GREG ROUSSEAU on the BILLS offseason CHANGES and his NEW NUMBER + possible NFL Draft HIDDEN GEMS

Summary

Buffalo Plus Podcast: Greg Rousseau on the Bills Offseason Changes, His New Number, & NFL Draft Hidden Gems

Date: April 14, 2026
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fates
Guest: Greg Rousseau, Buffalo Bills Edge Rusher

---

Episode Overview

This episode of Buffalo Plus focuses on the Buffalo Bills’ offseason changes, draft strategies, and features a candid player interview. The trio—Mike, Jenna, and Dan—discuss potential draft "hidden gems" for the Bills in rounds two and three, evaluating prospects beyond the typical first-round buzz. The highlight is a detailed interview with Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau, who shares insight on the defensive transition under new coordinator Jim Leonhard, his new jersey number, his offseason mindset, and what the community can expect from him and the team moving forward.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hidden Gems & Draft Strategy: Day 2 and 3 Prospects

(02:21 – 33:03)

• Draft Approach Beyond Round One:

  • With Buffalo picking late in the first round, the hosts are especially interested in day two and three prospects.
  • Mike: “I like day two better than I like day one for this draft in particular… It just feels like you’ve got two picks in many cases” (04:51)

• Wide Receiver Prospects (Heavy Emphasis):

  • Jenna’s “wide receivers for days” approach, presenting at least one WR per round:
    • Skyler Bell (UConn) [Second Round]: “100 catches, 1200 yards, 13 touchdowns… great route running and contested catches. He had a big game against Syracuse” – Jenna (06:17)
    • Malachi Fields (Virginia/Notre Dame) [Late 2nd/Early 3rd]: “Big, 6’4” X receiver… interesting skillset, maybe more third-round” – Mike (07:13)
    • Ted Hurst (Georgia State) [3rd Round]: “Four-year starter, 6’4” with a 4.42 40 time… big upside even if there’s a learning curve” – Mike & Jenna (08:11 – 09:12)
    • Junior Vandross III (Toledo) [Later Rounds]: “5’8” slot guy, tons of YAC, high-volume pass catcher, good value” – Mike (10:44)
    • Jacoby Lane (USC) [4th Round]: “6’4”, 4.47 40… adds size and speed, helping the X position” – Jenna (11:49)
    • Brennan Thompson (Mississippi State) [Favorite, Day 3]: “Fast as… [bleep], 4.26 40. 5’9” 165, just pure speed.” – Jenna (12:52)
    • Kaden Wetgen (Iowa) [6th Round]: “Best returner in the country, 5 punt return TDs, value as a special teams ace” – Jenna (13:23)

• Other Positions—Edge, Linebacker, O-Line, and More:

  • Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech LB) [2nd-3rd]: “Won every award, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Unanimous All-American… just that dude.” – Dan (16:18)
    • Discussion: The risk of “overdrafting” a great but undervalued player.
  • Gabe Aus (Illinois EDGE) [Day 2]: “11 sacks in 2025, first-team All-Big Ten. Play style: more steak than sizzle… comp is Matthew Judon. Former wrestler.” – Dan (19:44 – 20:14)
  • Michael Tafy (Texas Safety): “First-team All-SEC, walk-on turned All-American. Coverage safety, size concerns at 6’0” 193 lbs.” – Dan (20:59)
  • Josiah Trotter (Missouri LB): “Plays like a hitter, thumper. Not a cover guy, effective against the run, special-teams value.” – Mike (21:33)
  • Markel Bell (Miami Tackle): “6’9”, 346 lbs… just a giant, could play guard short-term. Mountain of a man.” – Mike (24:07 – 25:19)

• Late- and Special-Teams Picks Discussion:

  • Drew Aller (Penn State QB) [5th/6th]: “Might be a flyer for a cheap backup; backup QB room is pretty thin.” – Mike (29:21)
  • Jack Stonehouse (Syracuse, Punter): “1st-team All-ACC; possible value for 7th round or UDFA” – Dan (30:52)
  • Demond Clairborne (Wake Forest RB): “Interesting running back for late rounds; worth looking at for competition.” – Dan (32:00)

• On Value vs. Fit:

  • Both hosts and guest reference the risk/reward of “stretching” for a good fit; referencing Lions’ controversial picks of Jameer Gibbs & Jack Campbell as successful “reaches.” (18:45)

Notable Quotes

• Jenna (about WRs): “I wanted to give every round a wideout for people on team WR to root for.” (07:02)
• Mike (on Bell): "Mountainous tackle with rare physical attributes… Markel Bell's a cool name." (25:12)
• Dan (on Aus): "His play is more steak than sizzle… and I love steak and sizzle." (20:28)

---

2. Greg Rousseau Interview – Bills Defense, Offseason, and New Number

(33:08 – 50:17)

Charity & Team Culture

• Greg's Charity Softball Game (34:00 – 36:09)
  • Proceeds support various foundations run by Bills players, giving back to both Buffalo community and players’ initiatives.
  • “It’s not like the Greg Russo game. It’s just a game for the team… so it’s cool to keep it here.” – Greg (34:17)
  • Emphasizes community connection—players and fans mingle, relaxed vibe.

Defensive Transition Under Jim Leonhard

• New Scheme: Greg expects more “edge” and stand-up roles, adapting to a 3-4, which enables him to reclaim his college number (15).
• On Jim Leonhard: “He knows what he’s talking about. He’s played for years and years… so I mean, I’m excited.” (38:54)
• Player-Coach Perspective: Appreciates Leonard’s dual perspective—having been both a Bill and an NFL player, not just a coach. (39:35)

On Roster Turnover & Embracing Change

• “When you’re in a profession, you got to be able to embrace change and be like water… you kind of got to get on the train and keep going and try to tweak the culture.” (40:19)

New Number, New Role

• “You picked 15. Is that why? 15 sacks?” – Mike
• “Sounds accurate... I love 15, had it in college, couldn’t get it before because we were 4-3, but now we’re 3-4.” – Greg (41:12 – 41:41)

Vibes Under Joe Brady as Head Coach

• “A lot of change, but it’s Joe Brady. He’s been here, understands the standard… he’s eager to get better in every way and we’re all following suit.” (44:44)

Offseason Activities

• Greg spends time training, but outside football: “I like anime, I like taking pictures… got this Fuji film camera. When I travel, I use that.” (45:45 – 46:03)
• Big fan of The Walking Dead comics.

Not Being Recognized in Public

• “I wear a hoodie or sweatpants… try to fly below the radar. I don’t want to be fishing for attention.” (47:23)

Fun Lightning Round

• Charity Softball MVPs: “Josh [Allen], but D.C. (Dwayne Carter) is nice too.”
• Players who talk a big game: “All those guys [like K.J. Hamler, Isaiah McKenzie]—they think they’re good at everything!” (48:56 – 49:12)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Embracing Change:
  “You got be able to embrace change and be like water… we have the pen in our hands, we got to write our own story.”
  – Greg Rousseau (40:19)
• On His New Number:
  “Sounds accurate [to aim for 15 sacks]. I had [#15] in college, couldn’t get it before… I love 15.”
  – Greg Rousseau (41:18)
• On Jim Leonhard as DC:
  “He knows, he knows what he’s talking about… it’s cool being able to listen from a coach’s point of view, but also from a player’s… he was in our shoes.”
  – Greg Rousseau (38:54 – 39:53)
• On Being Recognized Off the Field:
  “I wear a hoodie or like sweatpants… I just want to fly below the radar.”
  – Greg Rousseau (47:23)
• On Greg’s Photo Hobby:
  “I got this Fuji film camera… When I travel, I use that.”
  – Greg Rousseau (45:59)
• Mike’s Admiration:
  “Nobody has been a bigger fan of you than this man sitting across here. …He’s been calling like 12 sacks for you, for like nine years before you were even in Buffalo.”
  – Jenna (42:57)
• Steak vs. Sizzle:
  “His play is more steak than sizzle… and I love steak and sizzle. Dan is the sizzle on the steak.”
  – Dan and Mike (20:28 – 20:46)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Draft, WR Discussion: 02:21 – 16:00
• Edge/Linebacker Prospects: 16:00 – 22:30
• Offensive Line, Late-Round Flyers: 22:30 – 33:03
• Greg Rousseau Interview – Opening/Softball Charity: 33:08 – 36:09
• Greg on Defensive Changes & Jim Leonhard: 38:00 – 39:53
• On Team Changes & New Number: 40:19 – 41:41
• Joe Brady Era & Offseason Vibes: 44:44 – 45:24
• Greg’s Hobbies/Offseason Life: 45:45 – 47:23
• Softball G.O.A.T.s & Locker Room Fun: 48:48 – 49:12

---

Conclusion & Final Takeaways

• Hosts’ Reflection: They express hope—shared by the fanbase— that Rousseau will finally have his double-digit sack, breakout season and become a “difference maker” on defense. (51:12)
• Community Engagement: The June 7th softball game is a highlight for fans seeking personal connections with players.
• Draft Outlook: The show offers a rich menu of under-the-radar prospects for Bills fans to watch throughout the draft, with thorough justifications for each positional target.
• Inside the Locker Room: The Rousseau interview provides genuine insight into offseason transitions for players and staff, highlighting both excitement and adaptability in the face of change.

---

Feel free to [revisit important draft ideas at 02:21-33:03] and [jump to the Rousseau interview at 33:08] for the core content of this episode.

Transcript

[Jenna Cotro]

Greg, to peel back the curtain a little bit here. Nobody has been a bigger fan of you than this man sitting across here. Nobody.

[Mike Catalana]

Tell him he's the guy.

[Jenna Cotro]

I just feel like our audience would think less of us if we didn't address this elephant in the room that Mike Catalana has been. Has been calling like 12 sacks for you for like nine years before you were even in Buffalo. He's like, Greg Rousseau is going to be a monster.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate that.

[Mike Catalana]

They'll be joining the team here soon.

[Jenna Cotro]

It's not that we're not foreigners and Ferris podcast studio.

[Greg Rousseau]

This is the Buffalo plus podcast.

[Dan Fates]

All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast. Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cotro. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. We are here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. We've talked so much about the draft coming up today. We're going to talk a little bit more about the prospects that we think that will go into in day two as well as day three, and how some of those guys could fit in Buffalo. We also have a special interview coming up with Mike's boy. Mike Catalana will be interviewing Greg Russo. Well, we all, we all will be, but it's really, it's really about you, Mike.

[Jenna Cotro]

I'm just here to keep you in check.

[Dan Fates]

Yes. And then also, Mike, we have something special coming up later.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, our draft special. We're going to do it from here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio Wednesday night, the night before the draft. So it's the night before the NFL draft. We will be live from 7 to 8. You guys are going to be asking the questions. It'll be interactive. We'll be talking about what you want to see from them. We'll be giving our picks. We'll be talking about the players that we like. But that is coming up the night before the NFL Draft from 7 to 8. And Dan, you guys know we're going to have coverage during the draft Thursday night. You know, we'll break in live close to the time the Bills are picking. We'll be recapping the draft every night, but Wednesday night before the draft, presented by White Claw.

[Jenna Cotro]

I was looking around for White Claw. That's what I was looking around

[Dan Fates]

there.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah, we're gonna build our own six pack of White Claws to go along with.

[Dan Fates]

I was say we're gonna have our own draft.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Which is pretty cool.

[Mike Catalana]

Then we're gonna do. Well, we're gonna do a lot of content. And then Saturday night after the draft is over, we're gonna recap the draft also presented by White Claws. We'll be doing all that from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio as the

[Dan Fates]

dust settles on what the Bills did in the upcoming drafts. And we've talked so much about the first round and prospects we life, like, will they go wide receiver, will they go edge, whatever. So this episode, we kind of wanted to just pull back the curtain on some of the other players that we think could be a good foot in Buffalo and some of the guys that aren't the buzzy first round type of players that are projected. So I wanted to open up the floor to you gentlemen. Do you want to start with day two? It makes the most sense of a guys that you like.

[Jenna Cotro]

Hang on. Do you want to. Do you want to hear what happened before we started rolling?

[Dan Fates]

What?

[Jenna Cotro]

Jenna goes, do you need some names?

[Mike Catalana]

She didn't try.

[Dan Fates]

Okay, hold up.

[Mike Catalana]

How am I doing the research?

[Dan Fates]

How am I getting. I'm trying to be a good friend. I was trying to be a good friend.

[Jenna Cotro]

So you didn't think that I would have anything prepared for a podcast. I fire up from the hip quite a bit to think that I wouldn't have something and if the thing that I wouldn't have a gimmick is just outlandish.

[Dan Fates]

Okay, here's my thing. We set up at today, when we're recording this on Monday, that we were going to do some of the prospects that were day two, day three. So I know you're a busy guy. I just wanted to make sure you were well prepared. I'm getting hate for being a good friend busy. Yeah. What?

[Mike Catalana]

She basically tapped you on the head and said, danny, would you like some of my players?

[Dan Fates]

Weird. Hearing you be called Danny.

[Jenna Cotro]

Just absolutely, immediately hated that. Let's never do that again.

[Dan Fates]

But no, in the comments, people are going to be on my side. I was trying to look out.

[Mike Catalana]

Anybody ever called you Danny?

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah, growing up in sports, it was. It was a big thing. And then my dad would be like, just tell the coach you don't want to be called Danny. And then I just never said anything.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, that's fair.

[Jenna Cotro]

Like, it's just. But it is a little bit. I think we talked about it in the last one where it was like me patting you on the head, like, great job with your draft prep, Jenna. Now. Now you're sitting there like, hey, I'm the draft expert here, Dan, do you need some names? Because I've. I've got all the names.

[Dan Fates]

This is preposterous.

[Mike Catalana]

No, this is what you get when you deal with him.

[Dan Fates]

I was trying to be a good friend.

[Jenna Cotro]

The fact. The fact that the nerve to be like, do you need names?

[Mike Catalana]

And what you realize. Okay, then you start in 20, 26. You are sitting next to Jenna Kuiper Jr.

[Dan Fates]

Put on the helmet. No, I just.

[Jenna Cotro]

Jenna, Jenna, Jenna, Jenna.

[Dan Fates]

You know what, though? I hate pumpkin pie, so I can't. I can't be a Kuiper. I was gonna say. Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Cheese pizza. Right? And pumpkin pie.

[Mike Catalana]

It is interesting that you said days two, so I get one more time to say how upset I am that they don't have a second round pick. I love day two of the draft. I'll be honest with you. Kind of like day two better than

[Dan Fates]

I like day one for this draft in particular or just overall when the

[Mike Catalana]

Bills are picking so late and they've traded back and I understand why they're picking 26. So I like day two because it just feels like you've got two picks in many cases. Sometimes you get another one. You move around a little bit. They share for right now, it's only one, but yeah, my. My names that I have on here. Dan's going to get us started. My names that I have on here are really third through the end of the draft that you could just see pop up.

[Jenna Cotro]

I've got a player I like in each round.

[Mike Catalana]

All right. So that.

[Jenna Cotro]

That's where I've gone with. And to start out, I will go with and there'll be a theme.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

Because are they all wide receivers? You're such a troll.

[Jenna Cotro]

She thought I needed names. She thought I needed names.

[Dan Fates]

Okay, go.

[Jenna Cotro]

I got wide receivers for days.

[Mike Catalana]

I got wise.

[Dan Fates]

Oh, my God, you really can.

[Jenna Cotro]

Okay, so for day two, if they are round two, if they trade back, wherever that ends up being, however that goes, a name that they reportedly now are having in for a 30 visit, which is a big tell. They brought in a bunch of wide receivers for 30 visits. As of we're recording this. Skyler Bell from Yukon.

[Dan Fates]

That is actually one of the names that I had on my list as well.

[Jenna Cotro]

Oh, so it would have been a name you would have given me?

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Cool name, though.

[Dan Fates]

Well, it's turns out we're on the same page.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah. UConn wide receiver, all American. One of the few players in the country to have a hundred catches and twelve hundred yards last year. Also had thirteen touchdowns. Like, it hits a lot of the right spots for route running. Contested catches played at UConn. So I think that's maybe a little bit of the knock. And the only thing that worried me a little bit was had a big game against Syracuse. There was somebody else had a big game against Syracuse that drew a lot of buzz.

[Mike Catalana]

You're talking about when Keon Coleman.

[Jenna Cotro]

Oh, at a big game against Syracuse.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Well, through the years I thought you

[Dan Fates]

were gonna say Lamar Jackson.

[Jenna Cotro]

I was thinking of. So Skyler Bell. What I wanted to do was I wanted to give every single round you the viewer to have somebody to root for if you're on team wide receiver to go with that.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, I actually have four wide receivers amongst the players, so I'll give you one of mine. Okay. Malachi Fields from Virginia. Notre Dame. End up in Notre Dame. He's an ex receiver. He's big, 6 foot 4. Interesting. He's got. He's very different than Keon because every time there's a bigger receiver, everybody's going to think Keon. He's not extend the play kind of guy. He's a guy who plays the X. That's where he is. I think he has a skill. I think he appears to be late second third round player, maybe more third round player. Obviously it depends on what they do in the first round if they were decide to. But I like Malachi Fields as a potential player for them.

[Dan Fates]

I mean I, I only had the one wide receiver of Skyler Bell.

[Jenna Cotro]

So do you want me to give you some more names?

[Mike Catalana]

I got more receivers.

[Jenna Cotro]

Okay.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, sure.

[Mike Catalana]

See if we have any of the same people.

[Jenna Cotro]

So you want me to go to my third round?

[Mike Catalana]

You go to your third round.

[Dan Fates]

Why don't we. Well do it by position then?

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Okay. Ted Hurst.

[Mike Catalana]

Got him on there.

[Jenna Cotro]

Got him on there.

[Mike Catalana]

Got him on there.

[Jenna Cotro]

We got names.

[Mike Catalana]

Talk to him. I got other four year starter.

[Jenna Cotro]

Georgia.

[Mike Catalana]

Georgia State. Okay, State. Got a learning curve, but dude's got big upside.

[Dan Fates]

Why do you like him?

[Mike Catalana]

Fast, productive. I just think he's one of those guys. Honestly, with the wide receiver room they have now, I do think you could take a guy that may take a year to come around. You know what I mean?

[Dan Fates]

Like I, I agree.

[Mike Catalana]

I know that's odd to say with the Bills wide receiver room and what you get out of them would be great. But I would like to see a guy with an upside. I'm with you on Ted Hurst and finishing too.

[Jenna Cotro]

I wanted to make a point because Malachi Fields was not a guy that I had written down. But he's a perfect example of somebody that fluctuates on where they're projected. Had a really good senior bowl and was getting a lot of buzz that he could be a first rounder. I think he ran like a 4, 6 at the combine and really kind of fell off. So it's trying to map out and it's like when their draft stock is the highest as to when it actually gets close to draft day. So Ted Hurst, like Mike was saying, 6 4, 206 pounds, ran a 4, 42 40. So I think we were talking about this at the combine about some. When we were talking about wide receivers, maybe it was about Denzel Boston and it was the fact of, well, you can't get another big wide receiver because you have Keon and the big wide receivers can't separate. No, you can have a big wide receiver that can separate. Like some of the. Some wide receivers don't need the separation. A.J. brown's not a big separation creator. He doesn't create a bunch. He's a contested catch guy. So I, I looked at Ted Hurst and some of these guys that got open again against a lower level talent. Absolutely. From Georgia State. But I thought he was another guy that could stretch the field and bring size, which is what I think that the Bills are lacking.

[Dan Fates]

Ted Hurst is a cool name.

[Mike Catalana]

It is.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I got a cool name for you.

[Jenna Cotro]

There's not a lot of Ted's still, still around.

[Dan Fates]

I think the name Teddy and like Theodore is very popular. Like Theo is very popular.

[Mike Catalana]

But Ted is again, I believe he just got in trouble. Ted Ginn. Ted Ginn.

[Dan Fates]

Ted Lasso. Big football.

[Mike Catalana]

I have another receiver with a cool name. Totally the opposite of a 6 foot 4, 230 pound receiver.

[Jenna Cotro]

Don't be cheating on me.

[Mike Catalana]

You this guy. Be a later round guy. Okay, Junior Vandross III don't have that. Toledo Rockets, 5 foot 8, 180.

[Jenna Cotro]

I got a bunch of those guys. I got a couple of those guys out here.

[Mike Catalana]

High volume pass catcher, very efficient yards after catch. I looked at his stats. He did not run jet sweeps. He was not really a returner. Had a few returns. A lot of times guys that size are like, oh, he's also a return guy. He caught the ball. Outstanding guy in the slot. Big on Toledo. I like, I like what Toledo's. I think their guys transitioned the NFL well. And I was a big Luther Vandross fan growing up. Went to a bunch of. I went to a few of his shows.

[Dan Fates]

I probably talked about this before.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, you, we went to Luther.

[Dan Fates]

You've talked about everything.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't think he's related to him. But it's Junior Vandross iii. Now that's cool name. Yeah sounds like a lawyer, but yeah.

[Dan Fates]

So he's five' eight 58. Okay 182 this is. That's a small, small frame and you have a bunch of guys like that.

[Jenna Cotro]

You said I got two that is more day three one of the guy that could be on that fringe third or fourth round. Jacobe Lane wide receiver from USC. Another bigger body six four 200447 in the 40. So again guys that I think can help that X position and I still don't think that there's you know whatever happens in the first round, whatever the Bills do still trying to keep some type of flexibility moving forward. I think we've all come while as we're excited about the possibility of could it be our guy Casey's conception. Yep. Or Denzel Boston. Like there are other guys that I think can add to this room and again getting size and speed I think are big factors to add to this wide receiver room that could help. So Jacoby Lane ahead as a possible fourth round guy out of USC cooking. Yeah, keep cooking. You want you. What was your guy? Five eight? Yeah this guy's taller. Five nine.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh okay big guy.

[Jenna Cotro]

And this one may be one of my favorites. Brennan Thompson from Mississippi State. My note fast as

[Dan Fates]

you are gonna have to bleep that.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah so that's my note. We've seen some. This guy's fast as we will edit all of this out but five four, two six in the 40.

[Mike Catalana]

Wow.

[Dan Fates]

Oh my.

[Mike Catalana]

That wasn't me time in it, right? No, cuz I had a bunch of guys in the 4142 range.

[Jenna Cotro]

So 59. 165.

[Dan Fates]

165.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah. Tower over. I'm just saying. And then my last one total wild card. This is also another good name. Kaden Wetgen, Iowa. That sounds like an Iowa five nine one 93. So possible six round target. Big Ten return specialist of the year. Nation's top returner. Five punt return touchdowns last season. I think that you are when you get to those later rounds you're trying to find value and I understand that whether it's DJ Moore can return or obviously you had the all pro in Ray Davis understand all those things but you could use some depth and a guy that could add something if this guy's the best returner in the country. Kaden Wetgen out of Iowa in the sixth round. I mean at that point Sale Marana said they got seventh round picks. They don't matter. Seventh round picks are are pointless if you could get something from a guy that could add something to the special teams. Kaden Wetgen was the guy. So there's. Those are my names. I had names that.

[Dan Fates]

I know. I love that. I. I thought it was. It was good. You kept it consistent.

[Mike Catalana]

I like the very professional way you described his. His ability to run.

[Dan Fates]

That was the other guy.

[Mike Catalana]

That was very good.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

That was a. Brendan Thompson.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes. I also.

[Dan Fates]

Just make it more work for yourself.

[Mike Catalana]

Chris Brazil from Tennessee. Okay. He's fast.

[Jenna Cotro]

I. I see 6, 5.

[Dan Fates]

He's a big dude.

[Mike Catalana]

He ran a 4, 3, 7, 46. Something about the way Tennessee plays. I don't like the way their receivers transition to the NFL.

[Jenna Cotro]

It's fun to watch in college.

[Mike Catalana]

They go. And that's great. And it works for the. For the college offense. That's my concern with. It doesn't mean guys can't adjust. Expand the route tree. Like he can go.

[Dan Fates]

He can really run first team all sec too.

[Mike Catalana]

This. He is. I'll say it is. He's darn fast.

[Dan Fates]

Darn fast. Well, not everyone can be fast.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Like that. Like you were talking about.

[Mike Catalana]

But his name pops up a lot because he's one of those players that I think is going to go in the third or fourth round. Maybe we'll be surprised. Somebody's going to take a fly flyer

[Jenna Cotro]

on him because he can fly the other one too. I've seen Chris Bell.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Is the wide receiver who's had a ton of injury concerns out of Louisville.

[Dan Fates]

Had an ACL tear too late in 2025.

[Jenna Cotro]

So that's. That's the concern and that's kind of the wild card of where he could fall. But he was very productive on his time in college.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. First team. All ACC two this last year.

[Jenna Cotro]

All right. John, why don't you have something?

[Dan Fates]

I was gonna say.

[Jenna Cotro]

Wow, you've got so many names.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Jenna Cotro]

Give them to everybody.

[Mike Catalana]

It's. This is Jenna's part of the hate.

[Dan Fates]

The hay is unbelievable to me right now.

[Jenna Cotro]

You started it.

[Dan Fates]

I thought I was being a nice friend.

[Mike Catalana]

Enough.

[Jenna Cotro]

I will turn this podcast around.

[Dan Fates]

Okay. Well, I had. So I know we talked day two and obviously the frustration or the reality at this point at them only really having that third round pick. I do expect for them to get back into the second round. That's my expectation. But these were some of the guys that I liked that could fall to that day two or three, mostly second round kind of guys. But we've talked so much about Jacob Rodriguez. I really like him. The linebacker out of Texas Tech. He won essentially every award. Top defensive player, top linebacker. Ward the best lineman or linebacker award. He was a unanimous, unanimous all American. Big 12 defensive player of the year. Two time first team all big 12. Like the dude has been that dude does it.

[Mike Catalana]

You know, sometimes I see that and then we talk to him and he's so productive. And the thought is he's a second round or maybe, you know, later pick. And then I think to myself, if you got him at 26.

[Dan Fates]

He has been mocked in some instances to the bills at 26.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, this is what I'm saying is sometimes I know you want value. Right. But you want the player. If a player's really good, they mean maybe he's just. Okay, so good. AJ Epanessa was drafted in the second round. It's a good player. Not great. He was a good player. If you got him in the third, you might feel better about it, but you felt good enough to keep him on the roster for five, six years. Five, six years. I'm not saying this guy's AJ And Epanessa. I'm saying is you need linebacker help and you know, he's productive and I don't think they would take him there. It would be much better if you could still get him there. But if you really like him, I know you trade back, but like sometimes I wonder about how much you like the player and then risk losing him by, by moving back. Because I think someone will take them.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, no, I, I agree. I, I don't know that that brings into play though of like the value and, and so many NFL GMs on not just specifically Brandon Bean, but that really is in the back of their mind at all times. And, and I get it.

[Mike Catalana]

It might be for your. What you said trade him back early second, you know, with like Arizona. I was gonna say that deal.

[Dan Fates]

I could absolutely. We've talked so much about see a guy in that day two like a Jacob Rodriguez, who you've known has been impactful, but he's not ruled a first round breed.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

So that was someone that kind of stuck out as well. And then I liked Gabe AIs.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

The Edge.

[Jenna Cotro]

Literally, that was the next guy. I had one other player that wasn't a wide receiver.

[Mike Catalana]

Really? Did you look on?

[Dan Fates]

No.

[Jenna Cotro]

That's funny. I was just looking up how to pronounce his name because I was like, I'm not going to know how to do this. As I was doing my research today. One point before we go to Gabe was Mike, you talked about how I know like GMs are worried about like value and like that stigma if you take somebody's too high. I think about what the Lions did a few years ago when they took Jameer Gibbs and Jack Campbell and they were like, what are they doing, these

[Mike Catalana]

two guys, a running back and a

[Jenna Cotro]

linebacker, like, what are you doing? They both turned out to be really good players. Gibbs a top three running back. And Campbell has been as good as what he was at Iowa. What they thought he could be maybe falling a little bit, but they took him in the first round because he was a guy I think that we liked as a middle linebacker. So I agree with your point of there's so much worry and getting that backlash of you you reached on a guy. You didn't need to take him so early. But if they're really good players, they're really good players and they fit. So that's what you're trying to find.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, it's. And it's all projection too. Like if it's a guy like Jameer Gibbs that's been that impactful, you would take him there all, all the time. But in that moment, it seems like such a gamble. Okay. Yeah. Going back to Gabe Aus. Aus. Thank you. He's from Illinois. Six three, 260. He's an edge. Had 11 sacks in 2025.

[Jenna Cotro]

Led the Big Ten.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. First team all Big Ten in 2025. He had knee and hand injuries in 2025, but that did not limit his play. NFL comp is Matthew Judon.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Fun fact. And I don't know how impactful this is now. Former wrestler.

[Mike Catalana]

Wrestled. Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

We got to find out if Jim likes wrestlers.

[Mike Catalana]

Wrestlers. Maybe he does.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

I could see him being Wisconsin.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Oh yeah. Well built, tremendous play strength, ability to play as a hands down end or standup. Edge is his play is more steak than sizzle.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, I love the steak and sizzle.

[Dan Fates]

I love steak and sizzle. Dan is the sizzle on the steak.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, sometimes it's fizzle more than sizzle.

[Dan Fates]

Oh my gosh. Okay, real quick, another guy I like safety Michael.

[Jenna Cotro]

You should make yourself laugh there.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I did.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah. Way to go.

[Mike Catalana]

Very fun.

[Dan Fates]

Michael Tafy, the safety out of Texas. 6 foot 193, first team all SEC in 2025. All American. He did have a broken thumb. He was a walk on at Texas. Fifth generation Longhorn coverage safety first and foremost and a really good one. The one thing is he's 6 foot 190. Can he survive the physicality of the NFL? But I really liked him and like Going through my notes, I, when earlier on when I was looking at stuff, I would always like star guys that I think that would be a good fit with the Bills. And I had him start a couple times. So that was another guy.

[Mike Catalana]

I have another linebacker, Josiah Trotter, out of Missouri. His brother got drafted by the Eagles. His father, that's why played for the Eagles. He is. Plays more like the old man did. He's a hitter, a thumper. He's not a cover guy. I looked at him, I read some stuff on him, I watched some of them. I'm like, he plays like Shaq Thompson to me.

[Jenna Cotro]

I like that.

[Mike Catalana]

And I think his comp in the NFL was Nick Bolton. You remember the Chiefs, Tough hitter, not a cover guy. But effective. Yeah, very good against the run. Can also play special teams. That's his strength. Feels like he's the type of guy they could get. And I'm thinking he's been moving up a little bit, but I'm thinking he's a third round pick, maybe fourth round pick. So we will see. But I like that name.

[Dan Fates]

Other linebackers I liked is Kieron Crawford as well as Kyle Lewis. Just a couple names. And then for day three guys, defensive tackle Caleb Proctor and Landon Robinson. Another couple of guys that I, I liked. Mike, do you have any other guys that you like?

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Okay, offensive lineman. Now look, when you draft offensive linemen, there's different ways. I think teams, they go for some projects late, they go for guys that can transition to other positions. I see a lot of people saying, wow, they might need a guard, but you can't draft a guard that early. I think the only way you draft somebody with a relatively high pick is someone who could transition to another position too. My point is I wouldn't mind seeing them draft a guy who's a tackle, who can play guard and maybe plays guard for now and then eventually moves to tackle.

[Dan Fates]

Interesting.

[Mike Catalana]

Dan's not liking this.

[Jenna Cotro]

That goes back to my. What I don't like in the we're going to try and find a super versatile player.

[Mike Catalana]

And I'm not talking about being super versatile.

[Jenna Cotro]

You wanted to play guard and tackle and possibly.

[Mike Catalana]

Here's what I say. Some guys kick out, some guys kick in. Some guards are centers, some guys can play guard because he'd be one of your five best players. Like let's use an example. Say they drafted a tackle in the first round. I don't think they're doing that. And they want to get the guy on the field. It could be somebody that could play Guard teams have done this. Good teams have done this, and eventually that guy kicks back out to tackle. I got a guy for you. He'll be about third.

[Dan Fates]

Guy.

[Mike Catalana]

Markel Bell, Miami.

[Dan Fates]

It's a cool name.

[Jenna Cotro]

I don't know. I don't know who he is. But I will tell you this from watching the college football playoffs. Miami's offensive line was ginormous.

[Mike Catalana]

He's 6, 9, 3, 4.

[Jenna Cotro]

There it is. I knew he was massive.

[Dan Fates]

3 46, 9, 3 40.

[Mike Catalana]

Makai Becton, you remember Makai Becton was a Jets guy, tackle.

[Jenna Cotro]

He was also an Eagle. No, he was.

[Mike Catalana]

For one year they moved him to guard, and then he went out to the Chargers and he played both. I think he played a little guard and tackle. He ended up getting hurt. I think he's a free agent now, but he ended up being able to transition and play guard. He wasn't quite as tall. I think Makai Becton's only 6, 7, because sometimes people would think he's too tall to play guard. Six, nine, three, four, six. Markel Bell, he.

[Dan Fates]

You did six, seven, so.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, aren't we past that? God, you guys aren't.

[Jenna Cotro]

Totally.

[Mike Catalana]

It's. Oh, totally. There's something new.

[Dan Fates]

Mountainous tackle with rare physical attributes.

[Mike Catalana]

Markel Bell's a cool name, too. Yeah, the little.

[Dan Fates]

That's what I said.

[Mike Catalana]

Bounce there. Yeah. Yeah, I think it works.

[Jenna Cotro]

It's a mountain of a man.

[Mike Catalana]

Mountain, Yes.

[Dan Fates]

I can't imagine being that large of a human.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, I was just thinking him next to my, you know, my wide receiver who's 5 foot 8, 182. That is literally twice his weight.

[Jenna Cotro]

That is the new Aaron Judge Jose Altum picture.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Glad to give that up.

[Jenna Cotro]

I. I was just trying to think of. I don't think I've ever been next to somebody that tall. Really? Six, nine and that size. Well, that. That.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes, that is. That is.

[Dan Fates]

That is okay.

[Jenna Cotro]

J.J. watt was one of the biggest human beings I'd ever seen in person. And that afc, that wild card playoff game, and then.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Being on the field, seeing Calais Campbell.

[Mike Catalana]

Calais Campbell. We saw him at the Super Bowl, Jenna. Do you remember?

[Dan Fates]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

At the NFL honors. I think he's maybe only 325. Do you know what I mean? This guy's 346.

[Dan Fates]

Well, even like Dion Walker, who's a big dude.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Six, seven.

[Mike Catalana]

That picture. That picture of me, Teeny.

[Dan Fates]

That man had to fly. Coach. I can't even.

[Mike Catalana]

I'm only bringing this up in terms of being prepared. I know sometimes people think of the draft and they want to plug everybody in right away. I do like the idea of drafting players. You mentioned a couple of safeties. I do like the idea of drafting players with the expectation that they will eventually move into that spot. And I think sometimes there's a thought of right away reason I bring up tackle is, you know, I do think at some point we got to see where things go with Dion going forward. And I know that's. That's not this year, but that is the reality where it goes.

[Dan Fates]

Of the NFL.

[Mike Catalana]

Of the NFL. And sometimes it's maybe there's still. You look at some of these guys that we've talked about and you're like, oh, you drafted them and the hope is that he's there. Well, that's not. That does not appear to be happening at center. Yeah, right. Because they drafted Cedric Van Granger and he just hasn't played. And then they still signed another center and signed another guard. So some players don't do that. They took the shot at offensive tackle from, you know, in the pathways program and that hasn't transitioned yet into a guy that can play. So I'm only throwing that out there because I think in every draft team should take an offensive lineman. And I went with the biggest guy in the draft.

[Dan Fates]

That has also been a strong suit of this team.

[Mike Catalana]

No doubt.

[Dan Fates]

And I think sometimes it is important to keep your fastball by keep investing in that spot.

[Mike Catalana]

So maybe that's done a good job in free agency.

[Jenna Cotro]

They've kept their fastball with free agency. They've spent well there.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And drafting Spencer Brown. They had already years ago had drafted Dion and doing well in free agency. Yep.

[Dan Fates]

Okay. Any other guys?

[Mike Catalana]

That's what I got.

[Dan Fates]

No other guys.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Jenna Cotro]

I was just wide receivers. And our boy Akis. Yeah. Also I just wanted to point out Denzel Boston. I was just doing some other work. Were you rolling your eyes?

[Mike Catalana]

You love Dan Boston.

[Dan Fates]

It's not. You know what sucks is like he was a very nice man and I'm sure I would like talking to him. But because you're such a. A fan girl on him. I just, I.

[Jenna Cotro]

Fair. Okay, that's fair. He had a PFF grade 89.7 versus man coverage. It was the highest out of any draft eligible wide receiver this year. Wins in man coverage. You can't just like it goes back to our point we were talking about earlier. Just because you're a big wide receiver doesn't mean that you can't get open. And then the other cool set. I Saw in Jordan Tyson versus man coverage last year. He got 23 targets, had 23 receptions. So again, man coverage beaters. That's what we got. That's what I'm looking at is what were the bill's inefficiencies in the passing game and how can you improve them. Hence why I brought 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 wide receivers.

[Mike Catalana]

I'm also going to throw one other one out there. Now I don't believe the Bills would draft this position because they haven't and I don't think they would quarterback late rounds.

[Jenna Cotro]

Now.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't think this will happen because I think someone will take a flyer on this player. Drew Aller of Penn State.

[Dan Fates]

I. I've seen him in a lot of like hidden gems. 30 yeah. Of the draft.

[Mike Catalana]

Talked to some Penn State people that think he was the victim of some pretty poor offensive coaching at Penn State. I'm talking about flyer fifth round, sixth round.

[Dan Fates]

He's just so Gen Z. He's so funny to me.

[Mike Catalana]

I'm just throwing it out there. No, the reason I bring it up, we're not replacing Josh Allen here. We're talking about a cheap backup. Look right now, what do you have at backup? What do you have in the quarterback room?

[Jenna Cotro]

What do you. No, seriously, what are we doing?

[Mike Catalana]

What do you have?

[Dan Fates]

No, that's, that's totally fair.

[Jenna Cotro]

You got his buddies.

[Mike Catalana]

You got Kyle Allen and guys buddies.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, I do think that they tried to do that with Jake Fromm a couple years ago. That was a weird season though. It was a Covid year.

[Mike Catalana]

He ended up being the COVID quarterback.

[Dan Fates]

He was the COVID quarterback, but I don't think it's the worst idea if he falls.

[Mike Catalana]

He's the type of player somebody could take a flyer on him in a third or four. I mean this is like he's still sitting there in the fifth round.

[Jenna Cotro]

I think. I don't think they still so many holes in this roster that need improvement to waste.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't disagree.

[Jenna Cotro]

I know this is why it's a podcast and it's fun to debate it.

[Mike Catalana]

You could say.

[Jenna Cotro]

But you're an idiot.

[Mike Catalana]

You could say kicker because you're an idiot. Idiot.

[Dan Fates]

What an idiot. In terms of Jack.

[Mike Catalana]

I mean since Dan drafted seven wide receivers. So that.

[Jenna Cotro]

That would be my dream.

[Dan Fates]

And again, a note. Jack Stonehouse, the punter from Syracuse, I think this would be a seventh rounder, if not most likely a, you know, after the draft signing. But they have been in contact with him. I saw some reports of that. He was first team all accident. So I don't know. Maybe in terms of specialists. Yeah, that's someone.

[Mike Catalana]

Just because they try to bring in old guys to punt.

[Jenna Cotro]

They had so many punters last year. Partly because of running backs.

[Dan Fates]

I don't think running back would be bad.

[Mike Catalana]

I don't disagree with you. I mean, you always want to kind of.

[Dan Fates]

Well, you want to replenish.

[Jenna Cotro]

You're happy with Ray and you got to see him get more.

[Mike Catalana]

Wasn't great in the. In the run game last year, but

[Jenna Cotro]

he had a couple of moments.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Towards the end, I felt like he was starting to find his groove. Even off the special teams aspect, it could be more of a free agent training camp. Somebody gets moved. Yeah, they move on from somebody that they have their eye on.

[Dan Fates]

I like Demond Clairborne out of Wake Forest. That's a name that popped up. Just in terms of running back. I just thought it was a little interesting, you know, something to look at.

[Mike Catalana]

Jenna Kuiper Jr. No.

[Dan Fates]

Is it pecan pie or is it pumpkin? It's pumpkin pie.

[Jenna Cotro]

It's pumpkin.

[Dan Fates]

They're both bad.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Whoa. No, I'm. I'm totally with you on that.

[Jenna Cotro]

Pecan's legit.

[Mike Catalana]

No, it's not.

[Dan Fates]

How many times a year do you eat pecan pie?

[Jenna Cotro]

Probably.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, no.

[Jenna Cotro]

Three to four.

[Dan Fates]

Sicko.

[Jenna Cotro]

How often do you eat apple? How often do you eat pie a year?

[Dan Fates]

First of all, you know I love desserts.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Second of all, I don't really eat pecan pie because I don't like it, but I feel like people are like, oh, it's amazing. It's like, really? You have it one time a year.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Mother in law makes a really good pean pie.

[Dan Fates]

That's okay. That's. Is there chocolate in there? It's got to be something. No, no, you gotta add chocolate. It's gotta J it up a little bit.

[Jenna Cotro]

You would somehow get back to baking as you were.

[Dan Fates]

No one knew what we were talking about before.

[Jenna Cotro]

Just said, found a way to shoehorn in baking.

[Dan Fates]

I like to bake. I like to cook.

[Mike Catalana]

Is it time to go to our guest?

[Dan Fates]

Yes. This was fun. Oh, I thought you were gonna start it off. Okay.

[Mike Catalana]

Okay. That was. That was your big setup.

[Jenna Cotro]

Way to go, Joe. This was fun.

[Mike Catalana]

All right, we have a special guest for this week's edition. Or this day's edition, I guess.

[Dan Fates]

Actually, I should set it up. Yeah, One shot. I was just trying to repeat exactly what you said, but I couldn't remember.

[Jenna Cotro]

Take it away, Jetta.

[Dan Fates]

This was pretty cool. We had a really Special guest on the Buffalo plus podcast, we got to talk to Greg Russo, and we know how much Mike loves him, and we had some fun talks about his upcoming softball game, what he's been doing this off season, as well as we did discuss how much Mike loves him and also what the vibe is at. At the Bills. So we had a lot of fun with this one. I'm sure you're gonna enjoy, but check

[Greg Rousseau]

it out a few moments later.

[Mike Catalana]

All right, Greg, welcome to Buffalo Plus. Thanks for being with us today.

[Greg Rousseau]

Thanks for having me.

[Mike Catalana]

All right, before we get to football, let's talk a little softball, right? You got a softball game going in Rochester June 7th. Tell everybody what's going on, and we'll make sure we post the details right here on our page when we're. When people get a chance to take a look.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Same thing. Kind of how Mike has been doing it for the last few years and how it's, like, really been helping with the community. And also, like, with all the proceeds, all the money made from the ticket sales and stuff, it's all going to go back to all the other players on the team. So it's not like the Greg Russo game. It's more like just a game for the team and for people who have foundations on the team to get some of the revenue and use it for events that they want to do in the community. Like, I know the last two years Mike has done that, it's helped out my foundation a lot just having the extra money to throw two or three more events, whether it's back home in Florida or. Or here in Buffalo. But I like to use that money more so here in Buffalo because it's from the game that's here in Buffalo and it's for this community here in Buffalo. So it's cool to keep it here. And I did something like for single moms at Target last year, had a camp last year where I used. Where I used money from that. Also, I did, like, a backpack giveaway. I actually partnered with Micah's foundation for that Micah Hy Foundation. So, I mean, I feel like it's a good opportunity for. For the whole entire team to just come out and interact with the community and just have. Have some fun and vibe before we go home for the summer. But also at the same time, it's cool to be able to give back to the community by being there and also by using that event to help throw other events for people in the community who need it in the future.

[Mike Catalana]

That's awesome. That is Great. And they're going to be excited at the ESL ballpark in Rochester to see everybody. It is offense versus defense. So does this. Does this get a little competitive?

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, everything we do gets competitive. Like, we play chess in the locker room, and half of us don't even know how to play chess, but it's competitive, you know, so it's like everything we do, whether it's chess, ping pong, obviously football, softball, whatever, it is always competitive. It's kind of just how we are as a team. And we have fun with it, though.

[Jenna Cotro]

Hey, Greg, I was wondering, growing up in Florida, big baseball state, did you play any baseball growing up, or has this just been a softball charity event? Like, how's your game?

[Greg Rousseau]

Like, my game's not good, but I mean, it's always, you know, you can always get better at stuff. So I got the right mindset. That's all that matters, you know. But no, I had a lot of friends in high school. A lot of my good friends played baseball, but I never played because I was always football or track or basketball.

[Dan Fates]

So, yeah, if people are interested in coming out, what's kind of like the vibe like. Like, what is it like at the stadium if they've never been before? I know it's obviously a popular event, but just kind of describe like, what that is like and kind of the atmosphere that goes on for the game.

[Greg Rousseau]

I think it's always cool. I've been going since I've. Since I've been in Buffalo to Micas, and I think it's always cool to, like, see how we can get, like, closer to the fans kind of. And the fact that we have no helmet on, no shoulder pads, like, that kind of keeps you away, you know what I'm saying? And it's like the security is not super heavy. Like, the crowd's like, right there at those baseball stadiums and like the dugouts, like, right there. So it's kind of like you're just more. You're closer to the fans. And I always walk off to the side and like, sign stuff for kids and stuff. So it's like a different vibe and it's like just more. More personal because we take the helmets off. And it's also not as serious of a setting because if I'm at a football game and I'm playing, I'm gonna interact with a fan very differently than how I'm interact like, at like, a softball game in the community, because I don't. I play football for, like, a living. Like, that's my main sport. And it's a job and we gotta, we have a high standard. So I'm focused. I'm so locked in on the game that like it's hard to interact with a fan and whatever. Maybe like it's like kind of, it's kind of how like after practice in Rochester, you see dudes will be like messing with fans and chopping it up and.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Greg Rousseau]

High fiving kids and signing stuff. It's kind of like that, it has that type of vibe.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, that'll be great. We're looking forward to. Well, speaking of football used to be easy. We were like Greg Russo, defensive end, Bills. What are you now? You defensive end? You an edge? Are you a linebacker? Like what are we doing this year?

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, Edge. You know what I'm saying? Edge. But still kind of some of the same stuff from last year, but also different stuff too. So edge is a good way to kind of like group it together because it's kind of still in that. Under that umbrella of edge.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Standing up. Do you think? Is that going to be a big, big part of it and we're standing up on the edge?

[Dan Fates]

Probably.

[Greg Rousseau]

Probably more standing up. I stood up before a little bit too.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Greg Rousseau]

In previous years. But yeah, standing up will be part of it, I'd say.

[Jenna Cotro]

Obviously we've talked. The big talk has been about Jim Leonard now being the defensive coordinator. It's a two part question. What did you know about Jim Leonard before he became your defensive coordinator and what have the interactions been since Jim's been hired?

[Greg Rousseau]

I didn't know much about Jim before he was the dc but being able to like talk to him these last couple days and listen to him speaking meetings and how he explained stuff and how we. And how he approaches certain things and the fact that he's played for years and years, I think 10 years in the league, something like that. I mean, got a lot of respect for him. Got a lot of respect for the way he sees the game and he knows, he knows what he's talking about. So I mean I'm a, I'm excited, I'm excited.

[Dan Fates]

We, we only really got to meet him during the introductory press conference and I know you haven't had a ton of interactions with him, but his personality wise, like what have you seen from him? And also like he played in Buffalo. How, how cool is that to have a coach like that that is actually played wearing the Bills uniform and went out there to the stadium.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, it's cool. He's played. He knows what it takes. You know what I'm saying, so, I mean, it's, it's really cool to be able to listen from, listen from him, not only at a, from a coach's point of view from, but also from like a player's point of view because he played and he was in our shoes. So he can speak to you and kind of, kind of different sometimes. So, I mean, yeah, I mean, it's pretty cool.

[Mike Catalana]

Let me ask you about the, the roster. I mean, there was for the last few years while you've been there, many of the guys have come back. It's been decent amount of continuity. We don't know if some of the guys you play with last year who are maybe still out there are going to come back or they'll be new players. What, what's that like for you? Because you've, you kind of knew most of the group and this year there could be a lot of changes.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, I mean, I mean, it's cool. I feel like, I feel like when you're in, like, a profession, you got to be able to embrace change and be like water and, and learn when there's, let's say a new scheme like this. Here's a new scheme, or you have new teammates, you got to bring that same positive energy and that same, like Bonds you have with the old teammates. You got to try to make new Bonds and, and make them strong and not obviously, you're always going to have your relationships with your guys. Like, I still love DQ and Jordan Phillips and all, aj, Matt Milan, all of them. You know what I'm saying? I still talk to them still like, those are still my brothers. But, you know, at the end of the day, it's like, let's say they're on a new team. They're going to be building towards something over there and they're going to be meeting new people and stuff. So it's kind of like you got, you kind of got to get on the train and, and keep going and try to kind of like tweak the culture a little bit because a lot of those guys are gone. So we got to, we have like the pin in our hands. We got to write our own story. It sounds cliche, but it's the truth. And we got to make it what we want it to be.

[Mike Catalana]

New number this year 15. I told the guys that's, that's the amount of sacks you're gonna have this year 15. Is that, is that true? Is that what you're going for?

[Greg Rousseau]

Sounds accurate. Sounds accurate. Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

You picked that? No. Is that why you took 15.

[Greg Rousseau]

That's not why I. I got it because. That's good, though. That was good. But I had it in college and I couldn't get it before because we were 4 3, but now we're 3 4. So I'm like a backer or whatever, like, on paper. So I was able to get 15, and I. I love 15. So.

[Mike Catalana]

So wait a minute. When that happens. This. I'm fascinated by this. How quickly did you call the team and somebody and say, hey, I want.

[Jenna Cotro]

I want 15.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, that was the first thing.

[Greg Rousseau]

That. First thing.

[Mike Catalana]

You're a vet. You should get priority.

[Jenna Cotro]

Also, Greg, to peel back the curtain a little bit here. We're all big fans of what this defense can be. Nobody, look at me. Nobody has been a bigger fan of you than this man sitting across here. Nobody has been.

[Mike Catalana]

I tell him. He's the guy.

[Jenna Cotro]

We have. We've joked around before. When he goes to ask you questions, like, outside the locker room, it's like, you got to tell Greg, like, you need to have some big numbers here this week. Like, this man is constantly waving the flag and carrying it for you. Yeah, I feel like our audience would feel. Yeah, appreciate it. I just feel like our audience would think less of us if we didn't address this elephant in the room that Mike Catalana has been. Has been calling, like, 12 sacks for you for, like, nine years before you were even in Buffalo. He's like, is going to be a monster.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah. Yeah, I appreciate it. I appreciate it.

[Mike Catalana]

They'll be on. They'll be joining the team here.

[Jenna Cotro]

It's not that we're not. It's. We're all on the train. He's just conducting it. Like, he's out in front of. He's like, like, aren't a bully. No, no, no.

[Mike Catalana]

You just. I just am seeing, I think, the top end. And that's why I was excited about the number 15, because that's where I think we're going this year.

[Jenna Cotro]

And you talked about change, getting back on track. We just had to address that. Greg, I'm really sorry. Our audience would have been like, you guys didn't mention one time we were going to get Catalana a Rousseau jersey. Like, that's where we were at. But we were saying, you talked about handling change and how you have to be like water. And where do you see yourself, you know, moving forward with the change in kind of your perspective on what's next for you and your expectations moving forward in a new defense with change around you.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, I feel like in this case, the change is real good and I feel like being able to like have five down, five down and be a little more aggressive and free up, free of editing the guys and stuff. I feel like it's gonna help everybody. I feel like it's gonna help me out and I'm excited to keep pushing myself to win, win as many one on ones as possible and increase my numbers. Help the team win at the end of the day, no matter what it takes, whether it's dropping back and guarding and guarding somebody or if it's stopping to run or if it's obviously the biggest thing getting to the quarterback. So I mean, yeah, whatever it takes. Like Joe Brady says, just put the ball down, let's do it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited just to get my all to the team and have everything in my mind focused on winning and helping out the younger guys and getting better and just moving in the right direction and trying to stamp this new culture.

[Dan Fates]

You, you mentioned Joe Brady and I know you've obviously walked into the facility at Orchard Park a lot of times before, but now having it be Joe Brady's team and just the different signage and like, what was that like for you? A place that you're so familiar with. But obviously so much change in this last off season.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, I feel like it's a lot of change, but also like, I feel like it's cool. That is, it's Joe Brady who's the coach because I mean, he knows what it takes. He's been here while we been winning and stuff like that. So it's not like, it's not like, it's like, it's obviously different, but it's somebody who understands like the standard and has high expectations and he's pushing us already and challenging us in meetings and all. So I mean, I'm excited for. And he's the guy, he's one of those guys, he's locked in. I mean, he's. You could tell he's eager to get better in every way, just like the players are and he's already at the top spot, but he's eager, trying to get better in every way and we're all following suit.

[Dan Fates]

Florida guy.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

I just want to ask you real quick, what's your off season like? You know, we think so much about football. Players are schedule and regimen driven and that's kind of how they are. What is it like for you in the off season? What are your hobbies? What are you doing now outside of football to enjoy yourself during the off

[Greg Rousseau]

Season, during the off season, I'd say obvious, obviously, a lot of training, but I mean, I like. I like anime. I like taking pictures. I got this new camera, actually.

[Dan Fates]

You got.

[Greg Rousseau]

I got this. It's like a Fuji.

[Dan Fates]

Oh, nice.

[Greg Rousseau]

It's like a Fuji, like, film type of camera. Whatever. Yeah, yeah. When I travel, I use that.

[Dan Fates]

And if you need any tips, don't go to Mike.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

That's not me.

[Jenna Cotro]

I noticed that.

[Greg Rousseau]

Away from

[Jenna Cotro]

traveling, is that, like, part of the pictures or is it just around Orchard Park? Is it around back home or kind of around anywhere?

[Greg Rousseau]

If I'm like, just out and about, and if it's like a place where I could take pictures, like, if I was near the lake, I would, like, bring my camera. Or if I. Or if I travel, if I go somewhere. So let's say I go to Toronto, I would bring my camera. So stuff like that camera. And other than that, I saw one of my favorite shows, the Walking Dead, the TV show, but they also have a comic book. It's based on the comic book. So I just been reading the comics. I never finished the comic. I've had it for a while, but I never finished it. But now that the show is, like, completely finished, I'm a read the comic, and it's cool to see the different little changes. Not a lot of changes from the comic show, but there is a lot. And not as the same as the show on tv, because that'll make the show on TV predictable. So it's cool.

[Mike Catalana]

When you're.

[Jenna Cotro]

When you're walking around saying, Toronto, taking pictures, how many people come up to you? Like, when you're out, about six foot seven. Like, do people, like. They're like that guy with a big guy with a little camera? Like, did people come up and say, like, hey, it's Greg Russo? Are they like, what are you doing?

[Greg Rousseau]

A lot. A lot of times. A lot of times they don't know. I feel like I wear, like, I wear, like, a hoodie or, like, sweatpants. Like, I don't really wear.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Greg Rousseau]

Because I don't like to, like, feel like I don't want to, like, try to attract attention, you know?

[Dan Fates]

Yes.

[Greg Rousseau]

Like, I want to just, like, fly below the radar and whatever and.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Greg Rousseau]

Because, like, I don't know, when people come up to me, I feel like I'm like. And I'm wearing bill stuff. I feel like I'm, like, fishing for attention or something, you know? So I like this. We're like, I'll just wear some normal stuff and throw it Throw a jacket on, and I'll just be walking around. And it's usually in places where there won't be maybe, like, I don't know. I feel like everybody will be walking towards somewhere to, like, get what they're getting or whatever. It'll just be, like, random places. It won't really be, like, a park or, like, somewhere big where there's a lot of people. It'll just be normal. I'll just be walking around kind of.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, but wait. Wait till you get to your 15 sacks this year, and people aren't going to leave you alone. They're going to be chasing you down. That's what it's going to be.

[Jenna Cotro]

That's where Catalina can give you lessons. We've had people come up to us, love Buffalo plus. And Mike just is. He just knows how to mingle. He knows how to.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, I've been this for a, for, you know, a few decades, so I, I, I know how to get, get that done. Hey, we're looking forward to softball. One last softball question. You admit you say, I don't play a lot of softball. So who's good and who thinks they're good and isn't that good on the team? Who's good? Who's the softball? Who's the guy who's going to hit it out of the park? And he's always good.

[Greg Rousseau]

I, I'd say, obviously, Obviously Josh, but D.C. d.C. Is really good. Dwayne Carter. He's.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Oh, okay.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah, he's nice. He's nice.

[Mike Catalana]

Who does the talking but doesn't deliver. Like, come on, it's, you know, who's, there's got to be somebody. Maybe, you know, maybe there has.

[Jenna Cotro]

It would have been K.J.

[Mike Catalana]

yeah.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah. I was actually thinking that.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah, I was thinking of Isaiah McKenzie, KJ. All those guys trash talk.

[Greg Rousseau]

They think they're good at everything. So I don't know who this year because we got a lot of new characters I got to still, like, see. Who's that guy? You know? Yeah, we'll see.

[Dan Fates]

You mentioned Bradley Chubb. Like, did you know him? Any, any connection? Like, what has it been like, just kind of meeting him, having him in the building. What's that been like?

[Greg Rousseau]

It's been cool. I mean, he was in Miami, so I saw him a couple times out and about. Like, just when I'd be like, am I in my off season? And stuff? So, I mean, yeah, it's like I kind of knew him. I didn't know him for real, but at the same time, I Kind of knew him.

[Dan Fates]

That's cool.

[Mike Catalana]

That's awesome. Well, that's part of how many. How many home runs for you, for you, me, for you, for when you donut.

[Jenna Cotro]

We're looking for solid contacts, Greg. Is that what we're looking for? Yeah.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah. Honestly? Yeah, yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

We're looking for no strikeouts. That's what we're looking for.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, that's it.

[Jenna Cotro]

Big hits.

[Greg Rousseau]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, we're looking forward to it that on June 7th and we'll certainly be seeing you up there during the off season program and everybody getting ready for the season. Greg, thanks so much for taking a little time for with us here on Buffalo Plus.

[Greg Rousseau]

For sure. For sure. Thanks for having me. It was fun. A few moments later.

[Mike Catalana]

All right, so you guys sold me out to. To profess my admiration for how well Greg has played and obviously I think around the league most people are now joining team Greg Russo with me this year and they're going to see him have a. A very, very successful year. Stand up pass rusher, 15 sacks.

[Dan Fates]

He did like that.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah, Cheddar. We did almost. I almost stepped right in it.

[Dan Fates]

What?

[Jenna Cotro]

The fact that we were like, nobody believes in him more like, like that was pretty much like saying like, we don't. I personally don't think you're any good. It was like, no, no, no. That's not it at all.

[Mike Catalana]

That is not it.

[Jenna Cotro]

Oh my gosh. We are all on board. We hope that he has, like I said, the double digit sack season. That has been the hope for Greg to get there. Yeah. To become that difference maker on the defense on a consistent basis.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

You know, like I said, he had that Cleveland game and Mike will always have that. Mike will always should have been player

[Mike Catalana]

of the week, honestly.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

He was great in that game.

[Jenna Cotro]

New number, new Greg.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, I love it.

[Mike Catalana]

What does he say? You asked him his off season. You know, he reads a little bit of stuff. He's working out.

[Jenna Cotro]

I know. I was trying to get him to. It was funny. I was asking him like, what do you do outside of football? And he's like, I train. Like that's all that is getting ready.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

I thought it was really interesting about the photography though, him taking pictures and then also the Walking Dead, like anime stuff. I thought that was cool.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotro]

Hard anime for a lot of guys, like around the NFL. Like, I feel like it's an escape for them.

[Dan Fates]

I. Yeah, it's funny you were saying that. I know it is very popular, especially in the Bill's locker room too. And I Think for a lot of these guys, it's a way for them to kind of immerse themselves in a different world. So it makes sense. It's pretty neat.

[Mike Catalana]

And we talked about the softball game. That's going to be fun. The details. We'll post the details. If you want to check it out in the description below the bottom y. June 7th in Rochester at what's called ESL ballpark. If you've been to Rochester, used to be Frontier Field. Innovative field. Same place, but great place to watch baseball. Great chance to watch softball.

[Dan Fates]

Really nice ballpark.

[Mike Catalana]

Who do you think? Who's the guy? I bet you when Trey was playing, Trey thought he was really good at baseball.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Love tr, Right? Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

There'll be guys like that.

[Dan Fates]

You were perfect with the KJ Hamler, though.

[Jenna Cotro]

Yeah, well, I. KJ's tearing it up in the USFL.

[Mike Catalana]

I do believe it's going to be Chauncey Gardner.

[Dan Fates]

Johnson.

[Mike Catalana]

Johnson.

[Greg Rousseau]

Oh, yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Who is going to. If he's playing in the game, it's in June. We'll see. But I feel like he'll be very recognizable in the game.

[Dan Fates]

It is surprising that Greg didn't play any baseball.

[Jenna Cotro]

That's what I was getting at. Like, you're in Florida.

[Dan Fates]

Like, that is like a hotbed for baseball.

[Mike Catalana]

He's playing basketball and football. Yeah, he is. He's very tall.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I mean, we do have Aaron Judge. He's the only guy really in. Well, there's only a couple guys in the majors that.

[Dan Fates]

I guess you're right. Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. With the strike zone like this. Yeah, it is. But now we appreciate Greg being on and we look forward to the game.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. All right, that'll do it for us. Please be sure to, like, comment and subscribe as well as share comment in your thoughts on if there's any guys that you like in the second, third days that you're like, oh, maybe this would be a good fit in Buffalo. Or just your thoughts on the Greg Russo interview, him changing his number, all the fun stuff. So, yeah, for Mike and Dan, I am Jenna again. Like, comment, subscribe and share. We'll catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus podcast. Buffalo Plus.