- 5 weeks ago
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00:00All right, Sal, so you'll tell us, what is today exactly? I know there's no media access, at least, but
00:06rookies showing up to take physicals?
00:09Yeah, pretty much. You do physicals, you do strength, lifting, conditioning, rehab, for anybody that needs to do any of
00:16that, for any reason.
00:18It kind of is very similar to the start of the original, like, off-season workouts, when that happens in
00:25April, right?
00:25When the whole team shows up, and there's no position coaches allowed to do anything with the guys, nothing like
00:30that.
00:30Just all strength and conditioning, lifting.
00:32They'll get acclimated back to the facility. They've been here, but, you know, kind of get back acclimated to Orchard
00:38Park in the area where they're going to be living, a lot of them.
00:42So, it's more of a just a, I'm not even saying orientation, just a get comfortable, be here before the
00:50veterans,
00:50and then when the veterans report to St. John Fisher, that's also the same time that they'll report to St.
00:55John Fisher.
00:56You know, it strikes me, I want to make a point about how it's kind of cool for all these
01:03guys, because it's not just the draft picks, it's rookies in general, right?
01:06That's street free agents and whomever, right? Anybody who's a rookie.
01:11That it's a cool opportunity for them to sort of see what their future could be.
01:18Like, motivation to work hard and get there so that you can get a, you actually get a locker with
01:25your name on it on the 53.
01:26Like, you're in the room, you're in the stadium.
01:29And, you know, so make sure you go to camp and make it out of camp.
01:33But camp is so short now that they'll be at the stadium anyway before there's any cuts.
01:37So that doesn't even work anymore with the way camp has changed.
01:41I mean, it's one way that you can recognize how truncated camp is.
01:45Yeah, for sure.
01:46I mean, things have changed a lot over the years, and then from year to year it's different.
01:50And this year is a very unique year.
01:52You know, camp is very short, and they're going to be there and back, and then it's the red and
01:59blue.
02:00And then they're here for a couple of days maybe, and two, three practices, and then it's the first preseason
02:06game.
02:07And then, bam, it's right off to Cleveland.
02:08And they're there for a week, you know, all three days, whatever.
02:12Preseason game.
02:13Back here for a preseason game against the Steelers.
02:15But that's why I think that a little bit, you know, has been made about how short of time it
02:21is at Fisher.
02:22But I do think the calendar has a lot to do with it.
02:25Like, I think part of it is because they, you know, Sean liked to go back to Rochester after the
02:31red and blue.
02:32And I would say that I don't know if Joe wanted to do that anyway, but it kind of works
02:36out where if you don't, if you do that,
02:38you're not getting any time in before your first preseason game here in the new stadium, and that's a big
02:42deal.
02:42And then you're gone to Cleveland anyway.
02:44And then for the rookies, yeah.
02:45I mean, they're going to have this quick week here to kind of get everything ready.
02:49And then, hey, let's go to Fisher, and oh, we're back at her at home anyway.
02:52So, and let's remember, too, just so everybody knows, the Bills will still, because of everything going on with the
02:56construction,
02:57the field house is still the field house.
02:59The outdoor practice facility is still the outdoor practice facility.
03:02It's all still across the street.
03:04They're not practicing inside the stadium.
03:06Everything that's going to be happening when they're here is still going to be at the practice facility,
03:10except on days where they feel like they need to get work inside the stadium.
03:14By the way, the pictures of the demolition continuing, I'm just following Harry Skull for that from the news.
03:19I mean, do you guys know a date on when they might have it completely down?
03:23It looks like, I mean, today I watched a video of his where they're taking down the upper deck.
03:28The upper deck, yeah.
03:29On one side of the field.
03:30Things are moving pretty fast, it looks like.
03:32Yeah.
03:33Sally, you happen to know, like, what the timetable is on that?
03:35I don't know the exact timeline, but it feels like they want to get things wrapped up pretty quickly,
03:40and especially before the regular season, not have a lot of disruption when it comes to,
03:46you know, more than needed for the parking and traffic and things like that.
03:51You know, all that equipment that's out there, whatever they have to move.
03:54So we know that, you know, they're still going to be working in some capacity,
03:57but I believe, you know, it feels like at least, and I don't know this officially from anybody,
04:00but it feels like they're trying to get things as much done as possible before you really start getting the
04:05rush.
04:05Now, look, you do have a red and blue.
04:07You do have two preseason games.
04:09There's going to be some of that that's coming up, but I think when the regular season starts,
04:13it's, you know, let's try to have as much, you know, minimal disruption as possible.
04:18So of the rookies, as we celebrate their arrival today, this latest, this newest start of the season kind of
04:28flashpoint,
04:29who is the most interesting for you?
04:31Would it necessarily be Parker, who was their first pick in the second round?
04:36I think Skyler Bell could be interesting because for a lot of us, receivers always are.
04:40We want to know what might be there.
04:44Ogbenosen, or Ogbenosen, the DB from Ogbenosen.
04:47Ogbenosen.
04:48You're right to just go with initials, but I try to spit out the name.
04:52It is Ogbenosen.
04:53I've been saying Ogbenosen, so I've been off on that the whole time.
04:56Well, thank you for that, Sal.
04:58Who is the most interesting guy of this group?
05:02So interesting is an interesting word.
05:05You could take this in a lot of different directions.
05:07It is not TJ Parker for me.
05:09You know, when the draft happened, I wrote an article, I called it like an upside-down draft.
05:14And the reason I said that was, it felt to me like the early picks were the guys that weren't
05:18going to be on the field as much.
05:19And we've talked about Ogbenosen, and we could talk about him getting opportunity.
05:22But I think it's the guys who really have an opportunity to be on the field.
05:25And to me, that's squarely the first guy is Caleb Elarmzor.
05:28I think he's a really interesting guy.
05:31But a lot of it came from Dorian Williams' injury and him getting opportunity in OTAs and minicamp.
05:38I'm very interested to see one week from tomorrow if Dorian Williams is ready for camp.
05:44And if he's not, Caleb Elarmzor, that door is wide open for him to step right in and get those
05:49number one reps.
05:50If he is, who is getting the number one reps at inside linebacker next to Terrell Bernard?
05:56Is it Dorian Williams?
05:57Is it Caleb Elarmzor?
05:59I think that's a really interesting spot for me.
06:01He's an interesting guy because when they drafted him, you felt, okay, like there's some competition.
06:07Since the draft till today, I've just felt like his stock is rising and rising and rising.
06:14And I am not going to be surprised if he is the day one starter.
06:17What is his, I don't know, what's his athletic profile?
06:21Like what can you tell us about this player?
06:23I feel like you've mentioned him this way.
06:26Other people have mentioned him this way, that the opportunity is there.
06:30But like what are the, you know, what are his traits?
06:34What's the profile athletically here?
06:37Sideline to sideline kind of guy.
06:39Fast.
06:39He's see ball, get ball, right?
06:41And he's, um, he's going to be a lot like a, a, uh, Dorian Williams in that regard.
06:47So he's going to be able to do that.
06:49Um, sometimes I think that he gets caught up a little bit watching things, you know, that's
06:54like the, the knock on him coming out.
06:56Like, did he, did he diagnose it correctly or not?
06:59And again, I think a lot of that could be said for what, you know, Dorian Williams has
07:03been over the last few years.
07:04But man, one of the things he really does well, which I think why they targeted him
07:09in the draft, he's a very good blitzer, very good blitzer.
07:13And the bills are going to want to blitz.
07:15They're going to want to go from different areas.
07:17They're going to want to come from different spots.
07:18So I think that that's kind of a big reason why they, they have them to be able to have
07:22that opportunity as well.
07:24Um, but very good athlete and yeah, he's fast.
07:27He's sideline to sideline.
07:28He's a guy I think that kind of fits the athletic profile of what, you know, um, Jim Leonard
07:34wants, not only with that, but being able to be a blitzer.
07:38Sal Capaccio on the Western hotline, Skyler Bell, when he was drafted, I was watching one
07:45stream and the guys I was watching were maybe Trevor Sikama was one very excited about this
07:51prospect bell I've heard since sure, but maybe too much of Shakir's, you know, style of player.
08:00Is there, is there going to be a spot where he can step in as a rookie, as a fourth
08:05round
08:05pick even and matter to their offense?
08:08Do you think there's reason enough for, of that happening to sort of focus on him or would
08:14it be a surprise to you if he was, you know, like a relevant player this year?
08:18Wouldn't be a surprise, but I think this might be predicated on what happens in front of him
08:22more than what happens with him himself.
08:25Yeah.
08:26Can he come in and smash?
08:27Sure.
08:27Could he come in and disappoint?
08:28Sure.
08:29Anything like that could happen, but I think that the really what happens with Skyler Bell
08:33is more predicated upon what happens with not even as much DJ more and Kalosha here.
08:38They're top two really key on Coleman, Joshua Palmer.
08:40Yeah.
08:40Like where are those guys?
08:42Because if, if one of those guys just does not hit, live up to what they're supposed to
08:48this year, stay healthy, be on the field, Skyler Bell is the fourth receiver.
08:52I mean, I think that's the way I look at it.
08:53Sure.
08:53He could also earn that spot himself, but I think it's, it's got to start with those guys first.
08:58And if not, he's the fifth receiver.
09:00And how much is he playing?
09:01Right.
09:02I mean, like, so there's a big difference for that for me.
09:04And then from there, if he's the fourth, how high can he go?
09:07So if Skyler Bell winds up as we'll call it kind of in theory, the fifth receiver out
09:12of camp, I don't think it has to be because Skyler Bell didn't earn a spot to be ahead
09:17of that.
09:17I think it can be because those guys all did everything they're supposed to do.
09:20And Keon Coleman showing up on time and he's making plays and Joshua Palmer staying healthy.
09:25But I think any, anything in there that goes a little bit awry, I think Skyler Bell has
09:29an opportunity to play.
09:30And then from there, Mike, I think he, he does a lot of things really well.
09:35And I understand about the Khalil Shakir point.
09:37I do.
09:37Um, he, he, he's not just like, just like Khalil Shakir, he doesn't have like an elite
09:44trait of anything.
09:45He really does.
09:45He's just really kind of good.
09:47He's good at everything.
09:48And he's not this super big guy, but he's tall enough.
09:51He's not this incredible blazer, but he's fast enough.
09:55He's good with the ball in his hands.
09:56So he is very much like Khalil Shakir.
09:58I don't, I don't see a problem with that, to be honest with you.
10:01Like, why do you have to have everybody that's so the opposite?
10:03I know we can talk about redundancy, but if you're a good football player, you're a
10:06good football player.
10:07If they have the players like that at wide receiver, that's good.
10:10I mean, he's a good route runner.
10:11He's a good, he's, he's, he can catch the ball.
10:13I don't see a problem with that.
10:14I think his opportunity is going to be based on what happens with Coleman and Palmer.
10:19Well, we're getting close to getting a look at all of that.
10:23Um, Coleman and Palmer, two players, the last two years have eight touchdown catches for
10:31the bills.
10:31The last two seasons combined, that's the most, nobody has more last two years with the
10:36bills.
10:36Shakir is one.
10:37You know, the other is it's Coleman Coleman.
10:39Yeah.
10:40You know, it's speaking of what all these conversations we've had for six months with
10:46people from all over the place talking about how they think this is going to go here.
10:50There's so much ranging from negativity to just completely, you know, I'm done with
10:57Keon Coleman kind of thinking, talking.
11:01Um, we don't know if the bills are like just where they're at on the scale.
11:05We know how Joe Brady sounded after that press conference.
11:08That's pretty predictable.
11:09You know, I think he had to go hard because Pagoula went hard the other way.
11:13Right.
11:13I guess.
11:14But I just wonder sometimes if we're out too soon on Coleman, he's 23, I think.
11:20And if he does mature, is there enough there in his talent, you know, pool, his talent base
11:26to, you know, even come up on top of, of a list like this, this year?
11:32It's a good question.
11:33I mean, and it's a, it's valid.
11:35It's the same thing I've wondered, which is okay.
11:38Like if you get everything off the field, you need an order.
11:41Now what's the next step?
11:42Is he going to be able to really do the things necessary on a down to down basis at the
11:49NFL
11:49level?
11:50And, you know, I, I think it, there was, we we've heard a lot, like in the media talking
11:55to people about how smart Keon Coleman is.
11:57He's a smart guy.
11:58He is a smart football player.
11:59He understands how to play wide receivers, no doubt about that, but there's different
12:05parts of his athletic profile that sometimes don't get you where you want to get to.
12:09And whether that's, you know, the speed or the, or a route running or something like
12:13that, those are things that have to be refined.
12:15He's been in the league two years and I don't think you have to throw the book on someone's
12:19career after two years, you can definitely, you know, improve after that.
12:23And maybe that's all a part of it.
12:25So yeah, that's a good question.
12:27If he does everything, like does that last piece come together, which is everything he
12:32needs to do on the field and not just be a, you're going to throw it to him in the
12:35red
12:35zone, get a touchdown, make a, make a high point catch like he did against the jets a
12:39couple of years ago, or on a tip ball, like he did against the Ravens last year or whatever
12:43it is like a guy that you can really rely on to say, okay, there's a money play.
12:48And I know he's going to run the right route and be in the right spot and make the catch
12:50because he's going to be better than the guy he's going against.
12:53You guys were not bulldog, not surprised.
12:55You had, you were right there with the answer to that question.
12:57You think most people would be a little bit surprised that nobody in the last two seasons
13:02has more touchdown catches than Coleman?
13:04That's a tough question to ask me because I don't want to sound like I think I'm smart,
13:06but I think it's, it's, it's easy to fall into a mindset of like, he hasn't done anything.
13:13So maybe it would surprise, you know, a lot of fans that he he's on that list where he
13:19is prominently.
13:19Shakir eight, Coleman eight, Kincaid seven, four players.
13:23I thought it was going to be maybe Dawson Knox because he said he's been just kind of a
13:27touchdown guy really a lot, you know?
13:29I mean, he's, he's just one two years ago, four last year, just one, four last year, but
13:34four guys with five knocks, Mack Hollins, all in the first season of the two, Ray Davis
13:41and Ty Johnson are your fives.
13:44Cook has four.
13:45Yep.
13:46So Hawes has three in one year.
13:49He's the man to watch.
13:50Sure.
13:51So the bullet.
13:52So continuing with this, like the, the, you know, the Saturday draft picks, so to speak,
13:57not that that's where we necessarily be.
13:58Well, it's kind of where we began.
14:01Like how far does that go?
14:02Like, I remember being excited in this conversation right after the draft, the entire draft, like
14:09the Monday after the whole, all seven rounds about Kilgore.
14:13And I know we haven't seen anything yet, so it's hard to really, you know, put your finger
14:17on like what kind of role he may have.
14:20But I just know that talking to you right afterward, we were both pretty excited about
14:25that pick.
14:27Yeah.
14:27So the different, the different answer, if you asked me like which guy I'm kind of the
14:32most intrigued and excited about, it might be Jalen Kilgore, where I think Caleb Elarm's
14:36or is most interesting because I think he has opportunity.
14:38I don't know if that opportunity is going to be there for Jalen Kilgore, except in certain
14:41situations.
14:42But what are those situations?
14:43I think he's a big nickel.
14:44That's what he is.
14:45Big nickel safety.
14:45He's a safety.
14:46He's been working at safety.
14:47You know, we know that he told us that.
14:49Um, but you know, they have two safeties.
14:51They have Cole Bishop and they have CJ Gardner Johnson and Cole Bishop can work, can move
14:56around a lot.
14:57If you're going to play, you know, two guys back and want an extra guy on the field to
15:01help support the run, Jalen Kilgore fits in.
15:02If you are facing a team like a Baltimore Ravens, traditionally, we'll see what they do
15:07this year.
15:07You know, they have new offense this year, but if that, that kind of team that goes a
15:11little heavy on you, Jalen Kilgore fits in.
15:12So yeah, I really liked Jalen Kilgore.
15:14And, and I think that he has the athletic profile, he has the size profile, everything
15:19that fits onto an NFL team.
15:21He plays special teams.
15:22It's kind of checks all the boxes as a rookie, but I want to know, like, let's see where
15:26he, where he plays, what he plays.
15:28I mean, we could be five weeks in and go, yeah, he's only had 10 snaps on defense.
15:32Right.
15:33Like I've got all, you mentioned like big nickel.
15:35Uh, I've got like visions of him blitzing from the slot corner spot and like that being
15:42really effective.
15:42And I don't know, you know, how you would be able to rate him as far as that in his
15:47toolbox, but like, that's a way you could get on the field.
15:50I mean, um, if you're effective doing that in spots.
15:56For sure.
15:57And I do think that we have to kind of take all of our preconceived notions of what we
16:04have seen and know about defensive football with the Buffalo Bills over the last nine years
16:09and kind of throw them out the window because those things are possible bulldog, which is
16:13you're not going to have a dedicated nickel, like a Taron Johnson on the field the whole
16:16time.
16:17And even when you all have a nickel, it's not going to be maybe the same guy all the time.
16:21Right.
16:21I think anything is possible here with Jim Leonard until we see it to your point, which
16:27is maybe D Alford comes off the field and you have a big nickel on the field and he blitzes.
16:32And that's just something we haven't seen, uh, because that would be basically Taron Johnson
16:36doing that role from his normal nickel spot, right?
16:39Maybe we see Igman Osen on the field with Max Harrison and Christian Benford in some capacity,
16:45whatever that looks like.
16:46Like, I don't know, but I think we have to be open to anything here.
16:50Sal earlier today, we were talking about just kind of what we think fan sentiment might be
16:55right now about them.
16:57Uh, do you have an opinion about this?
16:59I went with the word guarded, maybe guarded optimism is a better phrase because no doubt
17:04most fans are going to think this is a playoff team at least.
17:08But, um, I don't know, as we get to the point where now we're watching them practice and done
17:13with like most of just the talking only phase of the summer, do you feel like fans are as
17:20optimistic as ever, or is it different?
17:23No, I don't feel that way.
17:24I think the opposite.
17:25I think fans feel that, you know, there's always optimism because you have Josh Allen.
17:31There's always a, okay, I'm, I'm, I'm pumped for the season.
17:34The bills have Josh Allen.
17:35Let's see where it goes.
17:37But I feel like the expectation from fans is a bit lower than it might be the last few
17:42years where they've been on this kind of trajectory, if you will, or where they have been, but
17:48they've just fallen short so many times recently that maybe fans just want to, as you say, guarded,
17:54maybe you just want to guard your own emotions of being too invested.
17:57Maybe it's because the schedule's tougher.
18:00Maybe it's because they just have so much of a wondering about Joe Brady, right?
18:05Like what, what is he as a head coach?
18:07I haven't seen this.
18:08He's a first year head coach.
18:09Like, what are we getting out of that?
18:10I just feel like the, the, what we got from going into a year for the last, you know,
18:17six, seven years with Sean McDermott and with Josh Allen and the organization, like, okay,
18:22we're just running it back.
18:23All you got to do is get a couple more plays.
18:24We did last week this year.
18:26It's almost like, are we even going to get there to have that opportunity?
18:29Interesting.
18:30I think it's still more of the first one for me.
18:33Like it, it's a challenging situation to, to sit for me anyway, to just like bang a drum
18:39that they need X because I mean, even where they get ragged on some run defense, like
18:45it hasn't killed them.
18:46I mean, right.
18:47They're middle of the pack at worst at anything, basically the last six years almost.
18:52So what is the, it's always wide receiver, I guess.
18:55They kind of did, they made their move.
18:57I mean, they didn't, right.
18:58They, they made their, it was a significant expensive move more ways than one for DJ more.
19:04I am kind of the get me to January and let's see if I can get a stop this time
19:09or make a,
19:10make a big play this time.
19:11That isn't easy to sort of pinpoint when you try to figure out, well, what do they need?
19:17It's, it's easier to say, well, let's not throw the ball to McCall Hardman and Brandon
19:20Cooks anymore in critical situations.
19:23Right.
19:23But you know, it was Kincaid the year before and, you know, Coleman and more entrenched
19:28players on the team.
19:29So yeah, it's, it's a good challenge, right?
19:33Cause that means your team is good, but I don't have an easy time, you know, day to day in
19:37here saying like, well, this is really what they have to do.
19:40Even when it came to the coaching change, that was, I feel like I'm equivocating on everything
19:45with this, but really run it back.
19:48Okay.
19:48I mean, they've been so good and this is, it makes sense, this coaching move, but it's
19:54also risky, you know, it's risky to move away from a guy that went 98 and 50.
20:01Mike, I think that's the right, like to me, that's the right spot.
20:05I just don't get that necessarily feeling from a lot of the fans.
20:09Like I have the last few years.
20:10Of course, there's a lot of fans who feel that way.
20:12Of course there are, and they're always going to have fans who are optimistic matter
20:16what, but you know, fans who say like, Oh my God.
20:18Yeah, of course.
20:18I mean, what's really different.
20:20And I think what you're saying is correct.
20:23I don't get that same emotion from people, but you know, what I've, what I've said to
20:28people who feel that way as well, tell me what teams then you think are going to hold
20:33them back.
20:34Because if you look around the AFC, you guys did AFC reverse power rankings, all those kinds
20:39of things.
20:39We just had this discussion with Jeremy Kahn last week, everybody's got warts.
20:43Everybody, every fan base has a question or two or 10 or 15 about their team.
20:50And the bills might still have less questions because they have arguably the best or second
20:57best quarterback.
20:58You know, that is such a good point sale because I tend to, we just did reverse AFC power rankings.
21:04So, you know, I think about the conference and I have opinions about the conference.
21:09I'm always, you know, reading and listening and trying to glean as much, you know, information
21:14as I can to formulate those opinions.
21:16But when I think about the bills and all the new that, you know, is unproven, I, I tend to
21:24think about it singularly just about them and not about what the competition is.
21:30And that is a good way to do it because if it's muddy, then okay, what, what, what do I
21:36have
21:36going for me?
21:37Forget about what my problems are because everybody's got these problems.
21:40What do I have going for me?
21:42Well, at the very top of the heap, I've got company.
21:46Other teams have great quarterbacks too, but not all of them.
21:50You know, there's only, there's still only a few guys that are on the top tier.
21:54Maybe that'll change as the year goes on, but I do still have the best it at worst, one
22:01of the best guys you could have at the most important position.
22:04And that, that weighs so heavily in their favor.
22:08No doubt.
22:10Um, and I think that's natural what you do.
22:13I think most people do that.
22:15They look at their team, it's basically you stay at home, you watch a bills game, you
22:23see the cut in highlights to games going on around the league and there's highlights and
22:28that's what they show.
22:28You're not watching a 60 minute game and it's like, oh, well that team's doing that
22:33right.
22:34That team's doing that right.
22:34You almost forget like, yeah, they've also had like probably 20 plays that were terrible
22:38in this game that you watch.
22:39It's the same thing.
22:40And you can't kind of do that.
22:42It's I'm not, I play fantasy football.
22:44It's not an anti-fantasy football point, but I think sometimes we get caught up in just
22:48looking at those things that are on the top end and the, the, uh, the highlight plays
22:54and the best stats and don't realize like, well, yeah, but there's a lot of negative that
22:58always goes along with it.
22:59And a lot of these guys, a lot of these teams have them.
23:02And yet Denver was our number one.
23:05The reverse.
23:07With all the weight, the quarterback carries, he's not bad, but he's not elite.
23:12Well, but if you put, okay, so, so here's a good exercise then.
23:15If you have, I don't know if you have a bottom third quarterback, where's Denver falling on
23:23those rankings?
23:24I mean, pick a quarterback, I guess that you don't love right in the AFC and put him on
23:29the Broncos.
23:30Where are they falling in your, in your power rankings?
23:33It might not be that different.
23:35I mean, they did win 14 games with Knicks.
23:38He's had two good seasons.
23:40We have, we've seen that.
23:42If I want to put, who do I want to use?
23:46Not Jared Stidham.
23:48Geno Smith.
23:48We saw that.
23:49Yeah.
23:49If I want to put Geno Smith on Denver.
23:51Right.
23:51They're not number one.
23:53I mean, I'm giving Knicks some credit, putting them at number one.
23:56We'll let you go.
23:57But, um, thought provoking as ever.
23:59Thanks for your time and enjoy the rest of your day.
24:02You got it guys.
24:02Thanks.
24:03All right.
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