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00:00So, Sal, we really don't know anything about today.
00:02Let me just put it to you.
00:03What do we know about the Bills today?
00:05Oh, we kind of know, like, some of the players that showed up
00:08because the Bills put some stuff out on social media,
00:11as I said, that they would, and they'll kind of show some video.
00:13And they have video of, you know, Josh Allen walking with Shane Buchel,
00:18I think it is.
00:18And then, but the pictures, you have Khalil Shakir,
00:20who banged the drum last night at the game.
00:23I saw Alec Anderson and Travis Clayton on the big screen at the game
00:26last night when I was there.
00:29Dalton Kincaid's in the pictures, Max Harrison, Joe Andreessen.
00:33So, we kind of can just piece together guys who were there.
00:35We don't really know.
00:37I think they have more than that.
00:38If you click the website, there's more pictures.
00:40Yeah, I see that now.
00:41There's a bunch more pictures.
00:41So, you can kind of figure out, like, who was there.
00:44It doesn't mean everybody who was there is in the picture
00:47or people who weren't.
00:49You know, I guess in picture, not there.
00:51Josh Allen was there, though.
00:52We know that because he's in multiple pictures.
00:55How are you guys with the backup being Kyle Allen or Buchel?
01:01I mean, you mentioned him being on the team.
01:04Is that good enough for you guys?
01:06I mean, not to be morbid or anything or try to –
01:10I'm not predicting this,
01:11but one of these times Allen is just, like, not going to get up,
01:14and do you look at it as, well, that's a fait accompli.
01:17There's no chance.
01:18There's no surviving that if or when that happens.
01:22Or do you want – maybe would you prefer –
01:25maybe you like who they have.
01:27Might you prefer somebody else?
01:29I'm thinking about the Chiefs adding Justin Fields.
01:33I'm not going to sit here and build an argument that, like,
01:35he's actually going to be a bona fide starter anymore.
01:38I'm off that.
01:39But at least he's somebody – he's different and has some experience.
01:45Like, he could be a problem for teams, you know,
01:49that face the Chiefs if Mahomes is not available.
01:52He might not be to start the season.
01:54Are the Bills good enough at QB2?
01:58Okay, so I think I'm going to kind of attack your question
02:01from a few different things you said.
02:02The Chiefs are in a much different spot.
02:05They traded for Justin Fields because of Patrick Mahomes' injury
02:08and not being able to take reps necessarily during the end of summer.
02:11Right.
02:11Right?
02:12Like, they need a guy and then they can groom him.
02:16And it's a really good situation for him because he'll get reps.
02:18Right?
02:19So that's good.
02:19And with coming off the injury, they're in a different type of deal.
02:23And I do know what – Carson Wentz was there, right?
02:24Who was their backup last year?
02:26Minshew.
02:26Who got hurt last year actually?
02:27Gardner Minshew.
02:28I'm sorry.
02:28Minshew.
02:29Right, Minshew.
02:30And then they even brought Shane Bouchelle in.
02:32To answer your question, is that good enough?
02:34My answer is no, but to get good enough, you have to spend more
02:39than you do on Kyle Allen, who's basically about a $2 million cap hit.
02:43And because Josh Allen does play so much and because you're just kind of banking
02:48on him being available and because you're so tight against the cap,
02:51you can't do that.
02:53You can't go out and spend money on a backup quarterback who probably won't be
02:57playing and it's going to cost you in other positions.
02:59My guess is, Mike, if what happens, if what you said does happen,
03:04Josh Allen goes down and he's actually going to miss significant time,
03:08I think they find somebody other than Kyle Allen.
03:11I think Kyle Allen is there for the room.
03:13He's there to help out as a guy that's a really good supporter of Josh Allen,
03:17the offense, everything that goes on there.
03:19He knows the system.
03:20He's been here.
03:21And then if he has to get through a game for the rest of the game or one game,
03:25he can do that.
03:27Right, so if something were to happen to Allen before the trade deadline,
03:32they make a trade.
03:33If it happens later than that, you see if Phillip Rivers
03:37or some version of Phillip Rivers wants to come out.
03:40Maybe that's where you end up.
03:43Yeah, I think I don't need to go far weighing in here because I agree almost
03:48across the board with everything you said.
03:50The Chiefs should have been motivated to do as well as they could do.
03:55And you can even argue whether Fields represents that or not with the career
03:59he's had so far.
04:00But he's a name and certainly is a talent.
04:03And they may not have Mahomes in September.
04:05And I would want to be guarding against that as optimistic as you want to be.
04:09So then I think you're motivated to do more, therefore spend more,
04:13and make sure you're a little more secure.
04:17Can I tell you the name I really want to bring up here?
04:19And you're not going to roll your eyes, but other people will.
04:22Paul Richardson.
04:23Like this is one of my favorite ideas is for the Bills or any team to have
04:30somebody like that where you can just sort of mess with opponents.
04:33And, again, it's not like QB1.
04:36It's not leader of men.
04:37I'm leaving all that.
04:39That's all off the table.
04:40All I want is a guy who can run through you, run around you,
04:43and throw it over you.
04:45And I think if he's on the field for a team, that's a little bit scary.
04:49You know, and nobody's necessarily talking about controversy or anything like that.
04:54He's just a weapon.
04:56And I think Fields is that.
04:57So, you know, that's kind of where my mind is when it comes to this.
05:01But this has not been the Bills' style or really most teams.
05:07Here's Richardson, Sal, who the Colts basically said,
05:10you can take him, and nobody has.
05:12Well, because taking him means giving them something for him
05:16and inheriting the fifth overall pick-in-the-draft contract that he's still on.
05:21Well, they could split that up.
05:22I wonder what that – yeah, there's probably ways to mitigate that.
05:25The Colts probably want to be rid of him, I think.
05:27Yeah.
05:29I mean, I think his base salary is only 1.1, but it says guaranteed salary 5.3.
05:34So I'm wondering what all that it means as far as a team that would trade for him.
05:40It's not Dawson Knox money.
05:41I mean, I love the talent, but I'm scared of the player, like,
05:45not really understanding how football works.
05:48Yeah, and I just – yeah, you have to give up something, right?
05:51What are they giving up?
05:52And where is he going to go?
05:52Green Bay maybe?
05:53Has that been kind of likely?
05:55Or maybe Cleveland?
05:56I've heard some different teams in there he could go to.
05:59I like my – like, the idea in principle I agree with what you said.
06:03Like, I think Anthony Richards is actually –
06:05people kind of sort of compared him to Josh Allen when he's coming up.
06:09Yeah.
06:09Like, oh, my God.
06:10I don't think he gets picked fifth overall as raw as he was without Allen existing.
06:14Correct.
06:15We talked about it all the time in the run-up to that draft.
06:17The fact that Allen happened and was as raw as he was and became this, you know,
06:23incredible super weapon that he is is what the – and now since Richardson is busted,
06:30now we're back to, like, hitting pause on the toolsy guy being a high pick
06:35because, like, you know, we're a little worried because Richardson didn't work out.
06:38But, yeah, the comparison is apt, I think.
06:42And – but I think giving up an asset, what is that asset?
06:45I do think it's more money.
06:47I don't know, again, what are you taking on as the team taking him?
06:50And, again, I think you have to consider here that – knock on wood somewhere, guys,
06:55Josh Allen has the longest active streak of a guy playing, right?
06:57Like, I mean, he just doesn't miss games.
07:00And you can say, well, what if that happens?
07:02Well, but it hasn't.
07:03And they have to – they're trying to contend by using money around the roster
07:06and they're tight against the cap.
07:07Yeah.
07:07So I think you have to consider that.
07:09You know, who is the guy that everybody – Marcus Mariota was somebody that a lot of
07:12people thought could fit.
07:13Even me.
07:14Like, all right, yeah, Marcus Mariota.
07:15Like, he'd be a good backup for Josh Allen.
07:17I mean, he went back to Washington on a cap number of $7.3 million.
07:23Like, one-year deal.
07:25Like, I'm not interested in doing that if I'm the Buffalo Bills.
07:28So that's really the bottom line here, I guess, for you, Sal.
07:31Yes, 100%.
07:32What does it cost?
07:33Can you justify appropriating big money to it?
07:36And, I mean, we hope not to find out, but it's an interesting thesis that, well,
07:42if they need somebody to play the bulk of their games, they'll go get somebody else.
07:45Because that's not a given that you'd be able to do that successfully.
07:50But it's an interesting thought.
07:53Sal Capaccio with us on the West Her Hotline.
07:56Sal, turning attention to the draft, which is looming here.
08:00It's just a little more than two weeks away from us now.
08:04You know, we usually talk about holes, right?
08:07And, like, what do you think, you know, can you sell me on, like, you talked me back into receiver
08:13at 26 if they, you know,
08:15so desire that there's a case still to be made for that.
08:18And I was grateful for that.
08:20Let me ask you it this way.
08:22Is there, are there, because there could be multiple positions, are there positions you're ruling out for the first-round
08:28pick?
08:28Or do you truly think, like, it's so far down that if, like, a corner they like, for instance, is
08:36there at 26,
08:37that they would have to do it because the talent of the player is so much better than anybody else
08:42on their board?
08:43Even though they've got, you know, one corner locked up on a long-term contract
08:47and a number one pick from last year on the other side.
08:52Are there any positions you're ruling out?
08:54I'm now loading the question on you.
08:56I'm ruling out every position on offense except wide receiver, first of all.
09:01I cannot see any sort of quarterback, no.
09:05Running back, no.
09:07Tight end, no.
09:08Anything on the offensive line, no.
09:10Wide receiver, possible.
09:11So anything on the offense except for wide receiver.
09:15Defense, I am doing the opposite.
09:18I'm not ruling out pretty much anything except, I don't even want to say except, like, I have a hard
09:23time.
09:24I get there are people out there that have done some mocks that have the Bills taking a corner.
09:28And you do need corners, and they are thin.
09:30They have two starters locked up for long-term deals.
09:33Like, I don't know, you take a corner at 26, when is he playing?
09:36Who's he playing over?
09:37You're not rotating Max Harrison.
09:39So I kind of want to do that, to be honest with you.
09:41Me too.
09:42That's why I'm asking.
09:42Corner was what I had in mind when I asked you the question.
09:45Edge, tackle, linebacker.
09:47Safety.
09:48Safety's different.
09:49I think they have their starters.
09:51But C.J. Garner Johnson is a wild card, and he's on a one-year deal.
09:55I could absolutely see them taking a safety there.
09:58I don't know what they feel about Jordan Hancock.
09:59So I think the only position I would not rule out on offense is wide receiver.
10:04And the only position I'm close to ruling out on defense is cornerback.
10:08Speaking of defensive backs, I also got this from Pat Doherty's column.
10:13I just, I guess I want to say I will never miss an opportunity to bring this up, because
10:17I think it's that incredible.
10:19How did the Jets go the entire season without an interception?
10:25Oh, amazing.
10:25How is that possible?
10:27Not to mention that their coach, for what it's worth, was an outstanding defensive back
10:32in the NFL.
10:33Like, wouldn't that be something that maybe they'd be a little bit better than average
10:37at?
10:37Zero.
10:38The second fewest in the league.
10:40Three teams had six interceptions.
10:42The Bears had 23.
10:44The Jets did not.
10:45How do you manage to go an entire season without intercepting?
10:49Can anybody get their hands up at the line?
10:52Tipped ball, big guy pick, whatever.
10:55What the heck is that?
10:56I mean, how do you go an entire year without an interception?
10:59I know that's not what you were expecting when you called in today, Sal.
11:02It's amazing.
11:03It is amazing.
11:03I agree, but there is some ball luck there, which is like, you know, guys, I don't know
11:08what you want to call it luck, but some guys didn't hold on to a couple, right?
11:11There was one in Buffalo last game of the year, I think, like, oh, that was close.
11:15Like, that could have been it.
11:15It was popped up in the air.
11:17Guy dives and just hits the ground, right?
11:19You know, you get one of those, it's a little bit of a different story.
11:22So, yeah, it is a remarkable stat.
11:25It will continue, of course, in the next year.
11:27Who knows?
11:28And we're getting close, Mike, another month or so.
11:30We're going to find out if the Bills open with the Jets.
11:32And whoever they open with, that's going to be a storyline that, you know,
11:35will they get their first interception in whatever games?
11:38Ronnie Lott had the last Jets interception.
11:40Nobody can believe that.
11:41There's no way to find out, but it's been that long.
11:43I like Bulldog's draft question, and I wonder what not having a second-round pick might mean
11:49to their strategy when it comes to need versus best-player-available stuff.
11:55I know what they're going to say.
11:57Nobody ever wants to cop to drafting for need, right?
12:01Nobody does.
12:01It's always like, that's not what you say.
12:04And maybe they can find their way to a second-round pick.
12:06I'd like to see them do it by trading out of the first round.
12:09But they could also trade back in and do something there, maybe.
12:13But, like, if you, to use cornerback again, well, that's not where the draft is rich right now.
12:22But if we had a second-round pick, we would expect to be able to pick up our edge rusher
12:28or something there, but we don't, or whatever way you want to, you know, spin it.
12:32And I wonder if that's something where they might feel a little bit more like a gun is to their
12:37head
12:37in the first round.
12:39Yeah, I understand that.
12:40I wonder, too, like, the overall question of how not having a second-round pick changes your strategy.
12:46And maybe Brandon Bean kind of already had it in his head what the strategy is
12:51when he made the deal for DJ Moore.
12:53Like, that's something I'd like to know eventually, which is to kind of know, like,
12:58okay, I'm going to give up a second-round pick, but here's my plan.
13:00Not having a second-round pick.
13:03Or was it just, that's what it costs, I want this player, I'm going to do it,
13:06I'll figure it out later.
13:07So, like, we've talked about what kind of draft this is.
13:10It doesn't feel like it's the best draft, and maybe that played into it, which is, look,
13:14it's not, I'm not getting the value at second round this year.
13:17So, if you don't also fear of getting value in first round, maybe because of that same reason, 26,
13:22what do we always say?
13:23It's a big debate.
13:23Like, there's no way there's 26 first-round grades.
13:25Like, it just doesn't happen.
13:26If they feel they get to 26, and there's just nobody with really a true first-round grade,
13:30maybe they, okay, let's recoup that second-round pick.
13:33Maybe they've thought that all along, right?
13:35So, I agree with you.
13:36Not having a second-round pick is really interesting to me about how they operate on,
13:40you know, Thursday night of round one.
13:42Would you like to see the Sabres play the Lightning in a playoff series?
13:47Are you hoping for that?
13:48At any point?
13:50I talked about this today for a good first segment because, man,
13:56they are really starting to get under my skin and annoying.
13:58The fan base.
13:59The fan base.
14:00I mean, I don't know.
14:02Maybe you guys haven't dived too much into it today.
14:04I listened to the first part of your show, but the Samuelson thing with Point,
14:07like, we had, like, media in Tampa, like, oh, my God, he pushed him into the goalpost,
14:13like, into Luke, and I'm like, what?
14:14I watched the replay 10 times.
14:16Like, he put his hand on him.
14:17You know, they're going super fast.
14:19The thing about the penalty box, it's a real shame.
14:21You know, I don't – here's my thought.
14:23I don't think the guy did anything wrong.
14:24He was looking at the clock.
14:25He's trying to let Benson out.
14:26It just so happened he's holding the door to let Benson out.
14:29But, you know, you get Cooper who says something about it after the game,
14:31and that becomes controversial.
14:33The Hagel stuff, he doesn't wind up playing.
14:35But the bigger thing is – and I know I shouldn't be like this.
14:38I'm going to be petty when I say this.
14:40Like, you know, I lived down there, right?
14:41I was in southwest Florida.
14:42I went to Lightning games.
14:43Literally, they were in existence for a good at least five, six years,
14:47and they were still putting pamphlets out about what icing was
14:49and what off-sides was so people would know.
14:51And then they went to Stinkin' Cup in 04, and they get this entitlement,
14:55and now you have their fans coming out of the woodwork thinking that Sabres fans
14:58are suddenly just some sort of bandwagon people who don't know hockey,
15:02and it's really annoying to me.
15:03Sorry.
15:03I went off on that because you asked me to trigger it.
15:07I have done my own study.
15:09I'm here for it, so.
15:10I have completed my own research.
15:13Ninety-seven percent of Lightning fans were once Sabres fans that moved there.
15:18Yeah.
15:19So, take that.
15:20Yeah.
15:21All right.
15:21I did not know – I mean, I saw the Samuelson play.
15:26I'm stunned to hear that that is some point of contention from the game last night.
15:31Oh, yeah.
15:32Just like any play with a guy going to the net to me.
15:36Like, I just did not think anything of it.
15:41Go to X, type in Samuelson with the two S's, obviously, because that will help you.
15:45Because, you know, and you'll see people, there's some media in Tampa that even, like,
15:51are questioning that he pushed them into, Lukanen.
15:53And then there's, of course, fans.
15:55And fans are going to be fans.
15:55They're going to do that.
15:56And everything, oh, my God, I can't believe it, how dirty that is.
15:59Like, what are we looking at here, right?
16:00I mean, come on.
16:02And it's just – I mean, they're upset.
16:03Of course, their team lost.
16:04I totally get it.
16:04I was actually thinking today, Mike, about is it – are the – I know the Sabres haven't
16:08had the success of the Patriots in the past.
16:10Of course not.
16:11But are Lightning fans kind of looking at the Sabres, like Bill's fans are looking at the
16:15Patriots right now, like, oh, we have a problem here for a while, right?
16:19Like, who are you?
16:20They're going to be pretty good and not go away.
16:22You know what I mean?
16:23I didn't see you coming this fast, right?
16:25Yeah, exactly.
16:26That's basically how I felt about New England all year last year.
16:28I don't know.
16:29I don't know if it's the same.
16:30Because I think if I were a Tampa fan, I might still just, like, not believe in the Sabres
16:35as a thing.
16:37Even with the season.
16:39I didn't believe in the Patriots all year.
16:40They went to the Super Bowl.
16:41Yeah.
16:42Well, they were lucky.
16:44To answer your question, yes, I would love to bury the Lightning in the first round.
16:47I'm still not to the point where it could actually probably exceed what I would think
16:52about the Boston Bruins and burying Brad Park's memory from my brain, which will never happen,
16:56but that's just the way it is.
16:57No, that'll never happen.
16:58That's right.
16:59Thanks for your time, Sal.
17:00Take the rest of the day off.
17:02Thanks, guys.
17:03Sal Capaccio on the Western Hotline.
17:05His appearances are brought to you by New York's Only Outlet Liquor.
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