Bills Mailbag: After addressing wide receiver, what position should Brandon Beane be in the market for next?
"I’d be more in favor of a deal for a defensive tackle than I would for another edge rusher," Jay Skurski says.
Welcome to the Week 8 Bills Mailbag. Let’s get right to your questions …
Dave S. asks: With the acquisition of Amari Cooper, it looks like Brandon Beane has pretty much solidified the Bills’ offense as the season grinds on. On the defensive side, there is some talk that adding another pass rusher like Azeez Ojulari from the Giants might be on Beane’s radar. Do you think adding a run-stuffer might be a better move considering how Derrick Henry gashed them back in Week 4?
Jay: You read my mind with this question, Dave. It was also submitted at a good time, because the team placed promising rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter on injured reserve Friday. He’ll miss a minimum of four weeks because of wrist surgery. That leaves the active roster short at the position, making defensive tackle a possible position of interest heading toward the Nov. 5 trade deadline. Beane doesn’t have a lot of money to spend, but there are ways in which a deal can get done. I’d be more in favor of a deal for a defensive tackle than I would for another edge rusher. The Bills have Von Miller coming back from suspension after Sunday’s game, and will then have six defensive ends on the 53-man roster. That doesn’t feel like a position of need.
The injury to Bills rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter could have general manager Brandon Beane looking to add to the position ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
John Jarzynski asks: Of the three notable wideouts who were traded recently (Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins), which do you predict will have the greatest impact on their new team?
Mebgary42 asks: With the trades this year of Stefon Diggs, Adams, Cooper and now Hopkins, what team do you think made the best trade? I think Cooper is the best of the players and the trade haul the Bills got for Diggs and what they gave up for Cooper is a big win for the Bills.
Jay: A compelling case can be made for each, but I’d rank them this way: 1. Cooper, 2. Hopkins, 3. Adams. We’ve seen in just one game what Cooper means for the Bills’ offense. In addition to making big plays against the Titans, Cooper opened things up for the rest of the Bills’ receivers. It remains to be seen what Hopkins will do for the Chiefs, although they had a need that was similar to that of the Bills. Adams is a solid player, but it feels like the Jets’ season is too far gone for him to make the type of impact New York would need him to make.
As for which price was the best, none of them were exorbitant. Each player looks to be worth the acquisition cost, although time will tell on that for all of them. The goal for the Bills, Chiefs and Texans is the Super Bowl. For the Jets, it’s simply to make the playoffs. If any of the traded receivers help their new team accomplish those goals, the trades will be considered a success. The Bills did not acquire the most valuable asset with a second-round pick for Diggs.
John G. asks: With his altercation last week before the game against the Packers, it again shows Stefon Diggs’ volatile personality and points to him being a distraction for whatever team he plays for. The Bills are fortunate that his replacement, Amari Cooper, has shown himself to be the polar opposite, even when he was in a less-than-ideal situation in Cleveland. In your opinion, were the Bills too lenient with Diggs? I couldn’t imagine Bill Belichick putting up with any of his nonsense.
Jay: It’s hard to say the Bills were too lenient with Diggs considering the success both the receiver and team had to during his time here. Despite all the reporting that’s been done on Diggs’ departure from Buffalo, the entire story hasn’t been told. There isn’t just one reason that he’s no longer with the Bills – it was likely a confluence of things. I’d also disagree with the idea that Belichick wouldn’t have put up with Diggs. The Patriots took plenty of “character risks” with players. Belichick cared about one thing and one thing only – whether or not a player could help him win.
Rick asks: It seems after every game coach McDermott says we have to work on playing better in the first half. As this seems to be a coaching responsibility, when will it start? This may work with lesser teams, but sure won’t with the better teams we face – especially in the playoffs.
Jay: It’s a good question, Rick, and one of the things I’ll be watching most closely for Sunday. Seattle is a tough place to play. The best way to neutralize that is to take the home crowd out of the game as much as possible. Getting an early lead is one way to do that. The Bills need to come out ready to go against the Seahawks, especially after the way they have started the last four games.
Gary asks: The Bills have not beaten a team yet with a winning record. The two losses were on the road against the only teams with winning records. Seattle has a big receiver in DK Metcalf and a good running game with Kenneth Walker. These types of players give the Bills fits. Is this a prove-it game to show the Bills’ management and the league that they are actually a team that can go deep into the playoffs?
Jay: How’s this for a definitive answer: Kind of. The Seahawks are a pretty good team. Not great. Better than average. Still, it’s a Week 8 game against an NFC opponent, so it’s not like a loss is going to completely derail the Bills’ season. There are bigger tests ahead on the Bills’ schedule – mainly the Chiefs at home. Even next week at home against Miami, which is getting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa back this week, is a bigger game in terms of what it means for the standings. Don’t get me wrong: A convincing win in Seattle after a very long trip to the West Coast will be a bit positive for the Bills, but I won’t be planning the Super Bowl parade route down Delaware Avenue because of it.
Ed asks: If such a team historical record is kept, when was the last time three Bills running backs scored touchdowns in the same game? Or was this a first against Tennessee?
Jay: How about this for a statistical oddity? It’s the second time it’s happened this season. James Cook (rushing), Ty Johnson (receiving) and Ray Davis (rushing) all scored against Jacksonville in Week 3, and then scored the same way against the Titans. That’s pretty remarkable, considering the last time the Bills had three running backs do it was in 2021, when Devin Singletary, Matt Breida and Zack Moss all scored against the Jets. Before that, you had to go back to 1998, when Sam Gash, Jonathan Linton and Antowain Smith all scored against the Saints.
This is the second time the Bills have had three running backs score touchdowns in multiple games in one season, joining the 1989 team, which actually had a game on Dec. 23 against the Jets in which four running backs – Thurman Thomas, Kenny Davis, Ronnie Harmon and Larry Kinnebrew – all scored.
Josh asks: In your recent article, you indicated the cap hit for this year and next year if the Bills were to release Tyler Bass. Based on those amounts what do you see as the final straw for the Bills to release Bass? Do you see the kicker signed to the practice squad, Lucas Havrisik, as an improvement from Bass? When it is indicated that the Bills are “working out” a player do the Bills pay the player? If so, how much do they pay?
Jay: I believe it’s going to take Bass missing a meaningful kick – think to tie the game or take the lead in the fourth quarter that directly leads to a loss – before the Bills are forced to actually release him. Clearly, the financial ramifications of such a move would be less than ideal. The Bills are giving Bass every opportunity to fix his issues, because they know cutting him would make the extension he received look like a disaster – which is what it would be. Havrisik does not have the résumé to suggest he’s better than Bass, although we don’t get to watch them in practice during the season to see if he’s performing better at the moment. If the Bills thought he was, they could promote him from the practice squad and make Bass inactive, but we’re not at that point yet. As for tryout players, the Bills coordinate their travel and accommodations and, I would assume, provide a stipend for meals, but to my knowledge there is no direct payment for the tryout itself.
Steve asks: Under Brian Daboll, Josh Allen as well as the Bills’ offense experienced a great amount of success, going so far as getting to an AFC championship game. With Ken Dorsey and now Joe Brady following in his footsteps, don’t these two recognize that success? Shouldn’t they implement much, if not all, of those concepts that led to that success? I certainly can’t go play-for-play in reviewing calls, but it seems like since Daboll left the offense succeeds in spurts. What am I missing?
Jay: We can’t ignore the changes in personnel. The Bills had Diggs in the prime of his career and Cole Beasley operating out of the slot. Those two were really, really good. Perhaps most importantly, Daboll successfully knew how to get the best out of Allen when it came to maximizing his arm strength and rushing ability. It should be noted that Brady earlier this season called it “Allen’s offense,” so a lot of the concepts that were utilized when Daboll was the play caller are still being used.
Jeff M. asks: When a player leaves the game because of injury, heads into the locker room and then is ruled out for the remainder of the game, is it announced because of league rules or is it to satisfy the curiosity of fans?
Jay: League rules dictate that in-game injury reports are provided from the team as soon as they are available. Those reports must be disseminated to the broadcast partners, media and fans in the stadium at the same time. The NFL takes those updates seriously.