "wait and see," which is what he should do.

[DraftBoy]

Oh that's not a fair question. What's he supposed to say? He lost some home-grown and "core" players to his team in free agency. They made no splash in free agency. Do you really expect him to say that they did not get better? He would have likely said to you, "wait and see," which is what he should do.

It’s absolutely a fair question. And I would expect him to give a complete non-answer. Every coach would, which is an unfortunate reality.

Do you think we got better or worse this far?

[OpIv37]

It’s absolutely a fair question. And I would expect him to give a complete non-answer. Every coach would, which is an unfortunate reality.

Do you think we got better or worse this far?

Worse. We lost Edmunds, who is overrated and overpaid now, but we still don’t have anyone better. We didn’t gain anyone significant. Every team in the Div gained ground on us.

2021 should have been the year. We had talent and stayed healthy. But we blew it in the playoffs against KC.

This year is going to be a lot tougher than the last 3 years were.

[Novacane]

If the defense gets more aggressive with Frazier gone I think they got better. I don't think Edmunds is a huge loss. Depending on who they replace him with it could be a wash.

[Novacane]

They probably upgraded the WR. Harris brings something Singletary didn't. Hopefully the OL is better. I think our rivals getting better is a bigger worry than the Bills losses.

[sahlensguy]

:clap:

[notacon]

Worse. We lost Edmunds, who is overrated and overpaid now, but we still don’t have anyone better. We didn’t gain anyone significant. Every team in the Div gained ground on us.

2021 should have been the year. We had talent and stayed healthy. But we blew it in the playoffs against KC.

This year is going to be a lot tougher than the last 3 years were.

Not a surprising Negative Nancy take from you Opi. You have never been positive for the Bills chances and before and du​ring the 2021 season (and even LATE into that season) your negativity was just as strong and unhinged as it almost always is.

It’s way too early to determine if the Bills are “better or worse so far” because the off season is not even close to being over with.

You won’t be surprised to hear that I think the Bills have gotten better overall. Even at this early date.

The upgraded some of the biggest problem areas at RB, LG, S and WR depth.

NO other team in the AFCE has gained anything on the Bills at THE most important position...QB. Josh Allen is clearly the best QB in the division even IF Rodgers decides to come out of his lotus position and get himself traded to the Jets.

I also believe that Josh Allen will come back from an uneven season and show why he is an elite QB (#2 behind only Mahomes but right on his doorstep) with an unearthly skill set.

Re-signing Poyer with a very team friendly contract is HUGE. Getting Hyde back is HUGE. Elam with a year under his belt is HUGE. Tre’ White starting the season back to his usual stellar form is HUGE. Getting Von Miller back (even if only later in the season when we really need him) is HUGE!!

Harris brings a dimension to the Bills running game that has been glaringly missing...a tough, physical running back that can get the tough yards even without relying on Josh. James Cook with a year under his belt (and looking better and better as the season progressed) is HUGE. Getting Hines more involved in the offense (now that Singletary is gone) is HUGE.

The Bills picked up speed and depth in the WR room with Harty and (to a lesser extent) Sherfield. Conor McGovern solves the issue at LG. Spencer Brown, with another year under his belt and being pushed with competition (hopefully) will solidify the right side of the line.

The draft is going to present the Bills with opportunities to pick up an impact player, probably at WR when they finally get their collective heads out of their butts and spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on a WR.

EVERY year is tough.

I do not see anything that will ultimately threaten the Bills continuing their reign as champs of the AFCE.


Its like I predicted their records the past two years almost spot on (while your predictions fell woefully short) the Bills are going to do much better than you predict...which is your usual sourpuss loser talk.

[Goobylal]

It’s absolutely a fair question. And I would expect him to give a complete non-answer. Every coach would, which is an unfortunate reality.

Do you think we got better or worse this far?

Yeah but he doesn't know it for a fact...

[DraftBoy]

Yeah but he doesn't know it for a fact...

Well yeah, the response would be subjective. That’s pretty inherent though isn’t it?

[Goobylal]

Well yeah, the response would be subjective. That’s pretty inherent though isn’t it?

Pretty much everything we say here is subjective since we don't know anything with 100% certainty. It's pretty much implied.

[DraftBoy]

Pretty much everything we say here is subjective since we don't know anything with 100% certainty. It's pretty much implied.

Yes depending on what one says or the claims that one makes. I’d stay away from trying to imply much though. Direct and clear is always better online.

[Mace]

Continue to reinvent ourselves......I must have missed the other times. Seems to me they always do the same stuff with different players.

[OpIv37]

Not a surprising Negative Nancy take from you Opi. You have never been positive for the Bills chances and before and du​ring the 2021 season (and even LATE into that season) your negativity was just as strong and unhinged as it almost always is.

It’s way too early to determine if the Bills are “better or worse so far” because the off season is not even close to being over with.

You won’t be surprised to hear that I think the Bills have gotten better overall. Even at this early date.

The upgraded some of the biggest problem areas at RB, LG, S and WR depth.

NO other team in the AFCE has gained anything on the Bills at THE most important position...QB. Josh Allen is clearly the best QB in the division even IF Rodgers decides to come out of his lotus position and get himself traded to the Jets.

I also believe that Josh Allen will come back from an uneven season and show why he is an elite QB (#2 behind only Mahomes but right on his doorstep) with an unearthly skill set.

Re-signing Poyer with a very team friendly contract is HUGE. Getting Hyde back is HUGE. Elam with a year under his belt is HUGE. Tre’ White starting the season back to his usual stellar form is HUGE. Getting Von Miller back (even if only later in the season when we really need him) is HUGE!!

Harris brings a dimension to the Bills running game that has been glaringly missing...a tough, physical running back that can get the tough yards even without relying on Josh. James Cook with a year under his belt (and looking better and better as the season progressed) is HUGE. Getting Hines more involved in the offense (now that Singletary is gone) is HUGE.

The Bills picked up speed and depth in the WR room with Harty and (to a lesser extent) Sherfield. Conor McGovern solves the issue at LG. Spencer Brown, with another year under his belt and being pushed with competition (hopefully) will solidify the right side of the line.

The draft is going to present the Bills with opportunities to pick up an impact player, probably at WR when they finally get their collective heads out of their butts and spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on a WR.

EVERY year is tough.

I do not see anything that will ultimately threaten the Bills continuing their reign as champs of the AFCE.


Its like I predicted their records the past two years almost spot on (while your predictions fell woefully short) the Bills are going to do much better than you predict...which is your usual sourpuss loser talk.

Well, let’s be honest.

Neither of us were right this past season. You predicted the Bills would win the SB. I predicted their ceiling was a WC and first round loss.

In reality, they split the difference. They won the Div and won a playoff game, which is two steps better than what I predicted. But they lost in the Div round, which is two steps short of what you predicted.

We’re probably both wrong again.

[Mace]

Well, let’s be honest.

Neither of us were right this past season. You predicted the Bills would win the SB. I predicted their ceiling was a WC and first round loss.

In reality, they split the difference. They won the Div and won a playoff game, which is two steps better than what I predicted. But they lost in the Div round, which is two steps short of what you predicted.

We’re probably both wrong again.

I'm leaning your way....I don't think they've sustained their window of success well enough unless McDermott finds some balls to the wall he hasn't demonstrated in 6 years.

[notacon]

Well, let’s be honest.

Neither of us were right this past season. You predicted the Bills would win the SB. I predicted their ceiling was a WC and first round loss.

In reality, they split the difference. They won the Div and won a playoff game, which is two steps better than what I predicted. But they lost in the Div round, which is two steps short of what you predicted.

We’re probably both wrong again.

If that makes you feel better for your sustained, over-the-top continual extremely negative attitude toward the Bills for years, have at it.

I accurately predated 3 or 4 losses last season (and pretty much nailed what they would be), you barely had them over .500. Before the season, you had the Bills starting 2-5, I predicted 5-2 (they went 6-1).

After the heartbreaking Minny loss, you predicted an unrecoverable downward spiral and not winning the AFCE. I predicted, 100% accurately, a six game win streak before the Monday night Cincy game.

In 2021 I nailed the 13-3 record right on the nose, you had the Bills (again) barely over .500. All of the posts from 2021 (and before) and early 2022 season are gone, they would show that your predictions had about a 90%+ fail rate.

When one puts forth negative after negative after negative predictions over and over and over again, the rules of chance result being “right” once in a while.

It’s an extremely EASY to predict.....’the Bills will not win a SB this (or any other) season. If you want to take pride in that....that’s your problem.

[Night Train]

Not that he would have answered, but I wish she asked if he thinks the Bills got better or worse during free agency.

You're kidding, right ?

Why ask questions when the answer is always going to be coachspeak ?

[DraftBoy]

You're kidding, right ?

Why ask questions when the answer is always going to be coachspeak ?

To get it on the record and you never know when somebody could break and say something interesting.

[OpIv37]

If that makes you feel better for your sustained, over-the-top continual extremely negative attitude toward the Bills for years, have at it.

I accurately predated 3 or 4 losses last season (and pretty much nailed what they would be), you barely had them over .500. Before the season, you had the Bills starting 2-5, I predicted 5-2 (they went 6-1).

After the heartbreaking Minny loss, you predicted an unrecoverable downward spiral and not winning the AFCE. I predicted, 100% accurately, a six game win streak before the Monday night Cincy game.

In 2021 I nailed the 13-3 record right on the nose, you had the Bills (again) barely over .500. All of the posts from 2021 (and before) and early 2022 season are gone, they would show that your predictions had about a 90%+ fail rate.

When one puts forth negative after negative after negative predictions over and over and over again, the rules of chance result being “right” once in a while.

It’s an extremely EASY to predict.....’the Bills will not win a SB this (or any other) season. If you want to take pride in that....that’s your problem.

Just remember, you’re the guy who spent the last 8 months trying to convince everyone that Edmunds is a star player and that we should keep him.

Well, he’s gone and we haven’t found anyone equal or better.

Mayb I’m too negative, but we just lost a player that you were constantly defending, yet you don’t seem to understand that it made the team worse. It’s a weird cognitive disconnect.

[Novacane]

Just remember, you’re the guy who spent the last 8 months trying to convince everyone that Edmunds is a star player and that we should keep him.

Well, he’s gone and we haven’t found anyone equal or better.

Mayb I’m too negative, but we just lost a player that you were constantly defending, yet you don’t seem to understand that it made the team worse. It’s a weird cognitive disconnect.

Not just that we should but that we would.

[notacon]

Just remember, you’re the guy who spent the last 8 months trying to convince everyone that Edmunds is a star player and that we should keep him.

Well, he’s gone and we haven’t found anyone equal or better.

Mayb I’m too negative, but we just lost a player that you were constantly defending, yet you don’t seem to understand that it made the team worse. It’s a weird cognitive disconnect.
Just can’t stop misrepresenting my premise, can you.

My premise, that has been the same for years, is that the NFL GM’s, coaches, scouts and other players, along with just about every professional sports analyst and expert held Edmunds in exponentially higher esteem than the haters among their own “fans”, many of which said the stupidest things about Edmunds....that he was “the worst MLB in the NFL”...a “bust”....he “sucked” and on and on and on.

And that respect and undeniable extremely high value attributed to Edmunds would result in him being a hot commodity, which he was with the Bears making him the highest paid ILB in NFL history.

I also said that Edmunds was vital to the Bills defensive scheme, the Bills (inside the building) loved him and thought he did everything they asked him to on a very high level, and the Bills absolutely wanted him on the team as he was a core cog in the defense, and losing him would cause a huge hole in the Bills defense that would be hard to replace.

Every single bit of what I have been saying for YEARS is undeniably accurate and true, and has never been even close to being refuted.

What you fail to understand (I suspect because you don’t want to) when you write that “Mayb [sic] I’m too negative, but we just lost a player that you were constantly defending, yet you don’t seem to understand that it made the team worse. It’s a weird cognitive disconnect”....is that this is a TEAM sport and NO LOSS OF ONE PLAYER (except QB) causes THIS team to be “worse” when, as I have already noted (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/262839-McD-on-the-AFCE-for-23?p=5012796&viewfull=1#post5012796).....

I also believe that Josh Allen will come back from an uneven season and show why he is an elite QB (#2 behind only Mahomes but right on his doorstep) with an unearthly skill set.

Re-signing Poyer with a very team friendly contract is HUGE. Getting Hyde back is HUGE. Elam with a year under his belt is HUGE. Tre’ White starting the season back to his usual stellar form is HUGE. Getting Von Miller back (even if only later in the season when we really need him) is HUGE!!

Harris brings a dimension to the Bills running game that has been glaringly missing...a tough, physical running back that can get the tough yards even without relying on Josh. James Cook with a year under his belt (and looking better and better as the season progressed) is HUGE. Getting Hines more involved in the offense (now that Singletary is gone) is HUGE.

The Bills picked up speed and depth in the WR room with Harty and (to a lesser extent) Sherfield. Conor McGovern solves the issue at LG. Spencer Brown, with another year under his belt and being pushed with competition (hopefully) will solidify the right side of the line.

The draft is going to present the Bills with opportunities to pick up an impact player, probably at WR when they finally get their collective heads out of their butts and spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on a WR.

Just yesterday the Bills upgraded their secondary even more with the signing of a very capable, starting quality S in Taylor Rapp.

All of these realities outweigh the loss of ONE player. Yes, you ARE too negative.

[Historian]

Oye vey...

[notacon]

Not just that we should but that we would.

Almost missed this one. Anther lame attempt at trying to prove what I wrote as wrong by making up what I did NOT say.

This is so tiresome. Many posters whine about my posts having “too many words” and say they don’t read them, but then conjure up what I am supposed to have written, but didn't

On this subject, there is no doubt that I said over and over again that the Bills should re-sign Edmunds IF they could do so and maintain cap integrity. Obviously that was not possible when Chicago made him the highest paid ILB in NFL history.

The Bills repeatedly and vociferously said they wanted to keep Edmunds over and over and over again. Even this week McDermott said that they really wanted to keep Edmunds.

But I have NOT predicted that the Bills “WOULD” do so and, in fact, studiously did not do that. Here is what I said (edited with the pertinent quotes so there are not too many words :rolleyes:….

This from two days (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/262733-Quasi-Rumor-Lavonte-David-and-Bills?p=5009598&viewfull=1#post5009598) before he signed with Chicago...


So would I. Which is why extending Edmunds (for the right money....like Joe B. projects (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/262716-Restructures-and-other-cap-related-roster-moves?p=5009538&viewfull=1#post5009538), $16M APY with a $7.92M 2023 cap hit would be a no-brainer and the smart move.

I know you don’t agree, but as we are going to see in the next couple of weeks, Tremaine Edmunds is going to be a hot commodity and IS going to become one of the highest paid off-ball LB’s in the NFL, as he deserves.



From 3/11/23 (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/262672-More-likely-Franchise-Tag-Poyer-or-Edmunds?p=5009367&viewfull=1#post5009367)….



The idea that he would use the franchise tag is stupid, stupid, stupid.

Why??? Because using the franchise tag would cost $20M guaranteed and eat up cap space in 2023, and not solve the long term solution of his contract. Better to see how the market plays out, and try to get a long term extension (which is what the Bills want and should want) and incur a cap hit of around $7M for 2023.

The only doubt is that another team will come in with a much higher offer that the cap strapped Bills just can't match. It’s a money thing, not a quality of player thing. It is already undeniable that Tremaine Edmonds is one of the highest quality MLB in the NFL and he is about to get paid like he is.



Another spot on prediction (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/262655-Tremaine-Edmunds-and-Free-Agency?p=5007794&viewfull=1#post5007794)…



You have NO IDEA if the Bills "attempted to extend him before his rookie deal expired" or not.

The much more reasonable and realistic situation is that his agent, smartly and correctly told him to sit tight and test the FA market because he would be (like he IS) one of the most valuable MLB’s available in FA this season, and that fact could be used as leverage to get a better deal form the Bills.

At the least, he WILL become one of the highest paid LB’s in the NFL.

Book it!!!



Sorry, but if Edmunds is SOOOOOOOOO terrible, he would not be one of the most prized FA this season. And the ONLY reason he may not re-sign with the Bills if because they CAN’T AFFORD HIM!!!!




I have also said that it would not be a surprise if the Bills are unable to retain him, because of cap concerns. Which happens all the time with the best players that are in high demand, especially with a mature, contending team like the Bills.

I have also said that if he has to go....that’s life in the NFL....it would undoubtably hurt the defense, but that is what happens when a team has an elite QB that consumes close to 20% of the cap.



The franchise tag for LB is projected to be almost $21M for 2023 (https://overthecap.com/franchise-transition-and-rfa-tenders).

The Bills will NOT tag him. They should do everything within their power to sign him.....for at least five years. Backload the contract to be cap friendly in the first year or two.


I do not know if they will be successful. I do not know what it will take to sign him.


Edmunds WILL get a big contract and he will be worth every penny. The only question is if it will be on the Bills or another team.



I have no idea what Beane is going to do. There is no doubt that he, Frazier and McDermott LOVE Edmunds, believe he performs at an exceptional level, is critical to their defensive scheme and value his solid leadership.


He could easily become a cap casualty.

If you want to prove what I wrote was wrong...have at it. But attributing a prediction from me that I did NOT make, to show that I’m wrong is just dishonest strawman crap.