Assessing Bills’ summer trade candidates: 10 players to watch in late August

[notacon]

Joe Buscaglia in his usual stellar reporting and analysis of the Buffalo Bills, published this interesting article today.


Assessing Bills’ summer trade candidates: 10 players to watch in late August (https://theathletic.com/4590651/2023/06/08/buffalo-bills-trade-candidates/)




As a way of working around not receiving any compensatory picks over the past several years, Bills (https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/bills/) general manager Brandon Beane has taken advantage of the August trade market before final cuts. Although Buffalo isn’t acquiring substantial picks in return, it’s gotten something from several of its previous investments.


Since Beane took over in 2017, the Bills have traded away six players in late August before 53-man rosters were due. Rather than having to cut a player they like, Beane has shown he prefers to get something in return to push the investment forward.
Bills players Beane traded away in late August since 2017



<tbody>



2022

Cody Ford

OL

5th-round pick



2021

Darryl Johnson

DE

6th-round pick



2019

Russell Bodine

OL

6th-round pick



2019

Wyatt Teller

OL

5th- & 6th-round picks



2018

A.J. McCarron

QB

5th-round pick



2017

Reggie Ragland

LB

4th-round pick


</tbody>


This year, the Bills are up against the salary cap and will need to shed some space, whether it’s through trades or contract restructures, to get cap-compliant for the 53-man roster. They also have some loaded positions where they could be forced to make a tough decision.
Which names could be on the list of trade candidates for Beane to consider this August?

Here are 10 players who could be of interest this summer.....

More...


The list is hard to question considering some of the recent signings and draft choices….


DE Boogie Basham
DT Tim Settle
DE A.J. Epenesa
RB Nyheim Hines
IOL Ryan Bates
OL David Quessenberry
OL David Edward
OL Ike Boettger
OL Brandon Shell


He provides his usual astute analysis explaining each player being included and the situation surrounding any potential trade.


There was one surprise player on the list, but the analysis makes some sense…



CB Kaiir Elam

Post-June 1 cap savings if traded: $1.33 million


It’s probably a year too early to consider trading a first-round pick like Elam, though there is at least a legitimate argument for doing it this summer rather than waiting until 2024. The Bills have indicated through several actions that they’re unsettled at the second boundary cornerback position. They re-signed Dane Jackson (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/dane-jackson-ZB4Fl2ADVvPTSjqC/) to a fully guaranteed one-year deal. After an offseason of weighing their options, they kept Christian Benford (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/christian-benford-j0maTHM8YBIPSMBQ/) at cornerback rather than moving him to safety. And less important but still notable, they signed 25-year-old boundary cornerback Cameron Dantzler (https://twitter.com/BuffaloBills/status/1666429814402629632?s=20), who has started 26 games over the past three seasons. In the team’s perfect world, Elam would grab hold of the second cornerback job this summer in the preseason; Jackson, Benford and possibly Dantzler would be good depth; and Elam and Tre’Davious White (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tredavious-white-2AJ6oTJrxGnx7gDh/)would be the no-doubt pairing for several seasons.


However, something is holding the Bills back from Elam being the locked-in starter. Beane mentioned that some inconsistencies in practice played into the equation last year but said Elam “cleaned up a lot of that” in games. Even still, Beane concluded his recent answer on Elam with: “We’re going to make everyone earn it. It doesn’t matter where you were selected or what your salary is.” Beane usually would not say something like that for established starters on his team.


If Elam does not progress and is behind Jackson and Benford on the depth chart, the Bills could at least cover that up before the regular season. It would keep Elam’s trade value far higher to an acquiring team, and the other team would see a young cornerback with potentially four years of roster control (including the fifth-year option). If they wait a year and watch him be a backup player, the return value on Elam will decrease quite a bit. Trading him this summer would be a risk in terms of seeing a high pick flourish elsewhere, but if they feel he’s still behind Jackson and Benford and they could recoup a second- or third-round pick for him, it’s something they could consider. The extreme likelihood is they hold on to Elam and see if he can get there in 2023, but it’s at least worth mentioning if the worst-case scenario arrives this summer.


Elam did not take a solid hold on the #2 CB spot last year despite being a first-round pick.

That, in and of itself, was a disappointment since the Bills allowed Levi Wallace to go to Pittsburgh for a relative pittance ($4M AVG/Y). They obviously expected the draft to fill that hole.

Although they did not hand the job to Elam, it was there for him to take.

Instead, 6th round pick (#185 overall) Christian Benford clearly outplayed Elam and if not for Benford suffering injuries (breaking his hand in week #3 after starting the first 3 games of the season) and then going on injured reserve after the Detroit game in week #12) he seemed closer to nailing down the starting #2 CB spot than Elam.

Sure looks like he is going to have to win the starting job outright in training camp or he may not long for this team.

[sukie]

Didn’t Buffalo just sign a couple of those guys? Who is gonna trade anything for Settle? Quessenberry?

you really expect draft picks for those 2?

[OpIv37]

One flaw in the logic: the teams usually publicize depth charts. And even if the Bills don’t do that, other teams will probably do the same thing the author of this article did, and assume that if Elam is on the trade block, it means he’s no higher than 3rd on the depth chart.

Now, no one is going to blame him for being behind Tre White. If White returns to his pre-injury form, he’s one of the better corner in the league. But, if White can’t beat out Benford and/or Jackson, how much would another team be willing to give up for him? I doubt it would be a good return.

That being said, CB has a high learning curve, and while Elam struggled a bit last year, I think it would be a mistake to give up on him after 1 year and 1 additional preseason.

[notacon]

Didn’t Buffalo just sign a couple of those guys? Who is gonna trade anything for Settle? Quessenberry?

you really expect draft picks for those 2?

The same could have been said about several of the late trades Beane made. As Joe pointed out.

[notacon]

One flaw in the logic: the teams usually publicize depth charts. And even if the Bills don’t do that, other teams will probably do the same thing the author of this article did, and assume that if Elam is on the trade block, it means he’s no higher than 3rd on the depth chart.

Now, no one is going to blame him for being behind Tre White. If White returns to his pre-injury form, he’s one of the better corner in the league. But, if White can’t beat out Benford and/or Jackson, how much would another team be willing to give up for him? I doubt it would be a good return.

That being said, CB has a high learning curve, and while Elam struggled a bit last year, I think it would be a mistake to give up on him after 1 year and 1 additional preseason.

Joe addressed this point when he wrote....”If Elam does not progress and is behind Jackson and Benford on the depth chart, the Bills could at least cover that up before the regular season.”

Never underestimate what a team is wiling to give up for a young player, in a premium position, on a rookie contract.

Joe also addressed that as well....”the other team would see a young cornerback with potentially four years of roster control (including the fifth-year option).”


No one here has any idea if Elam is even close to be considered trade bait. But, the scenario cannot be dismissed out of hand.

As Joe said “The extreme likelihood is they hold on to Elam and see if he can get there in 2023, but it’s at least worth mentioning if the worst-case scenario arrives this summer."

I certainly would like the see him progress during training camp and make him being the starter a no-brainer, without any doubt.

[Mace]

If you didn't see Elam progress when he got snaps..you don't watch the games. It's absurd to think they'd trade him.

[sukie]

The same could have been said about several of the late trades Beane made. As Joe pointed out.
Who cares what Joe pointed out. What do YOU think? Sometimes you need to step away from the appeal to authority tendency. You think Settle and Quizzles will get anything back in a trade?

[YardRat]

IMO Epenesa and Basham are at the top of the list.

[YardRat]

Also IMO Joe B is only including Elam for click-bait. He's a sub-par journalist that has to create issues to keep his name relevant.

[Night Train]

Canceled my Athletic subscription. They lost a lot of writers and I wonder if they need to merge with someone to keep in business. Joe B is OK but is hardly the measuring stick for analysis.Tries too hard to make points on certain players.
So much free stuff out there on the net and on youtube that is better. Besides, we can all see the games ourselves when they play. Film doesn't lie. One has to take camp reports, practice reports at face value. I get living out of town has it's limitations on info. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

[Forward_Lateral]

Stopped reading after I saw Elam on the list.

Absolutely ridiculous. Joe B is a moron.

Elam was starting at the end of the season, and their best corner on the field.

[notacon]

If you didn't see Elam progress when he got snaps..you don't watch the games. It's absurd to think they'd trade him.

Jesus. This false “you don’t watch the game” card is silly.

Yes, Elam did improve very late in the season, but not nearly enough to get even close to securing the starting #2 CB job.


That is very obvious by, yeah, watching the games. His “progress’ was only notable because he was being outplayed by a 6th round pick early in the season. As I said above, if not for the injuries to Benford, he may have been even worse for him.

He was a healthy scratch in week 14. Not a good sign for a first round pick who was expected to be an unquestioned starter.

To anyone who has actually watched the games, there is no doubt that Elam had a very underwhelming first year. He is in a dogfight for the CB position this summer and it is not anywhere close to securing that position, which he should be by now.

No, it is not “absurd” the think the Bills would trade him, but it certainly would not be impossible. As is the idea that either Benford or Dantzer could either be starter or get a substantial percentage of snaps opposite Tre’ White.

Are you objecting to what is readily apparent (that Elam has not grabbed the starting position as a first round pick is expected to) because I have observed the obvious or because you really don’t believe what is right in front of your eyes?

As I already said, I certainly would like the see him progress during training camp and make him being the starter a no-brainer, without any doubt.

[notacon]

Who cares what Joe pointed out. What do YOU think? Sometimes you need to step away from the appeal to authority tendency. You think Settle and Quizzles will get anything back in a trade?

I already said exactly what I think several times.

My observations of Elam’s underwhelming first season is fairly easy to realize.

As for him being traded, I agree with Joe that it would be an “extreme likelihood” that he is not. And I, along with every other Bills fan would like the see him progress during training camp and make him being the starter a no-brainer, without any doubt.

- - - Updated - - -


IMO Epenesa and Basham are at the top of the list.

Absolutely.

[notacon]

Also IMO Joe B is only including Elam for click-bait. He's a sub-par journalist that has to create issues to keep his name relevant.
:rofl: That’s just silly nonsense.

How can it be “click bait” if Elam’s name is no where to be found (certainly not in the title) until well into the body of the article, which (I assume) is behind their paywall.

I suspect that you would not even know that Elam was on the lost UNTIL I POSTED IT!!!

No, Joe Buscaglia is NOT a "sub-par journalist”. That’s just so obtuse and shows your bias.

[notacon]

Stopped reading after I saw Elam on the list.

Absolutely ridiculous. Joe B is a moron.

Elam was starting at the end of the season, and their best corner on the field.

No, Elam was not "their best corner on the field” at the end of the season. :rofl: That statement is absolutely ridiculous.


He may have been the nominal “starter” by virtue of being on the filed at the start of the game, but did stay on the field more than 47.6% of the defensive snaps for the last three regular season games and was a healthy scratch the fourth last game of the season (week #14 vs NYJ).


Specifically his snap count was (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElamKa00/fantasy/2022)....

Week #14 vs Jets - 0%
Week #15 vs Miami - 47.5%
Week #16 vs Chicago - 47.6%
Week #18 vs NE - 42.6%

Tre’ White, on the other hand, in the same four last games of the seasons never went below 92.1% of the snaps with three of the games 100% (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WhitTr01/fantasy/2022)....

Week #14 vs Jets - 100%
Week #15 vs Miami - 100%
Week #16 vs Chicago - 92.1%
Week #18 vs NE - 100%


If Elam was "their best corner on the field”, he would have been on the field 100% (or slightly less), not below 50%.

[Forward_Lateral]

They aren't trading Elam.

Stop being a fu​cking troll of epic proportions.

[sukie]

I already said exactly what I think several times.

My observations of Elam’s underwhelming first season is fairly easy to realize.

As for him being traded, I agree with Joe that it would be an “extreme likelihood” that he is not. And I, along with every other Bills fan would like the see him progress during training camp and make him being the starter a no-brainer, without any doubt.

- - - Updated - - -



Absolutely.

Point me to where your personal opinion on trade value for Settle and Q… can’t find it.

for those wondering about The Athletic… NY Times bought it for 55 million. It has lost more than that last 2 years AND it’s already down 7 mil first Quarter. NY Times will probably cut its losses. It’s as good as dead…. Just gasping for air.

[Mr. Pink]

Joe B is an idiot.

None of those guys have any trade value besides Elam and Elam isn't going anywhere.

[DraftBoy]

:rofl: That’s just silly nonsense.

How can it be “click bait” if Elam’s name is no where to be found (certainly not in the title) until well into the body of the article, which (I assume) is behind their paywall.

I suspect that you would not even know that Elam was on the lost UNTIL I POSTED IT!!!

No, Joe Buscaglia is NOT a "sub-par journalist”. That’s just so obtuse and shows your bias.

You can’t make that claim considering the only reason you posted the thread was because Elam was included. You literally bought and then sold the click bait here.

[daryls61]

If BBB can get a 5th for Booger or AJ, he should take it and run.

[notacon]

They aren't trading Elam.

Stop being a fu​cking troll of epic proportions.

Except no one is saying that the Bils are going to trade Elam.

Maybe if you read the article with an open mid (I know...a tough thing to do for some closed minded posters), you would realize what the observations are all about.

Well founded observations that should raise a red flag for any Bills fan.

Maybe you need some remedial English because you don’t seem to comprehend a rather simple sentance...

“The extreme likelihood is they hold on to Elam and see if he can get there in 2023, but it’s at least worth mentioning if the worst-case scenario arrives this summer.”

Do you understand what “extreme likelihood means???.....or ”mentioning” or “worst-case scenario”??!?!?

No, this does not show me being "troll of epic proportions”...it’s a extremely legitimate concern for a Super Bowl contending team in the conference of elite QB’s a plenty.

[notacon]

The point here is not that it’s even likely that Elam is traded in August (it’s not, and no one is saying it is), it’s that he has not come close to securing the starting job, and has a LOT of work to do in training camp to quiet the doubts.

There is no question that his rookie season was a disappointment and very underwhelming, especially for a first-round pick after the Bills cleared the way for his path to a starter. (by letting Levi Wallace walk and not signing any vet FA CBs before OTA’s…late June 2022 (https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-free-agency-tracker-signings-trades-contract-details-for-all-32-teams)).

Instead, he was clearly outplayed by 6th round pick Benford and was battling him for playing time throughout the season.

Joe B. is not the only professional sports media writer, that covers the Bills on a daily basis, that has taken notice.

Bills CB ‘Has a Lot to Prove’ After Disappointing Rookie Year: Insider (https://heavy.com/sports/buffalo-bills/bills-kaiir-elam-prove-disappointing-year/)



In his season-ending press conference, Buffalo Bills (https://heavy.com/sports/buffalo-bills/) general manager Brandon Beane said the team would be counting on rookie cornerback Kaiir Elam a lot more next year.

It had been a turbulent year for Elam, who came with high expectations after the Bills traded up in the first round to land him. The Bills were missing All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White to start the season and Elam was expected to move into a starting role, but ended up splitting time with fellow rookie Christian Benford and even found himself a healthy scratch for a key game late in the season.

Now, Buffalo News (https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/bills-mailbag-how-concerning-is-stefon-diggs-absence-from-otas/article_b97babac-fbe1-11ed-bf4c-37c6ada59b83.html) insider Jay Skurski wrote that Elam could have a lot to prove going into his second season as he faces pressure to rebound.

Speaking to reporters in January, days after the Bills suffered a disappointing playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Beane singled out Elam when talking about that year’s class of rookies.

“Without going through them all, I think that most of [the Bills’ rookies] helped us in some way, and we’ll be counting on them even more. Whether it’s – Kaiir rotated some this year, started some. We’ll be counting on him more,” Beane said.

Though he was an expected starter when he was drafted, Elam struggled (https://heavy.com/sports/buffalo-bills/kaiir-elam-starter-reaction-week-3/) to win the job outright. Fellow rookie Benford, a sixth-rounder, ended up starting five games, making 24 tackles with one interception. Elam started six games last season, making 41 tackles with two interceptions.

More…




Here is the “Mailbag” question that Jay Skurski talked about Elam (https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/bills-mailbag-how-concerning-is-stefon-diggs-absence-from-otas/article_b97babac-fbe1-11ed-bf4c-37c6ada59b83.html)….



Brenda Alesii asks: Brandon Beane said the defense will be relying more on Kaiir Elam in 2023 and beyond. Is this a shot across the bow for the 2022 first-rounder to step it up?

Jay: Beane would say no. I would say yes. The Bills absolutely need Elam to turn into a quality starter. The same can be said of any player chosen in the first round. It will be true of Dalton Kincaid soon enough. It’s true of defensive end Greg Rousseau, who is entering his third season. It’s hard not to look at Elam’s rookie season as a bit of a disappointment. He was a healthy inactive for a key game against the Patriots in December. He played 13 games in the regular season, making six starts, and finished with 41 tackles, four passes defensed and two interceptions. He started one of the Bills’ two playoff games, and did have a key interception against the Dolphins in the wild-card round. Among the 136 cornerbacks who played at least 235 defensive snaps during the regular season, Elam ranked No. 96, according to analytics website Pro Football Focus, with an overall grade of 56.7. Elam was targeted 41 times, according to PFF, and gave up 31 catches for 373 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

With Tre’Davious White out at the beginning of the season, the Bills rotated Elam and Christian Benford, a 2022 sixth-round draft pick, opposite Dane Jackson. Ideally, Elam would have won that job outright in the preseason, but that didn’t happen. The Bills will say it doesn’t matter where a player is drafted, and that’s the right approach, but there is a reality that comes with being a first-round draft pick. That reality is, anything less than that player developing into a quality starter is a disappointment. Elam has a lot to prove in his second season.


I always try and view players with a degree of optimism, and Elam is no different.

I EXPECT him to come into camp and put a stranglehold on the CB #2 starting position.

OTA feedback was not necessarily that promising. As Joe B. observed last week…


Bills OTAs takeaways: Next steps for Damar Hamlin; Ed Oliver eager to silence critics (https://theathletic.com/4587252/2023/06/06/buffalo-bills-otas-3/)





More evidence the CB2 job is wide open in 2023


As the middle linebacker competition gets all of the attention on defense, the Bills could be in for another battle to see who starts opposite Tre’Davious White (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tredavious-white-2AJ6oTJrxGnx7gDh/) at boundary cornerback. The team’s 2022 first-round pick, Kaiir Elam (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/kaiir-elam-JJbflEYt54YCFK0u/), had been the presumed favorite to take the role full time, but there have been little hints over the last three weeks that it’s anything but an open-and-shut case. And when speaking with reporters after practice, Beane was asked what the Bills needed to see from Elam for him to become a consistent starter. Beane brought it back to some of the things that held Elam back in 2022.
“I thought there were some rookie things that he did in practice that sometimes said, ‘Don’t do that,’ and just some learning things. But, in all fairness to him, I thought he, in games, he cleaned up a lot of that,” Beane said. “So really it’s just getting that to translate and being more consistent player in practice, which I think he’s showing.”

But when Beane continued his answer, he dropped another morsel of information that Elam isn’t the locked-in starter at this point of the year.

“I wish I could say like, ‘Hey, Kaiir’s not putting all his effort in or he’s not studying.’ He is all in as much as anybody. And I think, you will see him continue to progress,” Beane said. “You know us here, though. We’re going to make everyone earn it. It doesn’t matter where you were selected or what your salary is. And so Kaiir understands that and he’s prepared for the challenge.”

Beane doesn’t just say that about every position, only the ones in question. The fact Elam, a first-round pick, hasn’t done enough to solidify this starting role by now isn’t a great sign. Especially when every NFL team badly wants its high-level investments to work out to justify the early draft pick. He can certainly turn it around and win the job this summer, but Dane Jackson (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/dane-jackson-ZB4Fl2ADVvPTSjqC/) and Christian Benford (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/christian-benford-j0maTHM8YBIPSMBQ/) look like legitimate contenders to be the starter on the boundary with White.



Some might want to brush away the unbiased opinion of a professional sports writer by smearing him….I’m not in that camp.

The oft used canard when some self-professed football know-it-alls when they disagree with an opinion that one “does not watch the games” is present in spades (and not a canard) when comparing an astute writer like Joe B to every single poster here.

His obsession is watching game film, and consumes every play (in All-22 format, which is available to anyone with a NFL+ subscription) and grades every player on every play. That’s his job!!! And he does it extremely well.

Yeah….he knows a lot more about football than any poster here and the value of his informed opinion is exponentially higher than any poster here (myself included).

If the self-professed football know-it-alls want to ignore and scoff at his observations, that’s YOUR problem.

The fact is that there are two open competitions for starting positions….MLB and #2 CB.

There are no first round picks in the MLB competition. MLB is not a “premium position” in today’s NFL. CB IS.

Elam being a fist round pick last year should have precluded ANY open competition in his second year.

Yet….here we are.

It being “wide open” is not a comfortable place for the Bills to be with such a premium position. Especially in the AFC where almost all of the elite QB’s are.

To ignore that is to ignore a disturbing reality.

[Mr. Pink]

Of course Elam had a "disappointing" season. He doesn't fit the defensive scheme. He's a man cover corner not zone. We run a zone scheme.

That being said, they're not trading him away, this year or next because then that is an admission that they blew the pick.

GMs and front offices very rarely admit they blew a pick.

[Mace]

Jesus. This false “you don’t watch the game” card is silly.

Yes, Elam did improve very late in the season, but not nearly enough to get even close to securing the starting #2 CB job.


That is very obvious by, yeah, watching the games. His “progress’ was only notable because he was being outplayed by a 6th round pick early in the season. As I said above, if not for the injuries to Benford, he may have been even worse for him.

He was a healthy scratch in week 14. Not a good sign for a first round pick who was expected to be an unquestioned starter.

To anyone who has actually watched the games, there is no doubt that Elam had a very underwhelming first year. He is in a dogfight for the CB position this summer and it is not anywhere close to securing that position, which he should be by now.

No, it is not “absurd” the think the Bills would trade him, but it certainly would not be impossible. As is the idea that either Benford or Dantzer could either be starter or get a substantial percentage of snaps opposite Tre’ White.

Are you objecting to what is readily apparent (that Elam has not grabbed the starting position as a first round pick is expected to) because I have observed the obvious or because you really don’t believe what is right in front of your eyes?

As I already said, I certainly would like the see him progress during training camp and make him being the starter a no-brainer, without any doubt.



Nonsense. You try too hard. Pay attention to the games not the people that think to write about them and get paid by the word count as if you do too. Watching the games and players is a helpful filter. Give it a shot. Elam is not even in the conversation unless you're trying too hard to create something.

Get a grip.

[notacon]

Nonsense. You try too hard. Pay attention to the games not the people that think to write about them and get paid by the word count as if you do too. Watching the games and players is a helpful filter. Give it a shot. Elam is not even in the conversation unless you're trying too hard to create something.

Get a grip.

:rofl: Another poster with the blinders on that seemingly cannot understand simple English.

The ones who should “pay attention to the games” and SHOULD read and listen to those that obviously know a LOT more about football than the self-proclaimed experts are the ones that provide a knee jerk reactions without even showing the ability to comprehend what was actually written.

You obviously do not even understand how beat writers make their living either. They do not “get paid by the word”. How silly.

They get paid by being fully immersed into the sport (or subject) they are covering....in this case the Buffalo Bills....and developing contacts and relationships with the players, coaches and other critical professionals that do the work in putting a team on the field.

They get paid for writing accurate articles reporting important issues surrounding the team via their access and full time devotion to staying fully informed....on a full time basis.

Unlike the armchair coaches and GMs’ that know a LOT less about football than they think they do, and prove it so many times by what they write

I am smart enough to listen to this than know more about something than I do. Just like I listen to my doctor (and other professional health experts) when it came to Covid and vaccines...and DID NOT LISTEN TO or respect or trust the word of anonymous internet blowhards.

[notacon]

Of course Elam had a "disappointing" season. He doesn't fit the defensive scheme. He's a man cover corner not zone. We run a zone scheme.

That being said, they're not trading him away, this year or next because then that is an admission that they blew the pick.

GMs and front offices very rarely admit they blew a pick.

Joe B. did NOT say “they are trading him away”.

Pay attention.

Funny, but so many here were quick to **** on Ed Oliver saying that the Bills should and possibly would trade him away. And how they should fire McDermott....and Beane...and on and on and on.


And how worthless Tremaine Edmunds is....calling him a “bust” and that he “sucks” (hey...that was YOU that said that crap, wasn’t it?!??!?! :rofl:)

Shows what kind of value their opinions have.

[notacon]

No one (as usual) can refute what I (and Joe B.) wrote about Elam. :yawn: Certainly not if they actually read what was written and put a good faith effort in trying to understand. What else is new???

The other players of note that are on the bubble....and ignored in the Elam freak-out, is in the position where it is more likely players be traded (or at least attempt to be traded), especially after the signing of Leonard Floyd....DE

Sure looks like either Basham or Epenesa may not make the 53 man roster.

The Bills usually carry five DE’s. Von Miller may start the year on PUP, but even if he does, eventually room will have to be made for him on the roster.

Three DE”s have almost a lock on a roster spot (again with the caveat that Miller may start the year on PUP)....

Von Miller
Greg Rousseau
Leonard Floyd

The other two spots will probably come from....

Shaq Lawson
Boogie Basham
A.J. Epenesa


The other DE’s on the 90 man roster today are...

Kingsley Jonathan
Kendel Vikers
Kameron Cline
Shane Ray

As Joe B. opines (and anyone in the real world can see the same)....



Of all the potential candidates, Basham seems like the most realistic. He would have been considered before the Bills signed Leonard Floyd (https://theathletic.com/4581911/2023/06/05/bills-sign-leonard-floyd/), but now with an established veteran pass rusher, something has to give with the defensive ends. Buffalo has six players who could make the 53-man roster at defensive end, but it’s quite unlikely all six will get there. Basham has remained near the bottom of the defensive end depth chart, notably behind A.J. Epenesa (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/aj-epenesa-Vy3ID5vQnnaHArmI/).

Basham has provided some good flashes now and again. Still, there isn’t a level of consistency to his game, and it almost seems like he’s a tweener with a game better suited to the interior but a body frame that dictates he should be rushing from the outside. Basham will also have some of the most appeal to other teams on this list. He has some flashes on film, he was a 2021 second-round pick, and he has another year left on his rookie deal through 2024. The Bills will see what Basham shows this summer, but if they feel like he’s not going to crack their rotation in 2023, holding him and making him a healthy scratch on game days could zap any remaining trade value. Turning 26 in December, Basham might be a sunk cost at this point.




And this astute analysis concerning Epenesa....



Epenesa is a similar conversation to Basham because the Bills have six defensive ends who could make the team but would be spreading themselves too thin at other positions by keeping all of them. But it likely comes down to only Basham or Epenesa as trade candidates because there wasn’t a great free-agent market for Shaq Lawson (https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/shaq-lawson-VikCWtqzSU01cjfV/). However, a couple of things could make Basham a better player to trade. Epenesa has been a more consistent pass rusher and run defender than Basham throughout their time in Buffalo, so that would increase Epenesa’s value. The 2023 role for a win-now team is the most significant consideration.


Epenesa is also a free agent at the end of the 2023 season. The return they could get for Epenesa might be equal to what they could get for Basham because the acquiring team knows it’d be getting two years out of a high draft pick. So if return values are close or equal and Epenesa gives them more on the field for 2023, that makes it an easy call. But if a team comes in with an aggressively good offer for Epenesa that’s considerably better than what Basham would fetch, it could alter the decision.



This is not rocket science. These are two players to watch as the season approaches.

[sukie]

Since this is your opinion…

how do you mesh the high draft pick status of Basham in a trade scenario. He isn’t a player playing out his rookie contract at a high level.

if teams are looking at being charitable with AJ and Boogie they would 100% look at stats and film… not draft selection spot. If you Blow and were a second or sixth rounder you still blow. You do not have higher value because you were drafted in The second.

wouldn’t Basham be a better trade candidate because the extra year on the rookie deal?

[Mace]

:rofl: Another poster with the blinders on that seemingly cannot understand simple English.

The ones who should “pay attention to the games” and SHOULD read and listen to those that obviously know a LOT more about football than the self-proclaimed experts are the ones that provide a knee jerk reactions without even showing the ability to comprehend what was actually written.

You obviously do not even understand how beat writers make their living either. They do not “get paid by the word”. How silly.

They get paid by being fully immersed into the sport (or subject) they are covering....in this case the Buffalo Bills....and developing contacts and relationships with the players, coaches and other critical professionals that do the work in putting a team on the field.

They get paid for writing accurate articles reporting important issues surrounding the team via their access and full time devotion to staying fully informed....on a full time basis.

Unlike the armchair coaches and GMs’ that know a LOT less about football than they think they do, and prove it so many times by what they write

I am smart enough to listen to this than know more about something than I do. Just like I listen to my doctor (and other professional health experts) when it came to Covid and vaccines...and DID NOT LISTEN TO or respect or trust the word of anonymous internet blowhards.

Lmao. Ok. But you've become an internet blowhard imho. It's comical.

[Mr. Pink]

Joe B. did NOT say “they are trading him away”.

Pay attention.

Funny, but so many here were quick to **** on Ed Oliver saying that the Bills should and possibly would trade him away. And how they should fire McDermott....and Beane...and on and on and on.


And how worthless Tremaine Edmunds is....calling him a “bust” and that he “sucks” (hey...that was YOU that said that crap, wasn’t it?!??!?! :rofl:)

Shows what kind of value their opinions have.

No he just added Elam for clickbait, clickbait you ran with and start spouting off here because Joe B is your hero and go to for formulating your opinion on anything to do with the NFL.

Edmunds does suck. Edmunds is a bust. And as I said Edmunds has something you can't coach, athleticism off the charts. His athleticism never translated to the games but as I also said, someone would pay him big money in FA because scouts, GMs, pro personnel types all drool over the measurables he has and think they can get him to turn the corner mentally.

The Oakland/LA Raiders were all the proof you needed of this theory during Al Davis' entire tenure there. They'd draft the fastest guys they could without regard to anything else. Edmunds would have been a perfect fit of the 2000s Raiders.

I'm amused that Coach Sal is your newest guy to treat as gospel. He was just another blowhard know it all really know crap on these boards before he went to that radio station who is full of know it all blowhards. He fits right in with that clown show led by Shoop and the Bulldog.

[notacon]

No he just added Elam for clickbait, clickbait you ran with and start spouting off here because Joe B is your hero and go to for formulating your opinion on anything to do with the NFL.

Edmunds does suck. Edmunds is a bust. And as I said Edmunds has something you can't coach, athleticism off the charts. His athleticism never translated to the games but as I also said, someone would pay him big money in FA because scouts, GMs, pro personnel types all drool over the measurables he has and think they can get him to turn the corner mentally.

The Oakland/LA Raiders were all the proof you needed of this theory during Al Davis' entire tenure there. They'd draft the fastest guys they could without regard to anything else. Edmunds would have been a perfect fit of the 2000s Raiders.

I'm amused that Coach Sal is your newest guy to treat as gospel. He was just another blowhard know it all really know crap on these boards before he went to that radio station who is full of know it all blowhards. He fits right in with that clown show led by Shoop and the Bulldog.

:rofl: :rofl: Blah....blah....blah....you have just proved my point of why valuing the opinions of some posters here (especially as compared to intelligent, well-informed and connected sports media writers) is almost nil. Impossible to take seriously.

Your posts are example #1 for that reality.

[notacon]

Since this is your opinion…

how do you mesh the high draft pick status of Basham in a trade scenario. He isn’t a player playing out his rookie contract at a high level.

if teams are looking at being charitable with AJ and Boogie they would 100% look at stats and film… not draft selection spot. If you Blow and were a second or sixth rounder you still blow. You do not have higher value because you were drafted in The second.

wouldn’t Basham be a better trade candidate because the extra year on the rookie deal?
What YOU think is supposed to be “my opinion” on possible trades and what it really is are two different things.

I already explained, in detail, my opinion on the chances of Elam getting traded. This sentence (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/263354-Assessing-Bills’-summer-trade-candidates-10-players-to-watch-in-late-August?p=5028357&viewfull=1#post5028357) pretty much sums it up...

“As for him (Elam) being traded, I agree with Joe that it would be an “extreme likelihood” that he is not. And I, along with every other Bills fan would like the see him progress during training camp and make him being the starter a no-brainer, without any doubt.”

Everyone else on the list (and any other player on the 90 man roster today) I have not suggested that ANYONE is going to be traded.

What I DID say was that "other players of note that are on the bubble” as a result the signing of Leonard Floyd, makes that position, DE, "where it is more likely players be traded (or at least attempt to be traded)”.

That is an undeniable truth. You do understand what “more likely” means, right????

So, any discussion of what the terms would be for any trade is moot....certainly in June.

It’s simply a progression to watch during training camp. Just like the two open competitions for starter positions (or at least the most relied on player) #2 CB and MLB.

I have already expressed my thoughts on one of the competitions....#2 CB (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/263354-Assessing-Bills’-summer-trade-candidates-10-players-to-watch-in-late-August?p=5028575&viewfull=1#post5028575)....."I EXPECT him to come into camp and put a stranglehold on the CB #2 starting position.”

I have not expressed, nor do I have any opinion on the MLB position. WAY too early to have any idea.

As for the DE’s included in the final 53 man roster.....I have already expressed my opinion on that as well....


Sure looks like either Basham or Epenesa may not make the 53 man roster.

The Bills usually carry five DE’s. Von Miller may start the year on PUP, but even if he does, eventually room will have to be made for him on the roster.

Three DE”s have almost a lock on a roster spot (again with the caveat that Miller may start the year on PUP)....

Von Miller
Greg Rousseau
Leonard Floyd

The other two spots will probably come from....

Shaq Lawson
Boogie Basham
A.J. Epenesa


The other DE’s on the 90 man roster today are...

Kingsley Jonathan
Kendel Vikers
Kameron Cline
Shane Ray

(insert Joe B’s expert analysis)

This is not rocket science. These are two players to watch as the season approaches.



The biggest unknown is the status of Von Miler and that could be the determining factor on which players are on the roster, or not.


I have no opinion, nor the inside knowledge of how the Bills have evaluated their quality of play, nor what their plans are for that position and would not venture into any scenario of any possible trades.

That’s many, many steps away and a lot can (and probably will) take pace between now and then.

[sukie]

This thread states 10 trade candidates.

I am saying there is zero trade value in some of them and Elam should not be on the list especially since the opinion is that it would be an extreme likelihood that he would not be.

Quizzles has near zero trade value. Off the list.
Settles… maybe packaged he could be moved.

Basham and AJ. AJ especially is not looking good but release will be his departure mode. Basham has trade value due to rookie deal.

this article sucks…

[notacon]

This thread states 10 trade candidates.

I am saying there is zero trade value in some of them and Elam should not be on the list especially since the opinion is that it would be an extreme likelihood that he would not be.

Quizzles has near zero trade value. Off the list.
Settles… maybe packaged he could be moved.

Basham and AJ. AJ especially is not looking good but release will be his departure mode. Basham has trade value due to rookie deal.

this article sucks…

Whatever. Your posts suck.

[sukie]

Pay your Athletc subscription early. Joe B need toilet paper.