Benford and Hyde

[whorlnut]

Sounds like McD has approached Benford about switching to safety next season. I love this because it would mean no safety in the early rounds. Haha. Hell…whatever it takes to eliminate a defensive position as an early pick is ok by me!

[HipKat]

Was Benford any good? 

[The Chosen]

Switching is 1 thing, playing well in the new position is another. For what it's worth, I brought up switching Benford to safety the first time Poyer went down. I hope he can make the switch.

[Buffalochief2]

Safety requires less athleticism than cornerback.  The good ones are usually good with angles.  It might be a good fit?

Does anyone think Poyer comes back for one more run?

[direbills]

What about Hamlin? Is his career over?

[Baldat28]

Hamlin's done, if they move Benford to S it could work, and in that case don't rule out another CB early in the draft.....there's a few good S that can be had in the 3rd/4th, I'd be fine with signing a guy like Eric Rowe for 1 year and drafting a S in the 3rd/4th, they may need two as Hyde is coming up on his contract year, so they'll be looking there again in 2024, so it's worth a shot to give Benford an opportunity to see how he does this season 

[Flan]

We do not know the health status (mental and physical) of Damar.  I wouldn't be surprised is if NFL career is over, or he comes back.

[mixum]

The guy is on oxygen. There’s reports he’s regressed or had setback. He’s not playing again.

[ICRockets2]

12 hours ago, HipKat said:

Was Benford any good? 

Yeah.  I got the sense early on that his game could in fact translate well to safety, but I may be wrong.  

[f8ta1ity54]

If they move benford to S they can save a lot of money and draft capital. 

[ICRockets2]

11 hours ago, Buffalochief2 said:

Safety requires less athleticism than cornerback.  The good ones are usually good with angles.  It might be a good fit?

Does anyone think Poyer comes back for one more run?

Not a chance.  Dude wants to get paid, and deserves to.

I just really hope he goes to the NFC.  

[f8ta1ity54]

Just now, ICRockets2 said:

Yeah.  I got the sense early on that his game could in fact translate well to safety, but I may be wrong.  

He has ball skills and excels in zone, thats a great start. He also has size and physicality. It might be a bumpy road, but I think he could be a starting caliber safety at some point. 

[f8ta1ity54]

he would probably be better in the Hyde roll as he is better at tracking the ball than being a box player, but we shall see.

[Crazy Legs]

15 hours ago, HipKat said:

Was Benford any good? 

In training camp and pre-season, it appeared Benford was playing better than Elam.  Per several reports. 

During September games, Benford and Elam were splitting the reps at the one Corner position.   Benford was at least as good as Elam. 

I got the feeling that the coaches think Benford has more football IQ, so I see no reason he shouldn't be on the field. 

The issue to me is Dane Jackson is a Free Agent.   And Elam has not been able to beat him out.   Assuming they give the #2 CB position to Elam, you still need backups.  Dane Jackson is not going to resign for back up money.   I think the Bills have every intention of trying to resign him though.

Something to watch in training camp. 

[Crazy Legs]

15 hours ago, Buffalochief2 said:

Safety requires less athleticism than cornerback.  The good ones are usually good with angles.  It might be a good fit?

Does anyone think Poyer comes back for one more run?

Poyer.  I think no.  The Bills can't afford to pay him $10 mil per year, on a 3 year deal. 

It is just a money decision.  We would all love to have him back.

[TonyasTaters]

Why not Siren Neal at safety?

[Toofast80]

I thought they were planning this. I said a while ago that they were going to be using Elam as a candidate for the S swap. That was before the D. Hamlin injury, which I thought would have been a decent S tandem, Hamlin being more of the Poyer downhill “type” safety (SS), And Elam as the Roamer/coverage (FS) in Fraziers (stubborn and simple) defensive philosophy. But it appears it was the other way around, which I thought was possible, it was just VERY odd how they were using Benford (prior to his injury), and not using Elam (as a 1st rounder). 

[foster]

Benford/Hyde could be a good working pair.  For 2023-24 it's all about getting players who play above their contract due to our cap issues.  Marlowe could be a backup to these two, possibly Neal too and both would be below market value on their contracts at that position.

I want the Bills to spend their $$/spare change on the Offense.

[JS12]

I think we find a way to get Poyer back on a 2 year deal.

[StraightJ]

@Buffalochief2 posted a podcast that I may have been the only one to take the time to listen to.  I can see at least some of the reason's his posts appear more educated than many lol.  At any rate, that week's guest was calking caps.  He mentioned how in just 2 restructures, he could make(some large number, like $50 mil).  And that was not even considering how much the cap will go up to next season due to 1)new tv contracts, and 2)the underestimated colossal revenue sports betting has generated.

Even writing this now, I was reminded I do not know the exact way betting impacts the NFL, being it affects salary cap.  And if it is as monumental as the guest implied it already was, I may eventually begin to wonder what various impacts it may have on the NFL(and likewise with television contracts as well, but maybe less being those would be more transparent).

Anyhow Chief, the reason I tagged your name was in case you still had the podcast link.  I'm not sure whom might listen, but if they wanted more serious insight into making more accurate projections, I think it could benefit them.  Does anyone know roughly when the new cap numbers get announced?   (Chief, I recall you excoriating the fellow whom asked about clock stoppage on OOB, and although this was not what I know to be in the rule books, I did a brief search anyhow).   I saw an article on NFL.com that said new cap could exceed $220mil(elsewhere found the current was 208).  From that podcast, and the source of that estimate, I would not be surprised it if was being conservative.

[StraightJ]

Again, I am not a huge fan of hot takes and just now considered a new domain name to search(while writing this sentence... coldtakes.com, and it was available! Then I noticed for the "premium" price of $6,790.  Man, if anyone if creative or up on timely matters, I think they could profit from such things, though patience would likely be necessary for such squatters whom it seems likely sometimes deprive authors and readers.  If the letter agencies are reading  this and haven't done it, they should be.  FWIW, I've noticed a good many I looked up were taken, but not at all in use....)

Anyhow, the one hot take I wanted to briefly address was Damar Hamlin.  As I think Flan may have said with different words, we do not know.  The doctors originally said his ceiling was like he was before.  As someone with intimate experience in an ICU longer than Hamlin's entire combination of stay, I do know the extreme importance of expectations, and am familiar with what even non-religious folks exclaimed as miraculous.  That's why when many weeks ago I first read Hyde could potentially return for the playoffs, based on his attitude, I thought it certainly was possible.  With Von Miller, I expect him to take less than average time to recover as well, due to his internal make up.

*IF* Damar Hamlin wants to return to playing football(and even more so if he wants it badly) who is anyone in here to overrule what the doctors have said?  I've personally experienced more than one exceeding of their expectations, and will not assume their announcement was only for his spirits. 
 

[StraightJ]

 

I get a sense some here do not want Damar Hamlin back.  Moving beyond just that sense and combining it with experience, I get a read that with some there may be legitmate concerns like some who claim to have for Tua have.  Before that though, I sensed something else.... that some felt he would be a liability.  I am not always the best on(what's it called? "cold reads"?), but based on experience I'd imagine some here would even admit it, if it had come up in a different way than me sensing it.  Hell, they still might! lol.  I don't suppose it's something one should be ashamed of, especially if it is their normal M.O. to express concern and worry about everything. 

Additionally, as opposed to those wanting Matt Araiza banished from a career and liberty for purposes of "justice"(as perverse as they may have been, one might logically reason that those who wanted him banished for being a dead weight/undue burden on the Bills(in other words, being selfish) would want Damar Hamlin #3 banished for in like manner being a liability in their eyes.   While I do not hold this position, in this case I find it less distasteful if folks are sticking with their natural line of reasoning.

This is a topic that likely will surface at some point, and sometimes I too am less patient than I'd like to be and like to cut through the formalities and BS and get to the heart of the matter.  IMO, it could be a topic worthy of it's own thread and poll, but contrary to popular belief/opinion, much of the time these days I mitigate my natural impulses(my hard drive has many, lengthy copies of aborted posts that could serve as examples lol).  If Damar Hamlin was cleared to play opening day, would you want him back?  Any difference if I ask the same question for training camp?

 

[StraightJ]

Not that it matters much now, but right before Tre'Davious White was said to have regained his form by some, I had read comments elsewhere that it might be better to let him play at safety for a time, facing forward until more came back for him.   At times I don't read as many of the threads as I used to, so I have no idea if it has been mentioned much or at all, and figured it was an appropriate enough discussion to include it in even if later than I wished I'd mentioned it.

FWIW, at least earlier I got the sense that the liability some were expressing White was would also in their opinions always be that.  They may have even expressed that too, but I do not recall for certain and won't make that claim.  If folks genuinely feel that way, would it not be logical to strong arm him like the Bills only Pro Bowl member at the time Richie Incognito(the first social injustice debacle I spoke against this regime for) had to do for a restructure? 

Actually, I just realized with the nature of some of the crew here, that instead of getting ahead of things it's probably already been discussed? lol SMH ( @DannyBoy, I did remember some posts to use acronyms less frequently, but depending on the nature of the post and how commonly known the acronym is for the intended audience will still use them at times.  I appreciate you candor, and unlike Daryl actually do wish to improve, even though I am not running for mod(and by busting his balls hope I can encourage him to honor his pledges, after he lashed out heinously for over a year at TWD for questioning his integrity once....imagine if I did that every time mine was questioned lol).

[SpikedLemonade]

2 hours ago, JS12 said:

I think we find a way to get Poyer back on a 2 year deal.

Yea!!!!!!!

[StraightJ]

2 hours ago, SpikedLemonade said:

Yea!!!!!!!

Maybe I was correct after all about the objectification of players, and it being similar to the mindset of those who objectify women, and coming from the cult that beats their chest(amongst other things) and loudly denounces such behavior.  Your honor, I offer the above piece #0014628a into evidence.

(SpikedProtein, you know if you attempted to pretend to be a regular Joe and not a hypocrite so often, I wouldn't bother denouncing the natural behavior which you somehow manage to make seem abhorrent.  I guess that is the very intent of the clever devils of your ilk, and I don't intend to let your subversion go undetected by the less advantaged than yourself who take your shtick at face value.  You've poked the sleeping bear a little too often recently for it's liking, apparently, and I feel compelled to play my version of "Agent Smith" unfortunately)