← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
The START of FREE AGENCY for the BILLS + What happened around the REST of the NFL
00:43:02
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- [00:00]
A
You've been covering this league for 57,000 years.
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B
6,000 years.
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A
Yeah. I don't mean this as like a pop shot. How different it is. Like, when did you find out? Would the team, like, call facts?
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B
I remember the day that all of a sudden the Bills said, we are releasing Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. I think they faxed us. They like there. I mean, there's no social media, there's no Internet. Like, I don't know if we.
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A
The carrier pigeon dropped in.
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B
I mean, I was calling people.
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A
Now from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. This is the Buffalo plus podcast. Hey, everyone, and welcome back to another edition of the Buffalo plus podcast, located inside the beautiful Connors and Ferris podcast studio. He's Mike Catalana. I'm Dan Fates. Jenna Cotl.
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B
Vacation, Jenna, enjoying some sun in Florida and family time.
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A
Yes, already it's going splendidly from what she's telling us. Our reports are that Jenna is having a great time. Just getting picked up from the airport.
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B
See if you can figure that out.
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A
Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe. We really appreciate this, as always.
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B
Okay, who am I, Dan? Who am am I? I have a cell phone.
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A
So does Adam Chester.
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B
Oh, my God. Seriously, Chefy, you're great at your job, but like, they show him with the cell phone, like he has the nuclear codes. Like agents are texting you information about free agents. Can we settle down a little bit?
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A
So we are recording this at 4:11 on Monday, so there will be plenty of us looking down at our phones because we've waited as long as we can all day. Yes, we've waited all day to try and wait for some Bills news to happen before we recorded this video. So yes, when this video comes out, as soon as we're done recording it and things change, we will do our best to plan and change accordingly. But tons of stuff going on outside of Buffalo, Mike. And maybe we'll start with. And again, this is just kind of the rundown of where we will go for this video. And if you're watching and listening wherever you are. But there will be a new backup quarterback in Buffalo, Mitch Trubisky.
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B
To the.
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A
To the Tennessee Titans. Reggie Gilliam is now staying in the division, going to the rival, the New England Patriots. David Edwards is going to the Saints. There's also tons of moves right elsewhere.
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B
But let's start with the fact that the Bills made probably their two biggest moves before we even got to today. They put themselves in a good spot. They got McGovern signed and they made the deal for DJ Moore. So they have a receiver and they kept the key member. Now, you mentioned Edwards going. I think it was pretty fair to Brandon Bean to say you're not going to be able to keep both of them. Yeah, I'm pretty happy that they kept McGovern. I think it's a great.
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A
I agree.
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B
Resigning. I think Edwards is a really good player. Maybe internally they try to do that. Maybe they pick up a veteran. I don't know how they'll handle that. And then I think the next step they take there is getting Osiris Torrance on an extension. Yeah, they may very well be doing that soon.
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A
Yeah.
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B
So so far, and again, you mentioned the times we're recording this, they've been really quiet. It's about guys going out the door.
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A
Correct.
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B
But they made two pretty good moves to get to this point. At least bigger moves to get to this point.
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A
And I think one of the last videos that we did all together, we were talking about Connor McGovern and Tim Graham's story from the Athletics saying that Bills hadn't reached out to him. That sparked something, obviously some conversations with the Bills that deal.
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B
Wait a minute, we haven't talked to
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A
this guy in a while. Thanks. So give Tim some credit for that. Obviously Josh Reed had his, you know, the, his side saying the Bills have spoken to him. So that obviously facilitated a deal to get done. Now, Connor McGovern is the fourth highest paid center in football. So he is making major money. And I do think it's interesting to
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B
point out, I'm just looking at Tyler Linderbaum. This is, this is wild.
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A
The amount of money, the highest paid interior in NFL history.
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B
Three years.
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A
And Baltimore didn't even pick up his fifth year option.
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B
Three years, 81 million, 60 million guaranteed. That's in U.S. dollars, right? It is U.S. vegas dollars. Is there something different in Vegas?
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A
And I think it's interesting with, with, with David Edwards leaving, we all kind of knew that he had played himself in a good way out of Buffalo. And it reminds me of something of Conor McGovern's quote from Tim Graham's article in the Athletic. Conor McGovern said the first thing Aaron Cromer said to me when I got to the Bills was my job is to make you the best player so that when your contract comes up that the Bills can't afford you, that is what he tells to everybody. And to that David Edwards did exactly that. Maybe not as much as we thought. It's about 15 million APY. So it is a big Contract. But you can't pay everybody. While the salary cap isn't real, you can't pay everybody. So I thought that was a good deal for him.
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B
Breaking news on a few pass rushers. Adaf O from the Chargers. Four years, 100 million, 68 guaranteed with the Washington Commanders. So the pass rusher that, you know, the Bills could have been in the mix on.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And then Bo Mafe, the guy from The Seahawks.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Three years, 60 million bucks to go to the Bengals. So there's a bit of a rush on. Pass rush.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Jalen Phillips already. Not that he was in the Bills plans.
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A
Right.
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B
Got a huge, huge deal already.
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A
But as we mentioned before, as far as other players going out, Mitch Trubisky gets two years to reunited with Brian Dable in Tennessee. That makes sense to me. We kind of were spitballing around who the backup quarterback in Buffalo will be. Come on.
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B
It should be tua. Wouldn't that be wild?
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A
It'd be very funny.
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B
Come playing cold Buffalo to somebody's getting to a cheap.
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A
Yeah. We were saying it could be Arizona, Minnesota or the Rams.
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B
I like. I like the Rams for them as a backup.
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A
Yeah.
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B
$99 million. Dead cap.
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A
Dead cap's kind of real. I'll say that dead cap is kind of real. We were throwing around our names.
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B
Yeah.
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A
I think with the. Where the Bills are roster wise and where they are salary cap wise, I just don't see them paying four or five million dollars for a backup quarterback. It just doesn't make sense. We disagree. Because you like the fact of a backup quarterback who thankfully hasn't really had to play. You want them to be able to hold the fort down for a game, a drive, something like that. But my thought was Mike White.
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B
Yeah. You could. You would get him very cheap.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Here's the way I look at backup quarterbacks. If you have an older quarterback, that's. For example, when you look at the Rams as good as they are, and Stafford's been pretty healthy since he's been with the Rams, but he's had some moments you would need. You want a guy. I think that's a little closer to what the Bills are doing. I do think another quarterback may look and say, maybe it's the last year for Stafford and if I show anything as a backup, I'm just bringing that up. Then there's. When you have the young quarterback, sometimes when they're really young, you want the backup that is a veteran that is like, if this kid's not ready, we can play him. I think with the Bills, I think the reason you only spend some money, but it's got to be smart money. I think when you need that backup quarterback, Dan, it is for two series. It's is for one game. It is for a third quarter, a half. Like when you. You have a game, you got to get through.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And you're right. The Bills have not had to do that. But if, you know, Josh has had so many things that probably would have knocked a mortal out for a couple of games, but he plays through them. But I'm talking about just. And I think Mitch was that guy. Sure. I think Mitch could get you through that. You. You can win with Mitch. You don't win because of Mitch.
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A
Correct.
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B
But you do need somebody that can do that. And right now I don't know who it is because some of these guys, you know, Marcus Mariota is getting 7 million with a chance to get. Bills aren't giving him that kind of money.
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A
No. So that's where I don't want to waste $7 million on a backup quarterback that plays Week 17 in best case scenario. So that's the backup quarterback market. Obviously good for Dable to have some pull there because he's getting. He also got Wandell Robinson to go to Tennessee as well.
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B
Can we go back to the Reggie Gilliam thing?
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A
Yeah, absolutely. I was. We're going to go down the list.
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B
Okay. That's. I was just going to say, like, I'm happy for the guy. Kind of sucks that he's going to the Patriots just because it's a smart move by the Patriots. They have the cap space and the money. I won't say overpay guy deserves his money, but it's a lot of money to pay somebody who's a fullback and a special teams guy. But they're in that position right now that they have extra money. They have money to spend.
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A
Yeah. And that. That's it for me is that you hear especially this past year when the running game was so pivotal, the tush push became so pivotal for third and one and fourth and one for the Bills. And Reggie was that guy. And you heard, you know, Josh talk about him and James Cook talk about him and the offensive line and even Joe Brady and Sean McDermott, they raved about Reggie Gilliam, the player and the person. And it's not only that, it's kind of like when it was Mack Hollins the year before who also went to the New England Patriots. But it was that fact of like, it's two players in one. He was a Key piece of the running game.
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B
Right.
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A
And then he was a core special teamer, so that's another hole that you need to fill. Now we. I did see somebody throw out the option, which I didn't hate. Does this expand Jackson Haw's role as an H back? Do we see him now wear. Does. Does all of a sudden, does he come out wearing 45 this year?
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B
Yeah.
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A
Like, does he change his role a little bit and maybe that's somewhere they. They think they can get him on the field more. So that's all possibilities. Those are all things that we're not in the building making those calls. But those.
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B
At the moment we're recording this, we don't know what they're doing with Dawson Knox.
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A
Correct.
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B
And that I, I would think my guess would be it's a redone deal and they have him there. But let's see how it plays out, you know, the rest of. Well, the rest of free agency, I guess.
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A
All right, so here's the other big thing that I was kind of fired up about. And as this day went on. Michael Pittman gets traded to the Steelers because Alec Pierce gets a massive. The biggest free agent contract given out to a wide receiver in NFL history.
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B
Jerry Rice. He is. No, I don't think Jerry Rice. Well, he eventually was. Alec Pierce gets four years, 114 million, 80 million guaranteed for a guy that
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A
has never caught more than 47 passes in a season. Yeah, I like Alec Pierce. I think he has a special trait. It's something that I've always talked about is I like guys that can do some. That excel at one thing. It's the pitcher in baseball as the 102 mile per hour fastball. He gets deep down the field. He takes the top off of defenses. That is just a ton of money, in my opinion, to pay for somebody that. Again, you talk about it and it's. It's really important to, to stress and reiterate here is the fact of. You get paid in the NFL for what you're going to do, not what you have done. So obviously the Colts are putting a lot of faith in Alec Pierce and they.
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B
And in fairness to the Colts, he's been in their building for four years, so they're not bringing somebody in from the house.
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A
He's only 25.
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B
Yeah, he's the age. This is why these guys, you know, it's funny, our friend Carl Jones saying is probably the best free agent wide receiver in the last decade. They don't get to free agency, not at 25 years old.
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A
Correct.
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B
Like Mike Evans. And we'll talk about him. He was a free agent, but he's an older player. Like that happens with those players. So they're taking a shot. It's interesting you say that about paying a guy for what they can do, because with DJ Moore you're, you're hedging that in a way because you know what he's done.
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A
Correct.
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B
And that's a positive because you have seen him do it. The question is, how much more of that are you getting over the next three years?
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A
So that's my question. Because Alec Pierce, the signing happens. Michael Pittman gets traded in a late round swap to the Pittsburgh Steelers. We still have to figure out what late round is because we all thought DJ Moore was a mid round pick and ended up being a second. So we still haven't gotten the details as the time.
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B
Seventh round, our friend Sal Mayorana would say, doesn't matter.
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A
Doesn't matter.
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B
Ridiculous.
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A
But that is where, again, I feel like I do want to. The more I've thought about it, I want to. The more I've thought about the DJ Moore trade over the last few days is I'm allowed to reserve my judgment and change my opinion and thoughts on the DJ Moore trade when we see what the contract gets restructured to be. Okay, if this contract gets restructured. But as of right now, it's three years 74 million. As, as Albert Breer was saying, I think that's high when you're also giving up the second round pick because the extension and the resigning that the Steelers gave Michael Pittman, who's also 28 years old now, will be 29 next season. Jenna, I know you're watching this. Age works okay, he gets three years, 59 million. We don't know the guaranteed money yet. Again, take all of this stuff with a grain of salt because we are hearing literally press releases from agents. Okay, that's what Shefter is doing. That's what all the insiders are doing. But I bring that up because I say I believe and I don't know anybody that would really argue the other side. I know DJ Moore is a better player than Michael Pittman, no question. But if there's a scenario that you could have DJ Moore for 23 million a year or Michael Pittman for 20 million a year and have a second round pick, it becomes a lot tougher of something to say one way or another.
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B
See, I'm a firm believer that the Bills should not have been giving up that high of a pick.
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A
Agreed.
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B
I think they could have made the same deal and for a lesser pick. Now I say that not knowing we they, nobody's going to tell us what the competition was for DJ Moore.
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A
Agreed. And from our reports and from what we're hearing, the source that we checked with, they did check in on A.J. brown. They did check in on Alec Pierce. They were never going to pay Alec Pierce that money.
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B
More of who else was in on DJ Moore.
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A
Correct.
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B
That pushed up what? The Bears. I think the Bears were very happy to get that compensation.
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A
Right. So that's, that's where I go back to it. And I said, would you rather have DJ Moore in his contract or Michael Pittman in his contract, but you would also have your second round pick. Yeah, that's where we kept saying that. I go, I, I like the player. I like all the. Was it too much to give up considering all that that was out there? And you did it before free agency. So you're. There are so many times where I sit there and I say sign the player, extend the player before they get to the market. Because then you get into a bidding war and, and we don't know what the bidding war was for DJ Moore.
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B
Yeah.
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A
It just felt like a lot where you're sitting there going, where is Michael Pittman in comparison to DJ Moore? Because I don't think you said they're on different tiers. I agree, but I don't think they're on that much different tiers where one gets a late round swap and one's a second round pick.
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B
Yeah. I mean, I would say this. I'm sure Brandon Bean wanted to address it and not let it go to the chaos that can happen the first days of free agency because you never know who's going to step in there. I'm going to hold to this. I'm going to say I think it's an overpay compensation wise. I'm probably right now more concerned with the draft pick. I would have loved him. Keep it.
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A
Agreed.
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B
The money is going to hit him and it's just because they have spent so much money on the wide receiver position up to this point and not gotten it. But I'm going to say this. I do like the fit of the player and maybe more than even Michael Pittman. But I would have taken Michael Pittman
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A
too, if you could have your second round pick. And for everybody that was chiming in saying, well, Bean's terrible in the first two rounds anyway, that's anyhow I would
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B
say, look, sorry, look at what he's done. I'm going to give him this. You got Osiris Torrance, you've got James Bishop and you got James Cook in the second round.
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A
That's pretty good.
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B
Three of their what, six best players.
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A
Yeah. Top ten. Yeah.
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B
It's pretty well. Ten. Yeah. Definitely. I maybe I was a little. Three of their top ten.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Players.
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A
So again, so this thought of beans playing 3D chess because he doesn't need a second pick because he's not good at it is is bogus because if
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B
you had your second round pick, you could have used your first round pick on a wide receiver.
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A
So all that goes into it, it's just comment in. And again, I, I know there are some people that I feel like no matter what they have their foot in the ground already ten toes down and they're saying, hey, we're absolutely love DJ Moore. He makes the wide receiver room better. Which I agree.
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B
I'm looking forward to watching him play. Yeah, same.
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A
But it's like what I said at the beginning of our last pod. Michael Pittman would have made the Bills wide receiver room better.
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B
No doubt.
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A
So I don't know if either of them. And like I said, you sit there and say, well Michael Pittman had a down year. He had 80 catches for 800 yards. DJ Moore's down year was 50 something catches in 800 yards. So like DJ Moore has done more.
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B
His skill set maybe is better. But I will say also Michael Pittman, who's throwing you the ball in Pittsburgh, they still waiting for him to come back?
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A
They're still waiting for him. He only announced that on McAfee.
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B
He wants to impress his wife.
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A
Yeah. All right, moving on.
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B
By the way, also, breaking news, not that we didn't know this, no compensatory picks for the Bills. Why does the league wait so long to announce this? I don't know. They do it, you know, they do it today, by the way, just saying Eagles got a 3, a 4, a
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A
5 and a 6F and Howie only
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B
because they have been in a position that they've let good players go like Milton Williams and you get the compex. The Bills have never been. God bless Joe Biscalia, man, that guy, he loves the compact formula. It basically should just be Joe should just say Bills aren't going to get any. Right? Yeah. I mean right now, early on, you know, we'll see David Edwards is help goes towards the comp formula. So we'll see what ends up happening in the future. They've gotten two fifths and a sixth I think in their History. Brandon Bean.
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A
So. So we touched on Linderbaum and the center market, which is going crazy. Do you want to go to Chiefs?
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B
Do you think Linderbaum, when he got that from his agent, he thought it was maybe a bit of a typo. It's 80 million guaranteed.
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A
But even 60 million guaranteed, that was 16. I thought the deal was 80.
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B
Oh, I think it's. I think it was 80.
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A
This is good podcasting.
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B
Tyler linder bomb.
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A
80 million, 60 guarantee.
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B
Oh, only. Oh, that's right. He's 81. That's right. Because it was only three years.
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A
Correct.
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B
Three years, 60 million guaranteed.
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A
Okay. Tremate Edmonds is going to the Giants reunited with Joe shane. He's still 22 years old. It is unbelievable.
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B
Joe Shane making any decision decisions?
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A
No. Okay. Do you want to go to the Chiefs next?
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B
Sure. Like, because we can talk about the other teams that have made.
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A
Oh, I want to speak this into existence right now. It is 4:30 now and the Bills are hopefully signing Leo Chanel. I'll say that.
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B
Yeah. I do. I do think he's a. He's a guy for them. By the way, real quick, the other one I wanted to mention is I would have loved Mike Evans. Some of you think, oh, he's always hurt. He's not always hurt. He was hurt last year. Ten straight seasons with a thousand yards.
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A
Hall of Famer.
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B
He is leaving Tampa. He's going to the Niners. It seems like that's where he wanted to go.
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A
Yep.
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B
I mean, you think about it, you're Mike Evans. And while he'd want to win another super bowl and he could do it in San Francisco, he's been playing in Tampa. Coming to Buffalo is a lot.
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A
Yep.
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B
And you're going there. He'll be their number one receiver. Right. Ricky Pierce. Pierce all.
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A
Yep.
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B
I mean, he's there. He's gonna be their number one guy. Yeah. Because he's Mike Evans.
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A
Yep.
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B
So I would have liked him. But maybe the Bills were also aware of that in terms of. I know some of the people had said the Bills looked at trying to be in on anything that. Because to your point, you sign Evans and you don't give up any assets.
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A
Correct.
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B
Anything in a trade.
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A
But yes. Moving right along. Going off your notes, the Kansas City Chiefs have lost three players in their secondary on defense.
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B
Well, McDuffie, they got the pick for.
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A
Right, Right.
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B
The two picks they got for Trent McDuffie.
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A
Correct.
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B
Then the Rams also signed Jalen Watson.
- [21:48]
A
Yep.
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B
Corner. And then Brian Cooks. The. Brian Cooks, the safety. So. And look, they've done this before. Like when they let Legarius need go.
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A
Yep.
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B
And they were still really good in the secondary and helps have too much.
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A
Yeah.
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B
But that's a lot of talented players to lose.
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A
Yep. In one off season.
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B
Secondary. Yeah.
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A
They. But they do add on offense. They had Kenneth Walker, the Super Bowl MVP. They were saying since 2018 that Patrick Mahomes has been the Chief's leading rusher. So if you think Josh Allen runs a lot, Patrick Mahomes is somehow leading that team in Russia.
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B
They've never been able to stick with anybody. They always have. Like what's his name?
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A
Pacheco.
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B
And Pacheco and all these backs that they've had. Listen, if Kenneth Walker stays on the field, dude is a player.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Now I do like the James Cook signing even more correct for the Bills because James might have been sitting there going, there might have been a little more cash for me out there.
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A
Yeah.
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B
But he got his money and he ended up leading the league in rushing. But I do like that move for the Chiefs, especially when they don't know how Mahomes is going to be early in the year. Yeah. And Kelsey's coming back, which everybody knew that was happening anyhow.
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A
Yes. Kelsey's back. Another. You know, it's funny. I checked in with one of my sources. Just about.
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B
One of my sources just.
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A
You know, I think there is so much to the connection that people are associating with the Broncos defensive players coming over to Buffalo checking in on that. John Franklin Myers goes to the Tennessee Titans with Robert Salah.
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B
Is it real money in Tennessee too? They're just spending like well, stable.
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A
They don't pay their quarterback.
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B
That's right. Because once you pay your quarterback, you can't spend any money.
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A
Just can't do it. Saints are signing everybody too.
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B
Obviously that is a. A fired up, bald coaching staff man.
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A
Which one?
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B
Salah and Dal.
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A
Oh, yes. Yes.
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B
Yeah.
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A
So yeah, that's. And then the Dolphins have cut everybody or traded everybody. Tua, Alec Ingold, their Pro bowl fullback. Everybody's gone. And they signed Malik Willis.
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B
So to just insane amount of dead cap. But if I'm the Dolphins, I said I tweeted it used to be Tank for Tua.
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A
Yeah.
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B
You remember that when that was the case. Now it's Tank from Tua. Like he's gone. They got Malik Willis. Maybe he'll be fine. You know, they. They are trying to dump people. It'll be interesting to see. I. I don't think they're going to trade Jalen Waddle. You don't really hear anything.
- [24:46]
A
Yeah.
- [24:47]
B
They could do it next year is the year for the draft that everybody talks about. I mean, I don't know, but yeah, I think we got two tanking teams still in the division.
- [25:01]
A
Yeah. Do you want to talk about the Jets? Because they improve their defense.
- [25:05]
B
I said to Dan, just whatever the jets do, doesn't matter.
- [25:11]
A
When does it matter
- [25:14]
B
when they're picking in the top 10 next year and trying to get Eli's nephew
- [25:21]
A
Derek Carr in New York would be funny.
- [25:25]
B
Derek Carr, big fan.
- [25:27]
A
Now salary cap truther.
- [25:28]
B
Dan David and Derek Carr both don't
- [25:33]
A
believe in the salary cap. They're. They're honorary. They're honorary members of Buffalo plus have them on. Yeah. I want to ask you, Mike.
- [25:40]
B
Yeah.
- [25:42]
A
What you've been covering this league for 57,000 years.
- [25:47]
B
6,000 years.
- [25:48]
A
Yeah. What has the free agency been like over your time of covering?
- [25:55]
B
So it went from no free agency. None. Like there was no free agency. You know, you're. Unless you're, you know, like players. I mean there was no, like full on free agency. Teams had the rights to players and then they could resign them or cut them.
- [26:13]
A
Yeah.
- [26:13]
B
Basically what they did then they went to this thing called plan B free agency. And it was. I'm trying to even remember what it was, but I remember that's how the Bills got Bryce Pop, if you've ever heard that name. He came in, he had like 18 sacks that year. He was with Green Bay. He was crazy good that year. And, and it was the start of it. And I remember the first time guys could get free. The Eagles that year lost Reggie White and Keith Jackson, like they lost major players. That's when Reggie White went to Green Bay. So in the, in the old days, it just. There was no like free agency period players. I mean, I guess technically at a certain point then they would cut them. Teams basically maintain their rights.
- [27:01]
A
Right.
- [27:02]
B
And then could resign them. It was hard for players leave. It also made it. That team stayed together.
- [27:07]
A
Correct.
- [27:07]
B
A lot longer. And now it's. Now it's kind of wild.
- [27:12]
A
I, I don't mean this as like a pop shot, but I mean we think about how we were joke around about Chester, how different it is. Like when did you find out with the team, like call facts.
- [27:29]
B
So I'm trying to remember, like initially I think I remember like certain days I remember. I remember the day that all of a sudden the Bills said, we are releasing Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed. I think they faxed us or it came over the, the wire, like Associated Press, somebody got the story like there. I mean there's no social media, there's no Internet. Like I don't know if we.
- [28:09]
A
The carrier pigeon dropped in.
- [28:11]
B
I mean, I was calling people that we knew, but it was tough to get information sometimes. Probably we got some stuff from agents. That was before there was insiders and then ASPN and all of. Of those things to try to find out information.
- [28:27]
A
You had the blood cell. Did you have Bledsoe?
- [28:31]
B
No, I had the. Rob Johnson. When the Bills were going to keep Rob Johnson and let Flutie go, people were so mad. But we had no social media to put it out. I think I put it out in our five o' clock newscast. You know, there was nowhere to put it. But yeah, it was like, yes, they've made the decision. Which by the way, that didn't work out too well.
- [28:51]
A
Raiders are expected to sign the Colts defensive end Quiddy Pay.
- [28:56]
B
Oh, it's kind of a funny name.
- [29:00]
A
Falcons are expected to make a strong push for tua.
- [29:04]
B
Yeah. Oh yeah. What's the deal with that?
- [29:06]
A
Oh, Falcon signing tua. There's a strong push.
- [29:10]
B
Well, they.
- [29:10]
A
One year deal. Yeah, you know, they're trying.
- [29:14]
B
They're terrible. No, they're collecting in what has been a bad division or at least a weaker division. And they got some dudes on that team.
- [29:21]
A
Yeah, they're just going to collect all the lefties.
- [29:23]
B
I don't, I don't mind that for the, for. I don't mind that for tua.
- [29:26]
A
If you're a lefty, you, you're playing in Atlanta.
- [29:28]
B
So somebody was. There has to be teams that have had two left handed quarterbacks through the years. Right.
- [29:35]
A
I mean, how many lefties are in the NFL?
- [29:37]
B
I mean like, like right now. No, how many are three or four? Yeah, right now. But I mean through the years it would have had to been like there was probably some coach who was like, I already have a lefty. I need another lefty as the backup.
- [29:56]
A
Very funny. Anything else? I just wanted to get your take on the. How free agency has changed over the years.
- [30:04]
B
Yeah. And again I said it was just news, was just. It was from a very different place the way it would come about. And honestly, back then we fought. I can tell you guys this working at the TV station. Right. If we got information, like we broke the story when Jim Kelly signed his first major deal with the Bills. He had signed with them initially and then he signed the second one. And I can remember back then we were competing with the newspapers. So we would a lot of times hold the story until later in the day. Maybe even sometimes you would break it and you're that one. We didn't. But you would break it in your 11 o' clock news. So you had it. And the paper was already going to print because that was your competition, you know, the next day. Like the paper would get printed in the morning.
- [30:58]
A
Yeah.
- [30:58]
B
Those guys were like, we got this in the paper. But then they had. They had to wait the whole. Till the next day to put anything out. So it was very. It's a very different world.
- [31:10]
A
I'd say. So.
- [31:11]
B
It was very different. Now that's way back in the beginning.
- [31:13]
A
Yeah.
- [31:14]
B
And then the bills were. For 20 years, nobody really cared what they did. I can remember the Mario Williams things, making phone calls because they brought him in and they were trying. It was a beautiful day. Wait a minute. Yeah, the Mario Williams was on a beautiful day and made Buffalo look awesome in like March. And he just wanted the money and they signed him for the money. I remember when they got Fluty and I remember being like. Because that was the year they got Rob Johnson. And I remember being like, he's been in Canada.
- [31:46]
A
Yeah.
- [31:46]
B
Like you're really getting. And I went to the news conference and John Butler and they were all like standing there, gone. We're signing another guy. Like they didn't want it to be known that they were only getting Doug Floyd Ludy.
- [32:01]
A
Oh, okay.
- [32:02]
B
And that's when they made the trade with Jacksonville to get Rob Johnson and then they had the Rob Johnson one. Because Rob Johnson was that guy and you've seen it. Who played well at the end of the year.
- [32:14]
A
Yeah.
- [32:14]
B
And then teams are like, oh, we're going to give this guy a shot because he was a USC quarterback. So. Yeah. Very different world.
- [32:21]
A
Who was. Who? Green Bay quarterback or who did. Who did Russ beat out as a rookie? Oh, Matt Flynn. Matt flint.
- [32:36]
B
Green Bay.
- [32:38]
A
Six, seven touchdowns in Week 17. Got a big contract by Seattle.
- [32:43]
B
Good at that with those quarterbacks. Like they were always good. Yes. You know when Andy Reid was there as quarterbacks coach and then you had Mariucci there. Like they were always good at having that guy in the pipeline.
- [32:55]
A
Yeah.
- [32:55]
B
And Matt Flynn got himself paid. And then they ended up. Yeah, they ended up with Russ and Russ won. Won the. Russ was one of those first guys too. That went like to a second school.
- [33:08]
A
Correct. He was at NC State for four years and then got the fifth year eligibility and went to Wisconsin and they were great.
- [33:16]
B
That was. Yep.
- [33:18]
A
Monty Ball was the running back.
- [33:20]
B
Yeah, I think so.
- [33:21]
A
And that may have been Sue's team too. Yeah, they were. They were legit. They had all those guys running back wise. Appreciate it as always.
- [33:29]
B
Yeah.
- [33:30]
A
Anything else? I mean again now this is 4:43. I've tried to talk the Leo Chenault signing into existence. It has not worked. We will update accordingly over the next few days.
- [33:40]
B
I got a shout out here for a second Chris at in case you know it. If you know. You know Big Oak driving range. Great place. Got my clubs there ready to go on the Senior Tour. Chris said hi today. Loves Buffalo. Plus he was hitting balls. He was striping them down the middle. So we talked a little Bills and it's beautiful day to hit golf balls.
- [34:05]
A
I was at we the hobby. I've had some sports cars. My the house that we bought last year. It was a big sports collector memorabilia. I have so much stuff that I'm still trying to get rid of and try and make a couple bucks off of it. And I went in there to sell a couple cards and as I was leaving the guy just goes by the way love the pod. And again because I'm really bad at it. I didn't ask for his name but
- [34:30]
B
we the hobby guy.
- [34:31]
A
Yeah we the hobby guy knows that that was.
- [34:33]
B
It's got a lot going on.
- [34:35]
A
Gorgeous place.
- [34:36]
B
Yeah.
- [34:36]
A
If you're into sports cards and all that stuff in Rochester that is the place to go. Let us know what your thoughts are so far at free agency. Again, this is. Mike made a good point. Free agency should be four to six. That's when you can announce signings and then the next day it picks up at 9am and by the way I
- [34:54]
B
and let us know. I'm not disappointed in all at the moment with the Bills.
- [34:58]
A
No.
- [34:59]
B
Like I said, they made two big moves.
- [35:01]
A
I want them to do something fun.
- [35:02]
B
They will. And I think it's going to be defense. And I had said to you and this may come later today, Monday. I think it's going to be guys who maybe a little under the radar.
- [35:12]
A
Sure.
- [35:13]
B
That Jim Leonard is familiar with and they bring him in. They draft accordingly. Because I really do think it's going to be another defense heavy draft with this team.
- [35:26]
A
Yep.
- [35:28]
B
They pick a wide receiver in what round?
- [35:31]
A
First man can dream.
- [35:35]
B
Oh, wait a minute. Sorry about the finger.
- [35:37]
A
Yeah. Also one other thing. We're just spitballing the shot. Yeah. I've taken it a couple times.
- [35:43]
B
Okay. Look at that.
- [35:44]
A
Maybe we'll tilt it down a couple next time but there won't be Jenna here this week. So we're trying out a couple of new, new setups.
- [35:50]
B
She may jump in.
- [35:51]
A
Yes, yes, she has.
- [35:53]
B
She may.
- [35:54]
A
She has made it very abundantly clear to us that she goes, I have my microphone. She's made it very clear. But she will watch. She will 100% watch this.
- [36:02]
B
Yeah. Enjoy. Enjoy your vacation. Yes, you deserve it.
- [36:07]
A
But we have been throwing around the idea and if you've made it this long in the video, really appreciate it. Like comment subscribe as always. Comment in with what you want to see in free agency. Comment in with your thoughts so far on a quiet the Bills are quiet for the start of the free agent frenzy. I don't think that this means Bean is asleep at the wheel. That's not what I think this is at all. I think this is much more calculated. Again, Trey Hendrickson is still out there. Like some of those pieces. It almost feels like you're waiting a little bit. Again, some Denver guys. And again, Leo Chenault was a Wisconsin guy. So yes he was been with the Chiefs, but he's a Wisconsin familiarity with.
- [36:51]
B
Yeah. And then there's Jim Letters. It's got to be guys on the Broncos that he has a comfort level with. And that's usually what you see.
- [36:58]
A
Yeah.
- [36:59]
B
And that's a lot of times. Honestly, I think smart teams do in free agency a little under the radar guys that can help you and then you build from there. But they're going to need a dude. They're going to need at least one dude.
- [37:11]
A
Yes.
- [37:11]
B
For the defense.
- [37:12]
A
But I wanted to pose this question and this has just been something we've been throwing it out there. We've been talking about in the group text. Would you all of our great subscribers and followers, people that have liked comments, subscribed, would you want a little Sabers episode of the Buffalo?
- [37:28]
B
I was going to say that.
- [37:29]
A
Would you be interested in a little Sabers talk? Obviously. Yesterday, amazing game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Probably one of the best. I had said and I had tweeted out. I know people always, they're shocked when they hear that we're not Bills fans.
- [37:44]
B
Yeah, right.
- [37:46]
A
I grew up a Sabers fan. I grew up a die hard Sabers fan. I remember, I remember being a little kid going to BJ's and getting the Eastern Conference Championship shirt in 1999. Like I covered that series right. So I remember I was 8 but like that's when I was Michael Pekka and Dixon Ward. Like those guys like Ward when I
- [38:06]
B
called her cup with right. Rochester America.
- [38:08]
A
And I have a Picture of my dad taking me to bath to Billy's. Woke me up after the Emericks won the cup in 96.
- [38:15]
B
96 covered that too.
- [38:17]
A
Okay. So like I am a. I was, I mean, obviously for the last 14 years it really hasn't been much to root for. But last night was the first time in a while following along to a game felt something. I tucked my jersey in the side when I was playing hockey because I wanted to be Maxima Fen again. Off. Like that was. That was everything. So to see the reaction of that crowd leaving this the arena on Sunday night brought back the memories like that, that was really cool. And again, I remember when Lindy got reintroduced as the head coach. Like I was, we went up there and I was like, 12 year old Dan is freaking out. Like this is Lindy Ruff. Like this is, you know, you remember the Ottawa Brawl and all of those games. That was. I joked that that was a UFC fight with a hockey game on the side.
- [39:09]
B
If you want to make a Bills compare, first of all, I tweeted out that I was very surprised Buffalo could win a crazy game against a good team without Josh Allen. And they did it. It's kind of like in the NHL world, that game was Thanksgiving Bills, Dallas.
- [39:25]
A
Yes.
- [39:26]
B
Now, the Thanksgiving NFL game is obviously massive and it can't compare to the NHL, but the entire NHL took notice
- [39:34]
A
of the Bills in that are the Sabers. I agree with that 100%.
- [39:37]
B
That was like, welcome, we're here.
- [39:39]
A
Correct? It was, look at that arena. Look at the way they played. It was grit, it was toughness, it was skill. It was eight to seven nuts. Nuts. So if you'd be interested in a Sabers video because we have been following along, we've always talked that this is Buffalo plus. It's not just Bills plus, like this is the fan base.
- [40:01]
B
Pretty much Bills. Right.
- [40:05]
A
But it was just something that we were, you know, kicking the tires on because it's. I said it's not a matter of if they're going to make the playoffs, it's how far will they go in it. So just throwing it out there.
- [40:16]
B
We work for a TV station, so while we're doing all our Bills content, we will be covering in some form.
- [40:23]
A
Yes.
- [40:24]
B
What the Sabres are doing when they go. Go into the playoffs. Go, go.
- [40:28]
A
Yeah.
- [40:29]
B
Anything else?
- [40:30]
A
No. Anybody else sign Right. Before we. We sign off. But again, appreciate it. As always. Comment in like, comment. Subscribe. Appreciate it. Hey, Buffalo. Plus, for any of your life advice questions, we'll get into all of that. Obviously but free agency is the main focus.
- [40:46]
B
Good. That's it. We're all good.
- [40:48]
A
This hosting stuff's easy. Piece of cake for Mike Catalana. I'm Dan Fates. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share. Jenna will be checking in from sunny Florida at some point this week as we wait for the Bills to make their moves in free agency. But for now, that'll do it for us here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. Thanks for watching and listening to the Buffalo plus podcast. Buffalo Plus.