Hello from filling in on the mailbag! Y’all had a lot of good questions while Jay Skurski is away, so let’s jump right in.
Brenda Alesii asks: What’s more of a no-brainer: people complaining about the eclipse traffic or the Bills picking up Gregory Rousseau’s fifth-year option? His sack total went down this past season from the previous season. Do you attribute that to his foot injury?
Katherine: Haha, I do think the bigger no-brainer is the former, simply because traffic is going to be nuts. But both seem quite likely to occur!
Brandon Beane was asked about Rousseau’s fifth-year option at the league’s annual meetings.
“We have not discussed it a lot, just trying to get through this (time of year), but I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t do it,” Beane said.
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As far as his sack total, I do think the foot contributed. The Bills also just needed to get more out of the unit as a whole late in the season. With Leonard Floyd off to San Francisco, I think Rousseau leads the team in sacks this season.
Phil in Williamsville asks: Hi Katherine. I disagree with Jay on the new hip-drop tackle rule. He’s vehemently against it; I’m for any rule that prevents injuries. The defense complained but they will adapt just like they did with the horse-collar tackle and the helmet-to-helmet tackle. The object is to keep the players we want to see healthy and on the field.
On the other hand I’m against any new rules that add reviews that slow down the game. I’ll say yes to the NFL adding a coach’s challenge. Many times an extra coach’s review is needed. But no, I don’t want a review on whether the game clock expired. All these extra reviews do is slow the game down. I hope there is a limit to the number of times a game clock expires can be reviewed. They can’t review everything. What do you think?
Katherine: I think it’s a fine line between slowing the game down and accuracy. I think a limit on a number of reviews could make sense – it keeps the officiating staff accountable, too. But I’m generally pro reviews for the sake of accuracy, especially when it can swing a game. I don’t think they will slide too quickly into over-reviewing everything, at least not on an every-game basis.
Bill Chapin asks: My question is simple. Do you know if anyone has ever suggested a horn to go off when the play clock hits zero, like they do in the NBA with the shot clock? It would eliminate the annoying delay in the call. It would make it cut and dry. If the ball is not snapped when the horn blows, it’s a delay of game. Easy peasy.
Katherine: I can’t remember that as a proposal in recent years, though the Eagles have proposed a clock that shows tenths of a second for greater accuracy at the end of the second and fourth quarters. Coupling this with the previous question, as the play clock now can be reviewed, I don’t see the horn as happening, but I do get where you’re coming from. It’s a satisfying noise sometimes!
Mike Scully asks: I read a story recently stating that University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders may be steering some of his star players to indicate their preference for which NFL teams they would be willing to play for in advance of next year’s NFL draft. At some point the Bills will be rebuilding and will likely be on the list of “less desirable” places to play. Should the NFL be concerned that other college coaches may follow Sanders’ lead and begin to not so subtly promote certain NFL cities to their star players?
Katherine: It’s something to monitor, particularly from a Bills’ lens, with Sanders saying he didn’t want his son “going nowhere cold.” Eli Manning is an example but also an outlier. It would take a lot more collective action from draft prospects for this to be effective. At this point, the NFL still holds the power, just from players knowing how great the opportunity is. I think if Sanders continues this way, then next year will be a good test for how the NFL will react.
Ed Helinski asks: It’s no secret the Bills have had quite the roster turnover prior to the draft. Some difficult decisions were made. With all that in mind, what’s your take on the Bills’ public stance about the team retooling versus rebuilding? Is retooling legit or poppycock?
Katherine: Ed’s question came in before the Stefon Diggs trade, so the roster turnover is even more dramatic as I write this. I think there’s such a fine line between retooling and rebuilding, and for me, I consider that determined by the results. Is the team still competitive? If so, no matter how many people you swap out, I think you can still consider it a retool. I do think the Bills will still be competitive this year, so I’ll say it’s legit right now. A rebuild in my eyes is usually a few down years as a team, so this answer is more of a journey versus destination take. The Bills had to do a few drastic things this offseason, and there’s still work to do, but with Josh Allen at the helm, they have some security there.
Auburn Ed asks: With WrestleMania 40 happening this weekend, here’s a mailbag question to answer if you dare. In your opinion, which current Buffalo Bills have the skill sets and tools to be good WWE heel or babyface wrestlers? Who makes your list?
Katherine: Now, the retooling/rebuilding of this offseason makes this question harder, because the Bills lost a lot of good candidates for this question. I admittedly don’t follow wrestling much (sorry, Sean McDermott!), but here goes. I’ll say Reggie Gilliam and Quintin Morris as babyface wrestlers and Ed Oliver as heel. I think they would all get really into it.
The Real Radman asks: Is it harder to be a GM now, given the salary cap, etc., than to have been a GM in say, the ‘80s or ‘90s? Who had/has it tougher: Bill Polian or Brandon Beane?
Katherine: Fun question! I think it’s harder today. With the salary cap coming into play in 1994, it certainly changed the landscape. The one counter is I think teams have more, or better, support these days around their GMs, with new positions in the front office and better access to information. I think still though general managers these days just have more on their plates as the game has evolved. It would be fun though to have a “Freaky Friday” situation where Polian and Beane swapped for a day to hear their takes.
No Ninja Skillz asks: Is Sean McDermott’s seat even a little warm, or are the people who matter – the Pegulas, Beane and Josh Allen – so “on his side” that lack of accountability has now infected not just the Sabres but the Bills, too?
What will the fan reaction be if Josh Allen still hasn’t made a single Super Bowl because everybody thought McDermott was the one to lead us but he continues making critical errors of planning, coaching, coordination and game management?
Are fans starting to wonder if the Bills are turning the single-greatest QB talent ever into Philip Rivers? What will their reaction be when McDermott again fails to get past KC this coming season? If there’s not even an AFCCG?
Katherine: A lot here, but similar themes! My sense is that the Pegulas still strongly back McDermott. Still, there’s urgency for this team to make a Super Bowl, and to your point, I think the fan reaction brings heat there. That said, I wouldn’t say his seat is warm at this point from the organization’s standpoint.
Jeff asks: Who do you think is the best roller skater on the Bills?
Katherine: Newcomer Mack Hollins takes this crown.
Rachel asks: What’s your favorite type of fry?
Katherine: Sweet potato!
Thanks for reading! Jay Skurski is back next week.