JustOneParade

Honestly I’ve been conflicted for a while about the possibility of the Sabres making the playoffs. On one hand it would be important for the players and coaching staff to experience playoff hockey for their continued growth. On the other hand, after watching playoff hockey for the last few years, the Sabres as presently constructed would get physically abused. It would be really hard to see.

I completely agree with you Punch. But I feel like any competent, demanding coach will want to turn over a chunk of this roster. And we now know that isn’t in KA’s plan. So the interviews will end quickly. Thus I think your process would need to be under the oversight of a new GM.

Game recap: Sabres win the last 53 minutes! 🙄

It seems any good player that comes to the Sabres becomes bad. Conversely, any Sabre that leaves become good (or very good) elsewhere. Isn’t that the ultimate indictment of this organization?

She’s simply a phenomenal player.

Those Bills teams were horribly undisciplined also. Apt comparison.

What I find somewhat amusing is that some are saying/writing that Diggs will do for CJ Stroud what he did for Josh. Houston ain't getting 26 year old Steph.

Good stuff. I just think the Miller signing, keeping the safeties, etc., was the Bills 'all in' approach to a championship. And honestly, if the defense had been even relatively healthy last season, the Bills might have won it all. But it didn't happen. So the reset - absolutely not a full rebuild - has begun. And I expect the Bills will be criminally underrated going into next season, which is fine by me.

One last thought (until the next one 😃). There's been speculation about BB moving up a bit to take a WR he likes. I think one of two things will happen. He stays where he is, or even moves down a bit, because there's a guy he knows he can get that they really like. Or he goes big game hunting and moves way up to get a guy they absolutely love. Assuming three QB's go really high as expected I won't be surprised if BB calls his buddy in East Rutherford about pick #6. I just think if he moves up, it won't be a small move up.

What I find it curious by their absence is any commentary from McDermott or Brady on this matter. I believe they were integral in this whole thing. Diggs wanted out and McD didn't want him on the team any longer IMPO). I can't shake the image from a couple seasons ago of Brady and Josh on the bench during a game looking at the pad together deciphering what the opponent's defense was doing. And Diggs is standing over them flapping his gums at them. Brady must have been thinking, or saying, 'Dude, STFU and go sit down. We're working here.' Brady was the QB coach then. He's the OC now. The org made a value judgement. And as @That Aud Smell points out that's a hell of a wallop they just took. Hence we now know what the team's value, in totality, on Diggs was.

Beane will be like a kid in the candy store next offseason. Diggs completely off the books ($27M as @Night Train notes), another $8M when Miller's contract is dumped, and a slew of draft capital. Will be fun to see. As for this year, he'll add at least one more WR. And above all else we still have Josh.

So, the Bills just ate a massive salary/bonus payout to get a guy off the team. Does the same guy own the Bills and Sabres? (And, yes, I understand the economics or the two leagues).

What do you know? You're just a hockey guy talkin football on a hockey forum. Am I doing that right?? 😃

Yep. Probably just find a good movie to watch.

ESPN+? No?

Trying to picture in my head how that will work. As I understand it .... 10 coverage guys from the kicking team are lined up on the receiving team's 40 yard line but the ball is being kicked off from the usual spot 25 yards behind those guys? Very odd. More, or fewer, kick-off returns?

Have you seen the new kick-off rules? Absolutely bizarre. The NFL is trying to eclipse the NHL on the stupidity scale.

I was watching Kris Baker’s prospects update the other day. Showed some clips of Poltapov in Russia. He threw 3 hard body checks in one shift. That would put him like, what, 5th on the Sabres for the season?

Regarding the second point, I almost expect it to happen. All it will take is a bit of a WR run prior to the Bills pick and the usual over-valuation of a couple QB’s. One or two really good non-WR’s will get pushed down and BB won’t reach. If it’s a DL most fans will, indeed, lose their minds. In that scenario I can see Beane making a move up in the 2nd to get a WR he really likes. Also agree on Worthy. Other than being really fast I don’t believe he has first round WR skills. And of secondary importance, he’d be totally useless in support of the outside run game.

Meh. I'll bet one of the first questions e asks is why the floor of the KBC is so slippery. (OK, a bit too snarky).

GTFO with this crap. Go to The Stadium Wall with all the other highly enlightened Bills fans. Because, as you point out, Sabres fans know nothing about the Bills so why waste your time here..

Diggs’ brother really doesn’t need to look very far at all to find a QB and team truly worthy of trashing.

The sloppy, scrambling Sabres have returned.

Yes, I know. Small sample size an all that. But the Avs must have been really desperate for a C to give up Bo Byram. He’s so talented.

Puck hounds! The Sabres have turned into a bunch of puck hounds!