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Dan Fates
You have to sometimes zoom out a little bit.
Mike Catalana
You do, but.
Dan Fates
And because one game there's a lot of variance, so they address things average out over time.
Mike Catalana
You address.
Dan Fates
I'm powering through it. You're powering through you. I'm going to do it.
Mike Catalana
Interruption off here. Right.
Dan Fates
Not gonna let it happen. I'm gonna keep talking.
Mike Catalana
Go, go, go.
Dan Fates
I'm gonna keep talking.
Mike Catalana
It's like two cars in a parking lot, both backing up.
Dan Fates
That's good podcasting. That's good stuff, man.
Jenna Cottrell
Like MJ and LeBron.
Unknown Host/Announcer
Now from the Connors and Ferris podcast studio, this is the Buffalo plus podcast.
Jenna Cottrell
Welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast. Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment, subscribe and share. We are here in the Connors and Ferris podcast studio. Today the dust has settled on the NFL draft. We're talking our takes afterwards. We're going to look around the division as well. Also, there was some talk about corner being a position of weakness heading into the weekend for the Bills. We're going to get into all of that and we will also have life advice. Be sure to send into your Questions to Hey, Buffaloplus. Gmail.com. a lot to get to. Busy weekend as we're now recapping things.
Dan Fates
But Mike, people to shout out.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes. Well, do we want to do that now?
Mike Catalana
Why not? Let's shout them out. Cuz Jenna and I and Dan's been with me too. We've been at Sabers playoff games. Right. Or. Or another way we could say as a Buffalo plus appearance. Yeah, because people are awesome and they're
Jenna Cottrell
cocky of you, Michael.
Mike Catalana
And they're like, buffalo plus, Buffalo Plus.
Jenna Cottrell
Not gonna lie. Very cool.
Mike Catalana
Very cool. So among the people who came to talk to us from Charleston, former Western New Yorkers Rich and William. Thank you for coming up and saying hello. We had Ray, we had George, we had Matt, we had Michael from Batavia, Orion from Pennsylvania.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes.
Mike Catalana
He could be on the show. Yeah, Guys got great voice.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. Good talker. Yeah.
Mike Catalana
Yes. And friend of the pod to friend of mine. Tom Sardo is a former basketball official on social media, likes our stuff. So all of them came up talking a little. Bill's Buffalo Plus. It's a lot of fun.
Jenna Cottrell
We did like six mini podcasts talking to people and a lot of it, of course, was about the draft and what our thoughts were and what did you think and now that, you know, time has passed. So that's why I figured this would be a great time to just kind of discuss what we got into.
Mike Catalana
Can I add one other thing about being at the game and you know this story. So Jen and I are in the press box and there's a group of guys right next to us drinking some beers. They did the shirts off. They were celebrating. Well, at one moment they celebrate with a beer and the beer kind of splashes over the thing a little bit on the laptop. They look over, oh, sorry. I'm sorry. I said, ah, it's good. It's no problem. It was minor. And they were so. And then he calls me over a little bit later and this is in the middle of the Sabres first playoff game. And he goes, what do you think the Bills are going to do in the draft?
Jenna Cottrell
And I was like, it was perfect.
Mike Catalana
That's it. That's what it is. So, yeah, even though they're following the Sabers, they.
Jenna Cottrell
I love the Western New Yorkers. Y. They crack me up. All right, so the draft has happened. It was. I mean, there was a lot going on between the Sabers and the Bills, But Buffalo made 10 picks, seven trades. Seven trades. That's pretty unbelievable.
Dan Fates
That's a lot of trades.
Jenna Cottrell
Now how are you feeling now that. That the weekend has come and gone? Bless you.
Mike Catalana
Exactly. Thank you.
Jenna Cottrell
How am I feeling?
Mike Catalana
Look, I. I wanna. We have to reserve judgment on how these guys will play. Right. So I look at it in general. Am I excited about seeing what some of these players can do? Right. Well, we don't know how TJ Park Parker is going to play. We. You know, everybody seems to be excited because it's a wide receiver. Let's see. Guy had, looks good, had one good year. So let's see how that translates and how quickly.
Dan Fates
I think that's slander.
Mike Catalana
No, but I'm saying is that is a real thing. Maybe that's. Hey. And maybe that's why you got him in the fourth round. Because sometimes teams shy away from. I like. I. There's a lot to like about the players. But now they're. You say, Dan, what do you say? Everybody likes the picks until their players. And then you could like the players until they actually play.
Dan Fates
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
And then we got to find out. So I'm semi encouraged. I don't know how impactful initially this draft class is going to be on the field week number one. I think it's going to take a little bit.
Dan Fates
Absolutely.
Mike Catalana
And I think, you know, we'll see.
Dan Fates
And it was a unique draft class. We talked at length pre draft about nil and how that's affecting the older players. And you know more in this class and. But the bottom line is I still thought you had to go into this weekend and come out with the hope that you're finding three start. I. I don't see three starters, like you said in week one.
Mike Catalana
Well, yeah, week one, but I mean, the hope is like in any rookies, even if the guy's, you know, the 16th pick in the draft, Jenna, that doesn't mean like week one. You think he's stepping in the lineup and starting. That's the hope. That's what you're looking for. You want him to show, but I don't know. But to get three. I think they're. I mean, there's a path for several of these guys to be rotational players right away.
Dan Fates
Well, there's a path that I'll tend. Oh, they're gonna say right away, you saved it there at the end. What Mike said. There's a path for these guys to start. Several of these guys to start right away.
Mike Catalana
I guess. I don't know.
Dan Fates
I was going.
Mike Catalana
I don't get too caught up in the word starters because in the NFL, it's like, I mean, are you playing?
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, it's like substantial time.
Mike Catalana
Substantial time. I'm not talking about, oh, boy, he's getting two snaps here.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
I'm talking about T.J. parker should absolutely be in the rotation of pass rushers as a number, their first pick.
Jenna Cottrell
Right.
Mike Catalana
And you need. Well, we'll talk about the corners and the wide receiver. I mean, I will say this. I've heard people who cover the Bills or talk about the Bills talk about how there's not room for these people to move into a starting role. I'm like, why do we look at this roster like it is so locked in, especially on the defensive side where obviously the narrative has been the defense was bad last year, not good enough, cost you in the playoffs. And then you act like, okay, so we brought in C.J. gardner, Johnson, and we brought in Bradley, Bradley Chubb. And now. And now we just go to work like. Right.
Dan Fates
Yeah, there's still, in my opinion, Jenna, there's still plenty of work to be done.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, I, I agree. I think we've talked so much about wanting the top end talent here. And I think that with the draft class that was just Overall of for 20, 26, it wasn't thought of that there was a lot of top end talent. It was more of a depth class. But. But I look at what the Bills picks that they made. They did six on defense, you know, was it four on offense? And Then special teamer. I. I thought, like, there was. It's funny, we're gonna say the word value, but I did. I did feel like I was like, all right, I get. I get. I know the buzzword. I did. I did understand it, But I'm like, okay, I. I think there's plenty of competition that's gonna come from this roster. But I wasn't, like, blown away where I was like. I. I totally. I don't know how to say it. I just was like, okay, they. They drafted. There's some players I like, some players I question. And there is still more that I want them to do with this roster in terms of free agents and. And building from there, because I just still don't look at this and say, yes, this roster has the talent to get to where they've always wanted to go.
Mike Catalana
Dan. I almost feel like they have two groups of rookie defensive players to get on the field this year. Because last year. They drafted last year.
Dan Fates
Yep.
Mike Catalana
Dion is the only one that had substantial play on defense.
Dan Fates
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
Like, substantial, because T.J. sanders did not, obviously.
Dan Fates
Walker was a consistent contributor.
Mike Catalana
Right.
Dan Fates
To that defensive line.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, he. He made plays.
Mike Catalana
Yes. And so I'm saying is, when you look at any of these players now, they need to get more. Well, they need to get more out of those guys or these guys, because this will be two drafts in a row. You have gone. We're going to fit. We were fixing the defense for Sean McDermott. Now we're fixing it for Jim Leonard. Okay. These guys have to contribute. And now those players have been around for a year. And so, you know, Landon Jackson's coming back off an injury. Jordan Hancock showed some flashes. They liked him. Max. Yeah.
Dan Fates
Well, we're still waiting to see if Javon Solomon can fit in this system.
Mike Catalana
Yeah. But he's more towards the end of that now.
Dan Fates
I'm just saying, like, you're still. And that's what I also want to, like, reiterate, like, to Jenna's point, some picks I like, some picks I didn't. We don't know. I. I loved TJ Sanders, and what I saw at camp, I liked. I was team last year, massive human being. And that was Dionne Walker.
Mike Catalana
Right.
Dan Fates
Like, that was what I was most excited about to see in the preseason was like, I just want to see, like, literally just see and look at Deon Walker as the man that he is. Like, so you're still trying to figure some of that out. So, like, I'm not in here saying, like, this guy's got no Chance. This guy's got no chance. This guy's got no chance. But there are other teams and as we said, we're going to talk around the rest of the AFC east. Like, there are teams that I can just look and say, like, that guy is going to. I can see that guy making plays next year for that team. And it's a little bit tougher, in my opinion. And I don't mean to be Buffalo minus that. Like, I think there are. It's a harder path for some of these guys to make substantial impact. Like, I think you want to find another guy like Dion Walker's impact.
Mike Catalana
Yeah, well, that. And that might be T.J. sanders this year.
Dan Fates
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
No.
Jenna Cottrell
Oh.
Dan Fates
Like what Mike said, like last year, contributing this year.
Mike Catalana
And now we're going to elevated Max to starter, which I think the Bills have too. And then they drafted a guy in the second round, so.
Dan Fates
And it's also. We're still trying to figure out. And like you said, they were drafting last year based off a 43 defense. This year it is not a 43 defense. They're trying to draft for a 34 defense of Jim Leonard. So you don't want to lose last year's draft class or move on from them. You're trying to see how they will now. They're a piece of the puzzle, but it's a new kind of puzzle this year.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
Is that fair to say, at least in some way?
Mike Catalana
Yeah. Because I look at the two top picks and I would have thought both of those guys physically fit into a Sean McDermott system, right?
Dan Fates
Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
But they drafted him. I don't think we have to go with some things, but the physical traits on some players are going to work and some are just better in some systems than others. But I think. I don't think there's any doubt.
Dan Fates
Yeah. Players, players play in a 43 play in Pittsburgh on the defensive line, and then they go to another team that plays a four three. Like it's.
Mike Catalana
Look at Von Miller. Yeah, right.
Jenna Cottrell
That's very true.
Mike Catalana
Right. So.
Dan Fates
And Vaughn also kind of did his own thing and I mean, he was stand up.
Jenna Cottrell
Right.
Mike Catalana
For.
Dan Fates
For a defense event in a 43 of Sean McDermott.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
So again.
Jenna Cottrell
And it works until got hurt and
Dan Fates
then it worked because he's a really good player.
Jenna Cottrell
Right, Exactly.
Mike Catalana
That's a crazy plan to get the really good guys, get good players.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought it was surprising. So the draft happens. Here's the way I look at it. And like, I want to be excited about this roster and we've talked so much about the changes they've made in this offseason and how this team is trying to get to a place they have not been before. But when I look at this roster and the additions that they've made and, and I don't want to knock these new players. I also just think, though, for this team, like, I don't look at this roster and say, like, they got exponentially better. And I'm, I know that they have the, the talent to, you know, get to an AFC championship, win an AFC championship game. So I feel like I see what they brought in and I think there's some really nice pieces. I do wonder about, like, how many guys will be able to make an immediate impact in year one. And I just look at were, you know, Josh Allen is going to be 30. And I know I talk about that a lot, but I just feel like some, the, the window for a team to be good, like, I, I want, the clock is ticking. And, and so I get, you know, you have these players and you invested a lot in them, and it is a process and I don't want to knock that, but I just have that anxiety in the back of my head of, you know, Josh Allen's window is also ticking too.
Dan Fates
Exactly. It's trying to look at and comment in with your feelings as we are right now on April 29th. I think that this is, everybody is excited about their team because there are, there are 10 shiny new toys and everybody has the hope. It's, it's opening day of baseball when everybody is 0 and 0. Right. Like, we're not quite yet at to best shape of their life season. But, but that is, that is next in the NFL calendar. But I look at it too, and Jenna, I, I, I, I'm with you because I do think that there is a path for TJ Parker and Skyler Bell to become starters.
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
Dan Fates
And then the rest is how they develop.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
How they progress, how they fit and how they perform. All of that will be decided. It's. They're not going to become even Fernando Bendoza or Jeremiah Love. We can't sit there and say hall of Fame or bust.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
Like, you know what I'm saying?
Jenna Cottrell
Like, no, absolutely.
Dan Fates
This is speculation.
Mike Catalana
We're also talking about a team that was on the edge of going to the super bowl and has been that prominent team. And you fired your coach in order to go over the top. Now, I will say, you know, Bradley Chubb is a good player. DJ Moore is a good player. Johnson, Gardner, Johnson are good players. I think they will all help. But we are at that point. And this puts a lot of pressure on Joe Brady. Right. Because he got hired to take him over the top. Now, let's see. Let's see what Jim Leonard does. Let's see how he incorporates these players. I think that's. That's what we're going to see. It's April, right. And there's still free agency. And I think Shaq Thompson's coming back. That would be my guess. They need another linebacker. Depends on how they look at it. I could see Shaq coming back, which I would like, because I like Shaq, and I think he can help them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm saying it's one of the other veterans.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, I. I get the veteran saying, I do like Jalen Kilgore. I see the. The traits that he has, and I'm like, that could be something.
Mike Catalana
But I'm interested in even Cole Bishop taking another step. Max is fascinating to me. Max Hairston, because, look, the last few years of the draft, let's be honest, this is the thing. I mean, I think all of us, and I think a lot of the fans had immense ex. Not just respect for what Bean was doing. Like, trust in Bean in the beginning. Like, he made great moves.
Jenna Cottrell
Big baller Bean moves. Yeah.
Mike Catalana
All that lately, like, you're talking about getting impact out of top hangers. Even Dalton Kincaid, who is a talented guy because of the injuries and because of maybe the lack of physicality, he's not on the field as much. Max got banged up. They need him to step in as a starter. Like. And then you're looking at, you know, like I said in last year's draft class, very little out of the.
Dan Fates
It's an incomplete grade.
Mike Catalana
Right. So let's see. This year, Dwayne Carter coming off injuries. That's why I'm saying is, like, there's a lot of dudes out there, and maybe. Maybe Jim Leonard is the guy to unlock it in some of these guys. Right. The way he approaches it.
Dan Fates
So you talked about Max Harrison being at the end of the draft. He did his press conference kind of evaluating the. He did. You know, he spoke after day two. He spoke again at the end of the draft and was asked if there was anything that happened that shocked him, and this is his answer.
Unknown Host/Announcer
There's. I mean, there's always surprises without, you know, naming names. I would say, you know, we got one or two today that I would say we had rated a little bit higher, at least around higher on our board, everyone values players for their team, for their fit, for their, you know, and again, that's where you do stack your board a little bit by. By need. If you're like, man, I like this player, but I'm not sure I'm going to get this value out of them because I'm already got some pieces in front of him. You may slide them down a little bit. I got Ansi to go get igb. Well, I was going to try to be patient, but I saw corners going and I honestly, as we started this draft, thought that was the biggest hole in our roster was corner. And we talked about yesterday why and just the targets that get put on their backs if you don't have good enough players out there on the perimeter.
Dan Fates
Okay. So I took two tidbits out of that and also trying to read between the lines. One is the, the big one that he said corner was the biggest hole that they felt they had on this roster. I'll put that aside for just one second. Okay. He also said that he used value, but he said he goes, just gotta clip that. Yeah, one more time.
Jenna Cottrell
Oh, my gosh.
Dan Fates
He talked about value. And he goes. The way that you stack your board is sometimes you're trying to get the value out of it. And you may put a player lower because of the fit on your roster than another team may have because of the. What they have in front of them. So if you're considering that you valued corner higher than maybe other teams did, because you didn't, you thought there was an easier path on your current roster to make an impact, I think that kind of says at least a little bit about what they think of Max Hairston.
Jenna Cottrell
Well, yeah, if you look at it and you say, oh, a guy is dropping down your board because of the players in front of it. If a guy is jumping up your board and you're trading up to get him, does that say that you see that as, oh, he's someone that could be an immediate impact on this team, by the way.
Mike Catalana
I like that. I like, if there's any doubt and there's a player they think fits them better, go get them.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, right.
Mike Catalana
And I mean, and then, you know what I'm saying, like, don't sit there
Dan Fates
and go, we're going to make aggressive
Mike Catalana
beat two more years of if Max isn't the guy. Every down player, right. And you, you feel that way. Whatever the reason is, you did draft a corner high, by the way. I believe that corner, we talked a lot. That corner was a need for this team thinking it likely would have been a veteran and then maybe another draft pick. You know, a lot of times Christian Benford, you see guys in later rounds that just catch.
Jenna Cottrell
I figured they would come out of this draft with a corner or maybe two, but I didn't think it would be addressed as early as round two. And, and I think that's fair to say.
Mike Catalana
And it was. And it's round two and it's trading up to get him. So, hey, have at it. This. He could be, he could be a really good fit for him and he will get on the field. They're going to need to sign another veteran anyway.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes. And maybe this was Jim Leonard being like, hey, like, I need guys that are gonna fit my system and my scheme. And maybe that's why they were like, you know what? Igmanosan, Very good. It's hard. It's like in my brain. Igb. Igb. We look at him and he's got, you know, he's taller, he's bigger, he's. He's a guy that we can see. And having him be that much more of a role player in this defense.
Dan Fates
Yeah, I like, I like the fact.
Jenna Cottrell
No, no, it's okay. I, I do think like, corner again was a need, but I guess for where they addressed it, I was, I, I thought it would be more looking at linebacker or defensive line or. I didn't think it was the biggest hole on this roster from the weekend.
Dan Fates
100. I agree. But I'm with you, Mike, in the sense of. I like that there was somebody there that got. Being excited to go up and make the move. Yeah, that, that I will say, like, you feel something. I need this guy. I don't want to leave anything to chance. I'm going to go get him. Because in years past, think about it, trading, he really has done that since Kincaid. And there's been times when you trade back, you're obviously saying you don't trade again. What's we talk about what's difference between 26 and 31. If you like the guy, take the guy. Like, whatever it is. I do think that we. And we talk a lot about it. And Bean has made the point before of the last game of your season and the way you go out says something about your team. I've thought about that a lot over the past, you know, weekend, last few days. Can you make too much, though, of the way that you go out in one game and not looking at the bigger sample size of the season and what you were. Because I think what Gets lost a little bit. And to Bean's comment of, hey, we didn't have the depth that was our biggest hole was at corner right. They did have the number one rated pass defense in the NFL. And stats can lie. I'm the first guy that tests against the run. Correct. I. I'm. But they weren't getting torched on a weekly basis.
Mike Catalana
No, but they gave up in that game.
Dan Fates
And Mike, to your point, can't you also say the lack of a pass rush also hurts their past defense? And it seemed like for years we've been talking about how they need to improve the pass rush to affect the quarterback. All of a sudden, pass rusher isn't.
Mike Catalana
Well, they had a pass rusher with
Dan Fates
their first pick after trading back.
Mike Catalana
Yeah, but they drafted a pass rusher. They addressed it early in that way. No, I agree. But by the way, if the way you went out is. Is if you overstate the way you went out, part of your issue in the way you went out in the last game was your quarterback turned the ball over five times.
Dan Fates
Well, that's the thing, is that I feel like. But I don't.
Mike Catalana
I think it's part of the whole thing.
Dan Fates
Agreed. But when we. When you look at one game, it's the reason that we talk about so much is that you have to sometimes zoom out a little bit.
Mike Catalana
You do, but.
Dan Fates
And because one game, there's a lot of variance, so they address things average out over time.
Mike Catalana
You address.
Dan Fates
I'm powering through it. You're powering through you. I'm going to do it.
Mike Catalana
Interruption off here. Right.
Dan Fates
Not gonna let it happen. I'm gonna keep talking.
Mike Catalana
Go, go, go.
Dan Fates
I'm gonna keep talking.
Mike Catalana
It's like two cars in the parking lot both backing up. And it's like, I'm better. Keep backing up. He's going to keep backing up. Daniel, go ahead.
Dan Fates
I lost it.
Mike Catalana
Now ch to jump in.
Dan Fates
That was good. There's the open.
Jenna Cottrell
That was unbelievable watching.
Mike Catalana
That's good. That's good podcasting.
Dan Fates
Good stuff, man.
Jenna Cottrell
Like MJ and LeBron.
Mike Catalana
But here's the only thing I say about it. It's three years in a row, no matter their defensive problems, that wide receivers or pass catchers have not helped out Josh in the biggest moments. Yes. So that's why, when Casey Concepion is sitting there, if you can move up a couple of spots, I would. I would have. I drafted four guys and gone up and gotten them. You know what I mean?
Dan Fates
Like, somebody had a mock draft, you could have taken seven Wide receivers.
Mike Catalana
I do like the wide receiver they took. I'm excited to see.
Dan Fates
Very excited about.
Jenna Cottrell
I really like Skyler. Yeah.
Mike Catalana
He's.
Jenna Cottrell
He is. I think he's probably a lot of people's favorite pick from this draft. But it's where you get that player that you see what he can add. And it is at a position of need. And for the Bills, they found it at a spot that they felt very comfortable with, obviously. And I don't want to say the. The word that has been thrown around already.
Mike Catalana
Value.
Jenna Cottrell
Yep.
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
Okay. We want to take a look around the division.
Mike Catalana
Yeah. We can do this kind of quickly and look. Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
Because. So the dolphins had 13 picks.
Mike Catalana
I love the Dolphins picks.
Dan Fates
I just.
Jenna Cottrell
I. I loved the Dolphins draft.
Mike Catalana
So I was looking at Kaden Proctor went high. That dude is a monster.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
When he. You don't like him.
Dan Fates
Not Alabama couldn't run the football.
Mike Catalana
Okay. But that you. You're blaming that all on the one lineman. He's fit. You draft. His traits are off the charts for his side regardless. Jacob Rodriguez.
Jenna Cottrell
I know. Chris Bell.
Mike Catalana
And by the way, for those who say well, they draft high. They took Rodriguez 43rd and they took Bell 94th.
Jenna Cottrell
Yep.
Mike Catalana
So.
Jenna Cottrell
And then Kyle Lewis.
Mike Catalana
Yes.
Jenna Cottrell
Linebacker Michael Taffy. 150. I love him. I know. I was. I was very sad. This is why the draft bothers me because you take so much time, you do so much work, you fall in love with some players and then you. You see him go in the division. You're like.
Dan Fates
And then some of them. Skyler Bell's right in your. Yeah. Right in your lap.
Mike Catalana
It might be. Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. The jets not eight picks. Sorry.
Mike Catalana
He took Sadiq who is a. Everybody loves the superstar tight end. And the Eagles even did it Vanderbilt guy who's physical marvel. Sometimes it's like oh, he's. He's a difference maker. This guy is a freak athlete and looks like he could be.
Dan Fates
I don't hate the jets skilled players like they have an offense. It's going to come down to Geno and what Geno can be.
Mike Catalana
Or the next quarterback.
Dan Fates
Correct. The next quarterback. But we know Garrett Wilson Adnai Mitchell played well at times. And now in the slot that you can have Omar Cooper Jr. You have the tight end. They've got two decent tackles now in. In their eyes. And you have Bree hall like they have a better skill position group than the Bills.
Mike Catalana
Do you think.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
How do you think the drafting Omar Cooper and a tight end. You think Carrot Wilson could be on the block at trade deadline Honestly, I. I can see I'm saying, like, yeah,
Jenna Cottrell
I hear you so good.
Dan Fates
But Omar Cooper was so much better in the slot. He was mainly a slot guy.
Mike Catalana
By the way. Speaking of that, there's a narrative out there and I saw the jets people talking about, and our friend of the pod, Christopher Paso was talking about it, that the jets jumped ahead of the Bills to get Omar Cooper. Now that's a.
Jenna Cottrell
The Bills were on the clock at 26.
Mike Catalana
They were on the clock at 26.
Jenna Cottrell
Like they could have had them if they wanted them.
Mike Catalana
Unless you believed. Well, we have seen the Bills do that. But like, if they really wanted Omar Cooper, if Beam was like, I'm taking him. Yeah, he would have taken them.
Jenna Cottrell
Agreed it.
Mike Catalana
One of those two spots. I don't think he's trading back again. And then they jumped ahead of him. So the jets like him. That's good.
Jenna Cottrell
They passed on him twice.
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
Which. Yeah. It's a first round draft. Like, is a tight end worth a first round draft pick?
Dan Fates
I mean, like, I think in today's NFL, I think it can be, but like sometimes.
Jenna Cottrell
Sadiq. Okay. In 2025, Colston Loveland, who was really good, good player. Brock Bower.
Mike Catalana
Brock Bowers. Those two.
Dan Fates
And then Brooke Bowers is so good.
Mike Catalana
So what'd you say?
Jenna Cottrell
I don't. Yes. And. Well, Dalton Kincaid.
Mike Catalana
Okay. Brock Bowers is so good.
Dan Fates
So good.
Jenna Cottrell
Trey McBride. Kyle Pitts.
Mike Catalana
Kyle Pitts. Kyle Pitts is the traits all over the place guy.
Dan Fates
Correct.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. But still has. Maybe I just have Kyle Pitts just still in my brain where it's like you, you see all the potential in the world and then it's still. You're like waiting for it all to come together.
Mike Catalana
Men disappoint.
Jenna Cottrell
All right, let's go to the. No comment. The Patriots, nine picks. I didn't. I didn't really love their draft.
Mike Catalana
So they drafted Llama. Llama. Right. The tackle.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
And now they want to move them to the right side and then they're still holding out hope that their left tackle.
Dan Fates
Yeah, give me that one more time.
Mike Catalana
So they got him on the left side. This guy now moving to the right. And any offensive lineman will tell you moving sides is. Is not easy.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
To do that.
Dan Fates
Totally unusual.
Mike Catalana
It's not. But like they use number one picks. It's as similar. It's not quite as high. Similar to what sort of what the Bills did. You take Max and then you take another corner, though. They're going to try to move this guy to the right.
Dan Fates
Spencer moved from Left to right.
Mike Catalana
Spencer Brown.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
It's usually the best tackles are your left tackle. And then if a team already has a left tackle, they want to get him on the field.
Mike Catalana
So it's still. It's a. It's a big move. And they need offensive line help, as we saw.
Jenna Cottrell
I do like gay back is.
Mike Catalana
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think he's going to be good.
Jenna Cottrell
Other than that, I wasn't like him.
Mike Catalana
And they're. They're adding A.J. brown. Everybody knows that's going to happen.
Jenna Cottrell
Now.
Mike Catalana
Is Vrabel. Is he just working from home a couple days a week? Is that what Vrabel's doing now?
Jenna Cottrell
It was really weird that it was the third day.
Mike Catalana
How about that? The third day and then he's back.
Dan Fates
We all know treatment facilities start on Saturday. Rehab facilities.
Mike Catalana
Yeah, but he took off Saturday. Yeah, he took off Saturday and Sunday, and he was back to work on Monday also.
Dan Fates
Take a pitch, New England. You didn't need to post, like, back to work.
Mike Catalana
Oh, yeah.
Dan Fates
Take a pitch.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. Yeah.
Dan Fates
I mean, trust me, there's enough pictures of Mike Vrabel going around. You guys didn't need to post one. One day after the drive.
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
You could let it breathe.
Mike Catalana
You're like, yeah, yeah. They. I just do think very is weird.
Jenna Cottrell
Very strange. The story has been out.
Mike Catalana
The only thing handled worse than this handle. He handled this as poorly as this game plan for the Super Bowl.
Jenna Cottrell
Oh, my gosh.
Mike Catalana
I figured shots.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
He.
Dan Fates
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
Certainly the other person involved in this.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes.
Mike Catalana
Has gotten a lot.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes.
Mike Catalana
And. And to the extent of how much it's deserved is for. We don't know the entire thing, but they deserve whatever they're getting in their lives. Mike Vrabel has kind of, you know, tried to meander his way through, and I do think in some form, it impacts the team. You know, our Mike Giardi, our guy, I heard him on his podcast. He was like, hey, fans, coaches, don't leave the building on Saturday of the draft. So it's already affected football. May not be a ton, but we don't know if this is the beginning of other stuff that will come into play.
Dan Fates
Well, I think it'd be for as much as people didn't want to talk about the story, and it kind of kept going. It's grown into. I mean, again, Vrabel goes from this is laughable to Rossini resigning to now Vrabel having to step away. He's had to do two press conferences on it. More pictures have come out. Like Spotify playlists are now Being come, you know, coming out. Like, it is getting. It is getting weirder and weirder by the day. So to sit there and say, oh, Vrabel stepped away for a day of the draft. Now it's all hunky dory and we can move on.
Mike Catalana
It's. It's why the A.J. brown thing is no question going to happen. Because they need positive. Positive.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mike Catalana
And in addition to the roster.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. So no, that's true. Life advice time. Remember to send in your questions to hey, buffalo plus@gmail.com.
Mike Catalana
and this is the kind of thing, like, something that's happened to you, something that happened to a friend. What would you do?
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
And of course, most people, the first thing they think is what would Janet, Dan, and Mike. So send us an email.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, you're in actual trouble. Seek help. Like, we want to make that abundantly your favorite.
Mike Catalana
Bill's podcast.
Dan Fates
Yes.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. What could go wrong?
Mike Catalana
Right?
Jenna Cottrell
Okay. This comes in from John. Hey, guys. Long time listener of the pod, and I need some life advice here. My wife has a strict rule. If the food hits the expiration date, it immediately is getting thrown out, no questions asked. Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking a lot of stuff that is still perfectly fine for at least a little while after this has turned into a reoccurring debate in our house, and I need a ruling. And am I being reasonable, trying to stretch things a bit, or is she right to play it safe every single time? Would love to hear your take and maybe we settle this once and for all.
Dan Fates
I want to get to something after this. This is a great question because my. My wife and I do this all the time as well. She is so quick. I mean, she is very tidy. Like, so, like, she hates clutter. So, like, if there's something in the fridge and she's like, oh, this expired a day ago, and it'll be like pickles. Like, something that isn't. Like, it's not like chicken. Yeah. Like, what were you just. We just had something the other day. We were talking about it, and it was, oh, pepperoni or salami. And she's like, oh, we got that last week. And I was like, it's a cured meat. That's the whole point. It's supposed to last hand up. I also grew up in a household where my father, who worked in the restaurant industry, so he knew, like, health code standards and violations, like, would leave cheeseburgers in there for quite some time after and eat them. And so, like, we just grew up understanding, like, those are suggestions if you don't see mold on something. Yeah. Then you move on.
Mike Catalana
Well, Jenna's big on the mold thing,
Jenna Cottrell
so you just pick off the mold. It depends on how much. Okay.
Dan Fates
I think block of cheese.
Mike Catalana
Wait a minute.
Jenna Cottrell
Just pick off the mold.
Mike Catalana
What does Zach think when you.
Jenna Cottrell
Oh, Zach is horrified. I think Zach sometimes thinks I'm an animal because I grew up in a household where growing up, my dad would always be like, it's fine. It's fine. Just eat whatever. It's fine. And so I always was grossed out by that. And then as an adult, when you're spending so much money on things, I'm like, it's fine. I. Unless it's like. Like chicken and you smell it, you're like, I don't know, man.
Dan Fates
Hold on.
Jenna Cottrell
But that's different.
Mike Catalana
Chicken, you can get really, really sick.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes. That is different.
Mike Catalana
We're also talking about raw food. Yeah. So all these things are a little different. Raw. Un. Obviously uncooked chicken left there. There's a date on it.
Dan Fates
Salmonella is a real thing.
Mike Catalana
It's a real thing.
Jenna Cottrell
But, like, some of the stuff. Like, there's bread in our. In our kitchen. If I see a little bit of mold on it.
Dan Fates
You just don't eat that piece.
Jenna Cottrell
No, you. You take. You pick off the mold, and you eat it. Is that bad?
Mike Catalana
Eat the mold? You mean you eat.
Jenna Cottrell
You take pick off the mold and then you eat. Yes.
Mike Catalana
I took bread out, and I made a sandwich, and then I flipped the sandwich over. The whole back of his mold. I was like, I could. Then I couldn't do it. I was done.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. I mean, that's foul. Yeah. We don't want that for you.
Mike Catalana
And then there's. There's things that are in. Like. Like, I think we have some kind of grape jelly that has been there since the people who own the house before us left it there. Like, it's been. And it's like, it's got a lot of sugar in it.
Dan Fates
There's a lot of processed food these days. It's fine. And I'm the same way, too. Renee will go to. Will go through the pantry, and she'll throw away things that have expired, like, a month ago. It's a canned food.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
It's good for a long time. It's canned.
Mike Catalana
You can put it in those bomb shelters.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
Reminds me of Dwight. True. I feel when he has to eat all the food out of it.
Jenna Cottrell
But I. I almost. I almost feel like this is like the Olive Theory with couples. Like, there's always one Person that is like, you need to throw away the food at this time. And there's always.
Mike Catalana
Wait a minute. Is it.
Jenna Cottrell
Do you know.
Dan Fates
No.
Jenna Cottrell
No. Do you know the olives?
Dan Fates
Do you like olives? Answer the question.
Mike Catalana
Yes.
Dan Fates
Does Jenny like olives?
Mike Catalana
Yes.
Dan Fates
Yeah, but like, no, I'm talking about, like, you know, like, when you. You go to a party or something like that, and there may be, like, black olives out there.
Mike Catalana
Okay. So keep this in mind. When I grew up as a kid, my mom would put black olives out. None of us would want to eat black olives. Except the other food wasn't on the table yet, so you attack. And then we used to put them on fingers.
Dan Fates
I do that with Shane to this day and all the kids.
Mike Catalana
I don't love the black olives, but I eat them because they're there.
Dan Fates
Okay, so would Jenny eat the black olives if they were?
Mike Catalana
Probably not.
Jenna Cottrell
Okay, the.
Dan Fates
You would.
Mike Catalana
The theory is.
Jenna Cottrell
The theory is, in a couple, there's one person that likes olives and one person.
Mike Catalana
Okay, well, then if it's.
Jenna Cottrell
That's like the.
Mike Catalana
A good couple, it's like there's one person who keeps stuff and one who can't wait to get rid of it.
Dan Fates
Yeah. But the olive theory is. Is loctite. I do not like olives if they're in a dish. Fine. I'm not going to be a child and, like, pick around them, but I do not like olives. Renee likes olive salad. Renee likes all, like, she eats green olives, black olives, anything you.
Jenna Cottrell
So I've actually come around on olives a lot, mostly because of dirty martinis. But a blue cheese stuffed olive. Oh, my God.
Mike Catalana
Are you. Olive becomes a secondary part of it.
Dan Fates
Yes.
Jenna Cottrell
Doesn't matter.
Dan Fates
Star.
Jenna Cottrell
It's. But, like, the olive juice is, I
Mike Catalana
don't think, like, a big thing. You know, I think we're sort of neutral.
Jenna Cottrell
We got so off track. All I was saying was that there's always. It feels like in a couple, the one person that wants to throw away food right when it says expires, and the other person.
Mike Catalana
So in our house, we just had this with medicine. And I'm not talking about prescriptions, I'm talking about Tylenol, anything. So Jenny went through the whole thing. She goes, oh, this one, it was like. It was like acetaminophen or whatever it was. And she's like, oh, it's expired. Like, three weeks. I'm like, three weeks. First of all, it also depends on, like, how bad your headache.
Jenna Cottrell
I don't Think I would ever even look at it?
Mike Catalana
We threw away some stuff that was insanely old.
Jenna Cottrell
When you look at the packaging, you're
Mike Catalana
like this, you know that like when it's like Ben or something and you, you unscrew the top and it looks like it's, it's Somebody disintegrated.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. It turned to dust.
Mike Catalana
Just chuck it. We'll buy and I'll buy a new bottle. Yeah.
Dan Fates
My brother had a very fun game after we both moved out after college we can usually we would go through my parents pantry and find something that was before we like moved.
Mike Catalana
Oh yeah.
Dan Fates
So it was like, hey, the kids wanted Mac, the grandkids wanted Mac and cheese one time and she made it. And we like looked at the box where we threw it away and we're like, this is a really old design of craft. And we're like, this is from 2008. We're like, we're not eating this. We're like, you, you moved it and kept it. Like, I don't know what that that was.
Jenna Cottrell
No, that's, I think that's every like parents house, my grandparents house.
Dan Fates
Yeah. I don't know if this is, this goes into the expiration date and things like that. You and me, I know are aligned on the same page. Mike, if you eat pizza take out, what do you do with the pizza after the night is over?
Jenna Cottrell
Oh, see, I, I, so if it doesn't have meat on it, I leave the pizza out.
Dan Fates
Doesn't matter.
Jenna Cottrell
Okay. I also, it's cooked.
Mike Catalana
I eat it the next morning temperature.
Dan Fates
It sits in the box on the stove. If it's in the box on the stove.
Jenna Cottrell
If it has pepperoni on it, I leave it out. But if it has like sausage on it, I'll put it in the fridge.
Mike Catalana
I don't think there's really anything in my brain.
Jenna Cottrell
There is.
Dan Fates
Okay, please, I'm asking you comment in this is a very hot button debate. We've, we've debated this in the bill's media room. Yes. Like what do you do with the pizza?
Mike Catalana
I love, I can't wait to get up the next morning that open that box up and I will eat the rest of them before anybody gets up. And with a cup of coffee.
Dan Fates
That's a little wild.
Jenna Cottrell
No, I, I love that coffee and cold black pizza.
Dan Fates
No, I like cold pizza.
Jenna Cottrell
Room temperature, room temperature pizza. Hot black coffee.
Dan Fates
I don't like pizza that scolds my mouth. I would much rather have it at room temp.
Mike Catalana
Yes.
Jenna Cottrell
And I mean I like hot.
Mike Catalana
If you have with me. If you're pizza has pineapple on it, you're just a criminal. So that's it. Don't get pizza with pineapple.
Dan Fates
You know what I think about that? We're so off topic, but I think there are two types of people in the world. People that know how to load the dishwasher correctly and criminals. See, okay, why there's a right way and a wrong way. We just watched load.
Mike Catalana
Jenny and I just watched videos of this and we were laughing because the guy.
Jenna Cottrell
It was a segment on the news.
Mike Catalana
Oh, they did have another one too. And they were doing a whole thing about loading the dishwasher. I am pretty good. And then I'm flawed. I'm elite at emptying the dishwasher. I got my own way of doing it. I should patent it for people to do. But loading the dishwasher every once in a while, you just shove that extra thing. It really does screw up the whole thing. But we're both pretty good at it
Dan Fates
because Renee loads it a lot and I unload it a lot. And I'm just sitting there going, she
Mike Catalana
loads it up and it's. There's water all over the place.
Dan Fates
Water. There's things that should be on the bottom rack to get a little bit more of a rinse. And then you have your cups and smaller bowls on top. And I also run my dishwasher one and a half times a day. Our kids go through. Yeah, our kids go through 19 cups, 14 water bottles, and 17 bowls.
Mike Catalana
By the way, does this answer the question about expiration dates? By the way, Last thing on food, you know, with little kids, hits the ground. Three second rule, like, whatever. Oh, how are you with that?
Jenna Cottrell
I. If it's my kitchen floor and something drops, I'm gonna eat it. Zach is so. Again, Zach is so appalled.
Mike Catalana
I am an animal.
Jenna Cottrell
He's just like. He's like, oh, my God. I'll like, if it's bad, I'll just, like, rinse it in the sink.
Mike Catalana
Oh, my God. I can't.
Dan Fates
What are you rinsing?
Jenna Cottrell
Just like. I don't know if it like fell on the floor and it was like,
Mike Catalana
what is it, a piece of pizza?
Jenna Cottrell
No, like, if I.
Dan Fates
You're rinsing your food.
Jenna Cottrell
No, if it falls on the floor and a blueberry. No, I'm just eating it.
Dan Fates
Yeah, okay.
Jenna Cottrell
But like, if Zach's watching me, I might rinse it because he's just making again. There's times I'm like, we have a black lab.
Mike Catalana
And that's.
Jenna Cottrell
See that that's different because you have dogs.
Mike Catalana
Everything you pick up and it's got dogs.
Dan Fates
That's.
Jenna Cottrell
That's different.
Mike Catalana
Clean and clean.
Jenna Cottrell
We don't have a dog.
Dan Fates
First kid, I remember with Shane, if something hit the floor, it's like, oh, don't let her put that in her mouth. Second kid, it's like, yeah, now when
Mike Catalana
you send the dog,
Dan Fates
something falls in. Taylor, our one and a half year old, is gonna go eat it. I just give it to Ryan or something. It's like. That goes to show you, like, the evolution of, like, having kids. Michael.
Mike Catalana
I was gonna say I'm getting fined all over the place.
Jenna Cottrell
I'm a third kid, so maybe that's why. And Zach's the oldest, so I think maybe that's kids. He needs, like the fan. And the room's got to be dark to sleep. You put me anywhere.
Mike Catalana
Calling out, Zach, we gotta have him on.
Dan Fates
Zach's gotta have on the pod. Defend himself.
Jenna Cottrell
Hate to be on the pod.
Mike Catalana
No, come on. We need the linebacker on the pod.
Jenna Cottrell
No.
Mike Catalana
Need a linebacker. Y. Yeah, I don't think.
Jenna Cottrell
I don't know. I don't know if he's their guy. Okay. Great pod, Great pod. Last thing. So we were talking about this before. This was what Dan was. We. We decided to save this for the pod because I am going on a trip soon. And I got new sneakers for said trip. And they're really, really white. And I'm trying to break them in, but I feel ridiculous because they're so white and, like, shiny. I feel like you can't look directly at them. And I was saying, how. Why these?
Mike Catalana
Yeah, they're not so there.
Jenna Cottrell
They're so white. They're so white. I don't know. But I was like, oh, it feels, like, embarrassing to, like, break in new white shoes. And then Dan didn't know what breaking in new shoes was.
Mike Catalana
Yeah. First of all, you wear them around the house. Yeah. In case you don't like them. So you didn't take them outside so you can return them.
Jenna Cottrell
Yes.
Dan Fates
Yeah, I've never broken in a pair of shoes.
Jenna Cottrell
That's like, you just. You never even had heard of the concept here.
Mike Catalana
What are you doing?
Dan Fates
Yeah, there's been a lot of comments about my shoe game, and I never once been like, hang on, let me wear these around the house.
Mike Catalana
Where you were you giving yourself?
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Dan Fates
With the shoe game today, it's rainy, so I didn't want to wear anything too nice. But I was very self conscious when picking out my shoes today.
Jenna Cottrell
Really?
Dan Fates
Yeah.
Jenna Cottrell
But like the fact that the viewers
Dan Fates
are in my head.
Mike Catalana
Viewers break in shoes. They do, absolutely.
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
Mike Catalana
They break in shoes because they're not.
Jenna Cottrell
I just can't believe you never heard of the concept of it.
Mike Catalana
So you. When you're breaking in your shoes, are you also picking up food off the floor?
Jenna Cottrell
I think a lot of people probably, like, if you don't have dogs or. I don't have. We don't have dogs or cats. Something drops on the floor.
Mike Catalana
We clean all the time.
Jenna Cottrell
It's just say, I vacuum all the time. Yeah, the dog is tough when he's just.
Mike Catalana
Anyhow. All right.
Jenna Cottrell
But people break in their shoes. This is not. This is not crazy behavior.
Dan Fates
Comment in your thoughts on the bills, expiration dates, Eating food off the floor. Food off the floor.
Jenna Cottrell
Also, I'm not having, like, a meal off the floor.
Dan Fates
Janet just sits there, spills her plate, and Judge is like, I'll just eat it off the floor.
Jenna Cottrell
She's holding it.
Dan Fates
She's rinsing off pasta.
Jenna Cottrell
No, Whatever. You guys suck. Okay. All right. Yeah. Comment in your thoughts on all the stuff that Dan talked about. And yeah, if you do have a question for life advice, just send it in. Hey. Or no. Sorry, excuse me. Hey, buffalo+gmail.com. all right, that'll do it for us. For Mike and Dan. I'm Jenna. Please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe, and share. We'll catch you next time here on the Buffalo plus podcast and.
Dan Fates
Buffalo plus.
Episode Title: WHERE is the BILLS ROSTER after the DRAFT? Has BUFFALO 'turned' the CORNER + LIFE ADVICE
Date: April 30, 2026
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes
Theme:
In this post-draft episode, the Buffalo Plus team dives deep into the Buffalo Bills’ 2026 draft class, assesses the state of the roster, evaluates competition and needs, and provides their signature blend of inside analysis, humor, and some everyday life advice to close the show.
The hosts break down the Bills’ ten-pick, seven-trade draft weekend, highlighting excitement and uncertainty about rookie impact, ongoing roster holes, and how the Bills stack up in the evolving AFC East. They also reflect on front office and coaching decisions, gently challenge each other’s optimism, and wrap with their classic conversational, relatable “Life Advice” segment.
Immediate Reactions: The hosts express a mixed sense of optimism and reservation about the 2026 draft class.
Rookie Impact:
Defensive Overhaul:
Concerns About Starter Caliber Talent:
Scheme Changes:
Brandon Beane’s Draft Philosophy:
Coaching Pressure:
Roster Reality Checks:
Miami Dolphins:
New York Jets:
New England Patriots:
On Roster Evaluations:
Podcast Chemistry:
On Draft Buzzwords:
Topic: Expiration Dates: Play It Safe or Push the Limits?
Conversational, knowledgeable, occasionally irreverent, and always infused with humor. The hosts are candid about both the Bills and themselves, inviting listeners into both insider football talk and the quirks of their personal lives.
The Buffalo Plus crew finds the Bills’ 2026 draft class encouraging but not an immediate fix, expressing hope in the new coaching staff’s capacity to develop young talent and urgency with the franchise’s championship window. Meanwhile, the rest of the AFC East isn’t standing still, adding more pressure. The episode ends with memorable, light-hearted banter about real-world household debates, giving listeners both football insight and laughs.
Memorable Quote:
“Everybody likes the picks until they're players. And then you could like the players until they actually play.” – Dan Fates (04:44)