All right, welcome back to Buffalo Bread podcast season three premiere. I feel like an apology
is in order, my friend. Dan, we we left our our lovely fans, you know, all seven of our
lovely fans hanging at the end of the season. We got ground down much like our beloved Buffalo
Bills by the tiles, you know, tired trials of a long season. And we sort of dropped off
after after the draft after our draft previews. So we have a lot to cover here today. And
the power you my friend.
I am ecstatic to be dipping a toe back into the familiar and calm waters of this podcast
where nothing but positivity and preseason will reign in our takes about the bills. We
will wait for the inevitability of the seas.
You say inevitability, which has never been a real optimist's word of use.
We are Bills fans, right? The only difference between now, now and then is that we actually
feel like we have a chance to win. But in all seriousness, I do think we have a good
chance to win this year. I'm excited for the team flaws and all and we'll talk a lot about
the flaws because that this is just what we do on this podcast. We do not sugarcoat, we
do not blow sunshine up your butt. We will tell you exactly where the bills are and aren't
strong where their vulnerabilities are, where their strengths are going to be. Just to give
you all of our loyal listeners the opportunity to break down the information is needed. Bills
fans were rated the smartest football fan base in a recent poll on Fox Sports. And we
are here to prove that true with our savvy yet funny takes on the bills. So I'm ecstatic
to get into it, man. I'm excited to be back. And I think you kind of lined it up that that
is our show for the day. We're going to talk about the different bills moves and confirmation
bias as a segment we'll start with. And then we're going to talk a little bit about the
major changes to the coaching staff specifically coach McDermott calling the defensive plays
and choosing to go the way of three of the four coordinators that were left in the final
four teams vying for the Super Bowl, which is a head coach who calls one side of the
ball themselves. So he's he's trying to throw his hat into the ring of being one of those
coaches too, because maybe that's it. We haven't been able to get there for so many other reasons.
Maybe that's the difference. And then finally, we're going to kind of close out with our
reasons that the bills will or will not when the Super Bowl each of us will give a reason
or two of why they we think they will. And then we'll each give a couple of reasons why
they will. Does that sound good? I'm in love with it. I'm in love with this idea. Let's
jump. I'm in love with the idea of love. This is great. I love I love the idea of love,
right? No, I'm stoked about this. Let's get right into it, man. All right, so segment
one confirmation bias. This is basically where we're going to talk about three topics that
we discussed in the postmortem ending last season about big hanging questions about this
Buffalo Bill's team. So since then, we have now gone through the draft, we've now gone
through a full full season of free agency. The Bill's roster is really solidifying and
coming together. And there's a few position battles that are still happening that we're
going to take this as an opportunity to discuss as well. So why don't we start with the offense
and a piece of the offense that I think is a little bit underrated with the arrival of
Dalton Kincaid, who we will talk about in a little bit. But that's slot. So slot wide
receivers been an exceptionally important role for this team, really ever since the
ascendance of Josh Allen. Cole Beasley has been a topic on this pod. He's been at the
forefront of a lot of Bill's fans mine, especially last season, is the Buffalo Bill's weren't
able to exploit the middle of the field in the ways that they had before they no longer
had that guy that could find soft spots in the zone that could get seven yards on a third
and six for Allen. I think Allen's elbow injury has something to do with that too. So we ended
last season not knowing that Kincaid would ultimately be the pick talking about Cleol
Shakir. And did he do enough in his limited reps and his boomer bust type of reps that
he had last season to convince us and the Bill's coaching staff that he should deserve
an unchallenged shot at that slot wide receiver spot. Now, you and I were pretty high on him
at the end of last year. We wanted to see more of him in last season. We felt like he
could have been a difference maker in some of these games. He was the I think the leading
wide receiver in their game against the Bengals off of just like two catches. So his yards
per catch were huge. He had showed that yak ability, but he showed a tendency for drops.
So you and I JJ vacillated back and forth between do they bring in someone to challenge
him for the slot role or do they crown him and maybe bring in some veterans that can
push but not overshadow him. And we compared it a lot to the development of Gabe Davis
where when it looked like he was ready to emerge, the bill signed Emmanuel Sanders who
took direct snaps away from Gabe, Gabe Davis early in his development. And you could argue
as a Bill's fan that maybe the career arc or maybe the development arc for Gabe Davis
would have been different had he had that full season under his belt. Maybe two seasons
ago could have been the season we saw last year, which was an inconsistent game Davis
that still had drop problems and still didn't run great routes. Flash forward to now, we're
asking the same questions about Clial Shakir and it seems like the bills are sticking to
their tendencies. And again, Shakir, unlike Davis to be clear, fifth round pick like
projected in the second and third round in the year he was drafted. But there's nothing
written that says you can't challenge a fifth round pick and camp. So they've brought in
a bunch of guys via the draft and via free agency that have challenged and it looks like
Shakir similar to Davis hasn't shown the progression that the bills coaches want to see. So JJ,
let me ask you, Clial Shakir, is he our go to slot receiver this season? Or would you
take the field in that regard?
Oh, I'm going to take the field. And I think it's for two reasons. One is free agency
editions. I think that Trent Scherrfield is going to force himself onto the field a little
bit. And I think Deontay Hardy is also going to force his way into the into the mix. And
I guess three reasons. The third reason, I believe that this team is going to use 12
personnel, like 20% of the time, I think they're going to come out in 12 personnel way more
than anybody is expecting because they're one of the lowest usage teams last year. And
with Dalton, Kincaid and Dawson Knox Dawson Knox on a reasonably large tight end contract
and Dalton Kincaid, I think it was Joe Biscoglio of the athletic mentioned that Dalton Kincaid
is the first bills rookie he's seen in training camp who looks like a day one starter as much
as Tredebius White did in 2017. And that's it. Like that's it. Josh Allen didn't, you
know, Tremaine Edmonds didn't and Oliver didn't. So like none of these other players
that have come through the doors as first round picks at Greg Rousseau didn't have looked
as much like a day one locked in starting caliber player as Dalton, Kate in terms of consistency,
in terms of mastery of the offense, in terms of competing against top petition at practice.
So for those three reasons, I do not think that Kulil Shirk Shakira is ready to step
out as the premier slot receiver for this. I think it's going to be Diggs and Davis on
the outside. And then I think you're going to see kind of a rotation of 12 personnel
and then probably Shakir Hardy and Sherfield at times in the slot. And then even sometimes
they may be bumping Hardy outside for the speed, the fly route. And I think then you
see Sherfield or Davis in the slot. So I think that the slot position is not going to be
the automatic kind of cold, beasley position that had had been in the past in this offense
because of the variability they now have. And I'm excited for that. I think that's going
to be a wonderful ripple for the offense that they could do all these things. And then,
you know, if I might, if I may go to a fourth reason, James freaking cooks James Cook in
the slot because he's been lining up at different receiver sets throughout the preseason and
practices. So I think he's going to get some play there too. And I just think it's too
many. There's too many people too many miles to feed for us to like be able to stamp Kulil
Shakir at the end of the season as the premier slot for the team.
I agree. And the slot position has evolved so much over the past few years. You see a
lot more wide receiver ones lining up in the slot. You see a lot more, you know, like
Miami is a great example in Kansas City, the way they used to use Tyree Kill where he'd
line up on the outside, you put them in pre snap motion. And before you know it, he's
got a free release through up the slot and through the same. I mean, there's just so
much and I love the way you put it. The bills are so have the ability to be way more
multiple now, given the free agent additions they have. And I think in Kate is going to
be a big piece of this too. And I think they value they value sure handedness. I think
with the level of drops that this team experienced last year, and even Stefan Diggs was not immune
to that. I think they're really trying to prioritize ball security and making sure
that they're putting out the best pass cutters regardless of position that are going to haul
in a Josh Allen ball, which, listen, we love Josh Allen, but I think you could argue he
maybe doesn't throw the most catchable ball, especially towards the end of the season last
year where he was really injured. So you just you just need guys that know how to catch
him. We talked about this with Isaiah McKenzie all the time the way McKenzie like to get
the ball versus the way Beezie like to get the ball. McKenzie was just not a dude who
could catch a Josh Allen ball. But I think Scherfield for sure is that guy. And he also
brings value added in the run game as well. You can line him up in the slot and his run
blocking ability as a wide receiver is as good if not better than Gabe Davis. You've
got Davis on the outside. You've got Scherfield in the slot. You just send that dude right
up the middle to clear space like a pile driver heading up to the second level. And you're
going to get a lot you're going to get a lot of sneaky good runs when you're running out
three wide receiver personnel. And your points on on Concate are well taken. I want to save
mine though until we get to number two here which is talking about exploitation in the
middle of the field. Sure. But I agree. I think in summary this is a team that's way
more multiple. And I don't think they are counting how many wide receivers how many
tight ends they're going to have out there. I think they're counting how many guys are
past catchers that we're going to run out there each and every play. Be it tight end
be a wide receiver be at their running back core. I think they're going to find ways create
very creatively to get the ball into the hands of a variety of different wide receivers
which we know that when Alan gets to play point guard and he's completing passes to
eight nine 10 11 different past catchers a game that's usually a recipe for a Buffalo's
Bill's win. So I think that's how they're going to approach it. And as a result I'm
not saying they're they're fading out a traditional slot role. I just think there's less of a
dedicated role for Shakir because he looks like the biggest boomer bust out of those
guys like there's one play where he'll drop a supremely catchable ball for an easy 10
yard game and then make the most insane catch you've ever seen for a 35 yard game over the
top like he is he is the epitome of a very raw product right now. And I don't think his
past catching is developed to the point where the bills want to trust him with a with a
complete full time role and a majority of the snap share.
When I remember when he came out during the draft I was like gushing about how he was
like one of the best picks they could have had that late in the in the you know, steel
steel that late because well because like you said you in boomer bust you can see it
like the the one catch he had those like 20 yards or something in the preseason game
was just obscene it was he had no business it was way too high he had no business with
that size of a frame hitting up there getting that ball but he didn't he's shown that before
making insanely difficult catches but he also duffed an easy one that was perfectly on his
hands that would have converted a third and five from Cowell and so like yeah that and
that for me that's why the team is not going to have that traditional you know, 80 ball
80 target 50 catch slot that they that they had in the Beasley prompt.
And I would argue that they probably don't need it because it defenses have played this
Buffalo Bills offense pretty much the same for the last two seasons.
It's incumbent on the bills to and really on Ken Dorsey who is probably feeling a lot
of pressure at this point but it's incumbent on them to roll out something different and
in fairness I think last season they wanted to that that's why we saw the signing of OJ
Howard and they just realized that Howard was not going to be a scheme fit for them.
But I think they they knew they needed to run more to per 12 personnel they needed to
run more multiple looks they needed to keep teams guessing.
And when Alan got injured in his short area accuracy was affected as a result of it.
I think teams could really play to the only thing it didn't have to worry about the short
area of the field and could really just lock down the boundaries which is the only place
that the bills could really go to Davis and digs on the outside it the combination of
the injury the limitations I think of that wide receiver room and I would also throw
in there I thought I thought Dorsey was a good offensive coordinator but he was a first
year play caller.
So I think all of those things combined I think teams figured out this offense and I
think this season the bills are looking to do something I think that's new and fresh
and I know a lot of bills mafia are hitting the panic button on the offense this year
because the way it ended last year but I think this offense is going to be a superior version
to what we saw last year particularly towards the end of the season so long as Alan can
say healthy and the offensive line can stay right.
Well and what we saw last year it's I mean I know that it everyone's like oh the offense
faded in the latter half there that's fine it did but they were still winning games the
team still went 13 and three in the regular season they still were a top three unit in
terms of yards and scoring like they just they made it work you know like I think everyone
just expected every every week this is the problem right this is what we talked about
the time like the bills became a good team top of the NFL you know in terms of being
competitive for a championship every year and everyone's like well every every game
should be a 40 to 10 blowout it's like that's not real life like the chief right but come
come through with squeakers and they've got two Super Bowls in the last three years right
like they they barely squeeze out some games against inferior opponents here and there
too like it's just unrealistic the team still as an aggregate on offense was that one of
the top performers in the league and that's with the second most turnovers and the most
or third most drops like that's you know that that to me is like okay if you clean up the
turnovers and clean up the drops we probably are hanging 40 on most teams like it's just
probably you know that's the thing is like this this team was its own worst enemy I don't
think there was anything wrong with the play calling or the offense last year I think their
execution was was not great I think that the team was emotionally exhausted by the end
of the year through with everything they went through having multiple you know games move
postpone you know the Mark Hamlin top shooting like this this team was what and it could you
could tell it and I actually I don't know anything about this I have no idea I'm not inside
but I just feel like maybe Stefan Diggs whole frustration and you know OTAs was around Josh
Allen not being focused enough on football and his playing waning and I think they might
have cleaned that up and hopefully he's back you know he just bought a house near Hailey
Steinfeld in LA like it maybe things are okay now for Josh Allen we'll see.
Welcome to the E news portion of this podcast right there you go that's a clickbait that's
a clickbait that got me that got me out Josh Allen buys buys house near Hailey Steinfeld
that's a girl from like oh well check that house out it's beautiful that's it.
Of course it is of course it is he's worth a quarter of a billion dollars so yeah I'm
sure it's a lovely home lovely home yeah it's a quaint it's a quaint family home no perks
a quaint mansion out in LA but good for that guy. So we are both in agreement that at the
end of last season we kind of went back and forth but wanted to see Shakir get a get a
shot but we're both in agreement that the way the bills are going the multiple looks
maybe less dedicated snaps to the slot that's probably a good thing so yes so yeah and Shakir
just needs to step it up and I'll have thankfully the rest of the preseason and all season to
do so.
All right so item number two middle of the field so as we documented on several podcasts
last year and again lamented in the postmortem for this this Buffalo Bills team the ability
of the Buffalo Bills to challenge the middle of the field waned throughout the course of
the season to the point where even pre-injury Allen was really limiting a lot of his looks
to the boundaries only seeding the middle of the field to pretty much every defense that
they would play. And when you face a lot of a lot of too high which the bills were facing
last season pushing towards the boundaries constantly was the is the highest degree of
difficulty that you can do to beat that offense because you basically need to drop that drop
that pass perfectly over the defending cornerback and before the safety rushing to the boundary
gets there so the bills were choosing the hardest possible way to beat that type of coverage
and not taking the easy stuff in the middle of the field and then later on in the season
when after Allen was injured his accuracy suffered and I think it just it just doubled
down and compounded the problem they had with limiting themselves to the boundaries and
the deep ball.
So we said that the bills needed to be more dynamic and needed to attack every level of
field in every direction. Enter Dalton Kincaid who you have already already very very positively
introduced on this podcast. The bills number one round draft prep pick he has drawn comparisons
pretty openly in the pre draft process and during camp to one Travis Kelsey which probably
makes bills fans very excited because for years we've been looking for our Kelsey to
match with our Mahomes and we think we may have found it with Kincaid. Now you mentioned
the preseason game he didn't have a target didn't have a catch played the first series
with first series with the starters and then was out of there which tells me that the bills
plan on using him in a pretty significant role this year because rookies don't often
get that treatment on this team. He's got a great rapport with Allen already he is finding
those soft spots in the middle of the zone like Cole Beasley did but he's in a he has
an exponentially larger target and solid pass catcher I don't think this guy's dropped a
ball yet in camp so so he's everything the bills needed and then some from a reliability's
zone eating route running standpoint. JJ will Dalton Kincaid successfully give the Buffalo
Bills offense the middle of the field back. Unequivocally yes if everybody stays healthy
Dalton Kincaid is going to solve this problem and hot take your first you know get the little
you know black notebook you keep all your bets in I am I'm placing a small wager on
Dalton Kincaid being offense brookie the year. Oh I knew that was coming. Oh my god. I think
that's what we're talking about and it's mostly because of the buzz of how I mean not only
has he been reliable in practice as like a consistent player understanding the offense
that you know based on people's observations we don't know what play is called but he seems
to be in the place he's supposed to be whenever he's supposed to be there and then he catches
everything you throwed it. I think you know reading all the reports from trusted sources
on practice I think through the entire course of training camp at St. John Fisher he had
like three drops or something like that 70 balls that went his way like it was insane.
Yeah I mean I think he dropped his first pass of training camp after not having dropped a
single one in college and then didn't look back for the rest of camp. Yeah it was insane.
So yeah that's I think he gives back to set the field I think that the report he's building
with Josh Allen is invaluable and I think that he I believe that Ken Dorsey understands
that Dalton Kincaid is never going to be a clean out blocker of a defensive end. He should
understand that after seeing you know his college team and so as long as they're using
him in the proper ways and not expecting him to hold the edge against you know Jadavia
and Clownier if he's even still in the league give me a good defensive end. Nick Bosa right
like yeah right not expecting a little yeah Khalil Mack Khalil Mack yeah like not expecting
him to hold the edge against a premier pass rusher or shut down defensive end. As long
as you're not expecting him to do that he's going to do everything you're expecting to
do which is get to an open space. He has a long history in basketball so he's got that
like savvy of understanding the middle of the field and knowing kind of where people
are how to backs them out. It's kind of that third third situation that the best he is
the like Hall of Famers had where they just know where they need to be. Travis Kelsey
has you see it all the time against the bills he can has a you know pretty natural sense
of where people are in space and where he needs to be and I think Dalton Kincaid has
it. I'm very excited I don't think he's a Travis Kelsey I think he's got a long way
to go but I think he's going to have a very impactful part in this offense enough so much
that you're going to get national. Yeah I agree. Offensive rookie of the year. God.
It might be a stretch but it's also not something I necessarily want to challenge you on either
because this is like this is like preseason so like optimism runs. Oh yeah but this dude
also looks like the real deal thus far. Now we haven't seen him do it in a real game with
pads on yet but tape camp and practice would tell you that he's fluid in zone. He is quick
to plant and go with the point of catch and he brings the bills something that I think
you and I have been saying for years they need which is yak. He brings the yak game
in a big way. I mean there's been there's been a couple of camp reps he's had where
he's taken a ten yard ten yard girl route and then boom after the point of catch planted
and gone right up the same. I think he gives the bills a lot of versatility in the middle
of the field and he's a guy that if you're an opposing defense you just have to pay
attention to him. There's going to be a lot of linebackers that are going to really struggle
covering him which means you got to drop down potentially a safety to lock him down which
takes away the two high ability that a lot of defenses have played against the bills
for the past two years. He just answers a lot of questions now. This is also a lot of pressure
to put on a rookie and there are other playmakers and pass catchers on this offense but when
push comes to shove and it's third and seven and you got to get seven and seven and one
eighth of a yard Dalton Kincaid gives them some reliability potentially that they haven't
had at a very long time in the middle of the field and if you can make opposing defenses
guard every level and every direction of the field like the old bills offense used to be.
I think you're talking a good season for the Buffalo Bills and I think Kincaid has the
ability again this feels like a lot of pressure to put on a rookie but I think he's got the
ability to do that and I agree with you right away. I don't know if it'll be a rookie of
the year right away but I think we're going to see him come up in some really key moments
and a lot of games moving forward. I also salivate at the red zone options the Buffalo
Bills now have right. I mean because that's the other thing and I know I know red zone
statistics are volatile from year to year and unless you're the Tennessee Titans and
you have Derek Henry few teams are consistently good in the red zone year after year after
year. The red zone options like I'm just going through my head knocks Kincaid, Scherfield,
Justin Shorter the big tall fast rookie that they just got. Knock rate on contested catches
but he's a dude that's a pretty sure at the point of catch if not contested. Of course
you have digs you have Davis you have the emergence of James Cook we all hope it's
going to be James Cook season this year. So if you've and then you've got the break class
in case of emergency Josh Allen run around the edge. You just have a not to mention one
Mr. Latavius Murray who grew up in Damien Harris. Yeah Damien Harris love the Latavius
Murray story grew up in Syracuse as a bills fan and has had a long career in the NFL
is like 240 pounds and like six foot two is like this amazing sentiment of running back
who is excellent in short yardage just like Damien Harris is Damien Harris I think 90
80% or 90% of his NFL touchdowns his entire career within five yards of the goal line
like that dude just power powers and then he knows how to do it. Absolutely so if it's
third and seven or if it's second and two the Buffalo Bills have so many tools in their
toolkit that is just is not no longer Josh Allen doing something amazing and alien like
they've got so many reliable options that they can go to it and and can Kate is the
piece I feel like that unlocks a lot of it because of his ability to exploit the middle
of the field. So yeah it's it's just it's really exciting to think about now we've got
to see it happen on the field. Yeah. But as we sit here in our theoretical posture before
the season it it feels like this offense could be something very very dynamic this year.
Well I'm just saying I hope for and there's nothing you can tell from preseason because
they're not going to show their cards really and there's nothing they're going to show
in training camp in front of the public right like but it feels like they're putting in
the the pieces with James Cook with Dalton can Cade and then with the talent that they
know they have on the outside with the outside receivers outside the numbers to layer the
middle of the field because I think that was also part of the problem is you have to have
attention to digs and Davis on the outside and that kept the safety is honest but that
left the linebackers and corners like nickel and the linebackers to just roam and locked
out whoever you threw it through at them in the middle and Dawson Knox wasn't doing enough
or garnering enough attention to keep keep those players honest they were able to kind
of bracket where they needed to. So having multiple targets and the important thing is
going to also be Josh Allen willing to take the easy conversion pass to like the center
of the field to just like well Tavius Murray goes sits in an empty spot that somebody is
vacated as the slot has streaked or as Dalton Cade has cleared out and or James Cook you
know with the little dump off yards after the catch like we really hope for that because
like I mean every quarterback in the league that's successful does that stuff they don't
just ignore the running back standing there waving his hands and wait for digs to come
open on an 80 yard bomb.
Right. Mike White is still getting contracts off that first Bengals game he had where he
threw for 432 yards only 110 of which were actually thrown yards. Everything else was
yak. Yeah. If I'm if I am in the the orbit of Josh Allen which I am not but if I am in
his orbit if I'm Haley Steinfeld I'm like you know Josh. Josh yards they run for after
they catch it still count as your yards. Yes. You don't need to throw for them all.
Throw them all. Right. And I think the tricks in the whole thing about that.
It all counts the same man. It all counts the same. So so so let that yak work for you.
Take the seven take the seven yard check down and freaking let Cankade take it for another
20 man. It all counts in the stat line at the end of the day. Absolutely. All right.
So we've talked highly about highly about this offense and how multiple they can be.
But as everyone who watched last season and you could argue this season before pretty
much knows is that the Buffalo Bills offensive line needs to be the piece that coalesces
and solidifies for a lot of the stuff to happen. Can Cade can't get the ball if Allen's on
his back and doesn't have time to throw cook can't do the things that we think he can do
unless his offensive line is opening up holes. So at the end of last season that offensive
line which you you and I had been rallying all year didn't show up in that Cincinnati
game. And what's more is they got pushed around pretty significantly and looked like quite
frankly the weaker unit. I'm not trying to make this about like a strong man weak man
thing. But the reality is is they were out physical to that game.
Bring in some great additions. David Edwards, Connor McGovern and Osiris Torrance. Big
interior and a focus on the interior offensive line. Guys that really don't have a lot of
multiple position value which is something the bills have coveted which honestly I was
excited about because bring in some interior whole line specialists that know how to keep
Josh Allen clean up the middle and I'm fine. I really don't give a crap if they got versatility
at tackle at this point we've got Ryan Bates for that. So this offensive line right now
seems to be coalescing around Spencer Brown which I'm not a huge fan of him going unchallenged.
But it looks like that the bills have done everything that they they can do to set the
sky up for success. We'll see if he's successful. Ryan Rick Bates and Osiris Torrance battling
for that right guard position. Mitch Morse anchoring down the middle. Connor McGovern
on the left and then Deion Dawkins with David Edwards potentially playing some interior
line backup role. And then you still have Ike Botker I think still on the roster as
well. So depth at the interior. We're a little bit weak in the tackle. I think we still have
Quessenberry. Yeah. Quessenberry much of the chagrin of Phil's mafia. He looks terrible
too. Like I guess he's very very bad. He looks like he looks he looks like he's toast.
Schnell just retired right the the signing from Miami. So we're going in with the bills
being stronger on the interior but really weak from a depth standpoint at the tackle
position. Dawkins you could argue is coming off maybe his worst season in a very long
time. Spencer Brown's issues have been well documented where he started strong as rookie
campaign faded towards the end of his first season. Last season was dealing with a back
issue never really came on. Bills haven't brought in anyone to challenge them. There
are rumbles that Dawkins might be finishing his career as a guard. How are we feeling
about the offensive line right now? It was not great at the end of the season. They have
done what they do which is throw a bunch of money at some veterans to come in and play.
How do we feel about this offensive line right now? Long sigh is how I feel. It's it's tough
because OK I'll say this. I feel like the signings of Connor McGovern and the signing
of David Schell was it Schell? David Edwards, Branden Schnell and David Brandon Schell.
Yeah, yeah. Brandon Schell, David Edwards. I think that McGovern, Schell and Edwards,
I think those were good moves. There was no way they could anticipate that Schell who
had started eight games last year and said, you know, at least seven or eight games from
the past three years at tackle. There was no way they would know he's planning to retire.
That's kind of breaking right now. I guess he's he's hanging it up. He skipped practice
today and he's going to retire. So they didn't know that was going to happen. But I think
it was a it was a failure on their part not to bring anybody at all into compete with Spencer
Brown, not anybody. They have Ryan Vandermark, who was on their practice squad last year,
and Richard Garage. And so who was an unsigned or undrafted and region Ricky Frey agent.
So their their offensive tackle then Tommy Doyle, who played guard when he played at
all last year and is coming off an ACL injury. Like that. It just seems like, like you said,
they did what they always do. And the only difference I'll say is that instead of signing
a, you know, hung it up two years ago, veteran who's in their mid to late 30s, they did get
Roger Saffold. Yeah, like Roger Saffold. I wasn't going to name him. But yeah, Saffold
sucked last year. He was terrible, terrible. Um, zero sex. They did. Oh my gosh, zero
sex because the undockeds and Mitch Morris were like literally killing themselves to
bail you out every step. Oh, freaking play. So I'm hoping that they that they changed it
slightly and by changed it, they drafted Osiris Torrance with the top three pick and they
signed Connor McGovern, who's only 25 or 26. Those are injections some youth. Yeah, those
are some things that they did that I do think are show a different approach from Brandon
Bean and they had to lay out some money for Connor McGovern. They had to lay out some
money for Ryan Bates last offseason. And I do think that Bates is like a solid he's
a solid guard, I think he's better at left guard than right guard. But he's a decent
center. And I think they're very mindful of Mitch Morris getting older and had his concussion
issues and meeting to have a reliable pivot in the end kind of in reserve. And so I do
like some of the things they did. I think that they should have done more in terms of
finding some tackle depth. And I really hope you know next year next year in the draft,
my number one choice is a tackle of either side in the first round, but they're probably
going to pick that corner or defensive middle linebacker linebacking on how the season goes.
Yeah, right. So yeah, I think yeah, I'll say this above my final thought on the offensive
one. I think that it has the pieces to be better this year than the entire entirety
of last year. But that actually hinges on basically just how Spencer rounded the endockings
are.
Absolutely. I think I trust Connor McGovern on the inside he's a better pass blocker
than a run blocker. But I think that's good. I'm not too worried about him pulling and
stuff like that. I think that, you know, David Edwards is a starter on many NFL teams and
having him as a reserve interior player is is excellent. I think that like butger is
probably going away because of just the reports of how poorly he's looked in practice and
how bad he looked in the you look terrible. Yeah. And so and I actually kind of liked
Ryan Vandermark had some really, really, really bad snaps in the game when he was in at right
tackle. But when he was in at left tackle, which he played in college, and he hadn't
played left tack or I'm sorry, yeah, he hadn't played right tackle since like 2017 until
that colds game and he looked really bad. And there's a lot of muscle memory and technique
that is that changes what that feels like on left or right. And so I'm I wonder if he
becomes the primary to the on dock because he did look way more comfortable and he held
his own left.
It could very well be I mean, they need something. This is where I I think in my heart of hearts,
this thing is heading. You will you you equal the contract now two off seasons ago to keep
Bates in Buffalo. That contract is not elite starter money that is a contract with a guy
of Bates's versatility, because you mentioned he can play center. He can also play tackle.
He is like the last living vestige of the old Buffalo Bills offensive line philosophy
where everybody can do freaking everyone can play everything. Yeah, I think he's got like
a 9.6 RS score to he's a middle league athlete. Yeah, his size and position.
Exactly. Right. I mean, this is the stuff that they the stuff that they coveted right
for a long time ago. A long time two, three years ago. Yes. But enter Aaron Kroemer, right
and the limitations of the roster and who's been available in the draft and what the needs
of this team have been. And I think what we're looking at is a scenario where Osiris Torrance
is your starting right guard next to Spencer Brown. And your answer for tackle depth is
Ryan Bates. I mean, it's a it's a dangerous game because like you said, if Morse goes
down, Bates is your center and then you're back to no tackle depth. You're back to Quessenbury.
Right. So I think if the bills I think where this might be heading and you know, Torrance
got the start against the Colts and you can read into that if you want to first preseason
game. What have you, but he didn't make a mistake. Like he was pretty he was pretty it was a
pretty mundane performance and by mundane, I mean that in a good way and that there was
no holding call. There was no false start. No one penetrated his his area of blocking
to get to the quarterback. Like it was a solid rookie starting performance. I think if you're
the bills, the only reason it makes sense to not challenge Spencer Brown at the tackle
role is because you think Bates is your depth at that role. And they've made every excuse
in the book for Brown the injuries he hasn't had a normal off season, all that kind. And
all those things in fairness are true. It's just interesting when you look at the excuses
that are making for Brown who is a third round pick versus the they seem to be and we'll
talk about this in a little bit. Their first round defensive pick a couple of years ago
and Kyar Elam they're looking for every excuse not to give that guy the job. I just can't
figure out what the bills value as far as talent and build of the team goes because
anyone anyone outside looking at bill expense or Brown like at the very least needs to be
challenged challenged by a competent veteran. The bills did not go that route. So and now
they're lacking depth on the ends. So you're relying on a DN Dawkins bounce back. And you're
relying on a baseline performance from Spencer Brown that you've never seen before at two
really key positions. It's a risky proposition. I'm glad they fortified the interior of that
offensive line for the long term, but tackles at both ends to me are a really big question.
I think we're taken for granted that Dawkins is going to bounce back as well. So everything
is looking up for this offense except for the soft fits of line in my opinion.
Here's a here's a crazy take. What do you think of the Buffalo bills treating? I don't
know. Boogie Basham for Kelvin Beachham from Arizona at right tackle.
Oh, we're going to go to the Arizona pool again. Yeah, Harry took one unwanted draft
pick off our hands. It's a quick word. Well, will we do it again?
Well, I mean, because because well, the reason I say this is he's like a veteran. He's dependable.
He's not flashy. He's not he's kind of he'd be probably better than Roger Saffold in the
same vein as a Roger Saffold, right? Like a former all pro level tackle who is at the
end of his career was drafted in 2012. So it's been a minute, you know, and then the
Arizona Cardinals aren't going anywhere this season. So I think generally, and I'm sure
this is going to be a topic leading up to the trade deadline. I think generally any trade
for Basham happens after they know what the projected return date of Von Miller is. Yeah,
I think I think early on they need the depth because right now and this is maybe a great
segue to talk about the defense. Yes, I think I think right now out of Rousseau and Floyd
who who seemed to have the edges locked in. Epineza has not looked great. Basham had a
sack, but we know what Boogie's track record is with with playing consistently. And I think
he got in like the second quarter against the Colts second Colts second teamer. So take
that with a big grain of salt. I just think this is a team that is lacking depth of the
past rush right now until Miller gets back. I think Floyd is a great addition and immediately
the best pass rush around the team. And if Rousseau does what he says he's going to do,
which is not double digit sex this season, then I think you've got potentially a very
scary trio of pass rushers and Floyd, Floyd, Rousseau and Miller that you can bring to
the table. And in that scenario, yeah, Basham or Epineza are absolutely expendable. But
I think until we know what's going on with Miller, it might be a little too early to
speculate on Boogie Basham trade because he also brings value added at special teams
to like unlike Epineza, Boogie can play a little bit of special teams if they need them
to. So yeah, so I like the hypothesis, but I think I think we're probably a little ways
away from that. Breaking news Dan is wrong and the Buffalo Bills trade Boogie Basham
for
Basham. Yeah, for Kelvin Beachham. JJ for Kelvin Beachham. Hey JJ. If that happens, like if
we go to bed and in the morning that that we get that bulletin, I will send you a bottle
of bourbon. I think I still owe you like two or four bottles of bourbon. And you owe me
a wood chopping sword. I do. You owe me a wood chopping sword, which we will we will
talk about in a later date offline. All right, so that's a great segue though into the next
piece that we want to get to here. So
Sean McDermott taking over for Leslie Frazier, doing a defensive play calling has built an
interesting defensive coaching staff around him as well. So elevated Eric Washington to
I think assistant head coach. But there's some interesting minds on this defensive on
this defensive group. You've got Bobby badgets, Babbage, the linebacker coach who is largely
regarded as like the next up and coming young defensive mind, maybe too young to be a full
time play caller at this point. However, L Holcomb, who many people thought would be
a DC candidate, or and some rumblings that you would even be a head coaching candidate.
After his time in Carolina, senior defensive assistant. And then of course, you've got
some of the retreads like Eric Washington, who is assistant head coach and still coaching
the the underachieving defensive line. So a lot of interesting minds on this group. And
then we know what the play calling chops of Sean McDermott are. So JJ, people have been
piecing through training camp footage, media articles, the first preseason game to figure
out what McD's defense is going to look like. And I still think, like you said, in preseason,
no one's showing anybody anything. But there's some interesting points of contention via
the competitions that are happening on this defense that I think are worth unpacking.
And I think the place I want to start is cornerback to. So our second our second DB opposite of
Trey white on the outside looks to be a pretty unabashedly open competition. You've got
Dane Jackson, who is the new Levi Wallace that this team just simply cannot get rid
of. All right. And it's just but this is the type of guy who late round draft pick right
now. I think we always mess this up. We say six, we say seventh, we say undrafted. He
was a six round draft pick. Can we solidify this? Please? Yeah. So he was a six round
draft pick. And he's exactly the guy that this Buffalo Bills coaching staff prides themselves
on being able to identify draft develop into what they consider to be starter quality talent.
And there's no denying that when white went down, Jackson was maybe playing a little bit
a little bit out in front of his skis with some of the assignments he got. But he held
things down until white got back. But this is a dude who we know what his physical limitations
are. We know what his limitations and coverage are. And yet the bill seemed to want to give
this guy the starting job every year. You've got Christian Benford, who injured at the
end injured at the early start parts of last season, I think in week four, in the mold
of a Dane Jackson, slightly more athletic, large wingspan, great in zone coverage, late
round draft pick, desperate to give this guy reps, he actually challenged Elam for starting
reps at the beginning of last season, because the bills were still out on Elam. And then
you've got the third competitor in this, Kyar Elam, your first round draft pick, the guy
who you traded up to get after by all accounts, you want to Trent McDuffie and this chiefs
traded up and swept him away from you, right? So you panic and you take Elam, who is an
athletic specimen, he really has, he really had a similar draft profile to Trey White
coming out of college. Trey White was billed as pretty much an aggressive physical man
cover corner, who then as a result of his technique developed into a tactician in zone
coverage for the Buffalo Bills. Elam, they were hoping would take the similar, take a
similar trajectory. But again, unlike Spencer Brown, who was getting all the opportunities
one could ask for to start despite tape that tells you this guy can't do it, Elam, who
at the end of last season put some really impressive film out there is in a competition
with two late round draft picks, one coming off an injury with only four weeks starting
experience. And then the other who is a really known quantity. What is this a commentary on
Elam? Is this a commentary on McDermott's coaching philosophy? What are the takeaways
here JJ of the CB two competition? So I think it's a I think it's a commentary
on both. I think that it can't be one without the other because it is Elam because the problem
that they're having is that Elam is not presenting them with the reliable option that they had
when they had, you know, other late round CBs that, you know, were athletically underperforming
like Levi Wallace, Dan Jackson, etc. Christian Benford. So underwhelming athletic specimens
who are reliable, good ballplayers with good instincts who are willing to stick their nose
in there on run support. That is really what McDermott values. He would love that to be
somebody who is also an elite shut down quarter. And he has that intraday via soy. And I think
that like you said, I think that they didn't have the guy they wanted. So they picked the
next option down on their list in the first round when they got higher Elam just seems
like that's the case, especially with the way that they're they postured his place in
the depth chart. I don't think that he does the things that they want him to do the way
he wants to do them. And they McDermott's philosophy, this is also Frazier's philosophy
is to minimize, you know, harm to the team. And I think Elam style is too aggressive.
I mean, he got flagged in the in the game against the Colt, the preseason game, he had
kind of nasty unnecessary pass interference, because he didn't need to grab the player
at the top of his route. I think he's not confident in his own abilities and coverage.
So he tends to get grabby. And I think that that they see that the coaching staff sees
that and they're like, Well, he is the best press corner we have on this team. But he
is too aggressive, too physical, and kind of feels like he's, he's losing a rep. So
he starts to grab and grasp, and they don't want to put that in on the field. Because
a passing interference call can change the entire course of the game in a tight shootout
with the chiefs, for instance, Kairi Elam getting a, you know, a PI and then moving
down to the five yard line is almost a go ahead score when you have Travis Kelsey at
Patrick Mahomes, right? So it's really, I think that's it. I think it's just they don't
count on him and the, you know, the best ability, the reliability and availability. And, you
know, he's not presenting them with somebody they can trust. And that's what they care
about.
Yeah, him and digs got into it early on in camp too, because for the, the, that very
reason that Elam was getting really handsy and really grabby with digs, digs was like,
no, dude, you're, you're, you're coming close to hurting me like you need to back the F
up. So, so, but that, that was also his profile coming out of college as well. And I, the
Buffalo Bills defense has been stable and solid over the last three seasons under McDermott
and under Frazier. They are pretty much top three in every metric that you can identify.
But the reality is that they lose to good QB play it in the postseason every year, because
the defense is pretty vanilla and it's pretty simple and Dane Jackson is pretty vanilla
and pretty simple when it comes to his coverage. He is a known quantity opposite Trey White.
And if you run someone like Jackson out of there out there, I mean, in fairness, opposing
QBs are going to challenge whoever is on the opposite side of Trey White.
Yeah, right. So maybe there is a world where the rationale dictates that at least with Jackson,
you know, he's not going to take those PIs and he's not going to lose this cool. But
we also know that he's going to get exploited more often than not. I think his, his, the
completion rate last year on targets in Dane Jackson's general direction is like 69%.
Yeah. Like, yeah, it's just, I mean, it's as bad. That's bad.
It's just bad when I've got a seven out of 10 chance of completing a pass on you. That's
bad. I'm just gonna throw it.
Throw it. Right.
So I guess to me is it's between. So if Elam is really a sunk cost at this point and you
feel like you've wasted the draft pick, do you want to take the chance that he can maybe
do something spectacular to turn a game around for you like he did at the end of last season
and in the post season last year? Or do you want to lose the same old way you've always
lost? Like I just I don't get it sometimes, right? I don't get it. You know the outcome
if you put Dane Jackson out there. You are relatively certain, you know the outcome with
Kyrie Elam, but there is still a ceiling that is undiscovered with him that to me, I think
is worth the risk, but I'm not on this coaching, I'm not on this coaching staff. So I don't
know. I would not want to lose in the same way every single season to do the same thing
over and over again and expected of a different result is the definition of insanity. And
Dane Jackson is just the insanity that we can't quit. Like it's got to be Elam tonight.
Can I just got to be, can I spread some positivity on this situation? By all means. Okay, so
here's here's I'm going to make a case for giving Dane Jackson the chance or keeping
him in here is here's what I'll say. We know that Tredavius White at this point in his
return from injury is more like the Trey White that that they expected to have last year
when he came back here that they hope would return. And that's been all intensive purposes
reported from anybody who's on the Buffalo beat in the media that Trey White looks like
Trey White and he didn't any time last year, right? Because he was still kind of getting
back at his feeding, getting his feet on him again. But I'll say this. So if you have
Trey White back to 100% and you have Dane Jackson opposite, worst case scenario, Elam
doesn't come through, they can't trust him, whatever happens, happens. You have Dane Jackson
or Christian Benford, who I actually like a little better than Dane Jackson. He's got
a little bit of of athletic upside over Dane Jackson. And he has a really good nose for
the football. And so I could see if it's not Kairi Elam, I might not be as disappointed
if it's Christian Benford. And the way I think this could work is the same thing over and
over, same way getting beat the same way. That was Leslie Frazier's defense beast on
all the observations that people have made and even some stuff that we saw in the first
half against the Colts where the first teamers are out there. McDermott is going to be quite
a bit more aggressive with his defensive line, his stunts and his linebackers. And I really
hope that that can make the difference because you cannot sit back in passive coverage with
Dane Jackson. I agree with that point. You cannot sit back and say the defense is the
defense like we always use on the show. The defense is the defense that'll work and it's
a regular season defense and then it, you know, wilts against top, top opportunity and competition.
That's not going to work. But it will work if you're more aggressive on the front. And
I think that's what you can count on with with Sean McDermott calling the place. Because
that's when sub par defenders in the back end come up with interceptions because there's
hurried rush throws. There's a lot of business around the line and that gives you an extra
opportunity to kind of get in there, make something happen. And I think that that's really what
we need to focus on is if they can get more pressure and we think this past rush is going
to be quite a bit better, then coverage is easier for somebody who doesn't have the elite
skills like me. Yeah, no, I mean, it's a it's a sound argument. I and Benford would feel
like the happy medium, the happy in between between Elam, who seems to be a really like
we said about Shakir, boomer bust at this point versus Jackson, who is as we have said,
vanilla ice cream when it comes to his play style, right? And you're right. A lot of it
is going to depend on what they do up front. If you're going to be more aggressive and
you're going to shorten that coverage window where guys need to stick to stick to the opposing
wide outs, then yes, I absolutely think that works. But Jackson's coverage wasn't holding
up last year and I get the tray white point. I do I it's a point well taken. But his his
time in coverage was shorter last year than it was the previous two seasons. So opposing
players figured out a way or figured out what his tendencies were, and we're breaking his
coverage patterns way earlier on reps than normal. So if you're getting a quick release
off of Jackson, I don't know. I don't know that any amount of blitzing or penetration
in the backfield is going to help keep you keep your your secondary sound when you've
got a guy who's a liability in those situations. I don't know, right? It's it's I mean, it's
not like Jackson is locking down like locking down coverage for three or four seconds at
a time, he gets beat relatively relatively quickly at this stage of his career. So again,
that's why I'm like, it's a roll of the dice, but see what you got with the alone. But I
I don't know that there are any good answers here. I think people are again, taking for
granted that with poyer and hide back in the safety roll together again, that they'll clean
up a lot of mistakes that they have for the secondary in the past. And you and I both
noted that with poyer on the field last year, it wasn't just Dane Jackson, who's play improved,
but it was also Taryn Johnson. Because when those guys are out there, they really really
are the deodorant on a lot of missteps for that secondary. But hide is coming off an
injury poyer, who is just an absolute warrior is coming off an injury riddled season. They're
both a year older at this point. Poyer towards the end of season because the injuries looked
like he lost a step. I think we're taking for granted that the roof on this house is
in solid condition at this point. You know what I mean? Yeah. And I think as a result,
there is a temptation at a complacency to roll Dane Jackson out there. And I think I
think there needs to be a different way of thinking. But again, Elon might not be the
guy. You got to stop grabbing people. You've got to show consistency on raw coverage. And
whatever you want to say about Jackson, he doesn't do those things. Right? He does the
opposite of those things. And I could see an argument for him as a result of that. I
just, I just can't I can't lose the same way every year. Oh, like, it's exhausting.
It's exhausting. I just can't do it. I just can't do it. Yeah. A couple other areas I
want to talk about this defense really quickly is the front, the front four pass rush, which
we've already talked a little bit about at Oliver getting a contract extension. Yeah,
I think which surprised definitely surprised me. We had said heading into the draft that
what they do, particularly in the third round, if they go for like a guy like Eka out of
Baller who who Cleveland ended up drafting in the third round on a compensatory pick.
But if they go for a really traditional one one tech to sit near Oliver, that tells you
they're going to sign them. Well, they didn't do that. So I thought Oliver was out the door,
but they sign them and then they bring in Poon of Ford, which I think is an inspired
pick. And you've got to Quan Jones, who's going to be a year older also holding it down
next to Oliver. Is that enough to you on an interior defensive line that at times disappeared
last year? Is that going to be enough to solidify and anchor this line?
Yes. And I think that for I am shocked by your answer. Okay. Welcome to JJ's positivity
corner. All right, let's talk about it. And this is not I don't think this is baseless
at all. I think that the reports largely are that at Oliver looks like a man on fire coming
out here this year with preparation. He even said so in his like post signing his contract
press conference that he basically wanted to prove everyone wrong that he was worth
at, you know, every dollar and he wanted to kind of turn his career into something special.
And that's cool. And that's all talk. And I think he has the capacity to do that. I
think a lot of the interior defensive line was dinged up last year. And there are four
players that I'm excited to see play in this interior that's at Oliver DePuan Jones, Tim
Settle and Poonaford. Tim Settles having a hell of a preseason.
That's the other piece of it is I think Tim Settle underperformed pretty substantially.
I think they might have renegotiated his contract. They restructured. They restructured him.
Yeah. So like they restructured him over the off season. I'm pretty sure it was one of
those deals where they said you're not going to have a roster spot if you don't take this
deal. And you know, here's a chance for you to earn more money or your money backed by
performance incentives and get less of a cap hit for us. And I think he accepted that deal.
And I think it looks like he's motivated to come out. He's got a year of this in the system.
He understands what he's doing. And the reason I think that the interior will perform well,
and I know we'll talk about the ends. But I think that the reason that I have hope for
them is because they did enough in terms of signing Leonard Floyd in terms of Greg Rousseau
also looking excellent. I mean, it was it was largely reported that the Sheds wasn't
letting the offense even get in good practice reps because they were just shutting everything
down immediately. So I have a lot of hope that events like as you mentioned has been,
you know, a top performer of the league year over year with Leslie Frazier, Sean McDermott
as a defensive coordinator has put out a top defense, Super Bowl contending defense in
years past. So I think that I'm not worried about the defensive line, and I'm not worried
about the defensive interior. I hope that von Miller is back sooner rather than later.
I think it's probably going to be week six, like most people think it's going to be after
they get back from London. And that's fine. I think that really the most important games
from von Miller to play in are the ones in December and January and forward hopefully
in February. But but yeah, I'm not worried about defensive defensive and massively worried
about the middle linebacker. But we'll talk. Yeah, let's so let's talk about that then.
What are they going to do with middle linebacker? I like I don't have a big wind up for it.
Like they they used to third round pick on Dorian Williams from Tulane, who seems to
be more the profile of like a Matt Milano backup than a true middle linebacker. They
sign Tyler Rapp Taylor in the off Taylor Rapp in the off season. Yeah. And then there
are rumblings and preseason that they're going to roll out a lot of dime and that Poyer is
actually going to play up in the box or rat may play up in the box and they might just
eliminate the middle linebacker. I don't know what they're doing. They've got Bale
Inspector, they've got Trell Bernard, who they could roll out there at middle linebacker.
They weren't super impressed with Bernard. Also another third round pick that they made
two drafts ago. I just don't understand. I just generally don't understand what the
bills have been doing with third round draft picks lately. Let me put it that way. Now
in fairness, Williams is is a missile sideline to sideline. But he really is in the profile
athletically of what they ask Matt Milano to do. And it's nice to have some depth behind
Milano who has struggled with some injuries over the past couple of seasons. But that's
not the gaping hole that you have in your defense. It's a middle linebacker. Now you
and I both agreed that this was a terrible middle linebacker draft, generally speaking,
and that the bill should not use an early draft round pick on it. We both felt they
should have gone the vet route and free agency. Your best guess who is starting next to Matt
Milano and our base nickel defense to start the season?
I think it's going to be Terrell Dodson. And I think it's going to be I think it's going
to be a package situation. I honestly believe that, you know, the starter by definition
is going to be Terrell Dodson. But I would not be surprised to see like in certain situations
to Reyl Bernard or Dorian Williams come in in that spot next to me on Milano. And I also
I also think that dime packages, that's a real thing. I think that the Taylor rap signing
was a insurance kind of against no against losing tremendous they tremendous was going
early in, you know, free agency and they knew that was happening moving over to Chicago
on the deal that they signed him to. And so Taylor rap is really, you know, it's somebody
you can bring in into those kind of roles, get muddy in the middle. Because they know
having stuck in nickel for almost every snap for the past three years with Tara Johnson,
that a scrappy enough, you know, defensive back down there can get it done in the in
the run. And so I think that that's what they're going to do. I think probably you're going
to see middle linebacker snaps on this defense are going to go down substantially. I think
game to game, you're going to see an actual middle linebacker on the field in a lower
proportion of steps than we've probably ever seen. So it's coming to me and Edmunds came
in as a rookie took that took that spot was here for five years, you know, and then that
was that. So yeah, I, I think your analysis is is pretty spot on. I there's been a lot
of lauding of Bill Belichick for his draft defensively and some of the free agent signings
they've made, because he's got a lot of tweeners on the roster. He's got a lot of guys that
could be linebackers, could be safeties, could be DBs, but no one really knows. And the thinking
behind that is that Belichick is going to run the Amoeba defense of all time, where
you just never know where coverage is coming from and the past rush is coming from. And
actually think the wrap signing was a big indication early on that the bills needed
to get a little bit more multiple on defense as well. It's a team that offensively and
defensively had become really simplistic towards the end of last season and pretty easy to
figure out. They addressed it, I think in spades on the offensive end, save for the
tackle position. And on the defensive end, I think you put McDermott's innate creativity
as a defensive play caller with some of these unique personnel packages that they can run
out there. And I think what RAP and Williams give you are elements that you have not had
in this defense in a long time, which is chess pieces that bring speed to the table as well.
And this is something I think back way back when when you and I were arguing for JOK to
get drafted, we're like, this is what this dude could be. This guy could be a chess piece
that you put around the field. One of those tweeners where you really don't know where
he's lining up and where he's lining up is indicating to you that just has raw sideline
to sideline speed. And in that vein, I liked the Williams draft pick, though I thought
it was maybe not the best use of a third rounder. But I could at least see the rationale behind
it, which is we're going to have a couple of guys who are going to line up non traditionally
and use an offense and as a QB pre and post snap, we're going to have to figure out where
they're coming from. And I think that's a great look in a nice added multiple wrinkle
that this bill's defense is sorely, sorely needed for a very long time.
Well, and I think it's also I mean, it's when you mentioned Bill Belichick, it's like
Kyle Duggar, right? Like a draft crush from a couple of years ago. It's how many guys
can we get between six feet and six feet to between 200 and 220 pounds, who are fastest
crap and can lay a lay lumber from from long range, but also not completely falter and
coverage. Let's get a bunch of those guys and stick them out there because it's an offensive
league. It's a throwing league. It's more important somebody can can hold up in coverage
than it is that they can take on a guard one on one in a blocking situation, right? Like
or, you know, beat the block situation. So it's not likely that guards are going to be
that effective more than eight feet, eight yards down the field. So like, it's there's
the guards who can get 12 plus yards down the field and effectively blocking space are
few and far between. So let's get a bunch of super fast guys who can work their way
around any of that mess and get in for the tackle. So I like it. I think that you're
right. They're going to be multiple. I think that like you said, Sean, with your miscreativity
is what they're going to have to lean on because there is a hole in middle linebacker. Nobody
they have is somebody I would consider an above average or even average NFL starting
caliber middle linebacker on this roster. I think we're going to miss admins and run
run stopping for sure. And just the amount of space he took up in coverage. But I think
the trade off for that again is we're going to get a little bit of we're going to get
be able to add a little bit of deception to the pre snap determinations that some of these
QBs are making. So we'll see what McDermott does. We'll see it's all in the execution.
We'll see how it pays off. But it has been it's been interesting nonetheless. And there's
going to be more breadcrumbs to follow before before game one against the New Jersey Jets.
All right, so let's let's let's land this thing. Shall we let's let's talk about reasons
why the bills will and won't contend for a Super Bowl this season. So JJ in the best
of all possible worlds, the Buffalo Bills will contend for a Super Bowl if what happens.
They will contend for a Super Bowl if Josh Shannelin has a six has a healthy season and
passes for over 5000 yards. I think oh wow, yeah, that's quite the qualifier. Yeah, I
think that's true though, because that I feel the only way he gets there is if he's distributing
the ball to so many different targets that he's meeting that condition you mentioned
at the beginning of the pod, which is when he when he hits more than seven, you know,
past catchers in a game, bills have won 100% of those times. So yeah, I mean, there it's
a it's a pretty stacked record when he can play point guard in that way. That's interesting,
the 5000 yard thing, you know, I think the Buffalo Bills contend. I think all of those
things are true and they need to happen. But I think they rely on the offensive line being
better this year. I think and I think the bills are literally an offensive line away
from contending for a Super Bowl legitimately. What did we see at the end of last season?
The two best offensive lines arguably in the league duking it out in the Super Bowl, the
Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. And those are teams that have invested drafted
on the Eagles. It seems like they draft offensive and defensive linemen pretty much every year.
And then the Chiefs have gone the free mix of the free agent and draft route and hit
on some really amazing picks like our coveted Creed Humphrey. Yes. Yes. The one that got
away. The one that got away. Oh, Creed, please. What what we could have done together, Creed,
what we could have done together. Yeah. Please come, please come back. So I think the bills
can be can contend in the regular season as is. But I think if they're going to reach
that level, reach the promised land, so to speak, we have seen the type of offensive
line play that you need. And if they win, the bills offensive line is going to have
to ascend to that. So on the flip side, if the Buffalo, if the Buffalo Bills are not
contending for a Super Bowl, I have two reasons why they wouldn't. One would be the offensive
line if it's just the same old same old that we got last year. But here's my second reason.
And it's one that I don't think enough of us are talking about the age of the defense.
So we've talked about some of the young guys, right? At Oliver is 25, Punefort, I think
is only 27. Russo is going into his third season, his third full season this year. Yes.
So I think he's 24, I want to say, right? Like that. Jordan Poyer, who I will worship
forever 32, coming off an injury riddled season. Micahide 32, coming off an injury riddled
season. Trey White, I believe is 29 at this point. He's 29 is 30. He's almost 30. A.J.
Klein, who may be your Tremaine Edmonds replacements, no, sitting is sitting there at 32 years old.
Jordan Phillips, 30 years old. Leonard Floyd, 30, not to mention Von Miller, who I think
turns 34 in the middle of the season. Yeah. Yeah. It's it is a long 17 game season and
the bills have struggled with injuries on both sides of the ball. The age relative age
of this defense is older compared to other teams in the league. There is a value to that
type of veteran leadership, but there is also a risk. We saw the risks last year. And many
of these guys are one year older than they were last year. So I think if the Buffalo
Bills don't contend this year, it's for two reasons. Offensive line plays exactly like
it did last year. And age finally catches up to some of these veteran leaders on this
team. Yeah, I think that that's a concern. You know, who's not old. A.R.E.L.M. He's 22.
Thank you. You know, now you're. Yeah, Dan Jackson's what he's 27 going to be 28 in the
middle of the season, right? Yeah. Yeah. Come on. Thank you for getting on the. Thank you
for engaging in ageism and getting on the Kyrie Lomband wagon. Well, because I mean,
that's just that's what, you know, that's something I recently learned that like he's
younger than like some of the bills draft picks from this this rookie draft. Yeah. And
it's just like, so no, I Kyrie Lomb. Yeah. But yeah, no, I think that I agree with you
because I think that the story of a season for any contender can all almost always a
chapter of that story is about injuries. It's about who are the key contributors that they
lost if they were expecting to help them compete for the championship. And, you know, last
year for us, that was a story of Micahide. That was a story of, you know, the awful thing
that happened to Marhamlin, right? Like, and so that was a story of losing, you know, the
best Spencer Brown could have because he was battling a back injury at surgery on his spine
over the summer, right? Like a.
Von Miller ACL. Von Miller ACL. A tridivus weight coming back from an ACL. Like there's
so many little wrinkles there and that does not get better with an aggregate old team.
It only gets worse.
No, I can speak from experience of aging ungracefully that it's only harder to operate
on a day to day basis as you get older. Your health, no matter the level of training does
not improve as you get older and take those hits on the field. So, yep. So yeah, I don't
think we I don't think we're talking enough about it. I think we're taking for granted
that McDermott's going to scheme something up, but it's a it is an aging defense. And
it's it's the last ride for a lot of these guys, sadly, right with this team more than
likely. So you're hoping it turns out more positive, but yeah, on an exceptionally positive
note, pod number one, we're back season in the books, man. We are back, baby. We are
back. Awesome. All right, so we're going to do this thing weekly for those of you listening
at home. Next week, we're going to preview the division a little bit. The AFC East or
AFC Beast is some people are calling it these days. We'll break down the New Jersey Jets,
Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots. We'll also give you a little bit of a recap of the
Bill's most recent preseason game camp rumblings and some more predictions. Sure to go wrong
for the start of the season. So for those of you listening at home, please listen wherever
you get your podcasts, Google Apple and Spotify. And as always, go Bill's. Go Bill's.