← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
The BILLS set SIGHTS on the NFL DRAFT: KC Concepcion visits BUFFALO, what COULD it mean?!
00:47:27
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- [00:00]
A
Like you said, they meet with a lot of players at the combine. That's just how it goes. You talked about speed dating. It's really like that. But the fact that they wanted a follow up date.
- [00:10]
B
How many times have I gotten my hopes up and then had my heart ripped out that the Bills are going to draft a wide receiver. So like the fact that they brought him in and I think he will be on the board gives me hope. And hope is a dangerous, dangerous thing to have. Now from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio, this is the Buffalo plus podcast.
- [00:41]
A
All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast. Mike Catalana on vacation out of the country. Out of the country. That's Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment, subscribe and share.
- [00:52]
B
Who takes vacation?
- [00:53]
A
Not you. No, I'm kidding.
- [00:55]
B
Not this guy. It's just kids. It is just kids.
- [00:59]
A
Weren't you the one that told me that going on vacation with children is just parenting in a different location?
- [01:05]
B
That is. That is correct. Like I don't remember the last time. And if there are any parents, young kids that are watching, let us know. But there are times when it's like we go to the Lake Keuka Lake every summer and luckily we're like familiar at the lake house. But besides that. Yes, we don't really travel a ton. Now. Our good friend John Doss has taken his two young kids everywhere.
- [01:29]
A
Yeah.
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B
And credit to those parents because that's. You're throwing off timing of their sleep schedule, their routines, the foods that they like to eat.
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A
Yeah, I commend because I don't know if I would be.
- [01:41]
B
I mean, you've been around Ryan. You have been around my girl. Yes.
- [01:46]
A
All right, we are here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio to. Today we're going to get into NFL draft is about a month away, which is wild to think about. It's exactly a month away, 31 days away if we want to be exact time. That's time. That is time. All right, we'll talk a little bit about that. Just kind of the Bills, what we expect them to do. Free agency is really kind of winding down as well. Talk a little bit about the NFL owners meeting and then also Casey Concepcion. That's kind of the news of the day. So the Bills. According to reports, the Bills will host the A M wide receiver Casey Concepcion for a top 30 visit. Remember, the Bills have a pick at 26. That's their first pick in the first round. Casey Concepcion is someone born in Rochester. Yes, but you got to talk to at the NFL combine.
- [02:32]
B
Yeah. And before. Before we get into the draft, kind of things like that. Jenna, we were just talking a little bit before we started rolling of zooming back, because what I thought you were
- [02:43]
A
going to talk about how. We were talking about Zootopia.
- [02:46]
B
We were talking about Zootopia. We were kind of. We were kind of like, catalan is not here. He's a lot of the brains.
- [02:52]
A
Dad's gone.
- [02:52]
B
Yeah, Dad's gone. So there's a little bit of this, like, all right, slow news day. But we do see. And that's what I also wanted to mention too, at the beginning. So many people have commented in and we really appreciate it. I wait all day, I check YouTube to see when. When there's going to be a new video. I look forward to it all day. So, like, we definitely wanted to put out a video, but we were kind of like, what do we got today? As Mike Catalon likes to say. And a lot of times he comes up with these ideas and these talking points. So Dad's not here.
- [03:21]
A
Yes.
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B
And we were talking about movies. I said we could talk about Zootopia 2 for a while.
- [03:24]
A
I haven't seen it yet.
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B
I thought Zootopia 2 is better than Zootopia 1, which could be a hot take.
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A
Okay, I have only seen Zootopia one.
- [03:31]
B
All right.
- [03:32]
A
What were you saying about zooming out, though?
- [03:33]
B
Zooming out is the fact of. I thought you said it best. It feels like right now, free agency and trades for the most part, of course. Watch as I say this. There will be some trade for Max Crosby or AJ Brown that is could be coming at any time. But everything's kind of on hold. Because we talked about, you know, when you said in the beginning, the NFL draft is a month away, and I feel like teams are now solely focused on that. And you, I think, described it so well.
- [04:03]
A
The splishes have splashed. That's kind of how I look at it. Of like, all right, all the big moves, all the moves that we kind of thought about of players that we figured would get new contracts or new teams or be traded has happened. And you're right. I think that this is kind of the period in the NFL schedule where it's like, teams address the needs that they need to through free agency. And now the transition is, okay, what will this look like for the NFL draft? How are we going to build our roster through the draft in this way? So that's kind of why it feels like. Not to say the dead time. But I agree, like, I feel like if AJ Brown were to be moved, it probably would have already happened or, you know, if Max Crosby was actually going to be traded again. Again. But I do think that today, so. And that kind of gets into the draft and where teams are at and what they're doing.
- [04:52]
B
Because I also think a lot of players right now, Jenna, and their agents are saying, sit tight. I think a lot of teams are saying, hey, we're on your radar. Like, the perfect example, I think, is Elijah Moore last year. Yeah, we all thought the Bills were going to sign multiple wide receivers, and they didn't. And then that was the Bean interview on wgr, all of that. And literally, hours after he gets off the radio, they signed Elijah Moore. So I'm imagining there is a, hey, Elijah, you come in. We work out. Let's see how the board falls. Let's see where. Again, that's why I don't think they're going to sign any more pass rushers. Maybe a veteran linebacker, but I think a lot of veteran linebackers right now are sitting there saying, we're going to wait till the. The dust of the draft settles, then we're going to figure out, hey, what do we need? And where's a fit? So I think that that's why it's funny, we talk so much about how the NFL doesn't have an off season, and maybe Catalan is right. Maybe the time to take the vacation. Jenna is after free agency.
- [05:53]
A
Yeah, usually. Usually that's probably a good idea.
- [05:56]
B
Would that be.
- [05:56]
A
Yeah, but Catalan, I. We have to space out our vacation.
- [05:59]
B
That is true.
- [06:00]
A
So there is that.
- [06:01]
B
You couldn't just leave me home alone?
- [06:03]
A
I would want to do that.
- [06:04]
B
That would be bad.
- [06:05]
A
Solo, angry.
- [06:08]
B
Wouldn't want to do that to the fans.
- [06:10]
A
That there's that, too. We're looking out for you all as well. I also think if you're a player, from a player's perspective, you want to see what a team does in the draft because you don't want to go somewhere and be like, all right, I think I'm going to be the starter. And then they draft with a top pick or their highest pick, a guy that is your position either. So it makes sense from also a player standpoint of being like, you know what? I feel like if it's going to get done, it happens early. And if not, you want to survey the situation and see what teams are like or where there are weaknesses that way. Because you want to be out there on the field.
- [06:43]
B
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I feel like agents are even telling their players of, like, hey, let's just see. Let's see how this goes. Let's see. Because again, there are so many times we see this, the draft go, and somebody's projected to be to this team or projected to go here. And it's an imperfect science. They're. They're educated guesses. And then all of a sudden, some player falls. A team can't pass them up. Think about even. I even make the comparison of, like, a backup quarterback. Like, I don't think the Bills were necessarily thinking about taking Jake from a few years ago, and then he was there in the round, and they're like, we'll take him.
- [07:14]
A
So, yeah.
- [07:15]
B
All of those kind of circumstances, I think, are a big reason why there has been such a lull. Of course, as I say this, watch Max Crosby or AJ Brown get traded. So just. We have that ability.
- [07:27]
A
I'm checking Twitter.
- [07:28]
B
We have. We have that power. It was like Mike and I came in the podcast studio the one time where I was like, hey, we're gonna go in the studio. Because nothing happened at the start of free agency. And then, sure enough, they signed D. Alford. Oh, not a big one, but it was at least somebody. It was like, we got done recording, and it was like, you're welcome.
- [07:44]
A
And there is that. Well, yeah, that's always good. Also, if you are watching this on YouTube and you're like, jenna looks enormous right now. It's because I'm sitting closer to the camera. So, yeah, I feel like a power forward right now. Like, I am, but I'm just closer to the camera. And that's how cameras work.
- [08:02]
B
There's the open. Who edits.
- [08:07]
A
That's true.
- [08:08]
B
But, yeah, this is also. Are you gonna slouch in the chair?
- [08:12]
A
The chair is good because it has, like, a firm. Like, it's. It's a good spot. I do like the chair. The couch is just very comfortable. Not that the. Yeah, exactly. You get it. It's very easy to slouch. I need, like, a pillow behind me on the couch. But then it's get a Connors and
- [08:28]
B
Ferris or somebody wants to sponsor.
- [08:30]
A
Yeah.
- [08:30]
B
Get some pillows in the studio.
- [08:32]
A
Okay. Casey Concepcion, top 30 visit for the Bills. A wide receiver. I kind of was like, oh, I was a little intrigued by that. Just not even the player. I like the player. We can get into the player in a little bit. But, like, using a top 30 visit on a wide receiver. Yeah. Obviously traded for DJ Moore. They have made moves. I did think that was a little intriguing because I didn't expect that to be the case of them really looking at a, at a wide receiver position. Now. They're probably doing their due diligence, which I totally understand, but I guess to me, it made me excited. Like, this could still be a possibility.
- [09:12]
B
Yeah. And I, I look at this as if you really want to be in tuned and like, I don't know the number off the top of my head, but there is a.
- [09:21]
A
In tune. What did you say?
- [09:25]
B
I. I thought I said. I thought I said into.
- [09:27]
A
Okay, all right.
- [09:28]
B
What did you.
- [09:28]
A
No, no, I, I. Go for it.
- [09:30]
B
What did you think?
- [09:31]
A
I wasn't sure. I didn't. I didn't know if you were trying to say attuned, like attuned to or.
- [09:36]
B
I couldn't tell you what attuned to means about where was I in tune with. Yeah, the big thing is if you want to have an idea or be prepared for draft night, like, study the, the top 30 visits. Like, I don't know the exact number off the top of my head, but a lot of the players the Bills draft they have in for an official 30 visit. Everybody talks to everybody at the Senior bowl at the combine. Like, that's not nearly as important as who they're bringing in for those 30 visits. So the fact that it's Casey Concepcion is exciting. I'm not getting my hopes up too much, Jenna.
- [10:19]
A
That's fair.
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B
But I want to, I want, I want to get my hopes up.
- [10:23]
A
I think of it like an interview process. Right. Like, they met with him at the combine, which is important. And like you said, they meet with a lot of players at the combine. That's just how it goes. You talked about speed dating. It's really like that. But the fact that they wanted a follow up date as well, I just, I got excited because we've talked about wide receiver and just the impact that that has had and the detriment that has been on this roster the last couple of seasons and how like, more is more when you have a lot of talented wide receivers. Like, sometimes I feel like the Bills are like, well, we have, we had Khalil Shakir, so we didn't need to add talent. Well, now they have Khalil Shakira, now they have DJ Moore. But it's like you want to have that room be as robust as possible. And having someone like Casey Conception in for an visit after you've already talked to him, it made me think, I wonder if the board fell right, if that is someone they would look at seriously of saying, you Know what? He could be a massive benefit to this Bills team.
- [11:22]
B
Yeah, you have to look at it too. Of not just. I know Bean is very adamant of saying, like, you don't just draft for this year. You have to look long term. And if you're doing that, you have to sit there like, there was a year. I can't remember what it was, but I think, like, Ed Oliver and somebody else were like, the only two defensive tackles they were going to have on their roster heading into next year. Like, where these contracts fall. And, like, said, what's the health of Tyrell Shavers? Where do you think he. On Coleman develops all of those things. So you're sitting there going, hey, the Bills, they got five better wide receivers than what they did last year with DJ Moore. Josh Palmer is the unknown Khalil Shakir Keon, and then Nicole Hardman. So you have five guys and then where's Tyrell Shavers and things like that? I still expect them to add, but you're looking at it, like, down the road. Like, you don't want to get. Don't want to get caught with your pants down. Like, saying, like, now all of a sudden, we need to draft a wide receiver. We all thought they needed to draft a wide receiver last year and they didn't. So now.
- [12:20]
A
No, they did, Dan. They drafted a wide receiver last year. Name him Kaden Prather.
- [12:27]
B
Wow. Great.
- [12:28]
A
He was a seventh round pick out
- [12:30]
B
of, I don't know, Maryland.
- [12:40]
A
I was gonna say unc. That makes sense area.
- [12:45]
B
Yes. So that's where I look at this and I say, I think there will be two wide receivers on the board when the Bills pick at 20, 26. I think Denzel Boston.
- [12:58]
A
You love Denzel.
- [12:59]
B
I love Denzel Boston. And I do think Casey Concepcion. I think they will both be on the board when the Bills pick at 26.
- [13:06]
A
I would rather have Casey Concepcion than Denzel Boston because I like Denzel Boston. I just feel like Casey Conception could
- [13:20]
B
add more to this roster in, like, the speed element. More.
- [13:25]
A
Yeah, I just. I don't know.
- [13:28]
B
You just don't want them to pick my guy.
- [13:30]
A
No, it's not.
- [13:31]
B
You just don't wanna.
- [13:32]
A
I just. Look, I think Denzel Boston is like an easy guy to fall in love with.
- [13:42]
B
Sup? But it's those Washington wide receivers.
- [13:47]
A
Yeah, you do love them. Well, didn't Matt Harmon do a good thing on both guys?
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B
Both guys?
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A
Yeah, it was the same.
- [13:54]
B
Yeah. I thought Jeremy White was great. He was tweeting earlier today from WGR and was talking about how the fact of. Pretty much I'm in his camp where I'm kind of reserved to the fact that the Bills will draft some speed at drusher. I just think that's where they go. Okay. And then Casey Concepcion here for a 30 visit. Matt Harmon, friend of the channel. We did a great breakdown with him about the whole Bills wide receiver room from the combine. If you haven't seen that, go like, comment, subscribe, check that video out. And he's like, stay strong. The dumb and dumber gift. And he's like, stay strong. Stay. It's like, you don't. Again. How many times have I gotten my hopes up and then had my heart ripped out that the Bills are going to draft a wide receiver. So, like, the fact that they brought him in and I think he will be on the board gives me hope. And hope is a dangerous, dangerous thing to have it.
- [14:50]
A
It is. You know what? Sometimes I want guys in college when they're coming to the pros, to have awards. I know that probably sounds stupid, but I want them to have like, Denzel Boston has only been third team Big Ten this last season.
- [15:08]
B
Yeah.
- [15:08]
A
And I kind of want there to be them to be outstanding in that pool of players where they are at. Because I feel like that to me says, okay, they were. They did stand out within that group. And that projects better in my eyes now. I'm not saying that's the end all be all.
- [15:24]
B
So what was Casey.
- [15:25]
A
Casey Concepcion was.
- [15:27]
B
No, I remember his rook his freshman year. I believe he was.
- [15:31]
A
He was ACC rookie of the year in 2023.
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B
Yeah.
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A
He was all American in 2025.
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B
Okay. It's like, I don't even think he had a thousand yards. That's what's so crazy about it.
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A
19, 919 yards, nine touchdowns.
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B
Isn't that crazy?
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A
Averaging a career best 15 points.
- [15:49]
B
Yeah.
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A
15.1 yards per reception.
- [15:51]
B
And again, I recommend everybody go check out Matt Harmon's reception perception, his breakdown on it. Like, I know Chris Trapasso, who's been on the channel before, has him as his number two wide receiver. Like, I. I think there's a lot to like about Casey Concepcion, plus the story.
- [16:05]
A
Like, yeah, I feel like he made headlines at the combine for having a stutter.
- [16:11]
B
Speech impediment. Yep.
- [16:12]
A
In speech impediment. And working through that and how he attacks that. And. No, I just. Okay, so the profile. 511, 195. In 2025, he had six. 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns. While like, I said career best 15.1 yards per reception honors was all American in 2025, ACC rookie of the year in 2023. In terms of injuries, he did have a minor hamstring injury in 2024 but durability overall. His NFL comp is K Sean Booty, booty, booty. Yeah, yeah. Fun Fact was born in Rochester.
- [16:50]
B
Yeah. You've been crunching tape. You've done your.
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A
You've.
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B
You told me this year you wanted to be more knowledgeable on the draft and you have nailed it.
- [16:57]
A
Yeah.
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B
I mean so what's your.
- [16:59]
A
So Denzel Boss, Boston, different body type 64, 209. In 2025 he had 62 catches for 881 yards, 11 touchdowns. So he is definitely a red zone threat.
- [17:11]
B
Yep.
- [17:12]
A
Honors was third team Big Ten. Injuries. He had an ankle injury in 2025 as well as a sports hernia. NFL comp is Puka Nakua. So that obviously jumps off the page
- [17:23]
B
and these comps are from. But it's from a mix of NFL.com
- [17:28]
A
it's the Lance Zer line, Zur line as well as. NFL draft buzz.
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B
Yeah.
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A
As well. Thank you. Yeah, we should credit them.
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B
Yeah, no, no, that just sometimes where it's like who's making this comment? Because I saw Chris Trasso today and his comps for KC were Doug Baldwin, who. Very good.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Again. And Jackson Smith and Jigba. Yeah, that's as I was like again, if you're comping these two guys to a Puka Nakua and a JSN like these.
- [18:01]
A
Yeah. You're in good company.
- [18:03]
B
Right. And I really do believe that these guys will be options.
- [18:07]
A
Yeah, I agree. So in terms of Denzel Boston, just a couple more things. 2 year starter with elite ball skills. That suit should supersede his athletic speed limitations. The weakness that I saw according to NFL.com acclimating to NFL competition could take a year. Production dipped when the competition level rose.
- [18:29]
B
Yep.
- [18:29]
A
That always is a fear of mine. Now that doesn't mean that a guy can't figure it out. He's 6, 4, 2, 10. Like he is a big dude and having the ball skills, elite ball skills is really important.
- [18:41]
B
But he was another cool background story where it's like he didn't have really any Division 1 offers and then he's from the Washington area I believe and like went to a camp and they were like yeah, you can walk on the team and play. And he worked his way.
- [18:55]
A
Look at him. And you're like oh yeah, that's like I would take that dude that looks
- [18:59]
B
like a future NFL wide receiver, so. And again, he sat behind a whole bunch of NFL wide receivers. Rome Adun and James Polk, who's the other guy there. So they've had a lot of good wide receivers come out of Washington recently. So that's just something to keep an eye on. Again, I, they will say this. It's run blocking. They'll. They'll give the edge to Denzel Boston. He's a really good run blocker, which I, I just don't.
- [19:26]
A
But you shouldn't say, I don't care how my, my wide receiver blocks, but
- [19:31]
B
I don't want that to be the only pro.
- [19:33]
A
I agree.
- [19:34]
B
Right.
- [19:34]
A
Sometimes, like, oh, he's a phenomenal blocker. It's like, well, does that mean he can't touch? Like, why are we got a vacuum? Look, Denzel Boston made a case for himself at the NFL Combat.
- [19:44]
B
He was awesome.
- [19:46]
A
Yeah, I just, I liked K. I
- [19:49]
B
like Casey Conception too. Like, I've come around because I was more worried about the size. I was more worried about like that physical nature.
- [19:56]
A
That's fair.
- [19:57]
B
Like it's, it's kind of the same thing I had with, with Max Hairston where I was like, there are great college players and there are guys that don't do all that well in college statistically, but their skills will translate better at the NFL level. So gun to your head, Jenna, what do you one, what do you think the Bills will do and what do you want them to do?
- [20:19]
A
Yeah, I mean, I think you mentioned it earlier. I just, I do see them going defense. I do see them going for a pass rusher. I feel like, because they have addressed the wide receiver position and I'm curious what direction they go in though, because this is a new defense and things will look different. But I just feel like they really still need to do that. But in terms of like top three picks for them, I could. All we talked about. I could see them moving back too. Like, I could definitely see that being the case.
- [20:51]
B
Yeah, I think that for me it is edge rusher, some bendy speed rusher on the edge for Jim Leonard defense. I think that trading back to gain two second round picks or to do something to, you know, where they see a possibility of gaining value because they don't have that second round pick. I, I think that's a very strong possibility more than any draft. I feel like I've gone in before of thinking that Bean could definitely trade back to get more picks or a wide receiver and. But again, there have been times when We've been caught off guard because when they drafted Dalton Kincaid, nobody thought they needed a tight end. So to sit here and say, I don't think linebacker is out of the question. I don't think.
- [21:36]
A
I don't think linebackers.
- [21:38]
B
I think safety's out of the question.
- [21:39]
A
Now, I was actually going to ask you that. Bringing in C.J. gardner, Johnson, like, do you think that that is. But he. It's a one year.
- [21:48]
B
It's a one year deal. That, that's what I was saying was that, like, okay, so you're set this year. That doesn't mean that you're set up next year.
- [21:54]
A
Are you set this year? Because we saw what happened in Houston.
- [21:57]
B
Yeah, you're set this year. It's. It's safety.
- [22:00]
A
Okay.
- [22:01]
B
Now again, that doesn't preclude. Preclude.
- [22:08]
A
I think you got this.
- [22:09]
B
You think I got this?
- [22:10]
A
I. I do.
- [22:14]
B
Yeah. This isn't that hard, right? P E R C L U D
- [22:17]
A
E P E R C L U
- [22:19]
B
D E. Yeah, nailed that one. Nailed that one. I don't think it precludes them from taking safety in the third round. There's a ton of really good safeties here. I can even see them trading back.
- [22:30]
A
So that would be their second pick. Are you saying, like the.
- [22:33]
B
Like, they would trade their first and go and move back in the. Get in the second round? Okay, so. But that's what I was talking about where it's like, okay, you think you're set this year, but that doesn't mean that again, they still have Jordan Hancock. Like, we haven't talked about him at all. It's a whole new defense. It's a whole new scheme. Like, I don't know how much we. There's so much that we're guessing about what we think Jim Leonard's defense is going to be. Even you can relate it to Denver and say, well, it's not. He wasn't Denver's defense, Like, that's where it's like, you're sitting there. It's like, if you want to say anything, like, go look at Wisconsin, I guess, from seven years ago. That's his defense. Like, that's where it's his. He was a part of. Of what? Raheem? No. Yes. No.
- [23:18]
A
Yes.
- [23:19]
B
No. Vance Joseph's defense.
- [23:20]
A
I was gonna say.
- [23:22]
B
Yeah. So that's where, again, will this be as much of, like the Sean McDermott defense, where the safeties were doing so much of the calls and checks. Obviously Jim Leonard played safety, like, knows that back end of the defense, but I don't know how that's all going to translate and how that relays to certain players moving forward. So I, I think it's, it's edge trade back, wide receiver.
- [23:43]
A
I think this draft is so interesting this year because while in the past it has been like what position are they going to go for? This is like what position are they going to go for and what type of defense does that look like?
- [23:56]
B
Exactly.
- [23:57]
A
Because this you would imagine and I kind of feel like if you're Jim Leonard, it's like, hey, we have Josh Allen on the offense, we have James Cook. You now bring in DJ Moore. Like who going to be my guy that I have. Because if I'm Jim Leonard, that's what I'm saying is like I need my dude and I want to have the pick at that.
- [24:15]
B
And it's not just I want my dude this year. Like I think there's going to be a lot of change. Not, not only that. We've already seen defensively, on the defensive side of the ball. I think you're going to see the snowball roll downhill for what Jim Leonard's defense could be like in things go well two to three years.
- [24:34]
A
Yes.
- [24:34]
B
And like I said, I, I go back to drafting Trail Bernard. First year did not do anything.
- [24:40]
A
I still can't believe you picked him. That's crazy.
- [24:45]
B
But they saw it up. But yeah, you shouldn't have because that's,
- [24:50]
A
it's the feather in the turn, the mug.
- [24:54]
B
Like that's just one of those.
- [24:56]
A
Yeah.
- [24:56]
B
So like that's where I, I look at this and I say like I don't think you waste. Waste is the wrong word. Use a first round pick for something in the future. Like you want it to be an immediate impact but there also comes with that pressure.
- [25:09]
A
Yeah.
- [25:09]
B
So like sit there and say, hey, we, we take somebody, I know they don't have a second round pick but say they get a second round pick, hey, that guy is somebody we project next year. Because we're already thinking what is Trail Bernard going to do? They're going to need some answer at guard. They're going to need some answer on the offensive line. You know what I'm saying? Like, okay, Alec Anderson's on a one year deal so I can see them. Do they think Chase Lunt can move in? Like all of those things have to be where we're so focused on what this year's roster is. It really is. How does it build out for the Brady, Jim Leonard kind of era?
- [25:44]
A
No. That's why I feel like, if I'm Jim Leonard, I'm like, let me, like, I think of like, Trey White was Shawn McDermit's first pick.
- [25:51]
B
Yep. It was like he was Dion Milano.
- [25:54]
A
Yeah. All these. They were so important to the culture that was built and specifically for the defense. Yeah. You had guys that, I mean, they were starting last year, like, the longevity of what they were in McDermott's defense. If I'm Jim Leonard, I'm like, I want to get my guys.
- [26:09]
B
Yep.
- [26:10]
A
And that is why, I think, once again, this will be a defensive heavy draft, is because Joe Brady has had time to see. This is what I like are the guys that I want on my roster. I have good rapports already. If I'm Jim Leonard, I just, I want to make sure that I have players that I think will fit my system because the expectations are immediate on this team. And I'm not saying that's not the case for the offensive side of the ball, but at least there's a proof of concept.
- [26:35]
B
Yeah.
- [26:35]
A
Whereas this, it feels like there are many holes on this roster and you're still trying to figure out what it will look like under Jim Leonard.
- [26:42]
B
And it's kind of tricky because you think about the way that you draft kind of for the future, and then you kind of. How do you use free agency to sup. To supplement that? You know, kind of a bridge. Like, I look at a Bradley Chub. Like, I'm not sitting here going, bradley Chub is going to be. The differ is going to be in Buffalo in three years. I just don't think that's the case. So what, what, what are you doing after that? You try and you keep, you know, know taking shots, whether it's Javon Solomon or Landon Jackson. Like, you keep going back to that. Well, to hopefully one of those hits. Like, that's where. That's why I was so adamant and I still am. Like, now even more than ever. And knowing that they're bringing in Casey Conception gives me excitement because I can't believe. I think we talked about it two podcasts ago of like, well, what do they still need to add? I don't want to add a fifth wide receiver to this team or a six wide receiver or a fourth wide receiver. Draft that person. Like, I know there's this thought of
- [27:40]
A
saying through free agencies, through.
- [27:42]
B
Yeah, exactly. Like, there's the thought of.
- [27:44]
A
I was like, they should still add.
- [27:45]
B
No, no, they should still add. But like, the thought of like, like, Debo Samuel is cooked. Debo Samuel is a well done steak. Like, he is. There's nothing left. So why would you spend $3 million on that when you could do that somewhere else and invest that money into a better starter? Or what you may need to save cap room for the trade deadline. You know, what did we hear? Oh, well, you know, the numbers didn't fit in the cap. Like, all of those factors play into the off season and what you do in free agency. So Christian Kirk is Josh Allen's, like, best friend. He's been a free agent like, 17 times, and the Bills have never signed him. And now he signed somewhere from $5 million. Be like, that's a good move. Christian Kirk. Christian Kirk. Like, that's what. Like you think that Josh would have said something by now if he was going to be in Buffalo. And to spend $5 million on a fifth wide receiver, to me is.
- [28:42]
A
Is crazy because it's a name. Once you make a name for yourself.
- [28:47]
B
Debo. I mean, Tyree.
- [28:49]
A
You could.
- [28:50]
B
Tyree. Kill.
- [28:50]
A
You could even talk about Gabe Davis. He got that second contract from Jacksonville because Gabe Davis. Do you know how many touchdowns he scored against the Chiefs?
- [28:58]
B
Hey, remember that game? Remember that playoff game?
- [28:59]
A
That playoff game was nuts.
- [29:01]
B
I said it before. I'll say it again. That playoff game was the worst thing that happened to Gabe Davis's career. It shot the expectations beyond.
- [29:12]
A
Beyond reality a very strange way. You're not wrong. I just. I feel kind of bad because, like, there is obvious. It's an outlier for sure.
- [29:22]
B
Correct.
- [29:23]
A
Yeah.
- [29:23]
B
Like Gabe Davis was.
- [29:24]
A
But he got a lot of money from that.
- [29:26]
B
Awesome.
- [29:27]
A
Yeah.
- [29:27]
B
Like, he. I think Jacksonville's still paying him because of that game.
- [29:32]
A
It's pretty wild.
- [29:33]
B
But it also set back the Bills because of what they thought he could be. And so you're paying for that now. Like, there are so many teams. I think of what Green Bay has done with, like, continuing to fill the cupboards with wide receivers, which is ironic. Just after Aaron Rodgers leaves, like, they're in the luxury of. Of. I'm. I don't even know if Matthew golden is going to be a star by any means, but he gives you the option to not have to pay Romeo Dobbs $77 million because it's expensive.
- [30:04]
A
It's expensive.
- [30:06]
B
So, like, again, I look at it and say Christian Kirk is still going to make more money this year than Keon Coleman. Like, that's crazy.
- [30:15]
A
Yeah.
- [30:16]
B
Because I would bet production Keon maybe will produce more than Christian Kirk as a fifth wide receiver wherever he signed.
- [30:26]
A
I don't know. I don't know about that. But either way, 5 million. Yeah, you could have Keon Coleman or you could have. Yeah, I know he just got paid, but like a JSN or someone like that, like under that, and then you have to pay him. Whatever. That's a different point. But if you were to look at their top three picks with where they. What they did in free agency, where they're at now, where is wide receiver? Is it in the top three? Is it not? Is it pass rusher? Is it linebacker? Is it then wide receiver?
- [30:59]
B
I think so.
- [31:01]
A
Top three?
- [31:01]
B
Yeah, top three. And you can make an argument to switch that up. You don't like this shot? How's the hair?
- [31:08]
A
No, it's fine.
- [31:09]
B
It's fine.
- [31:10]
A
More like just the baggiest sweater ever.
- [31:12]
B
So you look cozy. Yeah. I think that whether you want it to be again, what do you think of Trash Bag? What do you think of Dorian Williams? Like where. Where do you see. Where do you see Michael Hoyt? Like where. Where are you at with his recovery? Do you think that he can be a factor in the years to come? Like where. Where do you have his timeline? Again, all these things. And the problem is, and Mike's talked about it, is the Bills are starting to run out of players that you can restructure because you restructure good players, players that you think are going to be around for a long time. They haven't restructured Deion's contract, which is one that we all thought they could. You can keep restructuring Josh's contract forever. That's worth it. You can probably at some point restructure. You're running out of players. And that's what I'm saying is that that's where. When teams where it's like, okay, you're.
- [32:09]
A
They restructured Spencer Brown this off season.
- [32:12]
B
Ed eds. Yep. Thank you. And I needed some help there. Like I said, we thought that Taran could be a restructure. They didn't because they don't see him as somebody fitting long term. That's where the salary cap is, that malleable sense of where you can manipulate it when you have good players and you draft good players and that gives you the ability to move on from others. Or again, you can talk all you want, like hitting on draft picks. And this isn't like a bean can't draft. Like he's drafted James Cook, he's drafted Osiris Torrance, he's drafted a lot of Cole Bishop. Like, he has hit on picks. It just hasn't been the first one. Because you think of Kair you think of Keon, you think of some of those guys. But it's not that he hasn't found value. It just hasn't been day one.
- [32:57]
A
Yeah. When you're paying the biggest price, when
- [33:00]
B
you also get a fifth year option to keep the cost regulated.
- [33:04]
A
Yes, that's very true.
- [33:05]
B
So all of that.
- [33:06]
A
Did you see Travis Kelsey?
- [33:08]
B
Yeah.
- [33:08]
A
Signed a. Sign another deal.
- [33:10]
B
Three year deal.
- [33:11]
A
Three year deal. I thought that was kind of surprising.
- [33:13]
B
Yeah. There's gonna. There's got to be outs.
- [33:15]
A
It's got to be. I would imagine there's like two void years.
- [33:18]
B
I would. Something along those lines.
- [33:19]
A
At least one void year. I didn't think this was the end, like, for his.
- [33:25]
B
No.
- [33:25]
A
Yet. Just with how things went.
- [33:27]
B
Agreed.
- [33:28]
A
That's this.
- [33:28]
B
He's too much of a winner to go out like that. You know what I'm saying?
- [33:36]
A
Yeah. But also, it's like, just because you're doing it again doesn't mean it'll be better.
- [33:43]
B
Everything. Whereas the Chiefs two years ago, everything went right. When they were like the 8,090team. They won all those close games. The offense wasn't good, but the defense was great. Last year, everything just went wrong.
- [33:55]
A
Wrong. Yes, I agree.
- [33:57]
B
It sucks, too. As a, like, Bills fans, I'm sure you'll say this too. Like, it sucks that the Chiefs sucked so bad that they lucked into like a top 10 pick. Like, think about all the other crappy teams that like won games down the stretch and now they're like 15 to 60.
- [34:11]
A
Yeah.
- [34:12]
B
Like the chiefs in that limbo.
- [34:16]
A
Bengals are 10. Like. Yeah, I just. And then the Bills are. But you had to miss the playoffs. Correct that. So where is your expectation on this season? I see some of the, like, record projections coming out and I want to know. And the draft, we're not there yet, but I saw one that said bills were 12 and 5 and I felt. I was kind of surprised by that.
- [34:49]
B
Yeah, I don't think it's. And again, I think some of the dust has settled. And Mike's talked about it too. Even though Mike's not here, I feel like we keep referencing him. He's here in spirit. Dad's watching over us.
- [35:02]
A
He's relaxing. He has earned his vacation. Yes, I hope he has. He won't because he's Mike. But my hope for him is at some point this week he has a. A drink with a little mini umbrella in it. Oh, I feel like that's like peak tropical vacation is mini umbrella.
- [35:19]
B
Yes.
- [35:19]
A
Mike would never do that.
- [35:22]
B
No. Mike just seems like A beer, red wine and some bourbon.
- [35:26]
A
I h. I would have to guess Corona Light.
- [35:30]
B
Yes, Corona.
- [35:31]
A
Like, I know he likes Corona Light,
- [35:32]
B
but Presidente, like, if they have that.
- [35:34]
A
Never had that.
- [35:35]
B
Yeah, it's Spanish beer, Mexican beer, whatever.
- [35:37]
A
But light too.
- [35:38]
B
Yes. Bud Light, as always. And have some Picasso's pizza. If they have that on the island. Yeah. All right.
- [35:44]
A
What were you saying?
- [35:46]
B
Mike was saying that, like a lot of the dust has seemingly settled as well on fans coming around on Joe Brady. I didn't really like the move, but now I'm coming around on it. I think this team can still be good. Yeah. Like you have Josh Allen. Like, that is worth 10 wins and. And then wherever you piece around it.
- [36:08]
A
Yeah.
- [36:09]
B
I think some of the schedule will find out more about just with travel and the back to back games and road trips and prime time. All of that stuff will play into it. But I, I think it's. I don't think it's Buffalo negative to sit there and say, I think there can be a. A little bit of a step back.
- [36:27]
A
Yeah, I agree. I think that's. There's been such a high level and I feel like with anything there's going to be a learning curve for Joe Brady. Like, that's not us.
- [36:35]
B
And Jim Leonard.
- [36:36]
A
And Jim Leonard. Yeah. I think that's just realistic now. That doesn't mean it can't go really well either.
- [36:41]
B
Yep.
- [36:41]
A
I do feel like, though, it's going to take some time to kind of catch a groove as a head coach because Joe Brady is familiar with the building. He's been in the building for a couple years now. Like, he knows Josh Allen very well. He knows the mechanics of everything. But it's different when you are the guy. It's just inherently different. And so I wonder how long it will take for him. I saw a quote out there. I don't. I want to make sure I keep talking, actually. I'm going to try and find it.
- [37:12]
B
Joe Brady and Brandon Bean are everywhere together. They're everywhere together.
- [37:18]
A
There's times where I'm like, can they let Joe Brady do something by himself?
- [37:21]
B
Nope. I imagine when Joe Brady sits down to dinner at night, Brandon B. Like, pulls up a chair at the kitchen table and he's like, what's up? What are we having for dinner, guys? Let me feed the baby.
- [37:32]
A
I get it. It's western New York. Like the NCAA tournament. Really cool. Would do that as well. Sabers.
- [37:38]
B
Sabers.
- [37:39]
A
Games ticket in town.
- [37:40]
B
Yeah.
- [37:40]
A
But there are times where I'm like, can you just let him be they are.
- [37:44]
B
They are. They are each other's. They're holding hands all around. All around Western New York. So, yeah, I think that. And again, I always think about, what are you, like, when stuff starts to go bad and that's got a plan
- [38:00]
A
till they get punched in the face.
- [38:01]
B
So that's where, like, look, I know Joe Brady has stood up there and in offensive meetings when the offense hasn't gone well. And, hey, we still have faith in our guys. We know what we've done. It's different when you're in front of a whole team and you've lost two in a row. And there was that Sense with Sean McDermott, like, he hadn't lost three games in a row since 2017. Like there was a comfort. And that's where I think we're just sitting there going, you gotta see. And you only. You don't know how to navigate rough waters until you're through it. I always talk about, like, with parenting, you don't know what you don't know. Like, that, to me, is the biggest thing of. Okay. And you can know as much as you possibly can about Joe Brady. You don't know what it's like when he's gonna use timeouts and challenges and all these kind of things. So that is the uncertain of going, hey, there could be a little bit of a regression. And that doesn't mean that it won't work out long term. Doesn't mean that Joe Brady. I'm not sitting here saying, Joe Brady can't win a Super bowl, he absolutely can. But to have the thinking that you automatically pick up where you left off. I always think about how many times coaches talk to us at training camp. Whether you win the super bowl or miss the playoffs, you start back at base camp of the mountain. You don't get to pick up right where you were. Whether it's an NCAA team, like, it's a new team, it's going to be a new roster. All of those things, you have to start over. You don't just get to pick up at the chapter 17, you start back the book at square one. And that's where Joe has to build all of that. That's where Brandon has to build a cohesive team and to look and say, okay, how did we go out? How have we gone out the last few years? And what can we do to make sure that that doesn't happen again?
- [39:47]
A
Yeah, no, it's true. NFL owners meetings coming up in Phoenix, Arizona, which I think is cool. That's where I feel like they Usually will do some voting. I know some of the stuff they're going to talk about is Raiders succession plan rule proposals, Raiders minority stake sale.
- [40:03]
B
Did you see the Browns proposal?
- [40:05]
A
So the Browns proposal is interesting. It's about future draft picks.
- [40:08]
B
That's wild.
- [40:09]
A
So the Cleveland Brown submitted a proposal to allow trading draft selections up to five years in the future, extending from the current three year limit. That is certainly wild.
- [40:22]
B
The Rams will trade that that pick so fast. Like we got more picks that we can trade and not draft players.
- [40:29]
A
I mean that talk about being able to push the. We joke about the salary cap not being real and how you can push the can down the road. You could really push things down.
- [40:41]
B
Yeah.
- [40:41]
A
The road. If that is the case.
- [40:43]
B
Also Matt Beauvais, friend of the pod, had Connor McGovern on his on the it's always game day.
- [40:50]
A
I believe it's always game day in Buffalo.
- [40:51]
B
Yeah. Always give me Buffalo podcast.
- [40:53]
A
Yeah.
- [40:53]
B
With sal and Connor McGovern said that he was fully prepared that he was going to hit free agency, was looking at where they're going to buy a house, what teams needed a center. And in a matter of hours he went from not hearing anything to a deal being done. Obviously Josh helped broker that a little bit, but being in the Tim Graham article and the pushback from, you know, another report saying, well he didn't. We had talked to him at the combine, his team, that's what Brandon Bean said straight from the horse's mouth. Connor McGovern said he did not hear a single thing from the Bills until Tim Graham's article came out. Then a deal got done right before free agencies. So just a wild turn of events.
- [41:33]
A
Yeah.
- [41:34]
B
When you think about reports, when you think about like we always joke around like this is agent season, like all these deals that you hear and, and how glowing every player is. Like I even thought it was cool. The fact that Shefter tweeted about AJ Epanessa, I was like, yeah.
- [41:52]
A
And I was excited for AJ Yeah.
- [41:54]
B
I was like that's a great way to go AJ like by the way, AJ Epanessa six years in Buffalo. Six or seven years in Buffalo, 24 sacks good for 15th all time in Buffalo Bills history.
- [42:08]
A
And we fact checked that.
- [42:10]
B
I did. Isn't that wild?
- [42:12]
A
That is wild.
- [42:14]
B
Now again, sacks didn't start becoming an official stat until the mid-80s. But to think that like AJ Epanessa is in the top 20 and I've been wrong on Bill Sachs facts before but this one I'm, I'm set on that Was a tongue twister there.
- [42:35]
A
Certainly. It certainly was. All right. Anything else you want to touch on?
- [42:39]
B
No, that was about it.
- [42:42]
A
Oh, Chris Sims just updated his wide receiver draft rankings. He has one Denzel, Tier 1, Denzel Boston, Jordan Tyson, Tier 2, Carnell Tate and Chris Brazil.
- [42:56]
B
Brazil.
- [42:56]
A
Yeah, Brazil. I don't know how to say it. And then tier three is Zachariah Branch. No. Casey Conception and Tresant.
- [43:06]
B
Yeah. Sims has been on the. We've always met up at the combine. Didn't get a chance this year. He's always got some wild top fives. He's. He's got some wild rankings he. He likes. Yeah.
- [43:18]
A
So that's.
- [43:19]
B
And again, I think that everybody has their own cup of tea. And I think a lot of people here, we look at it through a Bill's lens of what it could be, of how it would fit. But I would love. I would love to see them draft two wide receivers. I would love to. And I'm not.
- [43:36]
A
Yeah. And I would love a million dollars, Dan.
- [43:39]
B
And I'm. Hey. Ready to get hurt again. Like.
- [43:44]
A
And there's the open, so. Okay. All right, that'll do it for us. What?
- [43:51]
B
Oh, hey, Buffalo plus.
- [43:53]
A
Hey, Buffalo plus gmail.com Send us in your life advice questions. We will get to them. We will answer them. Hey, buffalo+gmail.com.
- [44:03]
B
we'll probably wait till dad gets back. Yeah, probably.
- [44:06]
A
Yeah.
- [44:07]
B
To give these.
- [44:07]
A
You got a lot of life advice.
- [44:10]
B
The elderly experience and life advice.
- [44:13]
A
Yes. Well, he's. We miss him, but we're excited for him to get some time on the beach.
- [44:19]
B
You do look.
- [44:20]
A
I look. Okay, wait. What if I were to stand, like
- [44:24]
B
sit up and if I slouch?
- [44:29]
A
This is how I feel with my friends all the time. Cuz they're all so teeny and I'm. That is rude, Daniel. Oh, all right, we gotta go. I. Jose Altuve.
- [44:48]
B
Yeah. Aaron Judge.
- [44:50]
A
Aaron Judge. Okay. We.
- [44:51]
B
Maybe we'll just scooch this up a little bit.
- [44:53]
A
Yeah. I don't know. We'll figure it out. All right. Please be sure to like comment, subscribe and share. We'll have plenty more coverage as the NFL draft.
- [45:00]
B
Probably have another podcast out Wednesday or Thursday.
- [45:03]
A
Yeah.
- [45:03]
B
For people keeping track at home. And obviously if any news breaks, we will keep everybody up to date. Instagram, Tik tok. I got to get better at checking the Instagram DMS because a lot of people comment in very nice things. I got to get better at that. Also have to get you access back to that.
- [45:20]
A
Yeah, that be good. I would appreciate that.
- [45:22]
B
All right.
- [45:22]
A
For Dan and for Mike, who's on vacation. I am. Jenna, please be sure once again to, like, comment, subscribe and share. Thank you for joining us here in the Connors and Fairs podcast studio. That'll do it for us. We'll catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus podcast.
- [45:39]
B
Buffalo plus.