The Buffalo Bills 'WINDOW' is STILL OPEN and the salary CAP ISN'T REAL (kinda)

Summary

Buffalo Plus: "The Buffalo Bills 'WINDOW' is STILL OPEN and the salary CAP ISN'T REAL (kinda)"

Date: January 25, 2024
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the Buffalo Plus team—Mike, Jenna, and Dan—dive deep into two hot Buffalo Bills topics: whether the Bills’ Super Bowl “window” has closed after another disappointing playoff exit, and how much the NFL salary cap really restricts team-building. The hosts push back on national narratives that the Bills have missed their chance, arguing that the window is not only open, but that the sometimes-feared salary cap is far less rigid than many believe. The episode is filled with candor, behind-the-scenes insights, football philosophy, roster speculation, and some memorable banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bills’ “Window” is Wide Open

• Host Perspectives:

  • Dan bluntly dismisses the idea the Super Bowl window is closed:

    “It’s insane. The window is open. It is open. They have Josh Allen. They have talent on this roster.” (02:07)

  • Mike clarifies that having a Super Bowl-caliber QB is the primary prerequisite for any 'window,' noting how teams like the Chiefs (Mahomes), Bengals (Burrow), and Ravens (Jackson) all retain a window due to strong quarterback play.

    “You need that before you can talk about the window panes or the curtains or the drapes.” (03:18)

• Contextual Comparison:
  The hosts compare Buffalo’s situation to other NFL franchises, stressing how quickly public perception swings.

  • Dan references the Ravens:

    “Lamar’s window was closed a year ago. Now, look at them.” (02:07)

  • Jenna:

    “When you talk about the window, it is all about the quarterback... The Bills don’t have to worry if their guy is the guy.” (04:39)

• The Josh Allen Factor:
  The consensus is that as long as Allen is in his prime (currently 27, entering his best years), Buffalo is in contention. Jenna notes Allen’s newfound confidence after midseason adversity and sees playoff runs as inevitable with him at the helm. (07:24)

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2. Addressing Fan Frustration and Expectations

• The panel acknowledges the fear and frustration among the fanbase following repeated near-misses, but challenge the cliché that a lack of a Super Bowl means the window has closed.

  • Mike:

    “It’s the fear in every fan ... We didn’t get it done this year, so it just isn’t going to happen.” (03:01)

  • Jenna:

    “...there have been immensely talented quarterbacks who maybe have gone to a Super Bowl and not won or never gotten back there. So I understand when people are like, is it going to happen?” (07:24)

• Coaching Accountability:
  McDermott and front office are critiqued, especially for defensive line performance, but the hosts note that strong coaching is still present.

  • Dan:

    “You needed [the D-line] to come through big time, and they did not. ... That’s part of it. But listen, McDermott has critics. Of course he’s going to have critics.” (09:06)

• Context on Playoff Losses:
  The Bills aren’t losing to weak teams—they’re losing to historic QBs like Mahomes and Burrow.

  • Dan:

    “When you look at who’s made the Super Bowl during this period of time, it's Mahomes, Mahomes, Mahomes, Brady, one year with Burrow…” (10:13)

• Positivity Post-Playoff Exit:
  There is optimism about the progress of players (offensive line, running back, and Allen), and the ability to revamp pieces like the receiving corps and D-line. (06:54, 24:00)

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3. The (Un)Reality of the NFL Salary Cap

• Hosts’ Core Thesis:
  The salary cap, while technically real, is so malleable that it’s rarely a true barrier to keeping or acquiring players a team truly values.

  • Mike (echoed by Dan):

    “There has never been a player that a team has wanted to keep and can’t because of the salary cap… If they want to keep a player around, the team will find a way.” (17:12)

  • Dan:

    "The salary cap can be an excuse... but if you really want a guy, it is maneuverable enough and you will make corresponding moves to make whatever you want actually work." (17:46)

• Favorite Analogy:
  They borrow a popular dating aphorism to explain GM decision-making:

  • Jenna:

    "If Brandon Beane wanted to have you on the Bills—if he wanted to, he would.” (19:49, also referenced throughout as a catchphrase)

• Examples Given:

  • Bringing up the Von Miller signing as an example of cap "limitations" being quickly dissolved when the team chooses.
  • Unwillingness to overpay for Tremaine Edmunds, letting Gabe Davis test free agency, and reworking contracts such as Josh Allen’s for cap management.
  • Citing the Chiefs, who retooled their roster, let go of Tyreek Hill for cap reasons, and still won a Super Bowl (13:25).

• Technical Details Provided:

  • Dan explains how teams restructure deals to clear space, especially with marquee players like Josh Allen:

    "They can turn it into a bonus, spread it on down the line for the cap hit." (18:30)

  • Mike notes the influence of owner wealth and willingness to write big checks as a true differentiator, more than any hard cap constraint. (22:02-22:42)

• On Capologists:
  The staff has a dedicated salary cap specialist (credited as Kevin McGannock), whose entire job is to ensure cap navigation for every transaction. (29:22)

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4. Roster Changes, Team Building, and the Offseason Outlook

• Anticipated Changes:
  Expect notable player turnover, especially at safety (Micah Hyde likely retiring), possibly CB (Trey White), and among rotational defensive linemen.

  • Dan:

    "You need to get younger and more athletic back there. That needs to change." (24:54)

• Recent Player Development:
  Terrel Bernard’s emergence as a better linebacker than Edmonds, and the ongoing progression of Christian Benford at corner are cited as evidence the team can refresh and improve. (24:29)

• Team’s Approach to Extensions:
  Historically, players the Bills really valued (Dawkins, Milano, Knox, White, Allen) got deals done before their contracts expired—suggesting current “wait and see” with Gabe Davis is telling. (26:21)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bill’s Window:
  • “If you have Josh Allen, your window is open.” – Dan (02:07)
• On Salary Cap:
  • “There has never been a player that a team has wanted to keep and can’t because of the salary cap. If they want to keep a player, the team will find a way.” – Mike (17:12)
  • “If he wanted to, he would.” (catchphrase) – Jenna (19:49 and throughout)
  • “NFL owners and NFL GMs use the salary cap as an excuse or a crutch as to tell their fans why they can’t be competitive.” – Mike (16:31)
  • “The salary cap is malleable.” – Jenna (16:31)
• On Roster Building:
  • “Maybe it’s OK that they lose some of these defensive linemen.” – Dan (13:25)
  • “What they say publicly and where they spend their money—that’s when you know.” – Mike (27:32)
• On Team Optimism:
  • “We’re disappointed, but we’re not broken.” – Sean McDermott, cited by Jenna (07:24)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment Topic | |----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 02:07 | “Super Bowl window is open”—Initial reactions | | 03:18 | QB as foundation for any contender | | 06:54 | Bills’ strengths and weaknesses after the 2023 season | | 09:06 | Coaching accountability, playoff losses context | | 13:25 | Chiefs as team-building model / “salary cap” flexibility | | 16:31 | The reality (or not) of the salary cap | | 17:12 | If a team wants a player, they make it work | | 19:49 | “If he wanted to, he would”—explaining GM motivations | | 22:02 | Owner’s willingness to spend as real constraint | | 24:00 | Youth and athleticism needed in secondary | | 26:21 | Extensions as indicators of real team priorities | | 28:18 | Summing up: salary cap manipulation is standard practice |

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Tone & Style

The conversation is energetic, direct, and peppered with both insider knowledge and lighthearted jokes. Much of the episode’s charm comes from the chemistry among the hosts—plenty of asides, running gags (e.g. “If he wanted to, he would”), and audience-winking meme references (“the salary cap isn’t real”). The show strikes a balance between thoughtful, informed analysis and accessible sports radio banter.

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Summary Takeaways

• The Bills’ Super Bowl window remains fully open as long as Josh Allen is healthy and in his prime.
• National talking points about it being “closed” are seen as lazy and overreactionary by the Buffalo Plus team.
• The NFL salary cap is highly flexible, manipulated every year by creative GMs; lack of moves is almost always a choice, not a necessity.
• Roster changes are inevitable, but the team is well-positioned to retool, not rebuild, with the right tweaks.
• Fans should expect distinct, sometimes uncomfortable change, especially among veterans, but that’s not a sign of decline.

Catchphrase for the cap era:
“If he wanted to, he would.” (Jenna, ~19:49 and repeated)

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For Bills fans seeking hope and clarity after another tough January, this episode offers a grounded, optimistic rebuttal to pessimistic punditry—and a healthy reminder not to take cap talk at face value.

Transcript

[Mike Catalana]

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[Jenna Cottrell]

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[Mike Catalana]

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[Dan Fates]

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[Mike Catalana]

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[Dan Fates]

I'm sorry. The window is fully open. Yes. There is times when it's frustrating because they've gotten so close.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. I don't know if it's clickbait, but this thought of like, oh, like their windows closed, to me it's just. It's asinine. I think it's a. I think it's a lazy, lazy take.

[Jenna Cottrell]

There's a saying when you're dating, it's like a woman. And it's very common. You've definitely heard of it. But, like, if he wanted to, he would.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If Brandon be wants to have you on the Bills, if he wanted to, he would.

[Dan Fates]

You're going to be on the team.

[Mike Catalana]

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

[Jenna Cottrell]

All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. We are continuing our off season coverage, but before we do, please be sure to, like, comment and subscribe to the podcast. We always appreciate it. It means so much. It does. So much for the channel, all that. Yeah. On the road to 30, 000, a hundred thousand.

[Dan Fates]

I want to know why. Why are we wearing headphones if we're talking right next to each other? People ask that. They ask that all the time.

[Mike Catalana]

Well, because you could do a whole video and then not have any audio.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Who would ever do that?

[Mike Catalana]

Somebody would.

[Dan Fates]

That might have been Dan. Yeah, it sounds cool. It sounds good.

[Mike Catalana]

It just looks cooler, right?

[Jenna Cottrell]

Does it? I don't know. It looks fine.

[Dan Fates]

Okay.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I do like hearing a little inside baseball, though, of like, when you're on tv, you have an IFB that you can hear what you're saying. So it is nice to be able to hear everyone.

[Dan Fates]

And every once in a while, Dan.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Hits the little sound of crisply crispy, not drunk or high. Super bowl window.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

There's been a lot of talk nationally, Bill. Super bowl window is closed. They can't get it done. Mike, what are your thoughts on that?

[Dan Fates]

It's insane. The window is open. It is open. They have Josh Allen. They have talent on this roster. They've been this close to getting there. Go down the list of teams, say even in the afc, say in the NFL. Tell me Whose window is open, who's is closed? Right. I mean Lamar's was closed. Right. The Ravens were closed a year ago. We didn't know if he was even going to be back. You know, I'm sorry. The window is fully open. Yes. There is times when it's frustrating because they've gotten so close.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

But it's also open because they have gotten so close and they have Josh Allen and, and these will be his prime years. As good as he is, he is set up for the next five plus years to be in his absolute prime physically. Also, the way he plays. The window is open.

[Mike Catalana]

I think it's part of it is, it's the fear in every fan.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, right.

[Mike Catalana]

It's the, oh my gosh, we didn't get it done this year. So it just, it just isn't going to happen. And I just keep thinking about it like the fact of, we've talked about go around the league like you were talking about it, like the Bengals is open, the Chargers is, are reopening their.

[Dan Fates]

Respect if it ever was open before.

[Mike Catalana]

Right. But you're saying you have a Super bowl caliber quarterback, a great quarterback. That's, that's one. You, you, you need that before you can even talk about the, the window panes or the curtains or the drapes or like anything that you have that goes on around the window. But, but it is like this thought of like, well, you know, and we'll get to it too. Like, well, the salary cap and all these things. Like the first thing you need is a superstar quarterback to play at a superstar MVP level and they've gotten that. So this, this, I don't know if it's clickbait, but this thought of like, oh, like their windows closed to me is just, it's asinine. I think it's a, I think it's a lazy, lazy take.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I think I understand the frustration from fans because obviously you see the talent, the superstar, the mega superstar that is Josh Allen, the COVID of Madden. You see the tremendous upside and you see this team for the last six years that he's been in the NFL not living up to those expectations. But I think when you talk about the window, it is all about the quarterback. And like you, you said Josh Allen is in his prime. He is entering his prime. There are those years after that where you think he's good, he's going to be 20, he's 27, he's going to be 28 years old. I understand where there is the fear because you see all that, that's there and you see the results that have been lacking. But when I think of window, I think of it's quarterback and I think of how many NFL teams are trying to make decisions on if their guy is the guy.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And how the Bills don't. It's not. It's not even a question.

[Dan Fates]

Look at the two conferences. So Lamar. I think Lamar has always been very talented. Who has not had success in the playoffs.

[Mike Catalana]

Correct.

[Dan Fates]

But you got a feeling, if you have Lamar with his talent, you get it right. You can win with that guy. He has not done it. But you feel like if you're a Ravens fan, you're like this Lamar with this team can win. I think their window is certainly open. Obviously, the Chiefs is going to stay open as long as he's there. Right? That's not even the case. Look, in the nfc, I like Jared Goff. This could be his second Super Bowl. He's not a superstar. He's really good. A lot has to be right.

[Mike Catalana]

That's exactly what I was going to.

[Dan Fates]

Say to make it work. Not that Jared Goff can't win. Not that Brock Purdy couldn't be a good quarterback on an average team.

[Mike Catalana]

You almost had an aneurysm trying to say that.

[Dan Fates]

Only because I see him exploding. Very good for a outstanding roster. Okay. But with the Bills, they have a good roster. I mean, they do. And they can make it. I hate to break it to you, but they can make it better sometimes with different players. Right. Like, we can talk about change being good, but you do start out, like you said. You start out with that guy. Josh is that guy. He's one of those guys. There's only a few of them. He's one of those players.

[Mike Catalana]

I think you just said it best because I was thinking, like, when you're going, they always have the list, right, of the AFC championships and who's played in those games and who's won Super Bowls. And it's Brady's, it's Mannings, it's Mahomes.

[Dan Fates]

Right.

[Mike Catalana]

It's like you need that to even think about talking about having these windows and things of that. So it starts here. Because if you don't have that, you're so right. Everything else has to be perfect. You have to have a All Pro offensive line. You have to have great weapons all around you. You have to get lucky. You have to do all those other.

[Dan Fates]

Things, or at least a good combination. Not everything works out perfectly, but you do.

[Mike Catalana]

And if anything, I'm sitting here going, obviously the hardest thing to figure out is the quarterback then, honestly, it was kind of tough. Where I looked at it before, where the offensive line really wasn't up to par.

[Dan Fates]

Yep.

[Mike Catalana]

And that part of that's also injuries and luck because the Bills were a rarity to have all five starters start every single game for them. So, like, I look at it and I say, I think they got a running back, I think they got a really good offensive line. And they have Josh Allen. Yes. There are question marks around the rest of this team. I think there's 30. There's probably 30. Every other team will also have this conversation after this season whenever their season ends of, hey, are we closer to the super bowl or are we not? And I think every team minus one.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Will say, yeah, yeah, it is like the cliche of like, like 31 other teams go home upset. And I hear when fans are like, yeah, no shit. But I think we talked about this after the Bill's end of the season press conferences where there was so much positivity, but because we think that they found something. Sean McDermott having that. That outlook of, hey, we're not broken. We're disappointed, but we're not broken. Seeing the way the team fought back in that second half of the season, seeing some. I mean, Joe Brady, look, he has to go through the interview process and all these things, but you saw Josh Allen find his confidence when earlier on in the middle of the season, it felt like you're like, is Josh going to be okay? Is he going to be able to weather the storm? But it all comes back to that fear of there have been immensely talented quarterbacks who maybe have gone to a Super bowl and not won or never gotten back there. So I understand when people are like, it's going to happen. Right. But when you have the guy that you have in Josh Allen, you are going to have playoff runs. And now it's about putting together the. The roster that can get you where you want to go.

[Mike Catalana]

And I don't think either. I think it's oftentimes too, it's coaches. And obviously, like I said, we've talked about it right after the McDermott and Bean press conference. The fact of people, I think fans, from what we see on social media, like, are still angry at McDermott. And the one thing I will say is Bean was asked, like, where is his confidence level in him? And he's lost some of those. He's lost big games. Like, they, like, there's no sugar coating that. But for the majority of these runs, they've been well coached. It's not like there's a recurring. It's not like there's been three, 13 seconds.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. I mean, some of it goes on. The players adapted. Some of it certainly goes on players. Like a year ago when they lost that Cincinnati game, they got manhandled on both lines of scrimmage in that game. The concern is it happened. Well, certainly, I think for the defensive line in the last game against the Chance Chiefs in a row. Yeah, they were healthy and they did not perform. And I hate to break it to you folks, that's more on Brandon Bean than it is on Sean McDermott. I mean, I know he coaches the whole defense and all, but Brandon Bean spent a lot of money on that D line, a lot of resources on that D line. You needed them to come through big time, and they did not. Two games in a row in the. In the conference divisional playoffs. So that's part of it. But listen, McDermott has critics. Of course he's going to have critics. His team has been. Is stopped short now. It's been stopped short by Joe Burrow. That. That's, you know, losing to Burrow last year, that was tough because Burrow's really good. Losing the year before to the Chiefs in the 13 seconds games, those are really tough. Like.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

I mean, but when you look at who's made the super bowl during this period of time, it's Mahomes. Mahomes. Mahomes. Brady. One year with Burrow, and then we'll see what happens. This year. It could be Mahomes again. So you are losing out to the best quarterback in the NFL. Unfortunately, it's. It's frustrating.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But two, whoever plays the Bills loses that next game.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. You were saying? I wasn't really even thinking about that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, the Josh Allen effect, if you like. And so we were talking about it. Oh, the AFC championship when the Chiefs won. That was when the Chiefs lost the super bowl to the Bucks.

[Dan Fates]

Yes. They beat the Bills and then lost to Brady and the Bucks every time the teams lost the next game.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Wow.

[Mike Catalana]

So I should bet my student loans.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, first of all, I'm not endorsing that. I'm not Uncle Dan.

[Dan Fates]

So Aunt Jenna's best bets.

[Jenna Cottrell]

First of all, it's Aunt.

[Dan Fates]

Oh, excuse me.

[Jenna Cottrell]

We say aunt in this house. Aunt. Say aunt.

[Mike Catalana]

Aunt.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It's Aunt.

[Mike Catalana]

Expired.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Expired.

[Dan Fates]

Best bets.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Okay, I don't have a British accent. I don't know where this happened, but.

[Mike Catalana]

I. I just feel like. Again, I just feel like it's a very lazy overreactionary this Time of year.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, it's the frustration time.

[Mike Catalana]

I know, but that's what I'm saying is that I just feel like it's easy to say windows closing, windows closing and like we'll get to it. It's a lot of questions. Mike. I can't imagine for you have been around here long enough and I remember covering the first two years was in Jen and I, it was pre playoffs and it was Rex's last year and it was Sean's first year and going into both of those times and like it was, I felt like, oh my gosh, we have to talk about the playoffs and like other reporters that were around us like talking about like we have to do the same story again and again and again. And I remember they probably made the playoffs like Eric Wood being like, I'm so happy I don't have to answer questions about the drought.

[Dan Fates]

So totally make it real easy. And for those who, you know, don't follow them as much, picture the Buffalo Sabers.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes.

[Dan Fates]

Like you got 18 year old guys asking questions, answering questions about a 13 year drought.

[Mike Catalana]

Right.

[Dan Fates]

Like that's who the franchise is. But that's why I'm saying is the, the, the narrative is different because the stakes are so much higher.

[Mike Catalana]

Correct.

[Dan Fates]

Because you have Josh. Josh. It brings the pressure with it.

[Mike Catalana]

My point is, is that at the end of every year it's oh, like we hear every single guy say it. This is the last time all these guys will be in locker room. There's tough decisions. I'm glad I don't have that job. I'm glad I don't get paid to do those things. Like, but that's every year. Like it's not just because you lost again in the postseason. The that happens every single year of. There will be change. Yeah, we've talked about change not necessarily being a bad thing, but this thought of like, well there's no way that this could happen and like, well, the wide receiver room's got to get better but they don't have any cab space. So like this can't happen. They're going to lose all these defensive linemen. It's like maybe it's okay that they lose some of these defensive linemen. Maybe it's okay that they.

[Dan Fates]

I agree with you there. Hey, all we got to do, Jen, is look at the Chiefs. They've dealt with the salary of their quarterback. When they paid the quarterback, they traded Tyreek Hill and won the Super Bowl. They went with young defensive backs, young and won the Super Bowl. Now they have mahomes The Bills have Josh Allen. Like, my point is, they've gone through a lot of the things. Well, yes, you could make an. You know, the Bills have hit in pieces on the draft. In pieces, it looks like, you know, some guys have been. They missed on a few. They've certainly missed on a few. And the free agent signings have been bad.

[Mike Catalana]

Clearance rack.

[Dan Fates]

Well, except for Von, who was really good until it was really bad. It was good. That first year was like, von Miller's bringing you Von Miller. And now you're like, oh, boy, we're stuck with Von Miller.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah. So, yeah, that's.

[Dan Fates]

I mean, they draft Cho in the seventh round.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That's what I'm saying. They. They. They hit in the draft.

[Dan Fates]

McDuffie.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Trent McDuffie is a really good player.

[Dan Fates]

Yep.

[Mike Catalana]

And says this draft's important. He's like, we got to hit on this draft. It's like he says that there are buzzwords that we hear every single year. Oh, so he was awfully close.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I hate the phrase, we didn't get ran out of the gym. Run out of the gym. We didn't get run out of the gym. That is. Where's the bleep? That is.

[Dan Fates]

Oh.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Time is of the essence. It's fine.

[Dan Fates]

The camera's on you. I don't know, Jim.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I wish. Take the three shot of you trying to find the.

[Dan Fates]

Here he goes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No, that's definitely no. Whatever what I'm doing. Do we have our car horn in.

[Dan Fates]

There with the remote.

[Jenna Cottrell]

There?

[Dan Fates]

There we go.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It is. Hold on. It is. Oh, it is. It is that. That when you're have Josh Allen, you say, oh, well, we didn't get run out of the gym. We almost heard it today, and I almost was gonna throw my notebook, but thankfully, we did not really hear it.

[Dan Fates]

But.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But yeah, like, where they're at and where they need to go. It is. I think it is. It is. Comes down to, like, Bean said, it's a couple plays, but you talk about that execution level and what we want to see. Bean said at his end of the season press conference. We're going shopping in the same stores. We're not making a big splash. But, Dan, I just. I don't believe that because he said that. And then the Bill signed Von Miller that off season. But the salary cap is. You say the salary cap is not real. I will say the salary cap is malleable. You can work with it. It's not this rigid thing that's like, well, the Bills are screwed. We can't do anything you can work around it.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. There are a few things I love arguing about more than, than the NFL salary cap. I, I just, as I've said, the NFL salary cap. NFL owners and NFL GMs use the salary cap as an excuse or a crutch as to tell their fans why they can't be competitive or why they can't or won't bring back a player or don't want to. They use it as an excuse to say, and my prime example is Tremaine Edmonds. I think that the Bills were so happy that there was another team that was going to offer him that much money because the Bills didn't want to. But, but now the Bills can shrug their shoulders and say, well, that's just how this goes.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And because there has never been a player, Mike and I agree on this. There has never been a player that a team has wanted to keep and can't because of the salary cap. If they want to keep a player around, the team will find a way.

[Dan Fates]

I might phrase that a little differently. It's. There's never been a player that they absolutely wanted to keep and like, you know, there's players they like and they.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Would like to, but they're like, you.

[Dan Fates]

Know, we don't want, we're not going to disrupt what we're doing. Jordan Poyer last year, well, this is.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What I wanted to add. We talked about after the loss to the Chiefs, like the injuries were not, the defensive injuries were not an excuse. It was a reason why the Bills struggled in that game. The salary cap can be an excuse because the reason is if you really want a guy like you talked about absolutely wanting a guy, it is maneuverable enough and you will make corresponding moves to make whatever you want actually work. Whereas if you talk about Tremaine Edmonds, great player, gets guys in and out of the huddle like you wouldn't believe. But you can say, hey, we don't really have the availability. You make it work when you need to and that shows how you feel about.

[Dan Fates]

Here's how the cap will work, though. If you have a player under contract, you have to then, then it's real. It's real in a sense of you've signed them to that contract. You either have to redo it, which means you're going to commit to them a little longer term, or you have to take the dead cat money like that's. Or live with the contract like you've established what that contract is. Where you really have the advantages is when you're bringing in A player or redoing a deal. Yes, if you want. So Josh Allen's contract is going to get redone again, and they're going to save a bunch of cap money because on paper, they go, oh, my God, we're $42 million over. And they go, here, Josh, sign this. And now you're $20 million over or 25 million. I mean, they can. They can turn it into a bonus. Spread it on down the line for the cap hit.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So take a three shot. I get uncomfortable with the one. Shots. So there's a. There's a saying when you're dating. It's like a woman. And it's very common. You've definitely heard of it. But, like, if he wanted to, he would.

[Dan Fates]

I don't know.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You don't know that.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. Never heard of it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like, if a guy was gonna, like, oh, I'm sorry, I was. So we know that if he wanted to, he would.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If Brandon B. Wants to have you on the bills. If he wanted to, he would.

[Dan Fates]

You're going to be on the team.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

Now.

[Dan Fates]

Now. Now, that being the. The player wants it too, Right. If it's a free agent or whatever it is. Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But I'm saying in terms of that, like, if Brandon Bean wanted to.

[Dan Fates]

Yep.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And you're also wanted to, he would.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. And. And that's what it keeps coming back to. Like, teams will not want to bring back a player they have made up. In their mind, he's not coming back for one reason or another. But they will say, salary cap, can't sign all the good players, can't keep everybody. But if they wanted to, they would find a way to rework deals and to make the salary cap work. It. It does go back to the Von Miller thing. They were crying poor that offseason. They couldn't find money. They. They were talking.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Crying poor.

[Mike Catalana]

They were talking about, oh, there's not money for. I think that was the Poyer year where, like, we could extend Poyer. It was what I think Tre. I think that was Trey White's deal just got done that offseason. Like, there were things that all of a sudden, it was crazy. They found $120 million lying around for Von Miller. Now that deal gets worked on. They didn't have any money. They signed Leonard Floyd and they put, like, pretend ghost years in deals. I'm not a capologist. Not pretending to be. But I know that there have been enough moves that good gms know how to, as Jenna says, manipulated. And it doesn't hold them Back like this is some. They're pinching pennies and going, well, we can't sign this guy. Now if a guy wants to go make 20 more million dollars somewhere else, that's different. He's going to.

[Dan Fates]

You just said if a guy wants to keep this in mind, this is the NFL. Players have very little control until they're a free agent. Then things change a little bit. Gabe Davis is a good example. Gabe Davis going to test free agency. They're going to let him go out there. I think somebody's going to sign Gabe Davis and he's not going to come back to the Bills. I don't think if the Bills really wanted to keep Gabe didn't mean they wouldn't take him on the team, but if they really wanted to keep him, they would have already offered him a contract and it would have been done. So it's kind of like, all right, we like him, go ahead. If he comes back and goes I didn't find anything. And you get him at the right number, you bring him back at the right number.

[Mike Catalana]

And this is why. And it also it's easier to make my silly jokes and memes about this because Brandon B. Knows how to be creative.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Like.

[Mike Catalana]

Like. And he also has an owner that is willing to cut checks. Not every NFL owner is created equal that like, yeah. Terry Pula has liquidity in his like to be able to cut checks in his bank account. When you sign a player. Mike Giardi explained to me shot Mike Giardi explained to me friend of the program, Big time Buffalo.

[Dan Fates]

Plus also a salary cap truther like we are.

[Jenna Cottrell]

He talks about tinfoil.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

When you, when you sign a player, you have to put percent of that contract into an account. So like as an owner, that money is put on hold so that you can make sure that you have that money.

[Dan Fates]

Jen is glazing over right now.

[Jenna Cottrell]

First of all, there's numbers involved. I'm out.

[Mike Catalana]

Say you sign a guy to $100 million.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I get how it works. I just.

[Mike Catalana]

But not every owner is able to.

[Dan Fates]

Do that or wants to do it correct.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Or wants to do it honestly. That's why I would want.

[Mike Catalana]

That's why the Cleveland. That's why the league is so pissed off at the Cleveland Browns because the.

[Dan Fates]

Only they getting the guarantee.

[Mike Catalana]

I got guaranteed money. You can have it because Jimm him as all the money he wants.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And that's not what every owner is. So this thought of, oh, eventually, you know, you're going to have to pay the piper eventually that that credit card that comes around.

[Dan Fates]

Yes.

[Mike Catalana]

Yes. But guess what?

[Dan Fates]

It does take goes up. It does take work. It does take manipulation. It isn't as easy. The New England Patriots say they're going to spend money.

[Jenna Cottrell]

That means players have to want to go to the Patriots, which is.

[Dan Fates]

Well, they might. Right. It's money. But they got to want to go there.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Even in Buffalo, for a long time they would have to overpay to get.

[Dan Fates]

People or they'd have the money and nobody wanted to go there.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

Now players will want to play with Josh. They'll want to play there.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

This doesn't always mean some superstar. There are some things they may not be doing right. They're not going to be open checkbook to everybody that's out there.

[Mike Catalana]

I'm not saying that.

[Dan Fates]

Right. But that also might not also be the best way to go about it either.

[Mike Catalana]

Agreed.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

But I do think there is the element for change to be added as there is every off season. And Mike, I feel like there is. There's been a lot of good on this roster. I mean, they've been made the playoffs how many times under Sean McDermott. They once again have made it to the divisional round. But I think there is. And that Baron Bean, Sean McDermott. Talk about the frank conversations that happen after a season ends. And there is now the opportunity for growth in some areas.

[Dan Fates]

Growth, change. The change doesn't always come. It's not always linear. Look at Terrell Bernard, for example. He comes in last year, you're like, okay, they draft this guy. Like, what do we have? Had no idea. Only Dan knew that he was going to be the guy.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Don't give him that.

[Dan Fates]

And he's a better player than Tremaine Edmonds. I mean, that's what happened. Listen, I think Micah Hyde's retiring. That's going to be a. That's going to be a loss for the franchise on the field. He's still a very good player.

[Mike Catalana]

Yep.

[Dan Fates]

But you need to get younger and more athletic back there. That needs to change. I don't think Trey White's going to be back. You guys disagree with me or at least you think there's better chance of it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I need more time to develop my opinion.

[Dan Fates]

Younger athletic secondary. Younger athletic. It. But it doesn't mean day one, I don't know if Christian Benford was. But now Christian Benford's going into a third year is like that guy can play like you keep him on the field like they. There are guys that can do that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Hit on one corner in that draft.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. I Mean, that happens. So what my point is you. You think of the guy that we know but then on the field in 2024 is a lesser version of that player. Like we maybe saw at a Poyer and Hyde this year, even though everybody loves him. Moments. But not. Or the young ascending player that gets more time. And that's to your point where change can be good.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Dan Fates]

It may not be immediately, but it could be good and be real good at some point.

[Mike Catalana]

And we've seen. What are we now on our sixth year with Bean or. This was his sixth year.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah. Well, his sixth draft, he said. Because he came right after the draft. So this would be one of the.

[Mike Catalana]

Things I've also noticed too, is that like, you can sense patterns. And the other thing too, is that a lot of times, Mike, to your point, like, if a. If, if the Bills really wanted Gabe Davis, if they really, absolutely could not go into this offseason, they would have.

[Dan Fates]

Struck like they did with Ed Oliver.

[Mike Catalana]

Correct.

[Dan Fates]

Signed him.

[Mike Catalana]

There had been very. I can't think of any player that played out the end of their contract very rarely. Poyer was one of them. Age was a factor.

[Dan Fates]

I think he wanted several contracts.

[Mike Catalana]

But a guy that they had drafted, they got done and extended before the actual contract was up. That was something that they've done with. Name a guy.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Dawson.

[Mike Catalana]

Dawson Knox, Dion Dawkins, Matt Milano, Trey White, all of those Josh. All of those guys, they got done. It was another reason with Devin Singletary, it was like we really like Devin moved on, didn't sign him.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

And again, they like to use that. The Tremaine Edmonds one as it was salary cap and you can't sign all the players. Okay. Just saying they could have signed Tremaine Edmonds and. And Jordan Poyer and done all.

[Dan Fates]

And made other moves and they wanted to with Gabe. They propped him up as the number two guy for two straight years. They did and it did not work. It's not all 100% on Gabe. I mean, Dorsy, you fired the coordinator. Like all that stuff went on. But the rubber hits the road here. It's. His contract's up. They hadn't signed him. They, you know, they move on what.

[Mike Catalana]

They say publicly and where they spend their money.

[Dan Fates]

That's when you know.

[Mike Catalana]

Is when you know.

[Dan Fates]

It's when you know if he. What is it? If he wanted. He.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If he wanted to. He would.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

So I. Yeah, it's so true, though.

[Mike Catalana]

Again, I know there'll be people commenting in saying eventually it'll come back and eventually it'll do all these things. Eventually the salary cap. Salary cap goes up. I don't know if you knew that it's gone up. It's going to go, I think minus another global pandemic like Wegmans.

[Dan Fates]

It goes.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Let's knock on. Let's knock on some wood for none of that. But I think it is important, though, to give context. But because we joke about it so much like the seller crap isn't let finish.

[Mike Catalana]

It's just way funnier.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It is funnier, but I think sometimes people want the context behind it because they want to be in on the joke as well, which I think that's very fair. We talk about it so much on this channel. But.

[Dan Fates]

But that's what we were saying is it is. It is a thing. It takes work, it takes manipulation of it. But it can be done. It is done constantly by general managers and it's by organizations that are willing, especially when they have a quarterback, to spend money down the road and say, okay, we'll do this. We'll push it down the road. We'll kick the. Kick the cap hit down so we can pay more players right now with the accounting gets taken care of down the road.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Well, it's a credit card and the. You get continual credit.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah.

[Jenna Cottrell]

What's that called? They still added credit line or whatever. Yeah, I. I wouldn't know.

[Mike Catalana]

A bunch. Well, a bunch of people say, like, it's like. It's like spending on a credit card. Eventually it becomes due, but eventually you could. It'd be like also your. Like you said, the credit goes up too.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah.

[Mike Catalana]

It's not as simple as just saying like, you keep spending.

[Dan Fates]

And an NFL owner goes, we just signed that Amazon deal. Look at that. It's a billion dollars. Like, yeah, there's money coming.

[Jenna Cottrell]

They're. They're just.

[Mike Catalana]

We need Garrett. We need Garrett, my nephew.

[Jenna Cottrell]

I was like, well, that's me.

[Mike Catalana]

That's the other thing too, is that like we. I make it dumb and simple, but like, there are people that their sole job is just to focus on the salary cap and that every time they make a move, practice squad to active roster, all of those things, corresponding moves, all of that stuff factors in. And that's somebody's. Kevin McGannock, I believe is. Is his name on the staff. Golfed with him. He was the other guy with Bean.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Dan Fates]

We just got in. Golfed with Bean.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Golfed with Bean.

[Dan Fates]

But Janet Dermot simplifies it with the. What's it. He's just not into you. Is that what you.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Basically, if he wanted, he would.

[Dan Fates]

I just wanted to see if she knew that.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If he wanted. Yeah. What you say?

[Mike Catalana]

I stand firmly believe that. Again, it's teams, it's. They use it as an excuse.

[Jenna Cottrell]

And.

[Mike Catalana]

And it's because it's easier to say that than saying, oh, hey, we didn't want to. Just too tough. Well, we lost a good player.

[Dan Fates]

Yeah, you didn't.

[Jenna Cottrell]

If he wanted to, he would. It is perfect. Maybe we'll make a shirt.

[Dan Fates]

There we go.

[Jenna Cottrell]

There's so many theories like that, too. Like, we could work in the orange peel theory. So many.

[Dan Fates]

Wow.

[Mike Catalana]

What's the orange peel?

[Dan Fates]

I don't know.

[Jenna Cottrell]

No. That's a deep tease.

[Dan Fates]

Look at that. For the next show.

[Jenna Cottrell]

The next show. I'll figure out how to work that in. All right.

[Mike Catalana]

There are a few things in life that I'm really passionate about.

[Jenna Cottrell]

First of all, that's not true.

[Dan Fates]

Yes. When you're in, you're all in.

[Mike Catalana]

Yeah. The salary cap not being real. One of the things.

[Jenna Cottrell]

It is all or it is nothing. I disagree. There's no room in the middle.

[Dan Fates]

We could go down the list of things. Bourbon, your children. Not necessarily in that order. Not necessarily in that order.

[Jenna Cottrell]

Yeah, exactly. The salary gap is real.

[Mike Catalana]

I'm passionate about things and the salary cap not being real is one of them.

[Jenna Cottrell]

You are. So many memes to back that up.

[Dan Fates]

That's it.

[Jenna Cottrell]

All right. Thank you for joining us. Please be sure to, like, comment and subscribe. We'll have plenty more off season coverage for Dan and Mike. I'm Jenna. We'll catch you next time. Here, Buffalo. Buffalo.

[Mike Catalana]

Plus your interactive look at the week in football, brought to you by Connors and Ferris.