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00:00We have the NFL Draft this week, and the Bills did some talking today,
00:05so did not want to ignore all of that, which seems ridiculous to say,
00:13but the Sabres are so top of mind, and wow, what a night.
00:17I'm Mike Shope, Bulldog back tomorrow.
00:19Sal Capaccio with me on the Western Hotline.
00:22Let's start there, Sal.
00:24What a night.
00:24Were you in there?
00:25I was.
00:26It was great.
00:27It was awesome.
00:31The emotion before the game, just incredible.
00:34Made sure to get in the seats, to kind of experience all of that.
00:38It was great.
00:39And then for two and a half periods, I think the towel they gave us,
00:43I did the Jerry Tarkanian on that.
00:44I was biting that towel, man.
00:45I was so nervous.
00:48I couldn't believe it, and Swayman was playing so great.
00:50I thought the Sabres were the better team for two-plus periods.
00:54They just couldn't get one by him.
00:55I'm thinking, man, how are you going to score two in the next few games,
00:59let alone two in the next ten minutes, and then suddenly, bam, bam, bam.
01:03And what was crazy, Mike, was just, it was, every goal was,
01:09the crowd was still buzzing from the goal before.
01:11You know what I mean?
01:12Yeah.
01:12You know what I mean?
01:13And that's what kind of hyped it up even more, which was incredible.
01:17Yeah.
01:17Almost like, despite how stressful most of the game was,
01:21you might say you wouldn't have wanted it to be any different than what you got.
01:27Because, you know, any questions about their metal, physical side,
01:32these kinds of things, they held up to all of that and then dug out a win.
01:36So, pretty amazing.
01:38And I went on, I went, I listened to Jeremy and Joe this morning,
01:42and then I went over and rewound, because they do the stream also on WEEI,
01:48and listened to them talk about it this morning, which was super interesting as well.
01:52And, you know, they were pretty critical, of course, of the Bruins.
01:55And, you know, I mean, they were choking it away,
01:58as I think the way Greg Hill may have described it or whatever.
02:01But they also had the attitude of, okay, but if you get game two,
02:04you still accomplish what you're supposed to accomplish.
02:06It just kind of stinks to lose game one like that when you know you had it in your hands.
02:09So, pretty interesting from their side, too.
02:11Yep.
02:11I'm surprised it came up on their show.
02:14Ha!
02:15Well, they had, they were live right by the marathon for today.
02:19That, too.
02:20By the way, congrats to our GM, Tim Wenger, running the Boston Marathon.
02:27Did he do that?
02:27I didn't know that.
02:28Oh, how great is that?
02:29Good for him.
02:30Pretty amazing.
02:31Pretty amazing.
02:32Tim Wenger from WBEN and Odyssey Buffalo running the marathon today.
02:36So, shout out to him.
02:37Congratulations.
02:38Did he win?
02:39No, I don't think so.
02:40I didn't see his name.
02:41I don't know who won.
02:42But, so, you never know, I guess.
02:43I shouldn't say that for sure.
02:45Maybe he won.
02:45We don't know for sure.
02:46Maybe he won the Boston Marathon.
02:48Maybe he did.
02:50I would say, though, that they were live near the marathon, and they started their show
02:55with Bruins, and then they got to the Celtics.
02:57And maybe it's just because the Celtics basically just, you know, just routed, 76ers, right?
03:03I mean, it's just like, crushed them.
03:05And it was like, okay, whatever.
03:06They're going to win this in four.
03:07There is a challenge there that I am just not, I cannot relate to.
03:12I mean, I wasn't even thinking about the marathon, Patriots Day.
03:15The Red Sox played at 11 this morning, and, you know, A.J. Brown is going to be a Patriot.
03:21There are options for a sports talk show in Boston.
03:25I mean, I'm mostly kidding when I say the surprise that the hockey game came up, but not completely kidding.
03:33And, you know, losses can be more interesting to talk about, to your point about the Celtics.
03:37Enough about Boston.
03:40So, what did we get from the Bills today, Sal?
03:44So, we got Josh Allen speaking, and then we had, you know, about his offseason, about, you know, becoming a
03:52dad for the first time, about his foot injury.
03:55Really interesting.
03:57They actually, there was a broken bone in his foot, a bone that came out, basically, came off detached from
04:03where it was supposed to be.
04:05And he said that, like, they just removed it, took it out of there, really kind of threw it out.
04:09Really?
04:09It's gone.
04:10Yeah, didn't put it back in.
04:11And maybe even more interesting, it was an older injury, he said, but, like, nothing he thought about or was
04:17bothering him.
04:17But when they went in, said he actually kind of did something to this a while ago.
04:22No one really knows when or where.
04:24You know, it's one of those things that had been kind of lingering.
04:26And that probably is what contributed to the injury itself when it happened in Cleveland.
04:31So, that was interesting.
04:32And then, you know, talking about DJ Moore and, you know, adding him and some of the changes this offseason,
04:38including, obviously, Joe Brady and all that.
04:40And then we heard from Brandon Bean on the draft.
04:45Got an update on quite a few injured players, guys who were injured last year.
04:50And I literally went down the list and asked him specifically.
04:53Michael Hoyt, he would say, Dorian Strong.
04:55And he would say, and I did an article at WGR5.com detailing everything he said exactly about each guy,
05:02where they are, recovery, timeline, all of that.
05:05Talked about the drafts, talked about some of the roster, you know, where they are there.
05:10And then Joe Brady, just on, you know, his, you know, first veteran minicamp as a head coach and where
05:16he is right now with all of that.
05:17What did you get on Hoyt, Sal?
05:19You've said many times how pivotal you think he might be to their draft plans.
05:24Did you get a sense one way or another about what they expect from him?
05:29No, but, you know, Brandon's not what they expect from him, Mike.
05:32But I would say, here's the exact quote.
05:34I'll actually read this to you.
05:34I posted this at the website with all of the others.
05:37Quote, he's doing well, not fully cleared, though, but he's here.
05:40He's still rehabbing.
05:41He falls into that bucket like he's allowed to be, to do certain things, but he's not full go yet.
05:47I think that sounds encouraging to me.
05:49Allowed to do certain things, not full go yet?
05:51We're here in April, right?
05:52I mean, to me, that means, hey, at some point when he says yet, he'll be full go.
05:57Obviously, you know, at some point we knew that would happen.
06:00But it hopefully sounds like, you know, that's sooner rather than later.
06:04And I do think he's, you know, important to them.
06:07You know, Michael Hoyt yesterday was the Bills did a video for the Sabres, like a hype video.
06:13The guys were walking out of the, you know, locker room or training center, and they said something about the
06:18Sabres, go Sabres or whatever.
06:20And Michael Hoyt, here's a guy, he's from Canada, and he's like, get pucks deep, go to the net.
06:24And he's going through what to do.
06:25But I just kind of watched and noticed that he was walking and wasn't, didn't have the assistance of crutches
06:31or anything like that.
06:32And it didn't look like he was wearing a boot necessarily.
06:35So, yeah, that was encouraging to me, too.
06:37I have another Sabres question I want to ask you.
06:40Okay.
06:40Just as friends here.
06:42Do you have, I mean, you know a lot of people.
06:44Do you have friends from other markets that you have, did they happen to sort of text you or anything
06:50or comment on what last night looked like?
06:53I have a friend in Vancouver who was a Leafs fan.
06:57And I got a text from him, like, I cannot believe the vibes there.
07:02They look like this.
07:03Just sort of blown away.
07:04I mean, as we talk about, but it's kind of a cliche.
07:07If you're of a certain age, you wouldn't know.
07:10But, you know, there was a tweet today that Jeremy shared about, we always win in the ratings, 15-year
07:17drought, top market for the gold medal game, et cetera, et cetera.
07:20I wondered if you might have heard from people around the country about the Sabres.
07:25Quite a few, actually, Mike.
07:27My guy, TJ Reeves in Tampa, Buccaneer sideline reporter, texted me, it is electric over the TV.
07:33I can only imagine being there.
07:35Another friend of mine from that same area who's not much of a hockey fan literally wrote that in a
07:40text to me.
07:41And he said, dude, you know, I don't watch much hockey, but that had to be insane.
07:46And then I have a text thread with some of my friends from in Florida where, like, they might have
07:52been watching or might not have, but they all were kind of recognizing what was going on.
07:57And there was some of that going on.
07:58So no doubt about it.
08:00And I also texted with Ben Volin today because Ben tweeted last night that he did not know or did
08:05not.
08:05He asked a question on Twitter.
08:07Do they always sing the Canadian national anthem in Buffalo?
08:10Oh, really?
08:11Yes, he did not know.
08:12And he got a lot of, like, really snark replies, of course, on Twitter.
08:15I'm like, how do you not know that?
08:17So I actually texted Ben today and I'm like, I know you got these replies.
08:20But just so you know, they've been doing it, obviously, since the 70s.
08:23And here's why.
08:24They have a lot of Canadian fans.
08:25And he said, you know, I never noticed.
08:27I said, well, why would you?
08:27Right?
08:28It's not like you watch a lot of Sabres games on national TV.
08:31They don't even show the anthem half the time or most of the time.
08:33Yeah.
08:34Since day one, I think, right?
08:36We've always.
08:36Day one, 1970.
08:37I think that's right.
08:39Yes.
08:39Sal Capaccio on the Western Hotline.
08:41Okay.
08:42Now that I've asked that, indulge myself with that question.
08:47BetOnline puts even money to be the first Bills draft pick, defensive line or edge rusher.
08:54Like that, that is the favorite of all positions to be where the Bills go first.
08:59Um, certainly talked about it a lot.
09:02The talent is there in the draft for this to be right.
09:05Uh, the need is there well enough.
09:07It could also include defensive tackle that Ohio State guy.
09:09We've talked about some.
09:10Um, so, um, how confident would you be in that being where the Bills start this week?
09:18I think that's my number one area that I would put right now.
09:22Um, I, I've been pretty consistent on this, as you know, I think it's D line number one.
09:28I think wide receiver number two, and then linebacker number three for me, like that would
09:33be the order of most likely to me.
09:36And I just look at the breadcrumbs and the clues and things that get said in the way the
09:40roster has been constructed in the approach to the roster.
09:43And one other thing that happened today gets me even more to more, maybe more defensive
09:49tackle and less edge.
09:50I have not been as much of an edge rusher pass rusher on this.
09:54I think a Michael Hoyt matters here.
09:57If they believe Michael Hoyt is going to still miss significant time, it definitely comes more
10:01into play.
10:02But again, I think that they're probably thinking he's going to be ready.
10:05He's going to play at some point, maybe early in the season, if not right away.
10:08But the other part of it is Mike once again, today, Brandon being brought up Javon Solomon.
10:14He was specifically asked by Matt Bove.
10:16Is there a player who you think might fit this system better than the last system?
10:21And that was that he said, it's easy and easy one.
10:23He said is Javon Solomon easy.
10:25So, you know, I've been, I've been banging this drum for a while about how they've been
10:29talking about Javon Solomon.
10:30And that gets me to, okay, you have Greg Rousseau.
10:33You signed Bradley Chubb.
10:34You think this highly of Javon Solomon, you have a Michael Hoyt coming back.
10:38Where's this edge rusher playing?
10:40Like, what, what, what are you doing with them?
10:41If you pick them at 26, that's the way I look at it.
10:44Aside from Landon Jackson coming back from an injury, which we have an update on.
10:48So that's what I feel defensive tackle.
10:51They've added nothing.
10:52It's the, it's the first time I can remember since I've covered the Buffalo bills that they
10:56have not added any defensive tackles in the off season.
10:59Maybe there was a time.
11:00I don't remember one now.
11:02I know they have names there.
11:03I get it.
11:04Dwayne Carter is also recovering from injury.
11:06I still believe they need someone to really kind of play the nose tackle that what they
11:12truly want in this defense, the way they want it to, they have guys who can play there, but
11:18not really the type of person they want there to allow other guys to play where they need
11:23to play down the line a little bit more like a Deion Walker and an Ed Oliver.
11:26And that's why I think that is the most likely position for the Buffalo bills right now.
11:32So defensive line slash edge one to one, even money odds quarterback, 250 to one, uh, to be the
11:40first player drafted by the bills Thursday night or whenever kicker punter.
11:45They put those together.
11:46Also 250 to one, same odds as quarterback, the second choice, offensive lineman, two to
11:52one behind defensive line.
11:54Could you see it?
11:5726.
11:58I think that's tough for me.
11:58It's a tough sell for me.
11:59It's a guard, right?
12:00I just, do they need more offensive line help?
12:04Sure.
12:05Some depth, but 26, you take a guy there at what guard to start?
12:12Like, I don't see that happening.
12:14The way I look at it is whoever they take at 26, they need to play.
12:19Um, if they don't, unless they go back into the second round, which is possible, you're
12:23really kind of talking about a whole draft class that might have a redshirt year, Mike.
12:28I mean, you're not getting to a pick until a third round then.
12:31And in this roster, a third rounder is not coming in and being a major contributor right
12:35now.
12:35Look at the roster.
12:36I don't know.
12:37I mean, I guess a wide receiver could there.
12:39I think your first pick has to be someone you think can play.
12:42I don't think anybody's beating out the list of Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett and Chase
12:50Lunt at guard right now.
12:51I just see Nick Broker, a guy that is from last year, like Travis Clayton can play guard
12:56where you put them at.
12:57They're not playing tackle, not playing, replacing Dion.
13:00They're not replacing Spencer Brown.
13:02I just don't see it.
13:03I know they need a little bit depth there, but it feels to me like they are comfortable
13:08with the guys they have on their roster, and it would be a really tough ask for a rookie
13:14to come in here and play on this offensive line right now.
13:16We will squeeze in as much NFL draft this week as we can in and around Sabres talk and pregame
13:23shows and even play on Thursday night, game three.
13:27So we'll do our best.
13:29AJ Brown, Sal, to the Patriots.
13:32I mean, for me, that's a done deal, the way that reads.
13:35Yeah, me too.
13:36Okay.
13:36Me too.
13:37Not surprised he's getting traded.
13:39No one should be.
13:40Or that New England would be hunting for somebody like this, a real wide receiver one.
13:48You think, I don't know, does AJ Brown have enough left?
13:51It's a power move by New England.
13:55I think this is the move New England has to make up New England.
13:58You're covering them.
13:59Speaking of our friends at WEEI in Boston, I mean, we're probably talking about you got
14:04to go do this now.
14:05You got your quarterback in a rookie contract.
14:06Go get him help because you need help and go pay for superstars because you need them
14:11and you can afford them right now.
14:13You got to pay this kid after next year.
14:15So now's the time to go do this.
14:17And of course, I mean, Mike Vrabel basically isn't the coach of the Titans because he
14:23didn't want to trade AJ Brown, right?
14:25And then now, so now it's a natural fit of, I want this guy back.
14:29You know, I'm going to bring this guy back in.
14:31He had a good relationship with him.
14:32He was a good player for him.
14:34And it just feels like, and I think there's more and more reporting coming out now that,
14:38you know, the, the whole AJ Brown Eagles, whether it's mostly Jalen Hurst and, or Sirianni,
14:45whatever, that just, it's been souring for a while.
14:48It feels a little bit like Stefan Diggs in Buffalo in a different way.
14:51And, you know, they're just that, that relationship has run its course.
14:55So it doesn't surprise me that they're trading him.
14:59I mean, they also traded for Dontavious Wicks, right?
15:02Was it Wicks?
15:03I think they traded for the Eagles, which, yeah, which, which gave you a kind of a window
15:08into what they're doing.
15:08And then now yet look at the Eagle and look at the Patriots.
15:11I'm like, they get AJ Brown and Romeo Dobbs.
15:14I mean, now you're talking about some talent on offense for this young quarterback to work
15:18with, and, you know, I, I think, you know, this is exactly what the Patriots should be
15:22doing at looking at from their angle.
15:26I agree.
15:26I wonder what they'll do with some of their other guys.
15:29They're not all bad.
15:30Like some of their guys are just guys, right?
15:33I mean, I think that might be Douglas.
15:34Douglas, I think maybe that's Kayshawn Booty.
15:38You mean Kyle Williams was a promising draft that Kyle Williams was two years ago now,
15:44I guess last year, last year.
15:46Yeah, that's right.
15:46So I don't know if he's just bad or whatever that was.
15:49They drafted two second rounders the year before or not both second round or were they
15:53Polk and Baker in the Coleman draft.
15:57And those guys like did not get there.
15:59Polk out of Washington.
16:01So they've, I mean, they've taken their shots at receiver.
16:04Nobody's on that list is AJ Brown or even Dobbs, I suppose.
16:09I think he's maybe just a guy too, or a little bit like guy plus.
16:14They still have Mac Hollins too, by the way.
16:16Okay.
16:17He's, he's more than a one-year deal.
16:19Yeah, he was two-year deal.
16:21That's part of the reason he went there.
16:22He got one extra year and more money than reportedly what the bills, you know, were offering.
16:27So, you know, they like him.
16:28He did a nice job for them, but it feels to me.
16:30Like they're, you know, they're building a nice group of wide receivers and you're
16:33right.
16:33I mean, there's going to be some decisions to be made.
16:35There's going to be competition.
16:36And a lot of times that sorts itself out anyway.
16:38And unfortunately, you know, there's injuries and stuff like that, but you're right.
16:42And DeMario Douglas, you know, he, he made some nice plays for them at times last year,
16:46but they, they lacked, you know, the real, well, Hey, they had digs.
16:50He's gone.
16:51We know that, you know, so that was a big one.
16:54They lacked outside of him being, you know, a really nice player.
16:58They didn't have that really dynamic wide receiver to kind of just count on down in and
17:03down out.
17:03And digs could be that guy at times, but it's kind of tailed off towards the end of the
17:06year.
17:06So yeah, I, I, I just think that they're doing what they should be doing.
17:10There's still questions about the offensive line.
17:11That's for sure.
17:12Um, you know, and last year, um, he, um, uh, the court, Drake may, Drake may last year
17:20did have issues with turning the ball over at times and some fumbles and a couple of
17:25interceptions, but I think they're giving him some weapons finally.
17:29For sure.
17:30All right, Sal, thank you.
17:31We'll talk throughout the week here.
17:33All right.
17:34You got it.
17:34Thanks.
17:34Sal Capaccio's visits to our show here on WGR brought to you by outlet liquor, the place
17:41to buy a case, George urban Boulevard in Depew.
17:44What's your outlet?
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