Offensive ISSUES @ BILLS minicamp? DON'T PANIC, Josh Allen's NEW 'tweak' & GABLE STEVESON gets ready

Summary

Buffalo Plus Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: Offensive ISSUES @ BILLS minicamp? DON'T PANIC, Josh Allen's NEW 'tweak' & GABLE STEVESON gets ready
Date: June 13, 2024
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Overview

This episode recaps Day 1 of the Buffalo Bills’ mandatory minicamp, focusing on the offense’s struggles, Josh Allen’s mechanical “tweak,” and the wrestling-legend-turned-football-novice Gable Steveson’s early progress. The Buffalo Plus team puts minicamp difficulties in context, analyzing changes in personnel and scheme, while emphasizing patience and perspective.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Offense Struggles in Minicamp

• The offense had a “rough” and unusually sloppy day, with frequent dropped passes and miscommunication, particularly among the new receivers.
• Both hosts and coaches stress not to overreact given the timing (June) and how much roster/scheme turnover has occurred.
• Notable sequence (03:57):
  • James Cook drop
  • Josh Allen missed Kincaid on a throw
  • Unsuccessful run play
  • Shavers slipped, led to Kair Elam interception
• Defense appeared energetic and “juiced”, while offense looked flat (05:18).

Quotes:

• “Ball touched the ground a lot today.” — Mike Catalana [00:30 & 02:21]
• “It is important to keep this in the context of that it is June because we don't want overreaction.” — Jenna Cottrell [02:28]
• “It's not an overreaction, we're just reacting to what we saw.” — Dan Fetes [04:05]

2. Context for Struggles & Position Battles

• Many new faces, especially in the wide receiver room, and undefined roles increase the challenge at this stage.

• Khalil Shakir left with a minor injury (06:35), heightening the uncertainty at wide receiver.

• Dalton Kincaid described as the offense’s “closest thing to a definite” (07:09).

• Standouts:

  • Chase Claypool continues to impress (07:30)
  • Justin Shorter is enthusiastic but largely unproven; described his skillset as a “big dude, deep threat” [08:35]
  • Keon Coleman had a noteworthy contested catch [09:42]
  • Most roles remain wide open as coaches and players settle in [10:19]

Quotes:

• “I'm a deep threat, honestly, a big dude. I get down there, I can jump up. I'm fast, I'm versatile.” — Justin Shorter [08:35]

3. Josh Allen’s Mechanical “Tweak”

• Allen has been refining his throwing mechanics due to bad habits picked up while compensating for an injury last year (lower, wider motion).
• Uses sports analogies (e.g., golf swing) to describe the process of making small but important adjustments [11:41].
• Not just “changing” but “refining and tweaking” his motion to get back to pre-injury form [12:19].
• Acknowledges the NFL’s use of sensors and biometric data for additional feedback and improvement [13:04].

Quotes:

• “He used the word ‘refining’ what he is doing.” — Jenna Cottrell [12:17]
• “It's those little details that are so important. So he talked about kind of being like a golf swing…You gotta rework things. It might feel a little unnatural at first.” — Jenna Cottrell [11:41]
• “Pain and the way your body reacts to try and hide the injury so you can keep playing through it…then you form bad habits.” — Dan Fetes [12:29]

4. Zach Davidson’s Touchdown Twerk – Comic Relief

• Tight end Zach Davidson caught a touchdown from Mitch Trubisky and celebrated with an “extended twerk,” lighting up a flat practice (16:13).
• Received mixed reactions from teammates, but brought humor to the day.

Quotes:

• “He caught the touchdown pass over the middle…And then he kept dancing and then he was twerking and I was like, it's a damn good twerk.” — Jenna Cottrell [16:33]
• “Not Mac Hollins—he did not like it.” — Dan Fetes [17:04]

5. Matt Milano Returns to Practice

• LB Matt Milano, returning from an 8-month injury, participated in individual drills, providing a morale boost and veteran leadership (17:48).
• Milano and Terrell Bernard lauded for their synergy and as possible cornerstones of the new-look defense [19:22, 20:15].

Quotes:

• “Just seeing 58 back out there with a helmet on, black visor...just good to see him out there.” — Dan Fetes [17:53]
• “...the two best players on the defense may very well be the two linebackers.” — Mike Catalana [20:34]

6. Coach Sean McDermott’s Assessment

• Coach McDermott emphasizes health and experimentation over performance during minicamp. Wants coordinators to build out their “menu” for training camp—trying new concepts and seeing what fits the current personnel (22:23).

Quotes:

• “This is really the time of year to try some of that. And then my ask of the coordinators is that when we break, they've got a pretty good menu built that they believe in...” — Sean McDermott [22:23]

7. Gable Steveson’s NFL Journey Begins

• Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson is in his first-ever football practices.
• Steveson describes putting on a helmet for the first time and adapting to terminology and technical skills unique to football (25:46).
• Approach is “humble and hungry,” as he applies wrestling discipline to learning a new sport [28:35].

Quotes:

• “I ain't know the helmet was that damn heavy...” — Gable Steveson [26:06]
• “He called it a unicorn chance…” — Dan Fetes [24:54]
• “I respect so much that McDermott hasn't wrestled since high school...he's still, like, so into wrestling.” — Dan Fetes [27:53]
• “To wrestle, you have to have...the discipline and the work ethic...” — Jenna Cottrell [29:40]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 00:30, 02:21 | “Ball touched the ground a lot today.” | Mike Catalana | | 08:35 | “I'm a deep threat, honestly, a big dude. I get down there, I can jump up. I'm fast, I'm versatile.” | Justin Shorter | | 11:41 | “He even said sometimes he goes, who's that guy? And then he goes, oh, oh, that's me.” | Mike Catalana (recounting Josh Allen) | | 16:33 | “He caught the touchdown pass over the middle…And then he kept dancing and then he was twerking and I was like, it's a damn good twerk.” | Jenna Cottrell | | 17:53 | “Just seeing 58 back out there with a helmet on, black visor...just good to see him out there.” | Dan Fetes | | 22:23 | “...my ask of the coordinators is that when we break or before we break, that they've got a pretty good menu built...” | Sean McDermott | | 26:06 | “I ain't know the helmet was that damn heavy...” | Gable Steveson |

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Key Timestamps

• Offensive Struggles Recap: [01:57] – [04:33]
• Wide Receivers and Opportunity: [06:10] – [10:23]
• Josh Allen’s Mechanics Tweaks: [11:00] – [14:44]
• Zach Davidson’s Touchdown & Twerk: [16:00] – [17:20]
• Matt Milano’s Return: [17:48] – [20:34]
• Coach McDermott on Minicamp Goals: [22:23]
• Gable Steveson’s Introduction to Football: [24:54] – [29:40]

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Tone and Style

The episode is informal, candid, and full of inside jokes, but grounded in the hosts' deep familiarity with the organization. The hosts offer reassurances to listeners not to panic about June practices, blending good-natured ribbing (particularly during the Zach Davidson twerk segment) with measured assessments of what minicamp performance does and does not signify.

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Summary Takeaways

• Don’t panic about offensive struggles; the team is teaching, learning, and slotting in new faces.
• Josh Allen is proactively “refining” mechanics—the mechanical changes are intentional and aimed at long-term improvement.
• The Bills’ wide receiver roles are wide open; none (except possibly Claypool) have stood out, but opportunity abounds.
• Matt Milano’s return is encouraging and may anchor the defense alongside Terrell Bernard.
• Gable Steveson’s crossover journey is just starting; his Olympic pedigree and wrestling discipline are intriguing for the Bills coaching staff.
• Head coach Sean McDermott is prioritizing player health and scheme experimentation in June, not performance outcomes.

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For more Bills analysis and daily coverage, subscribe to Buffalo Plus on YouTube or visit BuffaloPlus.com.

Transcript

[Jenna Cotrel]

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[Mike Catalana]

Ball touched the ground a lot today?

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah, a lot, I think.

[Dan Fates]

Not great, Bob.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Dan Fates]

How are you? Not great, Bob.

[Jenna Cotrel]

And then he starts like, you know, like, like dancing. And I was like, oh, yeah. And then he kept dancing and then he was twerking and I was like, it's a damn good twerk.

[Mike Catalana]

And I would say it's like that.

[Dan Fates]

That's the open.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

But it really was like, as a.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Woman, I was impressed.

[Dan Fates]

This is the Buffalo plus podcast brought to you by Connors and Ferris.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cotrel. Please be sure to like, comment, subscribe and share with the graphic going of subscribe. We appreciate it. All right, we are recapping day one of mandatory mini camp in Buffalo. Now, everyone was there, including Raul Douglas. The only person that was not was Christian Bedford and that was an excused absence. So that's a big thing. Everyone was there. Attendance. Great stuff. All right, let's talk some of our takeaways from this afternoon. Michael, I think it's important to start with the offense because they didn't start.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, I mean, it's rough and. And I. We promise not to overreact. One, it's June two. They did make a lot of changes. Yeah. Dan and I talked about this during the practice is we used to say. I used to say to my buddy who worked for the Patriots, what was it like at your practices? And he say the ball never touches the ground or rarely touches the ground. And then the Bills became that team.

[Dan Fates]

They were.

[Mike Catalana]

Ball touched the ground a lot today.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah, a lot, I think.

[Dan Fates]

Not great, Bob.

[Jenna Cotrel]

It is important to keep this in the context of that it is June because we don't want overreaction. And also, this was a lot sloppier than I think we were thinking they would be.

[Dan Fates]

I think it's also on top of what we saw at the final day of OTAs that we saw that we did a video and said this kind of looked off McDermott, Josh, the offense was false starts and penalties and now all of a sudden you come here and it's like, all right, we're going to be. They're going to be ironed out. This is what we're going to see. It wasn't really the case.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I think it's important to remind people two things can be true. Right. They can be sloppy and it can be June. So I do think again harping on the. We don't want to overreact. And also like I said that there were some things that you saw. Allen with a couple picks throughout OTAs, he had one again today. And those drop passes like you talked about, there's a lot that's new in this offense. Some of the players, some of the schemes. So I think it's going to take time but I think it was concerning because we really haven't seen the offense kind of flash like we had expected it to. You know, between OTAs and, and minicamp.

[Mike Catalana]

And there is a lot of change and espe. It's the wide receiver position and I think there was. I try to think of the way eloquently expressed by Joe Brady today.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, he said somebody's gotta start making a play because. Yeah. In the span of four plays there was a James Cook drop. The next play, Josh Miss Kincaid over the middle with a bad throw. They then ran the ball and then Shavers slipped on a route and Kair picked him off. That was a four play sequence for the Bills offense and again a lot of balls were getting picked up off the ground today and again we. It's not an overreaction, we're just reacting to what we saw. It's not an overreaction, it's just a reaction.

[Mike Catalana]

And Janet, it's a reaction in the moment. It's a reaction there. I'm not making any long term thing on any of this. There's nobody hitting anybody and it's not real football. Good thing because Josh would have gotten crushed a couple of times. Allen was not particularly sharp, but again there's a ton going on. It is still. Then they got another day of ota. I don't think they'll have the third and then they'll be back and then it's training camp and all those things. But it's a lot of moving pieces and it's. It's a lot to be ironed out.

[Dan Fates]

I guess I was thinking that if this Was a training camp practice, we'd be more, hey, man, the offense looked bad today.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Like.

[Dan Fates]

Like we would evaluate it differently. It's a mandatory minicamp in June. It's June. It's June.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

It's June.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

But yes, I would like them to look a little cleaner than what they've looked today. The defense had what felt like a ton of juice fired up. The offensive side just looks flat right now.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I think there's so much teaching and there's so much learning that so many players are having to think before they play.

[Dan Fates]

Tough to play fast when you're thinking.

[Sean McDermott]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

And it's. That it is tough to play fast when you are thinking.

[Mike Catalana]

I think that's accurate. And. And look when Dan mentions in the previous training camps. Right. Well, if you had a training camp practice and it was sloppy, it could be a rough day for Dion on the left side. It could be a rough day. Diggs wasn't sharp. You know, Gabe dropped a ball. Like all those things happened. But we had seen those people excel so many times in Bill's uniforms. Right. So you're like, correct if day.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. If this was Gabe Davis and. And Stefan Diggs and the same offensive line and all these things, we'd sit there and go, like, who cares? Like there. We know because we know what to expect. This is a whole new thing.

[Mike Catalana]

It's. The biggest thing is because we don't know what to expect because there is no track record. Now, there's a couple things going on. Khalil Shakir left the field.

[Dan Fates]

Left the field today. We don't really know what the injury was. All we will say is that he left practice.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Now, he stood on the sidelines for a while. He was not in any sort of distress or anything.

[Jenna Cotrel]

But yes. Walked by us.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Walked off a little bit of a limp.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Just walked off on his own. All says that we've said before is that when Dawson Knox has tweaked something, they usually stay there and watch the rest of practice. Khalil did not.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. So that's not great. But the other group of players are all out there trying to find their way.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

There is no. The closest thing you have to a definite is Kincaid.

[Dan Fates]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

And that's a couple.

[Dan Fates]

And he made two nice catches today. One was over Taron Johnson. I thought early on in seven. On seven.

[Jenna Cotrel]

So did we see. I did not see Claypool. I did. I only saw Mitch Trubisky throwing Claypool the ball.

[Dan Fates]

I only saw it, too. And he made two. Two nice catches. Again.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Claypool continues to make plays.

[Mike Catalana]

He is a physically impressive guy. You watch him run.

[Dan Fates]

Massive.

[Mike Catalana]

I think Josh was asked about, you know, he goes up, he grabs the ball, whatever. I will have to say Justin Shorter dropped one over the middle. I dropped. It wasn't an obvious drop. He went up to get it. That was the moment when Brady made that comment. It wasn't specifically directed at Justin.

[Dan Fates]

Correct.

[Mike Catalana]

And then. And then we got a chance to talk to Justin Shorter.

[Dan Fates]

We did talk to Justin Shorter. Where else are you going to get this kind of coverage? We talked to him. We asked him.

[Mike Catalana]

Very engaging guy. First time I've talked to him.

[Dan Fates]

So exciting.

[Mike Catalana]

Very. He's an excited guy.

[Dan Fates]

Excited guy. Tall. Yes, tall. And we asked him. He's been dealing with injuries. It's a new turnover in the wide receiver room. People talk about him. We told him people are excited about him, but we haven't really seen him, which is kind of what we've talked about on this channel. But we asked him, what does he bring to the Bills. And this is what he had to say.

[Mike Catalana]

Man, I'm a deep threat, honestly, a big dude. I get down there, I can jump up. I'm fast, I'm versatile. I could play special teams, too. So I feel like I'm really be able to help this team out this year. You already know it. He's a guy you root for because he's so into it, but he realizes too, like, it's an opportunity for him. He said Josh is really good when he gets a chance to talk to him about what's going on. But like, these other guys, he's got. He's got everything to prove.

[Dan Fates]

Does this count as, like, two or three counts for, like, our next. We still have to keep it going or does this. Do we bank all these Justin Shorter comments?

[Jenna Cotrel]

What do you think?

[Mike Catalana]

I would say the actual. Out of the actuality. The sound bite with him. And it's a full interview. He did the compliments and I'm watching him. Look, I'm rooting for the guy. He's young and enthusiastic and he was a draft pick last year and we barely got to see him on the field. What a plus it would be for this franchise if a young, tall, fast wide receiver could really play. It's just a lot to take in because he missed a lot in this past year.

[Dan Fates]

He's the one again. Besides Claypool, nobody had. No other wide receiver has really wowed me. Keon's been. I liked what I've seen in Keon at times. He Had a nice catch on like a little slant route that was like, contested like the right. The defensive back was right on him and he was able to have the hand strike to kind of catch a ball in traffic. So I'd like that. I've really liked how secure he is. We've talked about it before. He's got late hands, so I like that. But besides Claypool, nobody else is really flash. Like, while they did bring in more guys over Justin Shorter, there still is an opportunity if he starts to make plays and make moments.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Like Sean talked about it today, there are no roles really defined.

[Mike Catalana]

No, no.

[Jenna Cotrel]

That's the interesting part of this team. And that's something that'll be fun to watch develop. But you're right, there is a huge opportunity here for Justin Shorter. I mean, a draft pick last year. I know it was a fifth round pick.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

But it does feel very wide open because I would agree with you, Dan. I feel like Claypool has made some really nice plays and there's been other nice moments by. Oh, that's good. Just drop notebook is y. But yeah, I mean, even Curtis Samuel had a nice catch. And then at another. Another play. This was in OTAs, ended up being a pick. Thank you, Michael.

[Dan Fates]

And Josh is also tweaking with his throwing mechanics.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah. And this is. This was something really interesting today because he kind of brought it up by himself. We were there asking him press or conference, asking him questions at his press conference. And he talked about the tinkering that's been going on in this offseason because with the injury he had last season, it kind of made him throw the ball lower and he was kind of wider on stuff. So he's trying to get the mechanics back, which I think. I mean, that's huge for him. The footwork, the mechanics. Like he said he sometimes will stumble on YouTube of old videos of him from high school and at Wyoming. He's like, ooh, gross. Like it's gross to look at.

[Mike Catalana]

He even said sometimes he goes, who's that guy? And then he goes, oh, oh, that's me. Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I mean, the progression of where he is at, but it's those little details that are so important. So he talked about kind of being like a golf swing where you gotta. You gotta rework things. It might feel a little unnatural at first. Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

He loves the golf. The golf analogies.

[Dan Fates]

I love it. We are the king of analogies. On the Bill's YouTube podcast platform.

[Jenna Cotrel]

This, ourselves.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Baseball and golf analogies right here.

[Mike Catalana]

That's it. But Josh Is right. And it is. And you know, it's funny, I asked him about changing and then he. He sort of corrected. He was like, I haven't changed. Like you said, he's tweaking it.

[Jenna Cotrel]

He used the word refining.

[Mike Catalana]

Refining.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Refining what he is doing.

[Mike Catalana]

It is interesting that he referenced the injuries because I do think that can happen where you start to adjust for the injuries and then you're doing things.

[Dan Fates]

Because he said pain in the way your body reacts to try and hide the injury so you can, you know, keep playing through it and then all of a sudden you. You form bad habits.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. And that's why there are times when maybe he wasn't as accurate in those moments. And he's out there playing and you're like, he's playing but he cannot move his arm the way. And. And it's constantly was with the. The elbow, the arm. They were looking at it. Shoulder. So last year. So hey, I give him credit for that because that takes a lot of work and it has to change your mindset when you correct that whatever it is adjustment that he's making, it has to become natural.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Well, we saw him last week was not a great day for the offense. Allen included him working with the sensors after practice. We mentioned it before of him working with Chase Claypool, but kind of seeing the dynamic of what that. Like and using that, you know, biometrics. Biometric data to really improve. I mean this is where the NFL is at, obviously, but it is cool that it's that scientific of an approach. And he's talking about how it feels different. It feels, you know, it's. It's this much of a movement of your body, but it creates all this opportunity for this and that. And it's. That's. That to me is like that's how you get better. Everyone in this league is so good. It's those little. The mechanics and how good you are. That's. That's huge.

[Dan Fates]

And it's. It's feel and like how much of sports is. Is feel. And when you're thinking about. As he talks about, he kind of got lazy and lower with the ball. And so like that. Some of that stuff. Baseball analogy. Like when I like the way where you're positioning the ball, even the way that you hold things like. Like he talks about a golf swing. All those things factor in. And when Jenna made the point of like when you're thinking, you're not just reacting and letting your athletic ability. So you're. You're this. But this is the time to tinker things.

[Mike Catalana]

So I'm going to continue with your analogy in baseball. And you see it in spring training. A pitcher maybe coming off an injury, goes out in a spring game or goes out in a rehab assignment against some double A team and gives up three bombs. And people are like. And he's like, I'm worried about them. I'm worried about me. And I think Josh has to mix the two of those because they are trying to get work done. He did say he's going to work on it during this period of time off.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Which I think we all like to hear.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. Because he needs that set for when they get to Fisher.

[Jenna Cotrel]

He doesn't market his off season work well.

[Dan Fates]

He has. It's nothing.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I guess. Yeah. I mean, you're right. He did go on bus him with the. Bus him with the boys podcast last year and say he doesn't do.

[Dan Fates]

That's not a shot. That I'm just using his words.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, but he's at all of the OTAs.

[Dan Fates]

Absolutely.

[Mike Catalana]

He's always there for the. For what's needed.

[Dan Fates]

That's not a shot of Josh.

[Jenna Cotrel]

That's. Yeah, I. No, I hear you. I mean, he literally said that. That was last year. I would like to think that he would be a bit more advantageous this year doing off season work on his own because of him tinkering with what he's doing and all the new faces. But I don't think Josh is the type of guy that puts it out on social media.

[Mike Catalana]

If he was not going to be at something, it would be something that is very important to him.

[Dan Fates]

Aaron Rodgers shot well done.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

That's really good. I was going to say he golfed 110 holes, 117 holes. He came to practice. That was the OTA where we said, he's not going to be at OTAs today.

[Mike Catalana]

He was there.

[Dan Fates]

And then he went back to the golf course to do raising money for. Was it osha?

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Awesome.

[Jenna Cotrel]

So the Patricia Allen Fund.

[Dan Fates]

The one highlight of the day, Mr. Zack Davidson. And if you don't know who Zach Davidson is, that's fair. But I'll tell you this, the young man can twerk.

[Mike Catalana]

Caught a touchdown from Mitchell Trisky. Correct.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And. And that practice was going like a regular practice. And then he lit up the practice because he did that. It was an extended twerk.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Truly. I was. So he caught the touchdown pass over the middle.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Nice catch. Absolutely. And then he starts like, you know, like, like dancing. And I was like, oh, yeah. And then he kept dancing and Then he was twerking and I was like, it's a damn good twerk.

[Mike Catalana]

And I would say it's like that.

[Dan Fates]

That's the open.

[Mike Catalana]

But it really was like, as a.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Woman, I was impressed.

[Mike Catalana]

He really did. And you could tell the defense, given a little bit of hard time, offensive guys seem to like it.

[Dan Fates]

Not Mac Collins did not like.

[Mike Catalana]

No.

[Dan Fates]

He was getting dapped up, going to the sidelines and Max going, don't. Don't congratulate that. He's like, what was that? No, we're not doing that. But again, for a day where once again, the defense dominated. The bright spot was Zach Davidson, and he was a.

[Mike Catalana]

Not by the Bills, but he was a previous 5th round pick out of Central Missouri. Yes. I was telling Dan was trying to get him to guess. We had no idea where he went.

[Dan Fates]

He even went yesterday or last year when we were in the locker room. Said that we were doppelgangers.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Really?

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Zach's also six four.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. I guess we kind of look alike.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I'm gonna look that up now. This is terrible.

[Mike Catalana]

Podcast really is.

[Dan Fates]

While you look that up.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

The other thing that we saw today was Matt Milano back.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh.

[Dan Fates]

And that was again, to get to see him moving around. He participated in individual drills. It's been eight months since his injury. Just seeing 58 back out there with a helmet on, black visor.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, it's good.

[Dan Fates]

Him and Bernard looking real sharp with the black visors. Just good to see him out there. I thought that was a positive sign, meaning more and more that he's on track for hopefully as long he's. McDermott said that as long as he's not too sore today from part participating in the individual drills, he's expected to.

[Mike Catalana]

Be out there again tomorrow if he can stay on the field. And he's dealt with injuries through his Bill's career. And I know he's got a few years in him now, but, man, I just. I love the Bernard Milano pair. You don't have Poyer and Hyde anymore. And it's different. It's in the middle. But even Bernard said, we think alike, we think the game alike. And I think Milano probably refers to Bernard as the loud guy. Yeah, I mean, I think of Bernard is pretty. Not soft spoken, but kind of a quieter way about him, calm way Milano may talk to them.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

I still am trying to remember what his voice sounds like. I mean, we just hear so little of him.

[Dan Fates]

But I remember when they drafted Bernard and then we heard him and he's like, I model My game after Milano and we were like, well, that's weird because, like, you know, why would you get the same position kind of thing? I mean, some people knew that he could be a middle linebacker, but not everybody.

[Jenna Cotrel]

He can.

[Mike Catalana]

He just maneuvered into.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Hold on, wait.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Making sure that he got maneuvered right into that on the back. No, I, I. Terrell Bernard is such an interesting person. You talk about Matt Milano, and that is huge for this team. I think that also is just a sign of, of progress. And I think for so many players, seeing him back, it gives them a little bit.

[Dan Fates]

I agree.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Of relief because without Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer and Treyway to have a familiar face back, you're like, oh, that's a win. That feels like a win.

[Mike Catalana]

Playmaker.

[Dan Fates]

Olive oil.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Milkshake.

[Dan Fates]

Milk. Check if you know, you know, if.

[Jenna Cotrel]

You know, you know. And too. I think for. We talked to Terrell Bernard after practice today, and he just talked about. They really didn't get a lot, A lot of time together, Milano and Bernard being out there and just kind of getting back together and feeling on the same page. But you mentioned their ability to kind of have the same thoughts.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Have that, that kind of synergy back. But I will say, too, Terrell Bernard, it was interesting because he talked about how he just feels. I mean, last year, it was a total think about how he was feeling. Last year he didn't have the starting role. It was like, who's gonna replace Jermaine Edmonds? No one knew.

[Mike Catalana]

It's why we referenced June. A year ago in June, June. Heck, a year ago in August, it was still like, you know, Bernard hasn't done anything. Who's going to be the linebacker? And he ends up being outstanding for the year. Now, that doesn't mean everybody's going to be in that spot. But here he is, Jenna, saying a year later, I'm telling you, I, I think he's. I think the two best players on the defense may very well be the two line.

[Dan Fates]

I agree. And you talked about the four games, four and a half games that they played together. I went back and looked. I don't have my notepad in front of me, but I went back and looked at those four games that they played together. Outstanding caveat. They were against the Commanders, they were against the Raiders, things like that. But, like, I think they only allowed like 10 points per game.

[Mike Catalana]

They were taking the ball.

[Dan Fates]

They took the ball away a bunch. They had nine sacks against the Commander's game. Bernard, I think had four or three or four in that game like they. They were, Mike said playmakers.

[Mike Catalana]

Yep. At that position, it'll be big, I think.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Definitely. And that comfort factor, I feel too. I don't think you ever get truly, for most players, comfortable in terms of you always have to bring it. This is a tough leaf. There's a ton of competition. But I just feel like for that linebacking core, knowing the guys that they have, knowing the playmakers and the ability that's there.

[Dan Fates]

Yep. And big boost just to get them back, especially before camp.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

That everybody can go back at the end of this. You know, kind of. Sean talked about what they want to accomplish this week and I thought it was interesting. And maybe we'll just put the sound bite in here because I thought it was interesting. He was asked by Matty Glab about what would be considered successful over these next two days so that he feels good going into the six week break. And this is what he had to say.

[Sean McDermott]

Yeah, you know, I think let's just start with the health of our football team. It was mentioned that we have some injuries and some of those are going to happen. I think the biggest thing is can we get ourselves through the break? Can we get ourselves through the next couple of days, number one, and then into the break period and those guys can spend time with our trainers and our training staff and get to training camp where they're available. I think that's important. Staying healthy over the break for the guys that are healthy right now is also important. And so I think you start there and then you get into making sure that schematically this is a time of year for us at least where we try and develop our menu a little bit, try things, throw some things out, add some things. It's really the time of year to try some of that. And then my ask of the coordinators is that when we break or before we break, that they've got a pretty good menu built that they believe in, that they believe in and matches what we know at this point at least to be the strengths of our players. And then we get to training camp and we rep, rep and rep so that we're efficient, effective with what we're trying to do.

[Dan Fates]

I thought the menu. The menu I thought was again, it's new coaching staffs too, like, so what can they have to know, what they can put on the menu, what ingredients work. I really liked that analogy in comparison from McDermott.

[Mike Catalana]

And we got a chance to talk.

[Dan Fates]

To Gabe Stable Gable.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, he was Gable. Yeah. Well, don't nobody calls him Gabe.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I Don't know.

[Dan Fates]

I don't know.

[Jenna Cotrel]

I'm not gonna call him. Gabe.

[Dan Fates]

I dare you to call him Gable. Gabe.

[Mike Catalana]

I talked to him three times today.

[Dan Fates]

He did. Interesting cat.

[Mike Catalana]

He is. So he was coming off the field, and. Not that this is not anything so crazy. He was coming off the field, and we asked to interview him, and he said, I have one question. So I asked him a question about transitioning to the NFL and playing football, and he gave an okay. And then he got asked, like, two more questions, and then he said okay, and he left. And it was odd just because it felt like we could get more from him to talk. And then it was maybe, I don't know, 15, 10 minutes later, he came back out and he's like, hey, like, I want to talk to you guys. And a bunch of more people came over, and I thought he was really good during that time, talking about all the stuff that goes into being this incredible wrestler and now trying to figure out football.

[Dan Fates]

He called it a unicorn chance. So, you know, to. He's never played football. He was even asked kind of like, hey, are you. Were you a football fan?

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Growing up. And he's like, kind of like. But he talks about what it would mean to. To play two sports and to be an Olympian, and how he still feels. Doesn't. He says his having Olympic gold medal still feels fake to him. Yeah, still doesn't process that. But, Mike, you were talking about what's. I think you. Maybe you asked, like, what's the biggest adjustment?

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Because some of the things translate. And McDermott said that he's even tried to use some wrestling lingo.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Because Gable thinks, like, the fact of. Well, just C ball, tackle ball. And he goes, you gotta. Whether it's a pass, whether it's a run, all these things. So some things translate. But he goes, is it a stretch? Is it a sweep? All these things. He goes, terminology that unless you're a played football growing up, you may not know. And none of us know the lingo. Like. Like those most.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, yeah. Like, they do. So he had mentioned first time ever, putting on cleats. So I said to him, so what is it? That's the most. I don't know if I said. Difficult to adjust to whatever. You know, you got the cleats and shoulder pads and the helmet. Here's Gabe. You mentioned the cleats. You got. You got helmets, you got shoulder pad. What's the. What's the one that you're like, oh, really? This is what you got, the helmet. I Ain't know the helmet was that damn heavy because we're used to headgear and sometimes Olympic style, you don't have no headgear. So I put on a helmet, and you talk getting in the stands, I'm like, hey, I can't pick my head.

[Dan Fates]

Up because you'll get used to it.

[Mike Catalana]

And now I finally got used to it. So the helmet, man. About 35 pounds, the way it is now. But, you know, you've got to protect ourselves. Yeah. Helmet, they are heavy.

[Dan Fates]

They're not £35.

[Mike Catalana]

No, but they're heavy. And you're wearing it trying to. Like he says, trying to keep your head up. Nice big, strong kid.

[Dan Fates]

He's got a massive neck.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Like, I think that he'll be.

[Mike Catalana]

He'll eventually, once he gets comfortable as a football player, those physical traits that he has will be there for him. Can they translate to applying them against guys who have played a lot of football in their life and have seen big, strong, fast guys? Yeah, we don't know, but it'll be interesting to see.

[Dan Fates]

Didn't Christian Wade talk about that, too, when we talked to him about, like, what's that? Like you've ran with a ball and.

[Mike Catalana]

Oh, it's the helmet. He said, yeah, right. The helmet is weird. Like, he even said, in some wrestling, they wear the headgear.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And other ones they don't. Yeah, the Olympics sometimes, but that is still virtually nothing.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we were joking. You think he showed up first day in a singleton that.

[Dan Fates]

Sean's probably like, let me show you mine.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

Sean, we. Everybody has seen that picture of McDermott.

[Jenna Cotrel]

It's a good one.

[Mike Catalana]

It is.

[Jenna Cotrel]

They. They talk many. I did like that McDermott said he would. And you kind of reference this of talking to Gable in wrestling terms to better equate it to football. And I think that is. Makes sense. You got to speak his language. And it's. It is a lot to learn.

[Dan Fates]

I respect so much that McDermott hasn't wrestled since high school. Like, he didn't wrestle at William and Mary as far as.

[Mike Catalana]

No, he played football.

[Dan Fates]

Played football. He's still, like, so into wrestling. Like, not WWE wrestling. Like, which Gable also did for a short period.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

But just the fact of, like, I guess maybe it's like, once your wrestler that never leaves you. Like, the discipline that you have to have the cutting weight. All of that stuff. Like, Gable was talking about the fact of. I'll do it, like, once they tell me, yes. Like, I'm doing it there's no questions. I'm just doing it. And he's trying to get up to speed, but he says even in just the first week, he feels light years ahead of where he was before.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah, it's. It's kind of fascinating to see, but when you are a tremendous athlete, you know, it's like you could take another guy who has played a ton of football. I'll take my chances with the athleticism and teaching them the game. Because if you don't have those skills, you cannot play in the NFL. But if you have those skills and you can figure out the game better because it is a certain set of things you need to do on the D line.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

You're not catching and running with the ball like it's. It's a different set of skills. I'll take my chances.

[Dan Fates]

I'd also imagine it's got to be a pretty humbling experience for Gable to go into something that you are the best in. Not just the country, the world.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Dan Fates]

And now you're going to struggle with the basics of basics. Football.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

And now, like I said, you're going up against guys that have played football their entire lives. Eat, sleep, breathe, have. That's my whole thing. And now he's just trying to get into it.

[Mike Catalana]

His mom didn't want him to play football because it was too dangerous.

[Dan Fates]

Amazing.

[Mike Catalana]

She goes, but then you put me in wrestling.

[Dan Fates]

Like, the most dangerous one.

[Mike Catalana]

Different kind, but it's.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah, yeah. I think the discipline you have to have being a wrestler will show in. Yes, he is being humbled right now, but the discipline and the work ethic that you see from most, if not every. I mean, to wrestle, you have to have those things.

[Mike Catalana]

So humble and hungry, quite literally.

[Dan Fates]

Trust the process.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Cutting weight.

[Mike Catalana]

And by the way, Jenna's hungry, so.

[Jenna Cotrel]

This is probably the end of it. I had a cup of soup, a cup of noodles.

[Mike Catalana]

Wow.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Yeah. I love those things.

[Mike Catalana]

Are you full?

[Jenna Cotrel]

No, I'm gonna go to Chick Fil A.

[Mike Catalana]

There you go.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Okay. Anything else, gentlemen?

[Dan Fates]

No, we're recording this Tuesday. Think it'll be out either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. And I'll be back up for OTAs on Wednesday.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Look at Wednesday.

[Mike Catalana]

Wednesday.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Perfect.

[Dan Fates]

Possibly a special guest joining that recap.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Oh. Oh, okay.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cotrel]

Justin. Justin Shorter.

[Mike Catalana]

He's made the pod.

[Jenna Cotrel]

All right. For Mike and Dan, I am Jenna. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe as well as share. We'll catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris.

[Mike Catalana]

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[Dan Fates]

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[Jenna Cotrel]

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[Dan Fates]

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[Jenna Cotrel]

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