Buffalo Plus Podcast | "15 MOST IMPORTANT BILLS, Not Named Josh Allen"
Date: July 9, 2024
Hosts: Jenna Cottrell & Mike Catalana (Dan Fetes on vacation)
Episode Overview
In this lively, insider-rich episode, Jenna and Mike run through their respective lists of the "15 Most Important Buffalo Bills" for the upcoming 2024 season—excluding QB Josh Allen. The duo shares exclusive observations from the offseason, delves into leadership shifts, and debates the critical roles players must fill in the wake of roster changes. While exploring both offense and defense, they balance football analysis with locker-room personality insights, and add plenty of the show’s trademark humor.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Josh Allen’s Evolving Leadership and Offseason Bonding
- [02:06 – 07:20]
The episode opens with analysis of a viral clip showing Josh Allen and Bills receivers working out together at Vanderbilt—outside official team activities.- Significance: Both express how, in recent years, Allen attended all team-required workouts but rarely organized his own off-books events.
- Jenna: “It’s nice because the coaches aren’t there… there’s kind of freedom and creativity. I think there’s a lot of upside.”
- Mike: “He’s the franchise... but I wanted to see one of these ‘get all the guys together with Josh’ moments.”
- Implication: The move is praised as a sign of Allen’s evolving, proactive leadership and team chemistry building—something the co-hosts hope becomes a new norm.
2. The Exercise: Ranking the 15 Most Important Bills (Excluding Allen)
- [08:09 – 55:00]
The heart of the episode is a detailed, counted-down list.- Approach: Mike factors positional value, coaching/depth, and reliability. Jenna centers on “guys who need to make an impact in 2024.” Lists are compared in real-time for debate/conflict.
- Listener Engagement: The hosts directly encourage listeners to submit their own lists and take issue where appropriate.
Players & Reasoning: Key Debates
(All timestamps approximate and discussion bounces between list items frequently)
• Secondary & Defensive Backs
- Rasul Douglas (#15 Mike, #13 Jenna) [10:24 – 11:56]
- Praised for instant impact after trade, knack for splash plays, and being “an aggressive player.”
- Jenna: "You saw his ability and consistently how he made those big plays."
- Christian Benford (#12 Both) [18:56 – 20:46]
- Noted as a “football player… a McDermott guy” who earned his starting role.
• Wide Receivers
- Keon Coleman (#15 Jenna) [12:35 – 13:47]
- Rookie pressure to step up post-Diggs & Davis departures: “He doesn’t need to be amazing… just someone dependable and showing progress.”
- Khalil Shakir (#10 Both) [27:33 – 29:01]
- Risks of “expectations getting too high,” but high praise for work ethic and YAC (yards after catch) improvement. “A coach’s dream.”
- Curtis Samuel (#9 Mike) [31:41 – 32:53]
- Seen as most accomplished WR on the roster; strong history with OC Joe Brady should mean “a legitimate amount of touches.”
- Justin Shorter (Honorable Mention) [13:47 – 14:19]
- “A great story if it works out.”
• Offensive Line
- Dion Dawkins (#9 Jenna, #6 Mike) [33:07 – 34:24]
- “Plays hard, leads in his own Dion way, anchors the line.”
- Conor McGovern (#6 Jenna, #5 Mike) [39:26 – 41:51]
- Pressure of shifting to center after Mitch Morse’s exit: “There are bumps, but I have hope for a ‘seamless progression.’”
- Osirus Torrence (Hon. Mention) [40:54 – 41:17]
- "Impressive rookie season, just solid.”
• Running Back & Specialists
- James Cook (#4 Jenna, #11 Mike) [21:09 – 23:13]
- Jenna: “His ability can change how the Bills approach things.”
- Ball security needs to improve.
- Tyler Bass (Kicker, #11 Jenna) [24:10 – 25:57]
- “Needs to be better,” with the caveat that the team won’t hesitate to move on for poor performance.
- Mike: “If he’s not good, there’ll be an 8-year vet as Bills kicker soon.”
• Defensive Front Seven
- DaQuan Jones (#14 Jenna) [15:17 – 17:29]
- “A man whooping another man”—vital to Ed Oliver & D-line synergy.
- Greg Rousseau (#8 Jenna, #7 Mike) [36:35 – 39:22]
- “Need him to bring more edge and double-digit sacks… they have faith in this guy.”
- Matt Milano (#8 Mike, #7 Jenna) [34:30 – 36:27]
- If healthy, “hard to find a better LB pair than Milano & Bernard.”
- Terrel Bernard (#5 Jenna, #3 Mike) [42:49 – 44:11]
- Unsung star who “became much more than anyone expected,” and "a McDermott favorite."
- Mike recalls: Dan Fetes correctly predicted his emergence as MLB:
“I’m gonna make a prediction right now—one year from now, starting middle linebacker for this team is Terrell Bernard.” (43:09)
- Ed Oliver (#3 Jenna, #4 Mike) [44:25 – 45:39]
- “Played even better after his contract… plays with joy and is massive for the D-line.”
• Taron Johnson & Dalton Kincaid—Top Tier
- Taron Johnson (#2 Both) [46:00 – 47:25]
- “Safety blanket” and now a leader with secondary undergoing generational shift. On field “so often you forget anyone else could play nickel.”
- Jenna: “He is just so good—it’s hard to overstate.”
- Dalton Kincaid (#1 Both) [48:28 – 50:24]
- The passing game will be “Kincaid-focused,” banking on his chemistry with Allen (a la Mahomes/Kelce) for mismatches and red-zone touchdowns.
- Mike: “He’s going to be the focal point of the offense. He’s got to be ready.”
3. Who Got Left Off?
[50:40 – 55:07]
- Vets & Depth: Osirus Torrence (OL), Taylor Rapp (S), Von Miller, AJ Epenesa didn’t make their lists, although their potential contributions are discussed.
- Von Miller: His self-evaluation (“shouldn’t have played,” post-ACL) sparks debate over player vs. staff responsibility.
- Jenna: “I wish he’d taken more accountability… he put the narrative out there.”
- Mike: “At a certain point, Father Time is undefeated… but he could still have a huge impact in the right role.”
4. Listener Engagement & Memorable Moments
[55:58 – End]
- Comment of the Week (from 'Mafia Sport Report'):
“Von Miller put pressure on himself in 2023 by saying he will be on the field week one... I do think we'll see a better Von in 2024.”- Praised as “measured, even-keeled, right on the money” by Mike.
- Recurring Humor:
- Running jokes about s’mores, Dan’s contrarian takes, and family cameos.
- Mike: “You see a man built like a refrigerator box, that is my father [at camp].”
- Upcoming: Training camp excitement, anticipation, and advice to enter the ticket lottery now!
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- Josh Allen’s Leadership Evolution:
“I think it’s an encouraging sign … in years past, we haven’t really seen that as much in the offseason.”
—Jenna, [04:37] - DaQuan Jones as Tone-Setter:
“It’s about a man whooping another man.”
—DaQuan Jones quote, [15:24] - Terrel Bernard’s Out-of-nowhere Rise:
“I’m gonna make a prediction right now. One year from now, starting middle linebacker for this team is going to be Terrell Bernard.”
—Dan Fetes, via Mike, [43:09] - On Dalton Kincaid’s Role:
“He’s going to be the focal point of the offense. He’s got to be ready.”
—Mike, [50:24] - Taron Johnson’s Steadiness:
“You don’t even think about [someone else playing nickel] … he’s so good, it’s just automatic.”
—Jenna, [46:31]
Top 5 Most Important Bills (per hosts, consensus)
- Dalton Kincaid (TE)
- Taron Johnson (CB/Nickel)
- Ed Oliver (DT) / Terrel Bernard (LB)
- Ed Oliver / James Cook (RB)
- Terrel Bernard / Conor McGovern (C)
Episode Takeaways
- Chemistry and veteran steadiness—especially in the secondary after the departure of franchise stalwarts—is a recurring theme.
- Youth on offense (Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid) is paired with expectations for proven vets (Dawkins, Milano, Oliver) to lead and stabilize.
- The team’s success may hinge most on how well the new center/WR corps support Allen, and whether defensive leadership emerges.
- Listener discussion encouraged: The hosts want your picks and disagreements!
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