The 2017 FA Thread - OP Updated with Signings (Sundberg, Galette, VD, Hood re-signed) *** Terrell McClain, Stacy McGee, DJ Swearinger, Terrelle Pryor, Chris Carter, Brian Quick, ZACH BROWN(!!)***

[Morneblade]

11 minutes ago, 3 Rings said:

Ok so let's play the IF game.  IF we sign Brown does that put us in DL mode come

draft time or do we then have room to take a "special" back Jay keeps talking about??

 

DL/OLB mode, and maybe ILB still. The only back I would even think about in the 1st round is Fournette, and I seriously doubt he will be there at #17.

 

1 hour ago, thesubmittedone said:

Would be really nice to land him, but like most of you are saying it'd be a surprise. Don't see us outbidding anyone, but you never know. Positive thoughts. 

 

Updated the thread title either way. 

 

I'd like to be wrong about this as well and have BA make the deal. Come on Bruce, show me how WRONG I am about you!

[Est.1974]

This isn't for leverage and there's no bargain deal to be had here, guys been playing the market for weeks. We must be willing to pay upwards of what he wants or near what's on the table. Must be serious intent from the FO. Let's nail him down and convince him to sign, get it done Bruce.

[TSO]

38 minutes ago, SkinsPassion4Life said:

 

He's played in 16 games in 4 out of 5 seasons.

 

Yup, I misunderstood something I read about him elsewhere. Seems like mostly healthy, so scratch that part. 

 

But the "one year wonder" thing is a legit question. The Bills signed him and he was going to back up their rookie Ragland, but when he suffered his ACL season ending injury Brown got thrusted into the starting spot. 

 

Did really well, though. I believe he'd still likely be a big upgrade considering what we've got. 

[justice98]

11 minutes ago, RWJ said:

Paul Conner Retweeted
Draft Talk‏ @Draft_Talk_NFL  24m
24 minutes ago
 
 
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Replying to @djmccray @P_ConnerJr
About $6M. Raiders/Dolphins have offered about $4M.
 

 

Come in at $5mil then and get it done.

[NickyJ]

13 minutes ago, SkinsPassion4Life said:

 

You being serious or sarcastic?    I'll assume you're joking

At first I was being sarcastic, but now that I think about it, there's not much reason to think that Bruce's evaluation is any different.

[TSO]

 

 

 

[Rattlesnake88]

I think Brown and Foster would be legit. Please sign him.

30 minutes ago, 3 Rings said:

Ok so let's play the IF game.  IF we sign Brown does that put us in DL mode come

draft time or do we then have room to take a "special" back Jay keeps talking about??

I have a funny feeling we take McCaffrey at 17

[Morneblade]

2 minutes ago, Rattlesnake88 said:

I think Brown and Foster would be legit. Please sign him.

I have a funny feeling we take McCaffrey at 17

 

I will break something if we do that.

[Rattlesnake88]

Just now, Morneblade said:

 

I will break something if we do that.

On the surface he seems like a Jay Gruden Offensive piece. like a better Giovanni bernard. Couldn't carry it 20 times a game but you can line him in the slot or out wide, flank him on bootlegs...It just might happen

[3 Rings]

5 minutes ago, Rattlesnake88 said:

I think Brown and Foster would be legit. Please sign him.

I have a funny feeling we take McCaffrey at 17

 

Yeah this is what I'm afraid of too if Jay gets too much say in this.  Every time I hear him talk he's basically saying "we'll coach em up on defense".  It's scaring me.  

[Morneblade]

1 minute ago, Rattlesnake88 said:

On the surface he seems like a Jay Gruden Offensive piece. like a better Giovanni bernard. Couldn't carry it 20 times a game but you can line him in the slot or out wide, flank him on bootlegs...It just might happen

 

Maybe. I just see another overhyped Stanford RB that will suck at the NFL level. I don't think he will do much for the running game and will basically be a "gimmic" player. Because we NEED that.

1 minute ago, 3 Rings said:

 

Yeah this is what I'm afraid of too if Jay gets too much say in this.  Every time I hear him talk he's basically saying "we'll coach em up on defense".  It's scaring me.  

 

Exactly. What about "coaching up" on the offensive side, even though they have the lions share of the talent. I don't see that being said much. I don't think Gruden cares much about the defense in general.

[Rattlesnake88]

Just now, Morneblade said:

 

Maybe. I just see another overhyped Stanford RB that will suck at the NFL level. I don't think he will do much for the running game and will basically be a "gimmic" player. Because we NEED that.

Lol, I feel you. I thought Gerhardt would be a stud. I won't be fooled again. However in Christian's defense, he is a really dynamic football player. Much different than Toby.

 

I want best defensive player available honestly. But if we took Mccaffrey, Cook or Fournette. I wouldn't be upset. It would be more of a shrug and a "I hope this works".

[Koolblue13]

Sign him, Compton walks. 

 

Draft edge speed rusher.

 

Draft FS.

 

Passing downs we have two FSs. Cravens as the 3rd safety plays near the line, with PRer and Brown. Nasty 3 high nickle loaded with speed and blitzers all over the place.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

http://sfo.247sports.com/Bolt/Opponent-spotlight-49ers-must-avoid-Bills-LB-Zach-Brown-48218452

Now in his fifth season after being a second-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2012, Brown was a low-profile free agent signing for the Bills this offseason, inking a deal for one year and $1.25 million. The Bills meanwhile had high-profile Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland fall to them in the second round 2016 draft, leading to the expectation that Ragland would start as a rookie while Brown would be a backup. But Ragland suffered a season-ending torn ACL in training camp, opening the door for Brown to fill a starting spot.

Brown has responded with a breakout season as he's currently leading the league in tackles (60) and has two forced fumbles and a sack to go with it. An 18-tackle performance in a 16-0 shutout over the New England Patriots in Week 4 earned Brown Defensive Player of the Week honors in the AFC.

“Zach is a very talented individual. Physically, he’s as gifted as most linebackers in this league,” defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said in September, via the Buffalo News. “He can run. He can hit. He can cover. He can tackle well. He can blitz. I mean, there’s very few things that he can’t do.”

It also helps Brown is healthy, something he had difficulty with at times in Tennessee as he suffered a torn pectoral muscle early in 2014.

“I had a year where I couldn’t really do anything,” Brown said to the Buffalo News. “I couldn’t run. I mean, I biked, but that couldn’t do too much, because I couldn’t really sweat like that. I had a body sling on for six months, so half the year I wasn’t running. I was out of shape.”

[RWJ]

Keim and Bullock were thinking that a Brown signing would be a possibility of replacing Foster (if so would save roughly $1.22 mill on last year of Foster's deal) and how Brown doesn't do the play calling so some interesting tweeting going on between them.

[FrFan]

I'm always suspicious about inflated stats on a contract year, especially since he almost doubled his tackles numbers.

"He’s indicated since the start of free agency that his goal is to get paid a significant sum"

[Morneblade]

15 minutes ago, Rattlesnake88 said:

Lol, I feel you. I thought Gerhardt would be a stud. I won't be fooled again. However in Christian's defense, he is a really dynamic football player. Much different than Toby.

 

I want best defensive player available honestly. But if we took Mccaffrey, Cook or Fournette. I wouldn't be upset. It would be more of a shrug and a "I hope this works".

 

Cook has a big history of "scumbag", I want no part of him. Fournette is the only guys I would bother with, and I doubt he will fall that far..

[TSO]

6 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

It also helps Brown is healthy, something he had difficulty with at times in Tennessee as he suffered a torn pectoral muscle early in 2014.

“I had a year where I couldn’t really do anything,” Brown said to the Buffalo News. “I couldn’t run. I mean, I biked, but that couldn’t do too much, because I couldn’t really sweat like that. I had a body sling on for six months, so half the year I wasn’t running. I was out of shape.”

 

Ok, so I didn't misunderstand what I read from someone on twitter @SkinsPassion4Life , he does have "a bit of an injury history" like I said. Now I feel stupid for listening to you.  

[SkinsPassion4Life]

2 minutes ago, thesubmittedone said:

 

Ok, so I didn't misunderstand what I read from someone on twitter @SkinsPassion4Life , he does have "a bit of an injury history" like I said. Now I feel stupid for listening to you.  

 

He was hurt for one full season.....but he played in 16 games 4 out 5 years......start listening to me more often

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

Get it done Bruce, you piece of ****.

 

 

[SkinsPassion4Life]

Keim/Bullock talking about Brown being a better 4-3 LB, but didn't the Bills play a 3-4 under Rex?

[Morneblade]

7 minutes ago, SkinsPassion4Life said:

Keim/Bullock talking about Brown being a better 4-3 LB, but didn't the Bills play a 3-4 under Rex?

 

Yes. I think they mentioned him possibly being a better WIL in a 4-3 due to his coverage ability, but a lot of that falls on the ILB in a 3-4 as well. The only issue is I don't think he is a play caller, and I'm not sure if Foster can be. The last thing I want to see is bringing in Brown and still having Compton out there. Foster is a banger and Brown is the faster and quicker guy that can cover. Physically that's a great combo, but someone has to get the defense in the right call.

 

[carex]

32 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

Sign him, Compton walks. 

 

Draft edge speed rusher.

 

Draft FS.

 

Passing downs we have two FSs. Cravens as the 3rd safety plays near the line, with PRer and Brown. Nasty 3 high nickle loaded with speed and blitzers all over the place.

 

problem with that is that if Brown isn't the play caller type I don't think Mason Foster is either.  Compton is the signal caller.

[SkinsPassion4Life]

Just now, carex said:

 

problem with that is that if Brown isn't the play caller type I don't think Mason Foster is either.  Compton is the signal caller.

 

We'll draft Jarrad Davis and he'll be the signal caller

[Skinsinparadise]

16 minutes ago, SkinsPassion4Life said:

Keim/Bullock talking about Brown being a better 4-3 LB, but didn't the Bills play a 3-4 under Rex?

 

Bullock might have just googled and saw multiple mentions of Zach if he remained in Buffalo might end up played the strong or weakside LB position because they are switching to a 4-3.   He started with Tennessee playing outside then switched to inside when they moved to a 3-4.  So evidently he can play both inside and outside.

 

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Starting-role-sits-at-linebacker-for-Zach-Brown/a3fdad67-a053-445f-bded-bddcf3e3807f

Brown is going into his fifth season as a pro. His first two years out of college were very productive with nine and a half sacks, 184 tackles and four interceptions for the Tennessee Titans. However, an injury in the 2014 season stalled his progress and diminished his time on the field. The Bills are hoping to see Brown get back to his days of producing.

 

“Yeah, that injury in my third year – tearing my pec(toral muscle) – kind of set me back because I was rolling,” Brown said. “So now I’m coming off a full season, coming back to it. For me, I’m going to keep sailing.”

 

Ryan’s scheme for his defense is intricate and demands a lot from his front seven. Not only are they expected to blitz, but they must be able to drop back for zone and man defensives. The deceiving nature of the strategy isn’t easy and Brown admits that he needs to improve some aspects of his game.

“I just got to work on the pass rush a little bit more,” he said. “I like to pass rush everybody. Covering is kind of like second nature to me. I mean I can run with the best of them.”

...movement skills were the number one reason they targeted the veteran linebacker.

 

“He’s an athletic guy with speed and that fits well for us because if you look at our division the New York Jets, their base (offense) is three wides,” Whaley said. “New England their base (offense) is three to four wides, and Miami with new head coach Adam Gase the base for his offense is three wides. So we’re going to be playing a lot of sub and nickel packages and that’s where he excels so we’re excited to have him.”

But Brown doesn’t want to be labeled as strictly a coverage linebacker.

 

“In the run game, I am solid in that too,” he said. “I’m not going to get moved, so you’re going to have to be really a big guy to catch me off guard to move me because I’m not really a small guy.”

 

And size was never his problem. The 6-foot-1, 248-pound back can be a magnet to the ball carrier. In his career thus far, he has 23 tackles for a loss. His role in Buffalo is too early to be determined. Due to the limited competition at the position, Brown is already established as a “starter and the backup.”

 

Zach Brown at 6-foot-1, 244-pounds, is the prototypical weakside linebacker for this scheme. He’s fast (4.5-second 40-yard dash) and explosive. He has the range to drop into coverage and the closing speed to fly to the flats and defend running backs.