Bills off-season part 6: The Doldrums

[Zman5778]

Continued from: Bills off-season part 5: Draft GDT

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[Dubi Doo]

For your viewing pleasure during this long offseason:

 

[OkimLom]

For your viewing pleasure during this long offseason:

There's actually a reaction video to this reaction video. That's just as funny.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Mike McDermott]

I think there is a real shot at this if the offense is run right.

 

[Jim Bob]

I think there is a real shot at this if the offense is run right.

It will be interesting to see what the offense looks like this season with all the coaching and personnel changes on that side of the ball.

While Beasley and Sanders free up a lot of targets & touches, with the additions of Howard, Cook, Crowder, and Shakir there will be a more diverse set of options for Dorsey and company to draw up plays for.

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

 

[Jim Bob]

James Bradberry agrees to deal with Eagles

The Giants cut cornerback James Bradberry this month, but they'll be seeing him a couple of times during the 2022 season.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[Mike McDermott]

Don't think I've seen this discussed yet. It doesn't start til next year but some changes to MNF coming. I don't know if I like flex MNF. Doesn't seem very good for the fans to be expecting to go to a Sunday 1/4pm game and then get it moved to Monday but we'll have to see how it works out.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[tsujimoto74]

Every Bills player and coach at Tops today handing out food. You love to see it.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[brian_griffin]

Don't think I've seen this discussed yet. It doesn't start til next year but some changes to MNF coming. I don't know if I like flex MNF. Doesn't seem very good for the fans to be expecting to go to a Sunday 1/4pm game and then get it moved to Monday but we'll have to see how it works out.

44 minutes, so haven't listened, but I just want to note I am neither surprised nor disappointed in the above.

MNF has had some real dud late-season matchups the past couple years. IIRC, a couple NFC "Least" battles of futility involving teams trying to win the division with 1-game-above-0.500 records, and other non-competitive matchups.

NFL began the option to flex games in the final ~4 weeks a few years ago. ESPN really doesn't want to be left out (and shouldn't be) of having a chance to improve a broadcast matchup.

Fans already know and understand the risk of flexed late-season games.

I thought MNF had (or still has) doubleheaders, or at least "early / late" games with overlap. Maybe that began when ESPN bought ABC? Regardless, unless they mean true doubleheaders, i.e., game starts 3:00, 3:15, 3:30 apart, then I don't think it's that new. Again, haven't listened for the details.

I think either the MNF early-late games begin when the baseball playoffs are over, or maybe that's the Thursday Night editions of MNF. The flexed / Saturday games typically begin the Saturday after the college conference championships / Army-Navy game, as the number of competing college games reduces to the invited early bowl season games between 6-win teams (the Light Days Panty Liner Bowl at Rico's Bail Bonds field at The Dead Kennedys Motocross Megaplex) .

 

[Mike McDermott]

44 minutes, so haven't listened, but I just want to note I am neither surprised nor disappointed in the above.

MNF has had some real dud late-season matchups the past couple years. IIRC, a couple NFC "Least" battles of futility involving teams trying to win the division with 1-game-above-0.500 records, and other non-competitive matchups.

NFL began the option to flex games in the final ~4 weeks a few years ago. ESPN really doesn't want to be left out (and shouldn't be) of having a chance to improve a broadcast matchup.

Fans already know and understand the risk of flexed late-season games.

I thought MNF had (or still has) doubleheaders, or at least "early / late" games with overlap. Maybe that began when ESPN bought ABC? Regardless, unless they mean true doubleheaders, i.e., game starts 3:00, 3:15, 3:30 apart, then I don't think it's that new. Again, haven't listened for the details.

I think either the MNF early-late games begin when the baseball playoffs are over, or maybe that's the Thursday Night editions of MNF. The flexed / Saturday games typically begin the Saturday after the college conference championships / Army-Navy game, as the number of competing college games reduces to the invited early bowl season games between 6-win teams (the Light Days Panty Liner Bowl at Rico's Bail Bonds field at The Dead Kennedys Motocross Megaplex) .

I’m pretty sure but not 100% but I think MNF double headers have only ever been opening weekend.

 

[brian_griffin]

I’m pretty sure but not 100% but I think MNF double headers have only ever been opening weekend.

Gotcha. I must be thinking of the Thursday Night Edition of Monday Night Football, which I believe begins when baseball ends.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

I’m pretty sure but not 100% but I think MNF double headers have only ever been opening weekend.

There have also been the Covid postponement double headers.

 

[buffalowing88]

It's honestly a little disturbing to see how devoted Dolphins fans and the FO have turned towards Tua. It's like they do not want to acknowledge this monumental failure which...I get...but to let this go into another season where the rest of the team and a promising staff will be wasted is sad. Instead of just admitting that this guy isn't it, they're getting downright defensive of him.

There is nothing redeeming about him except he seems like a nice person. The league is trending quickly to finding QBs with strong arms who are quick enough mentally to improvise and move around outside of the pocket with confidence. Every team in the league is realizing that if they don't have either Brady/Rodgers than they have to have someone with these qualities if they want to do better than a WC exit.

Yet here the Dolphins are, pumping up the tires of a guy who can't throw in the elements when he plays in a division against cold-weather teams, can't change his reads once he's made them in the pocket, looks uncomfortable running, and has a dog shit arm.

We could be in for a historically bad season if he stays healthy and I feel bad for the guy but Miami fans deserve this for being willfully ignorant.

 

[Dubi Doo]

It's honestly a little disturbing to see how devoted Dolphins fans and the FO have turned towards Tua. It's like they do not want to acknowledge this monumental failure which...I get...but to let this go into another season where the rest of the team and a promising staff will be wasted is sad. Instead of just admitting that this guy isn't it, they're getting downright defensive of him.

There is nothing redeeming about him except he seems like a nice person. The league is trending quickly to finding QBs with strong arms who are quick enough mentally to improvise and move around outside of the pocket with confidence. Every team in the league is realizing that if they don't have either Brady/Rodgers than they have to have someone with these qualities if they want to do better than a WC exit.

Yet here the Dolphins are, pumping up the tires of a guy who can't throw in the elements when he plays in a division against cold-weather teams, can't change his reads once he's made them in the pocket, looks uncomfortable running, and has a dog shit arm.

We could be in for a historically bad season if he stays healthy and I feel bad for the guy but Miami fans deserve this for being willfully ignorant.

It's more likely than not that Tua won't become an elite QB. That's the odds for most young QBs, though. That being said- he's never had the personnel to truly blossom.

I like what the Dolphins have done for him this offseason, and I think the areas where he's strongest (accurate, gets the ball out quickly, etc...) fits in well with what McDaniels philosophy likely is- a west coast offense.

I think you're going to see a lot of quick screens to Waddle and Hill. They'll attack the middle. Lots of moving parts pre snap. Tua can excel in this type of system because it caters to his strengths (as long as the mental side of the game continues to improve for him)

Do I think he'll become Josh Allen/ Mahomes/Rodgers? No. But a better version of Garropolo is entirely possible. His realistic potential is that of a top-10 QB who is closer to 10 than 5. I'd like to say Cousins-esque, but Cousins has a beautiful deep ball. You can win with a QB like that, but you need to have exceptional coaching, a great defense, and some big time playmakers on offense (like SF).

 

[WeDislikeEich]

I wouldn’t call it “one of the weirdest PR campaigns I’ve ever seen”.

I’d say it’s pretty standard stuff. Every team likes to hype up newly acquired big name players (like Hill) to the fan base. And every GM likes to pump up their QB. Especially the GM’s who drafted those QBs and who are trying to save their jobs by making sure that QB is successful. Definitely not surprised to see the dolphins doing it. Chris Grier went all-in on Tua this offseason. Almost everything he’s done has been with Tua in mind (IMO).

I think one of the main reasons Mike McDaniel was hired was to salvage Tua’s development/career. He is an inexperienced coach with a much more easy going and agreeable personality that Grier will have a lot more control over. Mcadaniel won’t be pushing to replace Tua like Flores was. He also comes from an offensive system that fits Tua’s skill set and is known for being able to win with mediocre QB play, and he seems dedicated to developing Tua.


I’m not even sure I’d call it a PR campaign. All of this started by the dolphins simply tweeting out a video of Tua throwing a (poor) deep pass to Hill (the guy they just gave up 5 picks for). Very standard stuff. Then everyone jumped on the video and started trashing Tua, so the dolphins coaches have been defending him and probably trying to boost his confidence.

 

[buffalowing88]

It's more likely than not that Tua won't become an elite QB. That's the odds for most young QBs, though. That being said- he's never had the personnel to truly blossom.

I like what the Dolphins have done for him this offseason, and I think the areas where he's strongest (accurate, gets the ball out quickly, etc...) fits in well with what McDaniels philosophy likely is- a west coast offense.

I think you're going to see a lot of quick screens to Waddle and Hill. They'll attack the middle. Lots of moving parts pre snap. Tua can excel in this type of system because it caters to his strengths (as long as the mental side of the game continues to improve for him)

Do I think he'll become Josh Allen/ Mahomes/Rodgers? No. But a better version of Garropolo is entirely possible. His realistic potential is that of a top-10 QB who is closer to 10 than 5. I'd like to say Cousins-esque, but Cousins has a beautiful deep ball. You can win with a QB like that, but you need to have exceptional coaching, a great defense, and some big time playmakers on offense (like SF).

What are his strengths? Not trying to be a dick, but you mention them without saying what they are. I don't see a single strength in his play.

Moving parts pre-snap means we're basically going to see an offense that adjusts to the needs of the QB, not his strengths.

I think Hurts is a comparable to him oftentimes but Hurts absolutely has the ability to scramble without getting nervous. I see Tua and I see a guy who gets very uncomfortable in those situations.

His potential is a top 25 QB. If you need all these qualifiers to succeed you are not a top-25 QB, let alone top-10.

 

[Buffaloed]

Daniel Jones works with Brian Daboll, Mike Kafka to build Giants offense in pivotal year

Josh Allen engineered Brian Daboll’ s explosive Buffalo Bills offense. Patrick Mahomes made the Kansas City Chiefs’ attack tick when Mike Kafka was working under Andy Reid. Now it&#8217…

www.ocregister.com

 

[Dubi Doo]

What are his strengths? Not trying to be a dick, but you mention them without saying what they are. I don't see a single strength in his play.

Moving parts pre-snap means we're basically going to see an offense that adjusts to the needs of the QB, not his strengths.

I think Hurts is a comparable to him oftentimes but Hurts absolutely has the ability to scramble without getting nervous. I see Tua and I see a guy who gets very uncomfortable in those situations.

His potential is a top 25 QB. If you need all these qualifiers to succeed you are not a top-25 QB, let alone top-10.

He's accurate and gets the ball out quickly. I also think people overstate how weak his arm is. He doesnt have a noodle arm like Peterson. We're just used to seeing a QB with one of the strongest arms ever (Allen), haha.

The big thing will be his mental game growing. That's going define whether he's a mediocre QB or a good QB.

Make no mistake, though- I dont think any of the three young QBs get to Allen's level. Wilson is the most enticing, imo, but I dont think he'll be universally regarded as a top-5 QB like Allen. He does have some intriguing tools, tho.

 

[buffalowing88]

He's accurate and gets the ball out quickly. I also think people overstate how weak his arm is. He doesnt have a noodle arm like Peterson. We're just used to seeing a QB with one of the strongest arms ever (Allen), haha.

The big thing will be his mental game growing. That's going define whether he's a mediocre QB or a good QB.

Make no mistake, though- I dont think any of the three young QBs get to Allen's level. Wilson is the most enticing, imo, but I dont think he'll be universally regarded as a top-5 QB like Allen. He does have some intriguing tools, tho.

I don't think his mental game is going to grow because I think he is being treated with kid gloves in year three. Allen got thrown to the wolves in year one, Mahomes did it in year two...and yet Tua is entering year three and his FO is suggesting that we need to go off of practice observations.

I hope he has a 15 year career so we can perpetually destroy him.

But anyways, I totally agree about Wilson. Everything I've seen from him is a person who CAN throw in shitty weather and who CAN get along with everyone in the lockerroom. He runs better than I expected as well.

I'm not sure that he's bright enough but if he does work on the playbook and show those flashes, I think he can be good, like you said.

At the end of the day, there's no point in me debating you on Tua. We'll know or we won't. But with Wilson, I do see a ceiling that teams should be looking for. Every team should be gambling on a guy who can improvise with arm strength and hope they can coach up the rest.

 

[Mike McDermott]

 

[MilkshakeMan]

I wouldn’t call it “one of the weirdest PR campaigns I’ve ever seen”.

I’d say it’s pretty standard stuff. Every team likes to hype up newly acquired big name players (like Hill) to the fan base. And every GM likes to pump up their QB. Especially the GM’s who drafted those QBs and who are trying to save their jobs by making sure that QB is successful. Definitely not surprised to see the dolphins doing it. Chris Grier went all-in on Tua this offseason. Almost everything he’s done has been with Tua in mind (IMO).

I think one of the main reasons Mike McDaniel was hired was to salvage Tua’s development/career. He is an inexperienced coach with a much more easy going and agreeable personality that Grier will have a lot more control over. Mcadaniel won’t be pushing to replace Tua like Flores was. He also comes from an offensive system that fits Tua’s skill set and is known for being able to win with mediocre QB play, and he seems dedicated to developing Tua.


I’m not even sure I’d call it a PR campaign. All of this started by the dolphins simply tweeting out a video of Tua throwing a (poor) deep pass to Hill (the guy they just gave up 5 picks for). Very standard stuff. Then everyone jumped on the video and started trashing Tua, so the dolphins coaches have been defending him and probably trying to boost his confidence.

Nate tends to speak in hyperbole.

What the Dolphins did wasn't nearly as weird as the Giants in Daniel Jones' rookie mini-camp where they tweeted a "hype video" of him "throwing dimes" and it was literally all checkdowns (very Trent Edwards-esque).

New York fans and media had a field day with that one.