So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

[OpIv37]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Tapping out on this one.

I’m on vacation and I’m not gonna waste it arguing about football.

[Woodman]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Tapping out on this one.

I’m on vacation and I’m not gonna waste it arguing about football.

You aren't .....

[Woodman]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Unfortunately that’s not true. Mahomes will dictate when it’s over.

I'm calling it.

No more Super Bowls for the chefs.

[Woodman]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Sure it is.

Bye bye chefs!

[Mad Max]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Unfortunately that’s not true. The Bills will dictate when it’s over.

Fixed.

[jamze132]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

I'm calling it.

No more Super Bowls for the chefs.

I’d love that!

[YardRat]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Some people claimed throughout last season that the Bills weren't good enough to get past KC in the playoffs.

Others said "BS" and used various specific talking points, crafted narratives, statistics (some massaged, some not) to create the impression that they were.

Some people ended up being accurate with their perception of the situation...others were not.

[Woodman]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

I’d love that!

We all would.

[Michael82]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Neal, Hines and Hardy? Meh, they're backups/ST'ers who can be replaced by guys on vet min.

White? On paper, this is a huge loss but he hasn't been healthy in 3 seasons and the Bills won 6 straight games- including a playoff game- without him. He really hasn't been a big part of the Bills' success since the Thanksgiving injury. Don't get me wrong- he was a great player for a long time and a big reason why the Bills are winners again. He's just not that guy anymore.

Poyer and Morse? This is where I start to get concerned. I agree with the general sentiment that he has lost a step, but we don't have anyone equal or better on the roster at the moment. Same goes for Morse, who I think is the biggest loss of the day. It's going to be hard to find a new starting C with our cap situation.

As of right now, this team is slightly worse than they were two months ago when they got eliminated.

Poyer is a shell of what he used to be. The only one that really upset me was Morse. Why mess with the OL when it was so good last year? Plus the center is not a good position to put someone that isn't that great in there.

[OpIv37]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Dammit, I said I was tapping but we are killing time waiting for a flight.

https://theathletic.com/5348015/2024/03/19/nfl-power-rankings-free-agency-texans-cowboys/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookhq&source=fbhq&fbclid=IwAR0XeDQ5pKjvQsaXCR98C7Z-CaROdGnYsy0K7pNPMod4pTV9MITubOC0Axw_aem_AdVOlVkCA4sPUtkriNYHduGnSRklK0pxR2huBBB1L4Z7Hb3XMP_LKT0Te8nkvaY1abA

The power rankings from the Athletic have the Bills dropping from 7 to 10 after FA. KC remains number 1

In just the AFC, they also have Houston, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincy ahead of us. And keep in mind these are NOT simple FA grades. They are overall power rankings.

Notacon- you can disagree with me all you want. You can ignore my arguments in this thread because of things I’ve gotten wrong in the past. But, according to the power rankings form the Athletic that you love to cite, the rich got richer and we got poorer. With the best FA’s already signed and no remaining cap space, we are still behind the top teams in the conf

[Historian]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Thanks for posting that, OP.

I just can't take any list like that seriously, that has Dallas in the top 10 for doing nothing.

Cinci lost a tackle, Miami lost most of their offense, I mean Jeez, it doesn't even list any of the newer acquisitions for Buffalo.

I think SF and Green Bay got better. Not sure why KC is at #1 other than being SB Champs.

The silliest move is Derrick Henry. Baltimore is good, no doubt, but what does he do for them aside from sell already overpriced tickets?

I think Beane has done a masterful job, as he does every year, of bringing in low visibility, high impact, players under budget, like Douglas.

To me that is the essence of a team sport, all 53 pulling in the same direction.

Paul Maguire used to say that FA hurts the losing team more than it helps the receiving team, and I truly believe that.

But the Bills, as well coached as they are, needed to get younger at several positions.

I think they're going to be right in the thick of it again, in what is supposed to be a "transitional" year.

[Gibby 2.0]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

They still need to do something about the interior of the O Line, but yeah I think they'll be in the mix yet again

[notacon]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Dammit, I said I was tapping but we are killing time waiting for a flight.

https://theathletic.com/5348015/2024/03/19/nfl-power-rankings-free-agency-texans-cowboys/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookhq&source=fbhq&fbclid=IwAR0XeDQ5pKjvQsaXCR98C7Z-CaROdGnYsy0K7pNPMod4pTV9MITubOC0Axw_aem_AdVOlVkCA4sPUtkriNYHduGnSRklK0pxR2huBBB1L4Z7Hb3XMP_LKT0Te8nkvaY1abA

The power rankings from the Athletic have the Bills dropping from 7 to 10 after FA. KC remains number 1

In just the AFC, they also have Houston, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincy ahead of us. And keep in mind these are NOT simple FA grades. They are overall power rankings.

Notacon- you can disagree with me all you want. You can ignore my arguments in this thread because of things I’ve gotten wrong in the past. But, according to the power rankings form the Athletic that you love to cite, the rich got richer and we got poorer. With the best FA’s already signed and no remaining cap space, we are still behind the top teams in the conf

Serioulsy?!?!?

Well, I'll call your Power Ranking and RAISE you one...


NFL Power Rankings: Eagles, Falcons jump up after free agency frenzy; Cowboys, Titans slip

1. KC - Obligatory for SB winner
2. San Fran - Also obligatory for SB loser.
3. Baltimore - Sure looks obligatory for AFCC loser
4. Detroit - Sure looks obligatory for NFCC loser

5. Buffalo Bills

The Bills lost Gabe Davis and some depth on defense, which can't be glossed over. But free-agent signee Curtis Samuel is an interesting replacement for Davis. Samuel has connections to both GM Brandon Beane (who was on the Panthers staff that drafted him in 2017) and offensive coordinator Joe Brady (who coached Samuel for a year in Carolina) and can be used in different ways. Cash-wise, Buffalo will be a bit strapped through the draft, although Tre'Davious White's release as a post-June 1 cut will open up some more funds down the road. I wouldn't be shocked if the Bills are able to make a late-summer move after that point to add to their roster.

I don't "ignore my (your) arguments in this thread because of things I’ve gotten wrong in the past" I mock them and do not take as being credible because of the years long anti-Bills diarrhea that has come flowing from your mouth with the additional habit of (as you are doing here) of burying the Bills before they are even CLOSE to being dead, while giving undeserved praise and adulation to OTHER teams.

The idea that "the rich got richer and we got poorer. With the best FA’s already signed and no remaining cap space, we are still behind the top teams in the conf" is TOTAL BULLCRAP!!!!

First of all, the "best FA's" are a matter of wide speculation. No one knows how an expensive FA is going to fit in, or not fit in with their new club (plus injuries being a HUGE unknown). The Bills don't NEED "the best FA's" because their roster was already stellar, and the changes they have made so far, have not diminished that high level in very much of a substantial way.

Additionally the idea that the Bills have "no remaining cap space" is FALSE,. FALSE, FALSE!!!!

The draft is coming up in just five weeks. The Bills have plenty of ammunition and have shown the ability to add impact players recently that have allowed them to move on from aging, expensive vets. THAT'S THE WAY THE NFL WORKS!!!!

You also seem to forget that FA is NOT over. The best FA signing of the Bills had last year, Leo Floyd, was done AFTER JUNE 1. It's no secret that the Bills assigning a post June 1 cut (very smart move) for Tre' White will bring a windfall of $10M in cap pace at that time.

I do like to cite SOME of the writers at The Athletic, but that does not mean that I revere ever word from every writer....I have never even heard of Josh Kendell who is responsible for this ranking.

His resume cites his credentials as "...has been following the Falcons since Jeff Van Note was the richly bearded face of the franchise. For 20 years before joining The Athletic NFL staff, he covered football in the SEC. He also covers golf for The Athletic."

Uhhhhhh....."following the Falcons"???? ....."..covered football in the SEC" ??? (you know I think college football is a joke and nothing even remotely like the NFL)...."...also covers golf"?!?!??! Not inspiring much confidence.

I DO respect and "love to cite" the BEAT writer from The Athletic for the Bills, Joe Buscaglia (and also Tim Graham). BEAT WRITER means that covering the Bills is his ONLY assignment. He is deeply steeped in everything to do with the team.

He happened to publish an update on the Bills "roster rest", cap space...etc....which makes your lame assertion that it's ALL OVER FOR THE BILLS...OH WOES IS ME baloney in the "rich got richer and we got poorer. With the best FA’s already signed and no remaining cap space, we are still behind the top teams in the conf"....look as foolish and short sighted that it is!!


Bills roster reset: Where Buffalo stands with cap space and what other needs remain

At the moment, only one significant deal that we don’t have the 2024 details on yet is floating out there, and that’s the Taron Johnson contract extension. Without that deal, the Bills have a little under $7 million in cap space on their Top 51 by my calculations, with some contract details mixed in from Over the Cap. It is likely to be more than $7 million with Johnson’s new extension, too. Under general manager Brandon Beane, the Bills have made a habit out of securing short-term savings on the current year cap hit when signing a player who still has a year left on their deal to an extension. The Johnson cap hit was $12.41 million untouched, and it would not be a surprise if that number goes down by at least $2 million or $3 million. The Ty Johnson re-signing also hasn’t been identified yet, and neither has the Casey Toohill deal, but those likely will not take away much cap space from their Top 51, as the lowest deals to replace are around the $920,000 area.


The Bills’ cap space does not account for the room needed for the rookie NFL Draft class, which, as their Top 51 is currently constructed, would only be about $2.3 million taken off. But until those contracts are signed, they don’t count to their cap hit. Buffalo has a windfall of cap space heading its way on June 1 when the Tre’Davious White release is finalized, and the Bills could conceivably wait to sign their draft choices until then. So, the need to account for the cap hits of draft picks right now is less necessary this year than in other years.


...snip...

Bills could become a big post-June 1 free-agent player


The Bills have been extremely conscientious of their spending in the first part of free agency, with an eye on keeping the 2025 salary cap in a much healthier position by next March. Still, with some cap space to play with after the Taron Johnson extension, on June 1, that cap number will be boosted by another $10.2 million — the savings the Bills cleared when they designated White as a post-June 1 release. That might have been a part of their plan all along, and looking back on something Beane said at the NFL combine, it might have been a hint of what was to come.


“Sometimes you get a guy, a Leonard Floyd on a one-year deal, that thinks they’re going to get (a dollar amount), they don’t, and we find the opportunity in May or June to add them,” Beane said in late February. “So even if we don’t do it now doesn’t mean it’s over. There’s usually people floating around even after the draft.”


Bringing up Floyd, who was Beane’s best signing last year, brought in on June 6, was quite interesting. Perhaps he now feels the post-draft, early-June area is an underrated market to add a veteran player with a little desperation to get a deal done. It might lead to some good value and also doesn’t count against the compensatory formula. Plus, it gives the Bills the benefit of seeing what happened in the draft for their own needs. Beane has envied the NBA structure to an offseason when the draft comes before free agency, and that window gives him a chance to use the draft to his advantage. Veteran players get released after the draft, too.


So, if the Bills have somewhere around $15 million to spend by that time, look out. They could go big-game hunting for whoever remains on the market. The worst-case scenario is they just add some middle-of-the-road, one-year types to fill out the depth chart or take the cap space and roll it into 2025. However, the Bills likely have a plan for what to do with that extra $10.2 million in cap space once it becomes available.

A forward thinking person, you are not. So, yeah....I scoff at your 'THE SKY IS FALLING' routine that has been literally going on for YEARS....like a broken record.

I'll wait until the Bills finish their roster, go though training camp, designate the final 53, the schedule comes out and they start playing games that count before I give ANY credence to YOUR insane effort to bury them in a sea of nonsensical rubbish and for **** predictions that you have been wrong about over and over and over and over and over again.

[OpIv37]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

So, when I criticize the Bills and the Athletic has them ranked highly in the power rankings, you say you’ll trust them over me because they’re they “experts”

But, now that I’m in agreement with the Athletic’s rankings, suddenly they’re only ranking teams higher than us because it’s “obligatory.”

So, which is it? Is the Athletic an objective source of experts whose opinion should be trusted, or are they bound by some “obligation” to rank certain teams in certain positions?

Again, your homerism is showing. When they rankings disagree with what I said, they’re they “experts” who should be trusted over me. When the rankings agree with what I said, you have a huge diatribe about why the rankings are wrong.

Make up your mind.

[OpIv37]

Re: So where do we stand after today's bloodletting?

Thanks for posting that, OP.

I just can't take any list like that seriously, that has Dallas in the top 10 for doing nothing.

Cinci lost a tackle, Miami lost most of their offense, I mean Jeez, it doesn't even list any of the newer acquisitions for Buffalo.

I think SF and Green Bay got better. Not sure why KC is at #1 other than being SB Champs.

The silliest move is Derrick Henry. Baltimore is good, no doubt, but what does he do for them aside from sell already overpriced tickets?

I think Beane has done a masterful job, as he does every year, of bringing in low visibility, high impact, players under budget, like Douglas.

To me that is the essence of a team sport, all 53 pulling in the same direction.

Paul Maguire used to say that FA hurts the losing team more than it helps the receiving team, and I truly believe that.

But the Bills, as well coached as they are, needed to get younger at several positions.

I think they're going to be right in the thick of it again, in what is supposed to be a "transitional" year.

TBH I never liked power rankings. Even when we sucked and we were in the high 20’s low 30’s in most rankings, I often argued that there were several teams ranked higher than us that clearly weren’t better than us. In the end, it’s just someone trying to rank teams based on subjective criteria.

With modern analytics and computer modeling, it has gotten better, but someone always has to choose how to rate each metric and there is always subjectivity involved. I don’t care if the Bills are ranked #1 or #32. It’s just not meaningful.

The only reason I even brought it up was to point out notacon’s hypocrisy about when to agree with “experts.”