Finsmob Unleashed

Ding dong the Bills are dead, the wicked Bills are dead!. Actually, NO. OK, the Bills traded a very talented WR away to the Houston Texans. While Stefon Diggs had a productive season last year for the Bills, his 2nd half performance was way down from the first half. In the first 9 games last season, Diggs had 70 receptions for 870 yards and 3 TD’s, including five 100 yard performances. In the next 9, which includes the playoff game against the Steelers, Diggs didn’t manage one 100 yard receiving game, and had only 1 TD reception.The Bills have 10 total picks in the 2024 draft, one 1st RD (#28), one 2nd RD (#60), one compensatory 4th RD pick (#133), three 5th RD picks (#144, #160 and #163), two 6th RD picks (#200 and #204) and finally one 7th RD pick (#248). They’re not going to find a WR in this draft that is capable of playing to the level of Diggs immediately, but they can still find an impact WR that can help this team, without carrying the selfish, negative impact on the locker room. Plus, as I always stress, the Bills still have QB Josh Allen, who is a relentless warrior and certainly has the Dolphins number.

Back to our Dolphins. I was listening to WQAM this morning, as I try to do as often as I can to the Joe Rose Show. Omar Kelly was co-hosting with Joe Rose, and they briefly discussed the draft, and in particular, Chris Grier’s mindset on the draft. I’ll paraphrase and summarize for you, Omar Kelly insinuated that Chris Grier will draft the best player available (BPA) period. No position will hold any favor, whomever they have graded the highest, that’s who he’s taking. I’ll go ahead and call bullshit on that. Is it possible? Of course. Is it logical? Of course not. You don’t make a trade for a WR (Tyreek Hill)who is the highest salary on the roster ($31M cap hit 2024), and then say we’re building the roster responsibly for the future. If we’re building, you don’t let 2 of your best players on their respective lines (DT/DE Christian Wilkins) and (RG Robert Hunt) leave in free agency. Next season, Tyreek Hill’s cap hit is $34M. There’s nothing responsible building for the future about that. It’s irresponsible, unless you’re going for it all in a small window. With huge question marks on the D-line, and even on the O-line, considering the injury track records of LT Terron Armstead and LG Isaiah Wynn who never play a whole season. We have a lot of depth on the O-line, but how much quality remains to be seen. On the D-line, we don’t have a replacement for Christian Wilkins no matter what defense we’re running. You can’t put Sieler and 2 guys who don’t play a lot of snaps and don’t make the slightest threat of getting to the QB on that line and expect it to work. In other words, if Grier takes a WR in RD1, I’m going to flip.

Another issue we have with this artificial win now mode is we have players coming up for contracts. S Jevon Holland is in the final year of his rookie contract. The knee injuries suffered last season hurt us, because Holland has been an impact player for us. If he’s healthy, and has a good season, we’re going to need to pay him. OLB Jaelan Phillips will be on his 4th year contract, and if he plays well this season, don’t expect him to want to play on his 5th year option. Most of the offensive linemen are on one year contracts. Next year, Armstead is retiring. Isaiah Wynn is a 1YR contract. OC Aaron Brewer and RT Austin Jackson are the only starting O-line guys on multiple year contracts. We’re going to have to bring in a whole bunch of guys for the O-line next season. Same goes for the D-line. Only Zach Sieler is under contract beyond this season. Benito Jones and Da’Shawn Hand are both one year contracts. While some of you are oohing and aahing at all these signings, it’s a band aid. Not even real Johnson & Johnson Band Aids, they’re just cheap adhesive bandages. Again, we take a WR with our first pick I’m gonna lose it! We need quality players on the D-line and O-line for this year and beyond. You want to pay $25M per season for a guy like Robert Hunt next season? $30M per season for a guy like Christian Wilkins next year? The salaries just keep going higher my friends, this season was nothing new, nothing different.

So, less than 3 weeks away, Chris Grier better be looking real hard at fixing those trenches, both sides. As you know, my feeling is the D-line is the priority, but it’s razor thin over the O-line, or an OLB/Pass rusher. As I stressed a moment ago, it’s not just this season, but next season a lot of the players on both the O-line and D-line disappear next season. In the 2025 draft, we have our regular picks in rounds 1 through 4, we have two 5th RD picks, no 6th RD pick, and two 7th RD picks. In addition, we should get a 3rd RD compensatory pick for Christian Wilkins and maybe a 5th RD compensatory pick or better for Robert Hunt. The other issue on the docket is QB. We have yet to give QB Tua Tagovailoa the huge contract that is supposed to be happening. If we don’t get that done, then we’re either paying him after the season, or looking for a new QB. A lot of dominoes have to fall, but right now, we need to start building those trenches, and do it wisely, through the draft.