The Buffalo Bills’ roster is forming and the regular season is almost here. But, what will 2018 and beyond look like?
This article is just my perspective as a Buffalo Bills’ fan
For the very first time as a Buffalo Bills’ fan myself. I finally see my favorite NFL team has broken through the Ralph Wilson Era. No disrespect to the late former owner of the Buffalo Bills. Trust me I lived through the glory years of this franchise.
Pardon me while I put on my objective thinking cap. Any fan base that considers their favorite team’s glory years is going to four consecutive super bowls and not winning a single one. Well, as harsh as reality might be.
That’s downright pathetic. That type of mentality is not unlike the mindset of the numerous previous general managers and head coaches excluding what I have coined the “McBeane Era,” over this seventeen-year playoff drought.
Why Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane are already different
Head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane just administered a shot of adrenaline into the heart of not only the Bills’ franchise itself. But also to the fan base that has pretty much been in a coma since dare I mention, “The Music City Miracle.” No need to rehash that.
We all know what took place at the end of the game, which was the last time the Bills played in an NFL playoff game. I also liken it to being in a horrible relationship. In that relationship, you ended up settling for not so much second best. No far worse. You settled because you didn’t want to end up being alone. This would be the equivalent of stop watching NFL games altogether.
What tends to happen is you looked around to your friends (other NFL franchises) and observed their relationships (with the fan bases). It’s only human nature to compare your relationship to the relationships your friends are in. So you as a Bill’s fans seen how for example, the Steelers got, “Big Ben” and have had great success.
How the Packers drafted Quarterback Aaron Rodgers at least two to three years before Quarterback Favre decided to at least retire from being on the Packers. You saw how Packers went on to have great success.
When you sat back and asked yourself, what do the Steelers and Packers respectively, have in common? You got it! Both franchises (your friends) have their franchise Quarterback which pleases their fan base. That brings me to what it appears, “McBeane” have in mind.
Coaching matters here’s why
I contend to you the reader that yes; coaching alone will make a huge difference in regards to our beloved Bills in 2017. I think the Bills have a good enough overall team to contend if not make a serious playoff push I’m not talking any of this, “In the Hunt” graphic on the television as we fall asleep as it’s displayed during the Dallas Cowboy’s game on Thanksgiving either. Please do not sit there tempted to consider me a homer for my previous statement.
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Please instead consider the following. The Bills under Rex Ryan were relatively close to making the playoffs in 2016. That’s just a fact! That was under a head coach in Rex Ryan that certainly left a lot to be desired as far as work ethic. That was a team with a coach who did not care a whole lot about the details, teaching technique, and fundamentals of the game of football.
Rex Ryan figured he could catch lightning in the bottle for a second time with a second franchise, scheme the heck out of a whiteboard and that somehow would bring his team success. At the end that is, of course, not what happened.
One of the main reasons why Ryan and the Bills ultimately failed was because the NFL had already seen that dog and pony show before.
So nothing he did was surprising, well at least in regards to the product he produced (along with then Bills’ General Manager at the time Doug Whaley) on the field on Sundays in 2016. Also, considering his general manager Doug Whaley is the guy who gave up assets or as some refer to them as draft currency, instead of banking or saving up picks to make a move to get a franchise quarterback. Yes, Whaley had the guts to move up to draft wide receiver Sammy Watkins in a draft filled with wide receiver talent.
Why? Who knows? Let’s consider the mindset of the two guys who replaced both Ryan and Whaley, respectively.
Breaking down what the Pegulas are getting in McBeane
In Sean McDermott, the Bills’ Owners Terry and Kim Pegula hired a first in the door, last to leave the building guy. They hired a coach who realizes that coaching is teaching. Also, they hired a coach that believes that playing with sound technique, good leverage and playing the mindset that details and being fundamentally sound matter.
In short, McDermott and Ryan are opposites. The only thing Ryan has a leg up on McDermott is his previous head coaching experience. But I ask you, how did that previous coaching experience serve the Bills and Ryan? So now we can get into the man who replaced former Bills’ general manager Doug Whaley.
Brandon Beane is his name, and he is the Bills’ current general manager. The reasons why Beane traded Sammy Watkins to the Rams and Ronald Darby to the Eagles, will never truly be known. From the outside looking in, at least some of those reasons are relatively transparent to a football mind. McDermott primarily runs a Zone base defensive scheme. Whaley and Ryan drafted cornerback Ronald Darby to play man to man defense in Ryan’s defensive scheme.
Darby is a much better man to man NFL cover cornerback than he is a zone cornerback. If you’re confused, think of it like this. It’s much harder to transition a defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4, then doing the opposite. Asking defensive ends to stand up and cover offensive skill position players or play zone is rather challenging and more times than not.
Something very awkward for a player that has put his hand in the ground and rushed the quarterback his entire career.
I content to you that is it easier to teach a cornerback how to play man to man defense than it is to teach a man to man cornerback to play zone. I am by no means any authority on this. That is simply my opinion. As for why Beane traded Sammy Watkins. Well, that is a little more complicated at least for football reasons. Watkins is one of the most talented football players at the wide receiver position. His speed combined with his run after catch ability is arguably second to none. On the field, Watkins finally appeared to have proven once and for all.
That on Thursday, August 10, in his last game with the Bills against the Vikings that his surgically repaired foot is no longer a lingering issue. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that this is a contract year for Watkins.
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So, Watkins, like any of us, is extremely motivated to get paid for his second NFL contract. Whether people believe the Bills would be willing to pay Watkins or not, what he could be worth on the open market, is up for legitimate debate. Neither you, nor I am privy to the goings on, and discussions had inside the walls at One Bills Drive.
What the Consensus is for the Bills in regards to the 2018 NFL draft
Although it is a fact, there is no consensus in science. Perhaps there is some consensus (but not science) in the NFL every year as to who should and perhaps will be the first pick overall and so on and so forth for at least the top 10 prospects before each NFL draft. Nowadays, it seems like every NFL fan has a draft “Big Board,” of their own. Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay eat your hearts out. Logically, one would conclude with some semblance of the reason and logic. That this is so because of fantasy sports, more specifically and rightfully so, because of fantasy football and daily fantasy sports in general. On to the so called mindset or what the so called consensus of “McBeane’s” mindset is in regards to the 2018 NFL draft.
Mindset of McBeane and the 2018 NFL Draft
As most of us believe we know, 2018 could be an outstanding draft for the quarterback position. There is a number of them who are seniors and a few more who are juniors.
I mention that distinction because had Andrew Luck come out following his junior year. It is fair to say the Panthers would have ended up taking Luck first overall and the Bills, barring anyone jumping over them to the second overall pick.
Would have been able to draft quarterback Cam Newton out of Auburn that year, with their third overall pick. It would have been Chan Gailey’s second year serving as Bills’ head coach. So the supposed Andrew Luck like prize for earning the first overall pick in 2018 is quarterback Sam Darnold out of USC. But Darnold is a junior. So he could indeed come back for his senior year. I do not know if I even believe McBeane will shoot for the stars to draft a young, rookie, supposed stud quarterback. A lot of the talking heads in Buffalo sports media make the point that; no one knows who will be in the top five.
So the best way to assure your team get a top three to five pick is to? Tank! I could not disagree more with that. I’ll break down why in more detail toward the end of this article. There’s supposedly up to seven and possibly ten college quarterback prospects that could enter the 2018 NFL draft. So what will the Bills do come late April 2018?
The Bills, McBeane & team needs including quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft
As a result of the trades of Ronald Darby and Sammy Watkins if you haven’t heard by now. The Bills and McBeane now own two picks in each of the first three rounds of the coming 2018 NFL Draft. That alone is enough for this Bills’ fan want to fast forward to the end of April 2018. As of right now, the Bills roster needs are wide receivers at least two, an interior offensive line (one to replace Incognito) and needless to say, quarterback.
As for the defensive side of the ball. The Bills’ needs are an interior defensive line (to replace Kyle Williams), a side line to side middle linebacker and an excellent ball hawking safety.
How many dance partners will McBeane have
There are almost too many variables to seriously try to explain what I think the Bills and McBeane will do come the end of next April in 2018. What I do know that I believe is, whatever those things are. McBeane and the Bills will be ready, willing and able to be at least one of the movers and shakers.
They have enough fire power to move up and get their players. The one main thing that will restrict them as with any other general manager and team is, finding and keep finding dance partners.
I mean if other general managers realize the Bills want to move up to their spot. They could hold them ransom to squeeze as much currency out of McBeane and the Bills. No one knows how much self-restraint the Bills will have to display. Trying to figure that out at this point is certainly a huge mystery and completely above my pay grade.
In conclusion, enjoy the ‘McBeane’ process
To my fellow Bills’ fans, please breathe and realize our Buffalo Bills have finally entered the twenty-first century.
This entire new regime to me has come in and put in place a plan, their play. This “McBeane” plan is exactly what it looks and feels like when that is an actual reality. Perhaps a plan we the fans do not fully know nor understand. However, there is a plan, finally! So hold on to your hats and glasses. These next two to three season are going to be a bumpy ride, with lots of ups and downs. So buckle up, put your pants on leg at a time, and pull your boots on one foot at a time.
Next: LeSean McCoy feels animosity towards McDermott/Matthews
And get ready to circle the wagons! Enjoy this ride known as the “McBeane Process!”