EMERGENCY POD: The BILLS TRADE for DJ MOORE & INSTANT REACTION

Summary

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Buffalo Plus Podcast: EMERGENCY POD—The BILLS TRADE for DJ MOORE & INSTANT REACTION

Date: March 5, 2026
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

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Overview

This emergency episode delivers instant, in-depth reaction and analysis to the breaking news: the Buffalo Bills have traded a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for wide receiver DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick. The hosts break down the move from every angle, debating the impact on the Bills’ wide receiver room, the cost in draft capital and salary, and what it signals about the team’s current direction and urgency.

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Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trade Details & Immediate Reactions

• The Bills received DJ Moore (WR) and a fifth-round pick from Chicago for a second-round pick.
• While all agree DJ Moore is immediately the Bills’ best receiver, the price—particularly in draft capital and money—is the central point of debate.

Notable Quotes:

• “The Bills got more, but they still need more.” – Jenna Cottrell (00:00)
• “Does DJ Moore improve the Bills’ wide receiver room? Yes, but what wide receiver wouldn’t?” – Mike Catalana (00:03)

2. DJ Moore: The Player

Pros (Jenna’s List at 03:44 and 04:10):

• Four 1,000+ yard seasons
• Worked with OC Joe Brady previously (in Carolina)
• Tough catch ability, durability, proven production
• Brings experience and physicality to the wide receiver room

Cons (03:44-04:20):

• Just turned 29; aging curve for WRs is a concern
• Coming off his worst statistical season
• Large salary and cap commitment for a non-prime-age player

Ongoing Age Debate:

• (04:30–05:12) The hosts humorously debate whether he’s 28 or 29, poking fun at “how time and age works.”

3. Cost Analysis: Cap, Draft, Roster-Building Implications

• Major concern over giving up a second-round pick in a draft with many needs.
• “I hate that they gave up a second round pick.” — Dan Fates (00:58)
• The contract—$74M over three years—commits the Bills to a near-30-year-old WR with a recent decline in metrics.

Notable Insights:

• “With all the Bills’ needs and the need to draft efficiently…that’s cost control. The salary cap isn’t real, but bad contracts are bad contracts.” — Mike Catalana (02:05)
• “You’re gambling on an older wide receiver who last year is coming off his worst statistical year…you’re pretty much…guaranteeing money in like 2027 and 2028.” — Mike Catalana (07:17)

4. Wider Roster Ramifications and Team-Building Philosophy

• “This is a gamble…There’s a difference between being aggressive and, to some respects, reckless.” — Mike Catalana (07:17)
• Adding DJ Moore limits flexibility:
  • “Now we look at this first round pick…it has to be defense. It has to be.” – Mike Catalana (08:32)
• The move suggests a lack of faith in young WRs on the current roster: “If Keon Coleman was a good player they had a lot of faith in, they wouldn’t feel the need to be making these types of moves.” – Dan Fates (10:23)

5. Competing with NFL Trends / Comparisons

• Warren Sharp statistic: “Most expensive WR rooms in 2026: (1) Cincinnati, (2) the Bills.” — Jenna Cottrell (10:00)
• Comparison to other receiver moves: “If the Patriots traded a 2nd for DJ Moore, you’d say, ‘man, they gave up a lot.’ So why are we sitting here…” — Mike Catalana (14:48)

6. Fan Sentiment & Organizational Pressure

• Internal/external pressure on GM Brandon Beane to “do something” with the WR room after a season of lackluster production.
• Tone reflects ambivalence: improved skill position talent but distress over the cost and potential long-term impact.

7. Character/Effort Questions

• Discussion of DJ Moore’s effort reputation:
  • “There have been things in Chicago…of DJ Moore’s questionable effort…there were times if he wasn’t getting the ball, there’s a play where he’s on the sidelines.” — Mike Catalana (18:12)
  • “That really strikes at the heart of what Joe Brady talks about…he loves seeing that full effort no matter who’s getting the ball.” — Dan Fates (19:30)

8. Big Picture: Win-Now or Desperate?

• Is this a win-now move or a sign of desperation?
  • “It’s not a desperation move, that’s too strong…but is it, ‘hey, we gotta figure this out now’?” — Jenna Cottrell (26:29)
  • “This is really about ‘26 and maybe into ‘27.” — Dan Fates (25:53)

9. Wider Philosophical Concerns—Roster Construction & Cap Management

• The Bills have a pattern of paying veteran WRs rather than drafting and developing their own (discussion at 20:55–21:26).
• “When you get in the business of signing mid-level wide receivers, it’s expensive.” — Mike Catalana (21:39)

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Jenna’s Pro/Con List: “Does it help? Yes. Is it a home run? No.” (03:47)
• On WR Room Value: “The only thing worse is if it’s a bad car…You’re going to. It’s a better car than I had and I really like it. That’s my point on this. So, hey, lineup. Let’s go. DJ Moore, let’s go play…” — Dan Fates (28:19–28:56, car-buying analogy)
• On Bills’ pattern of trade/FA WRs: "Keon [Coleman]’s the only guy [drafted in top 3 rounds]…they traded for Diggs. That worked…Diggs was a younger player ready to pop…difference is Moore’s already had the numbers.” — Dan Fates (06:54, 20:55)
• On the emotional cycle of the move: “I thought I would cool off. I thought I would be…I have gotten more and more frustrated.” — Mike Catalana (21:59)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–00:28 — Emergency intro, trade details
• 00:58–03:18 — First reactions: pros/cons, cost, initial assessments
• 03:44–05:12 — Deep dive: DJ Moore’s profile, age considerations, fit with OC Joe Brady
• 07:13–08:31 — Aggressiveness vs. recklessness in roster moves, salary cap implications
• 08:32–09:18 — Pick/Cap effect: shifts draft strategy to defense, impacts future moves
• 10:00–11:10 — Comparative cost: WR market, future WR room projection
• 18:12–19:21 — Effort/character questions: DJ Moore’s on-field reputation, fit with coaching values
• 20:55–21:26 — History of WR room building: trade vs. draft philosophy
• 25:53–26:54 — Is this a win-now move? Organizational urgency, team direction
• 28:19–28:56 — Car-buying analogy for team-building and regret over cost

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Conclusion: Hosts’ Final Thoughts

• All agree Moore makes the room better immediately but consensus is concern about the process and long-term implications.
• “This is step one of adding to that room. But it’s an expensive price for a player that is older and has had somewhat of a decline in the last couple of seasons.” — Jenna Cottrell (27:59)
• “Let’s go. DJ Moore, let’s go play. Josh is going to like him…I just would have liked to have seen it done differently.” — Dan Fates (28:44)
• “It’s not that we don’t want the move—it’s how they did it.” (Recurring theme)
• The episode ends by looking ahead to free agency, the draft, and speculation about whether further moves could change the picture.

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Summary Table

| Key Topic | Timestamp | Summary/Key Takeaway | |-----------------------|-----------------|-----------------------| | Trade & Initial Reaction | 00:00–03:18 | Moore improves WR room, cost is major concern | | DJ Moore Profile | 03:44–05:12 | Proven vet, age/durability, statistical downturn | | Cap & Draft Impact | 07:13–08:31 | Cost control crucial; this move eats cap/draft picks | | WR Room Value | 10:00–11:10 | Bills projected to have one of the NFL’s most expensive WR rooms | | Roster-Building Concerns | 20:55–21:39 | Bills’ trend: investing cap in veterans rather than drafting WRs| | Urgency/Long-Term Risks| 25:53–26:54 | A "right now" move, not a build-for-later decision |

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For Listeners:

If you missed this episode, expect:

• Fierce debate over process vs. result: "Did the Bills do the right thing, but the wrong way?"
• Concerns about mortgage-the-future thinking and commitment to an aging, expensive WR
• Reluctant optimism about on-field product mixed with cap/money anxiety
• Plenty of laughs, Bills in-jokes, and a classic "car-buying" metaphor for NFL front office decisions

Don’t expect:

• Unquestioned excitement over the move—every pro comes with a corresponding con, especially around value.

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Select Quotes with Timestamps

• “Does DJ Moore improve the Bills’ wide receiver room? Yes, but what wide receiver wouldn’t?” — Mike Catalana (00:03)
• “Does it help? Yes. Is it a home run? No.” — Jenna Cottrell (03:47)
• “It’s a gamble. You’re gambling on an older wide receiver…” — Mike Catalana (07:17)
• “When you get in the business of signing mid-level wide receivers, it’s expensive.” — Mike Catalana (21:39)
• “Let’s go. DJ Moore, let’s go play. …But I would have liked to have seen it done differently.” — Dan Fates (28:44)

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For more Buffalo Bills analysis, visit BuffaloPlus.com or listen to the Buffalo Plus Podcast on your platform of choice.

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Transcript

[Jenna Cottrell]

The Bills got more, but they still need more.

[Mike Catalana]

Does DJ Moore improve the Bill's wide receiver room? Yes, but what wide receiver wouldn't?

[Dan Fates]

At first I liked it, then I didn't.

[Mike Catalana]

Now from the Connors and Ferris podcast

[Dan Fates]

studio, this is the Buffalo plus podcast.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Welcome back to the Buffalo Plus Podcast Emergency podcast. As the Bills made a move. That is Mike Catalana. That is Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment, subscribe and share. The Bills trading for wide receiver D.J. moore. In exchange, they sent a second round pick to Chicago. So the Bills got D.J. moore as well as a fifth round pick back from the Bears. So the Bills have addressed their need at wide receiver. Michael, what do you think of this move?

[Dan Fates]

I like the player. I think he's a good player. I think he's better than anybody they've had in that position. I think he helps Shakir. I think he has put up big numbers in his career. I like the move. I do not in any way, shape or form like the compensation, do not like giving up a second round pick in this draft. They have a lot of needs in this draft and while I want to see them take a wide receiver, I, I would have liked to have seen them do that in the draft. I wanted a young player. Once again, it's a guy they are paying substantial money. I do think he's better than what they've brought in, but they're still dealing with those guys too. What they're dealing with, with Palmer and Samuel's money. I think he's a good player. Like I said, I think he's been a very good player in this league. I hate that they gave up a second round pick.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I tried not to. When the deal broke, I tried not to do the impulsive reaction right to it.

[Dan Fates]

You would normally do that? Yes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I've learned so measured of you.

[Mike Catalana]

I've learned over the years to, to take a beat and, and to then kind of assess what it was. And when they traded for him, I originally tweeted out like it's fine, sure, I'll bite, like it's DJ Moore. I want to see what the compensation is. And we didn't hear about what it was right away. And then I was talking to myself because Schefter's original tweet said a mid round pick. I guess that's been saying I gave up a second but I got a fifth. So the evaluation is a third to fourth because he gave up a second but got a fifth. I had talked myself into. I'm okay with a third. I would have loved a fourth. I never thought D.J. moore was a second round pick. I did not have that. With all that we talked about, with all the bills needs and the need to draft efficiently because that's cost control. The salary cap isn't real, but bad contracts are bad contracts. And then all the other stuff comes out. Mike. And I think that's what you talked about in the open of. Then all of a sudden it's. They've guaranteed money already. Yes, I know. The contract can be reworked, all of those things. It just feels like you're locking into a 20, soon to be 29 year old receiver for three years at about $74 million.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, I agree with you. Like I was like, oh, the Bills are doing something and it's at a position of need. So I love to see that. And sometimes for me, when I look at something, I do a pro con list to figure out how I feel about it, which don't laugh at me.

[Dan Fates]

You do that all the time.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, but sometimes when I get home,

[Mike Catalana]

she's like, do I get the chicken or the steak?

[Jenna Cottrell]

No.

[Mike Catalana]

Pros and cons?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, both. Protein first of all. But no, I sometimes to help me really distill how I feel.

[Dan Fates]

Okay, so pros, I just get right to the opinion.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Four time. Well, here's, here's how I thought about it when I originally boiled it down. I said does it help? Yes. Is it a home run? No. That is how I look at this move. But the pros, four times he's been thousand plus yard seasons. Worked with Joe Brady before, earlier on in his career in Carolina, can make tough catches. We saw that in the playoffs this season with the Bears. And durability. He's been able to play a lot of games and that's important. Especially when we look at Curtis Samuel's injuries, Josh Palmer's injuries and how much that has affected this offense. The cons, the price, the second round pick, the money. He is coming off his worst statistical season and he's 29 years old right now and obviously that will. He will continue to age as his contract continues.

[Mike Catalana]

He's 28. He's turning 24 or 29 next month.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, so he's 29.

[Mike Catalana]

He's 28.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Right.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But he's gonna be 29 this season.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay, but what is he right now?

[Jenna Cottrell]

He's 28.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What is he in a month, Dan?

[Dan Fates]

29, I think.

[Jenna Cottrell]

When do you play football? Is that in.

[Dan Fates]

No, that's not. I think you said initially he was 29. Okay, well, he's going to continue to

[Jenna Cottrell]

get older as his contract. So that is a fact.

[Dan Fates]

You mean he's not getting.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, I'm like, what are we talking about here?

[Mike Catalana]

That's the best. Here we are. This is why you come to Buffalo plus to argue about how time and age works.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, fine.

[Mike Catalana]

He will be older next year too.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He will be 29 years old this year for this season. But for his essentially his three year contract, he will be.

[Dan Fates]

He's same age as Josh. He's that in that. Yes. For 29 years old.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Technically younger than Josh.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We're going to be a stickler about age here.

[Dan Fates]

Okay.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But looking at it, I just. The price is really what stuck out to me.

[Dan Fates]

And now you are also paying that player and to some fans who have reached out on social media and I'm sure some of you are thinking this now, there's the certainty and the uncertainty and draft picks are uncertainty. It's not like it's guaranteed that this player is going to do something. But he has a very strong track record. He's been a good player in the league. The numbers were down this year. They drafted to one of Dan's original crushes up there back behind.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You can't see his picture.

[Dan Fates]

And you know, and they, they drafted a guy that I really like in the draft and then, you know, they've had other players. They went with a tight end, Loveland. Loveland. So they have some good players and they ran the ball a lot last year, which I think reduced his numbers. So I think he was a player that was thought of highly and has put up numbers. So it's different than getting a draft pick. But look what Keon Coleman has made in his career as a second round pick. So if you instead of that big swing of trading the two and getting a player there and drafting a player, it's a lot of money. And the Bills have already done this multiple times. I think if they would have taken more swings in the draft and failed, I would have fell differently. But they haven't done that. Keon's the only guy. They took the swing, traded for Diggs. That worked.

[Mike Catalana]

Yep.

[Dan Fates]

And Diggs was a younger player ready to pop. And I think the difference with more. He's already had the numbers. I think even if his numbers are not great, great, he can still be very impactful to the Bills. But I think it's a guy little older, little more mileage on him and a lot of money that he's getting.

[Mike Catalana]

It's.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I Feel like it's the classic, like I want you to do this. And it's like, well, not that.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, correct. And I think that's the big thing because when people push back on social media, it was, you guys want him to make a move for a wide receiver and Bean does it and you're still not happy. There's a difference between being aggressive and to some respects, reckless. This is a gamble. You're gambling on an older wide receiver who last year is coming off his worst statistical year. So you're betting that this is, that was a hiccup and not a trend. And you're Talking about a 20 will be 29 year old receiver. They don't usually get better as they hit 30. And you're pretty much, from what we've heard, from what Schefter's reporting and Albert Breer and all that stuff, you're guaranteeing money in like 2027 and 2028. Like this is your guy. Yes, you can restructure contracts and all of those things, but that's the concern to me and for everybody says, well, if you were to get DJ Moore in the second round, you would take that. Right. You get a guy that would get 70 catches and 900 yards, but that guy that you get in the second round isn't 29 years old and isn't making $20 million. The salary cap is not real, but it's good business. As Jeremy White from WGR has explained, it is good business for cost control to draft wide receivers.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And it's not like these decisions aren't made in a vacuum. Now we look at this first round pick that the Bills have. It has to be defense.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, it's defense.

[Mike Catalana]

It has to be. So you have taken that like off the plate. And that to me is what's frustrating. That to me is where I have a hard time getting behind this. And you make your point about the Bears and Johnny, you said the pro was. He's had four 1,000 yard seasons. He said one in the last three years. And, and I know that I will also say this, I know Ben Johnson is not Peter or Paul and he's not the guru of everything, but he knows offense. We all agree that he's a really. And what?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, no, I do think that the other players in the room contribute to him not getting as many targets for him in Chicago.

[Dan Fates]

So I push back other players in the room also. I'm, I'm going to give him this. They were a mess offensively the year before. Caleb Williams was A rookie.

[Mike Catalana]

That was the year he had his good numbers was the year before.

[Dan Fates]

Right. But they were not a great offense and that's why they continue to invest in newer wide receivers.

[Mike Catalana]

Ringing endorsement.

[Dan Fates]

No, but I don't think necessarily he can't. He'll get targets with the Bills. He should be getting targets with the Bills. If you're making this deal and you're paying for it. I am. I don't want to dump on the player, especially for the 2026 season. Right. I think he is. I'll tell you this. I think he'll be their best wide receiver. As much as I like Shakir as a player, I think Moore is going to be their best receiver.

[Jenna Cottrell]

This is interesting. So Warren Sharp just tweeted out most expensive wide receiver rooms in 2026. Number one, Cincinnati.

[Mike Catalana]

Number two, the bills.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, they will.

[Mike Catalana]

The Bills will go to fourth once they release Curtis Samuel. They will become the fourth highest paid wide receiver room.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But still the payoff there is.

[Dan Fates]

Well, that's again, that's why I said that's from nasdaq.

[Mike Catalana]

Crazy.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, yeah. Yes. Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

By the way, they can say what they want. If Keon Coleman would be was a good player that they had a lot of faith in, they wouldn't feel the need to be making these types of moves. Right? Yeah, because you would have said. Right. But this is my point.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What do we always say?

[Dan Fates]

Follow what they do, not what they say. So they can say all this that they want. I. I also, I just don't like it. This draft. To me, I think this sets up differently for free agency because if you're Jim Leonard, you need a few dudes. And I think they were hopeful to higher picks. Maybe a better chance that those guys step right in. They're going to. There's so many things that are uncertain about this roster going forward. Now, in fairness to Brandon Bean, it's the first of what could be many moves that they make. So this is not the complete picture.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Dan Fates]

They could make another deal, maybe recoup a pick, try to get some other players. But when you talk about what they're paying for that room, that is obscene for what they get.

[Mike Catalana]

Because we just talked about it. They haven't drafted. And we talked about this last podcast. I think it's the one that's out today. We filmed it yesterday.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And we talked about how. And I said this. Nobody really in the free agent market is going to excite me. I can have tempered expectations and excitement about what I think DJ Moore will bring to this offense because I do think he improves it, but there wasn't. It's expensive to do these types of things and it handcuffs you because say, say Romeo Dobbs gets 18 million or 16 million, there's six or seven million dollars that you could get for a full a starter on defense.

[Dan Fates]

You'd still have a second round pick

[Mike Catalana]

and a second round pick.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Or a second round pick that you could then be the cost control. Like that's where these decisions aren't made in a vacuum. That's what I'm trying to get at is that like this decision to trade your second round pick now affects your defense, it now affects here, it affects your draft, it affects all of these things for DJ Moore. And if anybody can say for sure that in 2026 DJ Moore is going to be a top 20 wide receiver, you're guessing. You're guessing. There is. He's not as certain as if you traded for A.J. brown this year. Going, A.J. is going to get me 1100 yards and eight touchdowns. You're hoping what D.J. moore can be. It's like when they signed Curtis Samuel and we said, oh, that dip. Well, you know, he'll give back.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He's going to be reunited with Joe Brady.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, that's where. And again, that's where I make the point too, of. We talked about it with Matt Harmon of the Chargers weren't heartbroken when Josh Palmer signed elsewhere. Okay. And my point on Ben Johnson is, you're right, he is not the gospel and the guru of all offense.

[Dan Fates]

Well, no, he's a very good offense.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So.

[Mike Catalana]

So hear me out. I get frustrated when teams say, well, he wasn't used correctly in that offense. You're right. Those teams are like, how can we misuse this guy? He's in their building. He sees. They see what they have on a daily basis. When Kyle Shanahan let go of Debo, that should have been a sign for a lot of people to go. He probably doesn't have much left because Kyle Shanahan. Because if Debo had anything left, he'd want to keep Debo.

[Dan Fates]

Yes. Now, there are times when the player ages a little bit and they've drafted, appears to have drafted well. It's a much easier move. I guess my point was going to be, I know we're going to hear that there was a lot of competition for DJ Moore and there might very well have been with some other teams. That might have been the kind of move you're going to make. And so you'd say, I'd say I'd push back with people when I'm trying to make a point about, like, I don't like the second round pick. And I would say to you, well, what if it was a first round pick? You would all say, no way. I feel that way about a second round pick too. I feel really almost that way about a third round pick. But I could get there on. Like you said in the beginning, that's my biggest issue is the loss of draft capital in a year where this team continues to need younger, cheaper players.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

To make it work.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. And like Osiris Torrance was a second round pick. James Cook was a second round pick. Like, these are impactful players. Well, Bishop was a second round.

[Mike Catalana]

I'll do you guys one better. This is Mike's favorite experiment. If the New England Patriots traded a second round pick for DJ Moore, you'd be like.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He'd be like, yeah, it. It wouldn't. I'd be like.

[Mike Catalana]

They'd be like, man, they gave up a lot to get DJ Moore.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. I'd be like, meh. I don't think he adds something to their offense. But I wouldn't be like. And I'd be like, damn, that's expensive.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. So why are we sitting here? Think like, I guess that's where my mind goes, where Mike always does the. You say in free agent, like, if. If the bill signed this player, you have this level of excitement, which is part of fandom and part of optimism. And I'm not trying to.

[Dan Fates]

But your point at the beginning was a good one. It's like he makes the room better because it was low. I. Because the optimism on the room was low. But at the same time, it's both money and draft capital that gives away the ability to lower the cost of that room and that room. I guess next year it'll go. You know, we go down a little bit when they cut Samuel and then maybe in another year when Palmer's gone, but you're still paying like the top two guys, which are Shakir and Moore, a lot of money next year. A lot of money.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Which is wild because I thought they couldn't pay. That is interesting because they had Josh Allen.

[Dan Fates]

This is Josh's fault, Sean's fault.

[Mike Catalana]

But that's. I guess that's where. And also, like, I don't want to.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Sorry, another question.

[Mike Catalana]

Go ahead. Because I got.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, I just. Do you feel like this is a. Hey, we got to make sure that we address this room and we're going to do something to make sure that we Add talent to this roster because we know that this is a. We know that this is a. A piece in our roster that needs to improvement. But also, like, now there's pressure on Brandon Bean to get this done because it's. It's Brandon Bean's show. Now.

[Dan Fates]

I do think there's a little bit of that. And I will say some of these moves sort of set the table for what you're going to do later. And I wouldn't have had any problem with all of that if it was at a lesser cost.

[Mike Catalana]

Agreed.

[Dan Fates]

That's the thing that's gotten me. I just. I just would have had more optimism and saying, okay, they addressed the wide receiver position. Would like to see it in the draft. Now you leave yourself open to. Even if it is, you know, maybe you move back in the second round and get a. Get a linebacker and a wide receiver, like, whatever that happens to be. And again, I keep going back to, yes, they could make other moves, but this was a team I wanted to see. Add draft capital. Yep. Not subtract it.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. And that's where I go back to. People are saying, well, what is Romeo Dobbs market? Is it going to be more? Maybe it is. What if it comes out to be less? What if Alec Pierce only goes for 21 and maybe it's the agents hyping him up? And what if these guys go for less? But you've already spent your money and allotted a lot of your cap space to more. Like, that's like, you know what I'm saying?

[Dan Fates]

Moore has been a better player in his career than both of those guys.

[Mike Catalana]

And they're both younger.

[Dan Fates]

They're younger, but they've also got experience. It's not. They're like young and. And rookies. So you have a little bit of a track record with those guys, maybe more so even with Dobbs than, you know, than Pierce. Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And the other thing that I wanted to address, because I feel like it wouldn't be fully accurate, like, there have been things in Chicago that we have seen of DJ Moore's questionable effort. Like, that's been on display, the interception that Caleb threw in. Now I know more is gassed. And they were talking about how all those things happened, but there were times when if he wasn't getting the ball, there's a play where he's on the sidelines in the middle of a play. Like that stuff has come into question. And you can bet on the Bill's culture and buying in. I think that's a lot easier to do for a rookie for a 25 year old.

[Dan Fates]

We're already seeing it in a second year guy.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. I'm just saying you're DJ Moore is 29 years old. Going to be 29 years old. He is who he is. I think that's pretty clear. So that's some. That's. I'm not saying DJ Moore doesn't give effort. I'm saying it has been a concern in his past and I think it would be. We'd have. It has to be brought up because you can find reels and clips of that

[Jenna Cottrell]

Bears source. One thing I never loved is you knew if he wasn't the read on a route just the way he ran it.

[Dan Fates]

Well that really strikes at the heart of a lot of what Joe Brady has talked about.

[Mike Catalana]

The Joe Brady routes.

[Dan Fates]

Joe Brady routes and what he asks of players and you know there are players that he loves seeing that full effort no matter who's getting the ball.

[Mike Catalana]

Shavers.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Tyrell Shavers is a Gabe.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, Gabe.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And that's the thing Dan using Gabe, you know, he's fired up.

[Mike Catalana]

That's why like my, my point in the open was people saying are the Bills a better team today this morning or they better team now than they were this morning? Yeah, I can make both arguments because as we've talked about would you rather have a second round pick and say

[Dan Fates]

well they don't have the player yet. So just, just specifically to your point.

[Mike Catalana]

Correct.

[Dan Fates]

Yes. But they added a wide receiver.

[Mike Catalana]

But this is the the bed that they have made because I'll admit it, hand up Gabe Davis improved this room last year. That's the extent of where this room is. So to sit here and say I've seen every Colin Coward and Yahoo Sports and ESPN say QB1 has got his wide receiver one.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I yes. This is a classic example of two things can be true at the same time. One, DJ Moore makes the Bills wide receiver room better and two, it costs a lot in terms of capital as well as money and that can hamstring them in other ways. Yeah, that's how I feel like I look at this.

[Dan Fates]

So much wanted to see them invest a high draft pick. This will likely be another year and I guess they could be in the third round. This will likely be another year where they do not draft a wide receiver in the they draft. Keon is the only one they have drafted. They traded for Diggs but they have drafted in the first four rounds. Gabe was one. Gabe in the fourth round but not in the first three except for Keon and last year and you could say.

[Mike Catalana]

And because of that, they currently have the second highest paid.

[Dan Fates]

And you look at those other rooms, it's like Devontae Smith and AJ Brown and it's T. Higgins and Jamar Chase. It's like, it's that kind of room.

[Mike Catalana]

But when you get in the business of signing mid level wide receivers, it's expensive.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Like, that's what I keep getting back to. And so comment in.

[Dan Fates]

Could have brought Diggs back for a lot cheaper. They're not doing this. That's not happening.

[Mike Catalana]

So also comment in with what your thoughts are. I, I see both sides, but I'm gonna be honest. Like, as this has gone on, I, I have gotten more and more frustrated. Like, I, I just, I thought it'd cool off. I thought I would be.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You're hysterical. I'm kidding. I just. No, I get it. I would have liked Jalen Waddle better.

[Dan Fates]

Oh, he's younger.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

And you would have given up.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But okay, in fairness to Bean, this is a, this is a weak spot on the team and they're addressing a need.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And DJ Moore will make that room better.

[Dan Fates]

I agree.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And he has a track record to prove it.

[Dan Fates]

I agree with all of that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That is.

[Dan Fates]

But at what cost?

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's also fair, too.

[Mike Catalana]

It was kind of like I was saying with Connor McGovern.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I could get behind moving on from Conor McGovern. If you told me, hey, the money that we're going to save with Connor McGovern, I know you can't do this, but if you had the crystal ball and said, we're going to save the money from Connor McGovern, we're going to put it towards A.J. brown. I'm in. That makes. Yeah, I'm in. Totally. If you told me we're going to save money, but we're going to spend it on paying a DJ Moore this money, I'm going, I'd rather have Connor McGovern.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Like, that's kind of where my, my brain's at and just kind of how I'm trying to process all these things.

[Dan Fates]

So we just got back from the combine and you talked to, and it's been on the podcast, Matt Harmon.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

And you talked to him and he brought up DJ Moore as a player. He was talking about what the bills might do and he had DJ more in the same category as, I think, Michael Pitman.

[Mike Catalana]

Yep.

[Dan Fates]

Right. Two kind of guys to pick up. Now, we did not talk at that point. He's not a general manager. He's talking about the Players and the way they fit. And I think it was more of a secondary sort of trade that you make. It's not A.J. brown. It's not Jalen Waddle. It's not those guys. It's another one. And I think when I listened to him, I think he was relatively positive on more as a player. But I think the perception there from reception perception was it would be less in compensation. Yeah. It would not be. Throw in. I mean, that's, that's. So what is that pick? What is the bills 58.

[Mike Catalana]

Would you have like A.J. brown for a first and T.J. sanders?

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I mean, like, I mean, if I'm. If I'm the Eagles, I'm going. DJ Moore goes for a second.

[Dan Fates]

Well, that's a. Howie Rose.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. Now he's probably like.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Because they usually work just like some other teams like the Rams. They work from Seattle. They work from a position of strength. Adding players, adding. I mean, like the Eagles have like 10 draft picks this year.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Shut up.

[Dan Fates]

Well, they. Because they got no.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I know.

[Dan Fates]

From guys. They.

[Mike Catalana]

You know, I will say DJ Moore is physical, good run blocker. Excuse me. Is tough to tackle. Like all of those things. Like Shakir and DJ Moore are going to be a handful on defensive backs.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

To bring down in the fourth quarter. Like they. They will be able to wear teams down. He does provide them more of the outside guy who can also play inside. Like there are. Again, it's tough to rationale and compartmentalize all of this because of the player that I think can work. Where does that skill set transition as he gets older and is going to be 29 and then he'll be 30 and then he'll be 31. Where does all of that skill set continue to age?

[Dan Fates]

So what do you guys think in terms of. Bill's made a big move this off season. He fired Sean McDermott, promoted Joe Brady. This seems like a. Maybe not the biggest swing, but it seems like a right now move. This is really about 26.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

And maybe into 27 if you're following me here.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

It's like we're not waiting for this second round pick.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Like we made this big move. I'm sorry, but they've propped up Joe Brady. It's going to be different this year. This is a big step towards that. And draft picks are draft picks.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's kind of what I was getting at earlier. Not to say it's like a desperation move. That's too strong of a word. But like, is this like a. Hey, we gotta figure this out now.

[Dan Fates]

It's an immediate move. It's. Josh is 29 years old. He's 29, right?

[Jenna Cottrell]

He is. He will be 30, though, in May, old man.

[Dan Fates]

That's how time works, in case you forgot. It is a. It's. It's for now and May and next year. It really is.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

So you're going to be paying for it. But.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And I still expect them, though, in the draft to draft a wide receiver seventh round. If they draft another seventh, they have two seventh round picks. Michael.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Defense is. Is a need. Let's see. Let's see what else ends up happening. But I just, I like, I keep going back to this. I think when they line up week number one with DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir, I'm much happier than what they put on the field last year.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Very 100%, very true. So very true.

[Dan Fates]

Let's see how it plays out.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What else they do.

[Mike Catalana]

One and a two to get up to 11 and take Carnell Tate.

[Dan Fates]

I mean, you could have done that.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I guess that's where.

[Dan Fates]

And I know if I would have done that.

[Mike Catalana]

I know there will be people in the comments saying you guys wanted them to make a move and they made a move and you're still not happy.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't know what to say to that. Like, I'm gonna be honest.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like, no, absolutely. It's. Yes. Hey, I want you to help around the house more, but not like that.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You know, Yeah, I get. Which I get it. That's an understandable critique. And we will have to see how this plays out. And like Michael has talked about, I think this is step one of adding to that room. But it's an expensive price for a player that is older and has had somewhat of a decline in the last couple of seasons.

[Dan Fates]

So all of us have been around

[Jenna Cottrell]

each other too much.

[Dan Fates]

Yes. We've gotten new vehicles, all within the last year. When you're shopping for a car and you're in there and you're like, I really like that. And then you look at it and then you start going over the numbers, you're like, can I do this? And whatever it is, you know, as we've gotten. As you guys have gotten older too, you could always do it and you're excited and then.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And then you got to pay for it every month, paying for it.

[Dan Fates]

And you're like, I still really like the car, but I paid way too much. And it's still a really good car right now. The only thing worse is if it's a bad car.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, if the car brings too much.

[Dan Fates]

Right, but so then you say, maybe I'll get the one. Like when I went to look at my car and I really liked it. And the guy's like, now if you really want this. And he shows me this other one. And for like 30 seconds I was like, well, that would be good. And then he's like, it's another $200,000 a month. I'm like, no, sometimes the cost is there. Now I. You're going to. It's a better car than I had and I really like it. That's my point on this. So, hey, lineup. Let's go. DJ Moore, let's go play. Josh is going to like him. I think he's going to be good for the team. But I would have liked to have seen it done differently.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Would you say that drafting a wide receiver is like leasing a car

[Mike Catalana]

because

[Jenna Cottrell]

you get it at a certain cost and then if you want to buy it and you want to do an extension, you can.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, there's part of that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Just because it's. It's not. Yes. It's what's sort of more like, I would say it's more like renting a house as opposed to buying it. Okay. Because you know, you kind of go,

[Mike Catalana]

what's the extended warranty? Is that a tight end?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Hey, how can we relate this to golf?

[Dan Fates]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

It's like laying up on a par five, you know, but yeah, DJ Moore, I mean, he's gotten outside of last year, he went the other 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 straight seasons with over 118 targets.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

In Carolina and in Chicago. And to Jenna's point, he's had the 4,000 yard seasons for 1,000 yard seasons.

[Dan Fates]

That would be a record.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, he's had one in the last four.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Okay, well, we'll see.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But they did something. I'm trying to. I'm trying to glass. Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't want this to be Buffalo. Negative.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

It's not like I said, good, good to very good player. Depending on what version of him you get, he has shown he can be a very good player. That's the difference between him and Josh Palmer and even Curtis Samuel, this guy has been a higher level player. That's what I'm saying is than either one of them.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Dan Fates]

Can he get back? Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

How much do you think him playing with Joe Brady also.

[Dan Fates]

Curtis Samuel played with him too.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, no, I'm saying how much do you think that influenced them going after DJ Moore?

[Dan Fates]

Oh, Brady Knowing him, I think definitely had an impact.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Wonder if he's one of Mike Evans.

[Dan Fates]

Did he stand up on the table?

[Mike Catalana]

I still want Mike Evans.

[Dan Fates]

You're not getting Mike Evans now.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I agree, but I make it work.

[Dan Fates]

You know where Mike Evans is going to go? Tampa Eagles. Oh, they're going to trade AJ Brown and they're going to sign him.

[Mike Catalana]

That'd be so smart. That'd be effing Howie.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That sounds weird.

[Dan Fates]

I would really like to hear someone, a general manager. I really would like to talk to them about. I know that's about costs and why you trade sometimes because it's easy to say sign the free agent, don't make the trade. And there may be in their mind some. Some reasons behind a trade and the manipulation of the contract that's already existing that you can do. I don't know.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, but I don't know either. But this was our emergency pod.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

In the comments. What do you think about this deal? Do you like it? Do you not? Do you think this was something that made sense for this bill's team? Your thoughts, feelings, all that. We want to hear it. Because I think there will be a lot of reaction to this.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And also like just going through tweets that I've bookmarked that I've wanted to bring up on the pod and things that Jason from over the cap. They do the salary cap. They're a lot like spot track. The Bills are really desperate. Trying anything and everything to keep the window from. From slamming shut. I just don't get how you trade a two and take on 40 million and guaranteed for a 29 year old receiver that has averaged 825 yards over the last two season. He can separate. That is one of. That is one of his. That is one of his keys. I do like that the ESPN wide receiver analytics. He has declined each of the last three years.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Don't like that as much.

[Dan Fates]

It's the. The money plays into it. The money def. And the loss of the draft pick.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

It's going to be an edge rusher. So the Bills will take an edge rusher in the first round. Let's focus in on edge rushers, folks.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah,

[Jenna Cottrell]

whatever.

[Dan Fates]

We met so many wide receivers.

[Mike Catalana]

So many.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Are you sad about Denzel? Boston?

[Mike Catalana]

They could still do Boston.

[Jenna Cottrell]

They could actually.

[Dan Fates]

Really? How are they doing that?

[Mike Catalana]

26 in the first round at 26.

[Jenna Cottrell]

They have so many other leads.

[Dan Fates]

A very wise woman said to me somebody may overcompensate this year and go all in on wide receiver. Did you not say that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

So that would be going all in to use the number one pick.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's true.

[Dan Fates]

Jim Leonard's gonna be like, what are you guys doing?

[Jenna Cottrell]

What do you got against me?

[Mike Catalana]

They're gonna say, look at the practice squad. Look at all these great players.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Look at all the talent there. Okay. All right. We would love to hear. All right. Thank you for watching our emergency podcast. No, I kind of love this. This is also. This is good because I'm not on vacation next week, so could adequately. What?

[Dan Fates]

Nothing.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What?

[Mike Catalana]

Who takes a vacation to start an NFL free agency?

[Jenna Cottrell]

People who forget it's NFL free. I was like, oh, it's not the dress.

[Dan Fates]

Hold on. Jenna did pros and cons, and she was like, warm weather, done

[Mike Catalana]

a beach.

[Jenna Cottrell]

F those trades. F those signings.

[Dan Fates]

You wish you were covering the Rams.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, my God.

[Dan Fates]

Like, they just don't even draft.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I know. I wouldn't have to do any draft.

[Mike Catalana]

Have to cover draft night.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Kind of rad. All right, all right. Thanks for joining us for Mike and Dan. I am Jenna. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe, as well as share. We definitely appreciate it. Thanks for watching. Thanks for hanging with us. Thanks for listening to us in the

[Dan Fates]

Connors and Ferris podcast in the Connors

[Jenna Cottrell]

and Ferris podcast studio. We'll see what else is in store maybe next week for free agency, but that's all the time for us. Thanks for watching the Buffalo plus podcast.

[Mike Catalana]

Buffalo Plus.