← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
VON MILLER signs with BILLS: Brandon Beane makes a SPLASH
00:37:19
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- [00:01]
A
The Bills start free agency with a blockbuster move. So is the Von Miller contract worth it? Plus, adding to the tight end room will help, but what will they do at wide receiver? And what moves are next for Brandon Bean and the Bills? That's all coming up on this week's edition of the Buffalo plus podcast.
- [00:24]
B
All right, welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalan and Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. It's the league we know. It's Brandon Bean season as well as a signing of von Miller. O.J. howard as well. Brandon Bean has been a very busy man. Mike, let's start with the Von Miller signing. A lot of money, six year deal. He's 32 years old. Break that down. And then how you evaluate this move.
- [00:52]
A
So look, when you're talking about being all in, this is a form of that, because they're paying big money to a guy now, he's 32. Ask any Rams fan if he helped them. He absolutely did. It was for a short window. He came in, was very impactful on that D line, made plays. They end up winning the Super Bowl. Now, I'm not just saying you get Von Miller, you win the super bowl. But it's that kind of move. And look what it is. Sacrificing instead of draft picks, now you're sacrificing cap space at some point. But Dan, come on, in the NFL these days, the cap's going up. You're going to spend money. It's on a guy who is a proven player and is on his way to the hall of Fame at some point. It's somewhat correcting mistakes that have been made up to this point or at least haven't come to fruition. But come on, you got to spend the money.
- [01:43]
C
And he did, I think especially too on top of what feels like coming up so short at times where we have heard the rumors of J.J. watt last offseason wanting to possibly come to Buffalo and then doesn't. And then it was Chandler Jones. Oh, you know, hey, a local guy kind of coming back. Oh, all these things. And then they miss out on him. So, like, it's not only that. It's, it's. I think what, what people are most excited about, especially on Twitter and in the Bill's mafia, is that somebody just picked Buffalo, New York over Los Angeles. And those are words we would never have uttered three years ago, four years ago, 10 years ago. I like, like the difference of, of what this means. And I'm with Bean being a. You have to make some kind of impactful move if you want to be that team. And I think Von Miller is that piece now. We'll get to the holes, but again, he is the current NFL active sack leader. Like, this is a guy that knows how to get to the quarterback. And if this is crazy too, I'm going to say this, this is a caveat. Like, don't, don't kill me. He can still produce. I still think he can give, give you 10 sacks. I really do. But he's also going to teach a lot of guys how to get to the quarterback because currently in the NFL, nobody has done that. So this is also a huge advantage for guys like Greg Russo and guys like Boogie Basham and AJ Epanessa and all of those guys. I'm not saying he's brought here as, as a guy that, that's a mentor. No, that, that, that's a Jerry Hughes type. Right now. This is still a guy that could absolutely get to the quarterback. We've seen it. And it's, it's a big, it's a big move.
- [03:23]
B
This is, this is one of those moves where you're like, okay, you wanted to see. I know Bills fans were talking about that big splash. And it's funny, we'd heard Brandon Bean talk earlier this offseason. Like, I don't expect us to do a lot, but I think this is how it is in the NFL now. Like, it is an arms race. You look at the AFC west and other, other divisions and places like that, the AFC just in general, and I will say, Dan, you tweeted this out and I thought it was perfect of like, trying to understand the salary cap is like trying to nail smoke to a wall. Like, you got to get your number under and then from there you can kind of make this work. Now I saw some people freaking out about this being a six year deal. But Mike, you, you even touched on it that this is probably more like a three year type of deal, the way the money is, the way the contract is structured. But I feel like this is something that initially I was like, whoa, six years, that is a lot. But then when you break down the numbers, you're like, okay, this is, this is a situation where we've talked about so much. Brandon Bean knows what he is doing. He, he has the faith of being able to make these good decisions. He took the Bills from salary cap hell to where they are now. And I think this was one of those moves where you saw the Bills make that, that big splash. And I think it says A lot about where this team is at and also that players want to be in Buffalo. And I think that's a big piece.
- [04:39]
A
It says it in a good way and in another way about where they're at right now. Again, Ed Oliver, AJ Epanessa, Boogie, Basham, certainly Greg Russo. You know, you have put resources into this defensive line. Ed Oliver's played pretty well. Greg Russo showed a lot of flashes. But come on, you're putting in first and second round picks. You were hoping to get more up to this point. Now, that being said, it doesn't mean Greg Rousseau, even to Dan's point, you know, he's standing with Bob Miller on the other side. You know you're gonna get your opportunities. But it's also somewhat correcting. And again, I won't say a mistake, I will say something that has not played out the way you would have hoped to with those money resources to it. And look, it's money, it's cap, it's all those things. There's going to be more moves. I mean, we're going to see this happen because they've got other things they need to do and they're going to be freeing up more space. But that defense already, Dan, looks a lot different than it did a year ago in terms, certainly in that defensive line.
- [05:50]
C
Yeah, defensive line is the big one. We talked about it. I think on our last, you know, stay or go, that there were three defensive ends and two defensive tackles along with some linebackers that were. That, that could be changing. And again, I can't stress enough, just Von Miller is a massive upgrade. I understand he's 33 years old. I know some people don't want to consider him a star edge rusher. He's still an elite pass rusher. Yeah, he. No, he's not T.J. watt, but he's a massive upgrade from Mario Addison or Jerry Hughes. And that is what we said they needed to do. They, they needed to make a move. Is this a full on cannonball? No, because I don't think this cripples the team by hemorrhaging tons of cap space. Seems like it's a lot guaranteed. Seems like it was a pretty big signing bonus that Google had to cut a check for. That went right into Vaughn's bank account. That's the big thing. And that's what we, that's where when all these things get restructured into signing bonuses, it's a direct deposit from the Pula's account to the player's account. And that was the thing. Right. Brandon Bean said Don't expect us to be big spenders. And then we heard the reports that the Pulas are saying we want to make a splash. Well, the Pagulas had to be the one that approved and agreed to some respects to cut these checks. Yeah, that's a big, that's a big testament to them that they, they can see, you know, you're. Was it reading the tea leaves that like this is our time and that this is a guy that can help get them there. He's a guy that you still have to game plan against that. That's the big difference. Jerry Hughes wasn't a Japanese, is not at Albert. They didn't have a guy like that. As I said before, they haven't had a guy that's had double digits act since 2016 and it was Lorenzo Alexander. It has been a long time since teams have faced Buffalo and said, man, we really can't let X beat us. This guy Von Miller can beat you. Von Miller can still wreck games.
- [07:44]
B
Yeah, no, I, I agree. I think. And you talk about all the changes, Mike mentioning earlier about this def. I mean, we know Harrison Phillips is gone, Levi Wallace is gone. I feel like this is one of those moves though where they're bringing a star to Buffalo. And like you said, Dan, this is someone that you have to game plan for. And I think it really does push the fact that this team is going in like they see their window, they see what Josh Allen can do. And it's like we haven't been successful with our pass rush and we need to make the moves. You're going to keep taking cuts, you know, you're not going to stop swinging. And I think this is one of those, those hits that, you know, Brandon Bean is hoping is a grand slam.
- [08:24]
A
Well, and the other thing is, look, everybody else is making moves too, right? I mean, look, Chandler, Jones, look, everybody seems to be in the AFC west, you know, because everybody's bringing in, you know, Khalil Mack, all these guys because what do you need? What do you want in this league? I've got the quarterback. I need the guy to get to the quarterback. And the Bills have lacked that. And you know, you, you see a lot of things. Why did somebody do it? You heard, you know, I've seen the reports where it was Von Miller wanted to play with Josh Allen. Now, I don't know how specifically it was Josh Allen. I mean, he's going to want to go somewhere where he can win. But to Dan's point in the beginning about, you know, you said Jenna Star it's great that the guy's a star. It's more important that this star can still do his job, because you do get a lot of guys that have a big name, but he's a big name that still brings with him the production, so that's a plus. And now, again, we'll have to see how the rest of this D line maps out, but I think there's a lot of guys that are going to be gone. And maybe if we believe social media, Jordan Phillips is coming back. Either he's playing for the Sabres or the Bills because he says he's coming to Buffalo. So I'm going to say if we believe his social media, he's coming to the Bills.
- [09:36]
B
Yeah, yeah. Another person. Oh, let's talk about O.J. howard, too, Mike. Tight end, obviously. Do you think? I mean, I think that's someone else. Where you're like, okay, you know, Brandon Bean is getting busy. You know, what do you think he can add to the offense?
- [09:52]
A
He's a big guy, should be a big target. His touchdowns, his production has not been great. Like, I think based on his physical ability, I believe he's a bit of an underachiever in the NFL, but he's going to get a chance. And honestly, Dan, I look at it and say he's that second tight end. I mean, the idea of Gronk, right? Well, he's not Gronk, but physically, he's what, six, seven?
- [10:17]
C
Yeah, something like that.
- [10:18]
A
Again, as a second tight end in an offense where you have, you know, Stefan Diggs and you've got Gabe Davis and you've got Dawson, when you've got those guys. Yeah, I think that's a pretty good move. I mean, it's kind of funny. It's sort of, you know, on that first day of free agency, it's like, oh, yeah.
- [10:37]
C
Oh, that's what I was gonna say. I go, if you're. If you're O.J. howard, can you be like, hey, can we look Announces a different day? Like. Like, this is arguably the Bill's biggest signing of Von Miller probably since Mario Williams and Mario Williams. Mario Williams was also just the massive pity signing.
- [10:54]
A
Yeah, yeah. No, it was like, we're. We're so desperate, we have a claim. Yeah, it's, It's.
- [11:00]
C
It was the Bill's tax at the time. They had to overpay to get somebody to come to Buffalo. And now you report, we've heard it all. Legal tampering window of that veteran players wanting to come to Buffalo. They're the ones Reaching out. And poor O.J. howard. It's like, it's like, guys, I'm coming, too. He's like, yeah. And it's like a second tight end, like, this is the guy Von Miller. And again, O.J. howard. The bills didn't run a whole lot of two tight end sets. I think this says also this could be the end of the line for Tommy Sweeney, wherever that, that kind of heads. It's just the fact of, yeah, O.J. howard is a nice piece. I think the Bills have had some nice pieces. The defensive, the defensive line, a couple tackles, They've, you know, changed. I don't know what this means for Star with Tim Settle coming in, as well as Daquan Jones from Carolina. So some of those guys, like, those are okay signings.
- [11:54]
A
These other guys are gone.
- [11:55]
C
Yeah.
- [11:56]
A
No, I'm just saying it has to be. Right, right.
- [11:58]
C
I'm just saying, like, there were good signings.
- [12:01]
A
Right. So who's not going anywhere? Greg Russo's not going anywhere. Basham is obviously not going anywhere. Ed Oliver's not going anywhere.
- [12:10]
C
Is not going anywhere.
- [12:13]
A
Yeah, probably right. You would.
- [12:15]
C
Right.
- [12:15]
A
Again, still on that rookie contract, right? Rest of them. I mean, again, Jenna, you've now, you've now spent big money and you brought in other guys to fill for the players that you let go. And it looks like, again, like Jordan Phillips would be, you know, in that mix, too. So we'll see.
- [12:32]
B
Yeah, it's been exciting so far. All right, what do you make then, Mike, just in terms of wide receiver, like, how do you think this affects what they do? Are they looking more to the draft now? Because obviously you want to keep your fastball. McKissick not ending up coming to the Bills. So that's something that obviously factors in.
- [12:51]
A
Yeah, I mean, they, they, they're going to need another running back and they're going to need a wide receiver. And more importantly than anything, they're going to need a cornerback. And I said this to you guys and, you know, I'm a Levi fan and I, I, it'd be nice to still have him on the team right now. I got to tell you that at that deal that he signed, now, maybe the coaches got together, made this decision right away, we have to move on from Levi, which seems like the case, Dan, when you look at what he signed in Pittsburgh for, for, it was not a crazy amount of money that he gets. So you say that, but you got to find somebody. They need a veteran and they need, I think, a relatively high draft pick. You're going to have to invest in that position. You hope Trey White's coming back as Trey White. And then you got Dane Jackson, you got Cam Lewis, like, come on. They need more help there. That to me, is a priority. And I say. You're gonna say no. Look at him. You're gonna tell me no.
- [13:51]
C
I think the Bills like Dane Jackson.
- [13:54]
A
A lot more than they like Dane Jackson, though. I'm gonna give you your line. You gave me last year when it came to wide receivers. If they like Dane Jackson that much, he would have been starting last year.
- [14:03]
B
I agree.
- [14:04]
A
He's not a starter.
- [14:07]
C
We didn't think Levi was a starter for three years there.
- [14:09]
A
He's always a starter.
- [14:11]
B
I was gonna say, I feel like in the beginning.
- [14:12]
C
Drafted practice squad guys. Like, we sit here and we. We sit here. It's like when Patriots are like. Well, they're. They. The Patriots were smart and they drafted Brady. It's like they passed on him a hundred times. They wanted to move on. They brought in Josh Norman to try and. Levi just outplayed guys. And I think. Right.
- [14:28]
B
Exactly, though.
- [14:29]
C
Which is what we're saying. And that's why Levi's gonna be a starter in Pittsburgh, and he deserves it. But I don't think. I think that if they were more worried about Dane Jackson, I think they would have made more of a play. I think play.
- [14:41]
A
I'm making another play, Guys.
- [14:43]
C
It says more about the Von Miller signing. Says more about, like, what Mike said, the mistakes. I think says more about where they see AJ Epanessa, where they see Greg Russo and his development. I don't think. I don't think the Von Miller signing is a good thing for A.J. epanessa, I'll tell you that much. Because I think that is more writings on the wall that you're looking at. When is he going to develop the three years that Von Miller probably has left in his prime? I. I think they like Dane Jackson more than we think. I think he filled in adequately towards the end of the season in sparing time. And just like we all kept saying, well, you can't. You can't go into a season with Levi Wallace as your number two corner. I think they're gonna go into a season with Dane Jackson as their number two corner.
- [15:24]
A
Yeah, but. But Levi started and played effectively in that defense.
- [15:29]
C
So did Dane Jackson. He was up. He was up on the stage with them with all the other corners and Micah Hyde, and he was a part of them.
- [15:36]
A
I know because they're a team and I get all that part. But the Other part is now you don't have the Dane Jackson behind Levi Wallace.
- [15:43]
C
Agreed.
- [15:44]
A
Let's invest a little bit in corner. If you're the Buffalo Bills, it's time.
- [15:48]
B
Well, I also feel you have to factor in that obviously we know the caliber of play that Trey White is, but you don't. You're not sure like that it's an injury that can. You're tearing your ACL coming back from that. That's not automatically. You step on the field and you are the guy you were before then. And I. It's not a knock on Trey and I don't. It's not like I'm like, I don't think he's going to attack rehab seriously. It's none of those things. It's just sometimes it takes time. And like we saw that even with Harrison Phillips this, this the season after he came back after his acl, it was. He was not himself this year. He played more like himself. But it's not an automatic. That's why I feel like they do need to address it and I feel like we haven't seen. We haven't got to the end of the chapter of the book. You know what I mean? Like there's still more options and things that can play out. And I think it's something that if I'm Brandon Bean. We talked about it even in camp about Levi Wallace versus Dane Jackson. We wanted to make it this some big competition, but it wasn't. It was Levi.
- [16:44]
C
Correct. I agree. But you want to what helps corners getting to the quarterback.
- [16:49]
A
You're right.
- [16:49]
B
Yeah, that's. That's very fair. Very.
- [16:51]
C
So maybe they're saying we don't want to spend $8 million on a corner. We'll spend 20 something on a. On a Hall of Fame pass rusher. That will probably helped Dane Jackson a little bit.
- [17:02]
A
I think you're right about that. Oh, I think it all plays together. I'm just saying. Look, I'd say I was too late.
- [17:09]
C
I was too late on the Levi Wallace train. I called him an ugly penny. I was wrong about that. Maybe I'm gonna get ahead of myself on the Dane Jackson train and say I think he's gonna. I think he's gonna be okay.
- [17:20]
B
It's not how that works.
- [17:21]
A
Well, that would be a big plus for them if he was.
- [17:24]
B
Yeah.
- [17:26]
A
Well, I'd say this. I think it's a given there's going to be another veteran at least camp. Yeah. You have to. You need corners. They got Taryn Johnson, they've got Trey White. And Taryn's going to stay in that slot. So. Yeah, let's see what ends up happening from there. But Jenna, you asked initially about wide receiver. The one thing about this, Dan, you were at combine. There's a lot of wide receivers.
- [17:46]
C
Tons.
- [17:48]
A
And there's depth. And we've already seen Bean can find a guy later.
- [17:54]
B
Yeah, like, like who is that? Davis?
- [17:57]
A
Yeah. And then there's still guys out there. Look, by the time we're record, who knows, in a couple minutes we may get a little resolution to Beasley. But at the same time, I always say Emmanuel Sanders is still out there in terms of a veteran.
- [18:15]
B
I'm just kidding.
- [18:17]
C
Don't do that.
- [18:18]
A
You were Jenna, Dan. Jenna was beautiful. Being funny.
- [18:20]
C
Don't do that. Don't do that.
- [18:24]
A
Yeah.
- [18:24]
B
That's not nice.
- [18:26]
A
Yeah.
- [18:27]
B
Sorry, I didn't interrupt you. I had to though.
- [18:29]
A
I'm saying is, I don't think of it as desperation at wide receiver because of the depth in the draft and because you start out with Diggs and Davis, but then, you know, you, you, you need other guys. You're going to need more players, but we'll, we'll see how that ends up playing out. But Bean just spent money. He spent money on day one, got what he needed and now, now he's gonna fill. Now he's gonna start filling those holes.
- [19:01]
B
Yeah.
- [19:03]
C
So there's one other thing that, like, it's funny, I was just talking to somebody else about how the Bills had. This was earlier in the day when I was on Twitter and it was the fact of Bill's hadn't had double digits and sacks and somebody had said, well, they rotate guys so much that that's, that's why nobody can get double digit sacks and knew you were going.
- [19:20]
B
To bring this up.
- [19:21]
C
And there's a big difference that I think people need to understand is the difference is a prime example in Buffalo, the difference between depth and talent. The Bills have had a deep defensive line. Think about it. They can rotate six, seven guys deep that played a lot of snaps. That doesn't mean they're a talented group. And when you look at that, I would rather have two really good pass rushers than four average pass rushers. And I think that's what the Bills may be going in that direction for three years. If Greg Russo, who showed flashes and again let him fill into his body, he was coming off of not playing for a season and he talked about hitting that rookie wall. If your edge rushers are Greg Russo and Von Miller for the next three years, I like the Bill's odds to get to the Super Bowl. I really do. They're already the favorites, but I would take that money.
- [20:12]
B
Yeah, I. I feel like that is definitely something that people have to remember. Like, we talk about, we almost joke that, like, the Bills do, like, a hockey shift in terms of subbing in and out. It's like, that probably doesn't mean that you're getting the production or what you want to keep your guys fresh. You want.
- [20:31]
C
Doesn't miss a whole lot of steps.
- [20:33]
A
Yeah, yeah. But even if you look, even the best pass rushers have a percentage. That what Dan's point is, there really isn't a big difference from one to eight.
- [20:44]
C
Yes, correct.
- [20:45]
A
That's the point. So it's great that eight's pretty good. Yes. Seven's pretty good. Yeah. You need one. You need that guy. And by the way, he already said, I don't know if you saw Von Miller's Instagram, where he was like, I can't wait to come to Buffalo Bills Mafia. And then he said, his number 40 available. Yeah, that's his number. That was his number with the Rams. So he'll have that number. So my point is, when Mac Jones or Wilson or, you know, Mahomes looks across the line, he's looking for 40.
- [21:19]
B
Yeah.
- [21:19]
A
They haven't had that in a long time here. They haven't had that guy you're looking out for. So again, they're going to use him. They're going to be smart. He is 32, going to be 33.
- [21:32]
B
Yeah.
- [21:33]
A
So you got to be smart with him. You want to get the production in the pass rush, but he is that guy. And when he's healthy, he's still an elite pass rush.
- [21:42]
B
What do you think that means for Jerry Hughes? As a guy that's been around the team, but obviously an older guy as well?
- [21:51]
A
I think he's gone.
- [21:53]
C
I think so, too. I think Jerry Hughes is not a Gary, but I still think Jerry Hughes is good enough to start for NFL teams. But those NFL teams aren't super bowl aspirations.
- [22:06]
A
Now, I say this. There are guys, they. They go test the market, and then if you don't find anything, test the market again. There are guys that, at the right price, they would bring back. I think Jerry was effective enough to warrant that kind of a deal to come back and be with the Bills. It's not like they can't wait to run him out the door. Yeah, it's like. But as a second veteran defensive guy that can give you less snaps, but you Know, Von Miller is getting that bulk of that pass rush. It should be Von Miller and Rousseau in the big pass rushing situation, Right?
- [22:43]
C
Correct.
- [22:43]
A
That's what you got, the number one pick in the big money guy. But you need now, again, you want to mix Jerry Hughes in there at the right number. Yeah, I think that absolutely could happen. And I think he's been a really good team guy, so I think that could happen. But if he gets anything close, I think he'll end up on another team.
- [23:01]
B
I think it's got to be. It's got to be team friendly, obviously.
- [23:04]
A
Yes.
- [23:05]
C
It's got to be very team friendly.
- [23:06]
B
It's got to be team friendly. The Bills hold all the cards. But I'm curious what will come out with that, because I. I do feel like Jerry Hughes wants to stay in Buffalo, and maybe that's just my belief.
- [23:17]
A
Yeah. Yeah, I think you're right, Jenna. And I was thinking, like, as it just bang, hits the screen and we all see, you know, that it's Von Miller, you wonder. I do feel if a guy like Jerry, you. You would usually have no indication. I mean, it's not like everybody on the team's talking about it because Von was in the facility and everybody knew it. No.
- [23:35]
B
Yeah.
- [23:35]
A
This is just, you know, was it Ian Rapaport or Schefter, whoever is like Von Miller to the Bills, and it's like, imagine sitting at home and seeing that. Right?
- [23:45]
B
Yeah.
- [23:46]
A
The rest mafia is all excited.
- [23:48]
B
Yeah.
- [23:49]
A
And a lot of your teammates are very excited.
- [23:51]
B
Yeah.
- [23:52]
A
You're like, oh. I said, he knows.
- [23:54]
B
Yeah.
- [23:55]
A
Jerry Hughes been a really good player. Von Miller's a hall of Famer.
- [23:57]
B
Yeah.
- [23:58]
C
And, Jer, also, let's not dismiss the fact that the Bills have paid Jerry Hughes handsomely over his time.
- [24:09]
B
Yeah.
- [24:09]
A
I'm just talking about being here as. We're getting close, man.
- [24:12]
C
Yeah.
- [24:13]
A
Like, you're close. You're close, you're close. You want to be here for that.
- [24:16]
C
Remember how happy Jerry was when he finally beat New England on the Justin Zimmer play? He just couldn't believe it. And then to get a playoff win, and then to get a playoff win with fans, like. Like all those things, it's meant a lot to Jerry because he's another guy that has been through it all in Buffalo.
- [24:35]
B
Yeah. He seriously has. That's why I was just curious, because.
- [24:38]
C
Every time my phone, like, there's a. A buzzer, I. I freak out now, like. Like, what is gonna happen now? Like, the Beasley move's got to be next, Right.
- [24:46]
B
I'M assuming. I just keep checking Twitter.
- [24:49]
A
Yeah. I mean, wow. I mean, there are certain things they need to do in order to be compliant with the cap. Some of it has to do with, you know, know, players, they tender, they have to set certain money aside. Other things they can do, you know, pre draft to set up that money. But again, well, certainly it would have to be. And if, if, seriously, if you're Cole Beasley of somebody like him, like you're out there looking as a free agent almost, right. There's teams. I don't think there's going to be a trade. I just don't. I think that ship has sailed. I think it would be you're out there looking to see who'd be interested in you when it happens, or at a number that you go back to the Bills and say, I'm just say Cleveland offered me 2.7 and the Bills say good luck in Cleveland. Or they say we'll match it, come back here. Like that. That could happen. But let's see.
- [25:45]
B
Yeah, I feel like this is. I mean, we talk about the NFL off season, but I feel like it's like there's no off season. I feel like this year in particular, maybe it just seems even bigger because the Bills are actually in on Big Fish.
- [25:57]
A
But, but this is. I'm sound hokey to say this, but I'll say this is the on season. Like this week is. Is.
- [26:05]
B
That was my point. Yeah.
- [26:06]
A
Craziness. It's not just no off season. It's like, wow, look at all the, look at all the pass rushing moves that happened. Yep. Just boom, boom, boom. Right. And we're thinking they were in on Chandler Jones and maybe they were, but it sounds like they were really in on Von Miller and to whatever extent he was really in on them.
- [26:25]
C
And I will say. Yeah, I will say too, we're talking about other positions and stuff like that. You had J.D. mcKissick, a guy that had agreed and then apparently, you know, wanted to stay in Washington. They didn't offer him. And then, you know, whatever reports come out, who an agent says something, it goes on social media and then all of a sudden the team goes, well, we can, we can swing that. And then that's why it's the legal tampering period. Nothing was finalized until today. But there is mutual interest from, according to a source that I've spoken with between Jarvis Landry and the Bills, there's mutual interest on both sides.
- [26:57]
A
I'm a fan.
- [26:58]
C
I. I like it. I like him again to fill the slot. I think he's, he is Buffalo in this. He's angry, very angry. And again, what he. The cheap shot. I was there when he did the cheap shot to Aaron Williams that pretty much ended his career. It was a dirty play. I remember talking to the players in the locker room, how much they hated it. But you would like that guy on your team. Yeah, he's, he's, he's kind of Draymond Green esque, where you absolutely hate the guy playing against him, but you would really love to have him on your team. So. Yeah, that's something to follow. I know a lot of teams are interested. The Chiefs are one of them. But there is, there is smoke. This isn't just media hoping.
- [27:47]
B
Yeah. I feel like the AFC is just going to be such a gauntlet this year. I mean, Mike, it is wild to me the amount of talent that's in.
- [27:59]
A
The conference, the West. Look at the West. You already had the Chiefs being the Chiefs. Right. And then the Raiders, who are a pretty good football team. Not great. But now they've started to add instead of subtract, you bring Russell Wilson into the division to the team that had nothing at quarterback. And it's another year for the Chargers with Herbert and now they are loading up to try to be this year's LA team. And that's just them. Pittsburgh is, is spending money and look, we don't know how Mitchell will be in Pittsburgh, but he's better than Ben Roethlisberger was last year. Yep, yep. So, you know, we know that. I mean he's. Cleveland could have desean Watson. Yeah, that could. I mean, we don't know when this Watson thing's as nutty as that is. And then you, you know, you just even look in the division. The jets are a young team just to be a little bit better. New England was a rival last year for the first time in a while and Miami has talent. So, you know, it's like. Yes. And then still have the Titans though. They're. They're an odd team these days, but.
- [29:11]
B
Yeah, I feel like they are.
- [29:11]
A
So. Yes, you're right, Janet. The afc, the quarterbacks alone make it a. Just a minefield for everybody.
- [29:22]
C
Might cut out a little bit there for a second, Jedup, but just.
- [29:26]
A
She just said Dan and Mike are so right about everything.
- [29:30]
C
Hey, I. How great is it? I mean, do we not give Brandon Bean enough?
- [29:36]
B
Absolutely what he's done? Sorry, I had to clarify that. Absolutely not.
- [29:39]
A
That's not what you said.
- [29:40]
B
My mic just cut out.
- [29:41]
C
No, I think that's what he said.
- [29:43]
A
Yeah.
- [29:43]
C
Do we give Brandon Bean enough credit for, for what he's done?
- [29:47]
A
No, no, no, no. Hold on, hold on, hold on. I, I love Bean. I think he's great. There's issues.
- [29:57]
B
I mean, no team is perfect.
- [29:58]
A
No, I'm saying is he has spent all these resources on the D line. It's great they got Von Miller. I'm happy that they're not looking at it like, well, we've already done this, but come on, after using three high draft picks on defensive ends and a defensive tackle, you're still spending 100, well, 50, 60 million dollars. Now it's good that they're spending it, but they haven't fixed it. Any O line had been an issue.
- [30:23]
B
Yeah.
- [30:24]
A
And last year it was impactful to them. So it's not perfect. But I will say this about Beam. He puts the blinders on when it comes to it. He's not going to sit there and go, I made a mistake, but I'm going to play AJ Epanessa, 60 snaps a game. I drafted him. I give him that. He's not doing that. But it hasn't been perfect. But when it comes to making the deal.
- [30:48]
C
Yeah, but, but there hasn't been anybody. And, and whether, as I've said before, whether he's gotten lucky because of the pandemic, lowering the salary cap and being able to bring back Von Miller or being able to bring back Matt Milano to, to get Josh Allen's deal done now where, you know, he's locked up, you know what your numbers are like. I mean, we joke around, Mike, about how your, your nephew Garrett is the, you know, the cat master.
- [31:11]
A
Yeah.
- [31:12]
C
It just seems like the way that, you know, Bean has said, like, I'm never going to be, I'm not a credit card debt guy, like all those things. It just seems like the way that he's working this Von Miller deal looks like it's a three year deal.
- [31:23]
A
Well, and by the way, you mentioned my nephew Garrett, who is a cap guy. He actually works in the, in a front office of a, of an MLS soccer team. Huge NBA cap guy, also a huge Rams fan, who is not happy that they don't have Von Miller back after watching his Rams and not just winning because he was a very impactful player for the Rams. So we'll just go by our scout on the scene, Garrett Catalano, who says the bill's got a good one in Von Miller.
- [31:52]
B
That works. That certainly does. I also feel like if we're, I, I, I see both sides. I think obviously Brandon Bean wishes he had more success with the defensive line. Maybe this is the move with Von Miller to kind of amend that. But I also just look at the Bills have their quarterback, and you look at that 2018 class of quarterbacks. It is like Josh Allen, far and above in a way. And we know when the Bills drafted Allen, a lot of people were upset, A lot of people laughed. There was so much about how Allen was a project and how he wasn't good enough, and he was laughed at. So for the Bills and Brandon Bean, I remember you telling me this, Mike, early on, you're like the general. The obviously that drafting a quarterback, trading up and drafting a quarterback is the biggest decision that a general manager will make. And they, Brandon Bean, they crushed that.
- [32:47]
A
They did. Jenna, you're right. He bet his career on it.
- [32:51]
B
Yeah.
- [32:52]
A
I mean, look, if you get that wrong, it's hard to come back from that. Yeah, it really is. Because that is your big move. And not only is it your big move, it's a minimum of a three year move. I mean, look, even with Trubisky. Yeah, right. You make that move, it doesn't work. You know, you're out. I mean, that's what ends up happening. And not only did it work, I mean, look, Lamar Jackson has work too. So, yes, fairness, the one guy, he's at the end of the draft, but that's for getting him, like, with the last pick of the first round.
- [33:21]
C
Yep.
- [33:22]
A
Yeah, that's a really good pick for them. But not only did it work that he's better than those guys, he's one of the best players in the entire NFL.
- [33:30]
B
Yeah.
- [33:31]
A
So he didn't just be like, hey, you know, we have like, the 10th best quarterback and we're good. No, no. You have a superstar who is recognized that way around the league, and it absolutely impacts guys who want to play there. So.
- [33:44]
C
And that's what was when Bean talked about the. How much he appreciated that the. The combine was in person again. Because he said he liked to shake hands and get a feel and that that was kind of where it was. And he even laughed about, like, nothing else really matters now. Like, in the sense of. He's like, they're not gonna put on a helmet again. Like, they're gonna run in a straight line. He's like. He even joked that, like, we're not gonna get all worked up about the underwear Olympics. Like, he goes, what I want to see is, can guys learn? Can guys. What are they? Like, do they lean up in their chair? Do they sit back in their chair, like that conversation. And Ryan Rosillo just had a podcast on a little bit ago and he had Jordan Palmer on and talking about how Josh Allen's fit in Buffalo was the most perfect fit of all time. And, and it's the joke that, oh, he is Buffalo, right. That, that's the thing. And he goes, buffalo is the biggest city that Josh Allen has ever lived.
- [34:38]
A
Yeah.
- [34:39]
C
And it was like, what was.
- [34:40]
A
By far.
- [34:41]
C
Yeah, by far. And he's like, wow, you're.
- [34:43]
A
You're right.
- [34:45]
C
Middle of nowhere, you know, in California. And Fireball then goes to a junior college in the middle of nowhere, then goes to Laramy, Wyoming. Like this looks like New York City compared to Laramy. And so he, he was overwhelmed. He was comfortable. And like I said, I think that Beans kind of got that bit at least to have that connection, that vibe. Yes, that. Oh, that sixth sense, you know what I'm saying? Where, you know, you pick some guys that just fit the culture.
- [35:13]
A
So again, that's why, that's why when you draft that quarterback, it is an all in. You don't just randomly go, we like this guy. I mean, you can do that with a, you know, defensive tackle in the sixth round. You're not doing that with the quarterback. So back to your original point, Dan. Yeah, Bean's pretty good. And it starts with the quarterback and building around him and he's done a great job with that.
- [35:35]
C
And all these guys that are like on social media, you know, saying, hey, come on, come play with us, come play with us, come play with us. All across the league, a lot of big players have done it, right. Josh Allen doesn't have to tweet anything Josh Allen just said.
- [35:49]
B
So true.
- [35:50]
C
Players are like, well, I just, I want that guy. He doesn't need to tweet at me. I just want to play with Josh Allen. And that Bean should get credit for too.
- [35:57]
B
Yeah, yeah. I didn't even think about it like that, but you're right.
- [36:00]
A
And by the way, likely tight with Emmanuel Sanders. I still think there's a chance Sanders is back the point later, later when they need him at some point, depending on a role. And he may not, but I think there's still a chance he's back.
- [36:14]
B
I was about to say any last words, but it seems like you had a couple mic.
- [36:18]
A
Sorry, I always throw them in.
- [36:20]
B
Anything else, gentlemen?
- [36:21]
A
Yeah, other than the fact I'm in this dungeon in my part time job, not on Buffalo. Plus terrible setting normally. I got the, you know, got the man.
- [36:30]
B
You do look like you're in a cave.
- [36:32]
A
That's just terribly here. Terrible.
- [36:35]
C
Need one of those. I needed a this is terrible from Catalada.
- [36:38]
A
I mean, this is terrible.
- [36:39]
B
This is those bands. Relieved. That's what you're saying is terrible?
- [36:43]
A
Yes. Right. This is terrible.
- [36:45]
B
My a lot worse things. Please be sure too. Mike. Mike. Damn it. I was so cl. Close.
- [36:52]
A
Yeah. But it was the right thing to say. Please make sure to Mike Dan and subscribe, I believe is what you wanted to say.
- [37:01]
B
Nailed it. Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe. Thank you so much for watching the Buffalo plus YouTube channel. We'll have plenty more content coming up. Brandon Bean season continues on. Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe. I just had to say it again. All right, thanks for watching. We'll catch you next time on the Buffalo plus channel.