Alright, welcome back to the Buffalo Bread Podcast. We're in off -season mode and Dan and I have our annual draft preview where we look at kind of what the Bills are hoping to do or maybe hoping to get done in a couple of nights here on Thursday night, the 24th when the draft kicks off in Green Bay, Wisconsin. How are we doing, Dan? I'm doing good, man. So happy that it is voluntary workout
time this year. Draft season is upon us. You can almost smell the apple pie cooking as autumn approaches and football season is trying to kick off. I can't wait, man. I'm so stoked. We're just going to skip right over summer. And in the north in the northeast, it's like the best time we have. But, you know, we'll just jump right to fall. Oh, oh, that's a hot take for me. Oh, no, no, I'm a fall guy. I'm an upstate New York fall guy. Summer is the best season.
I don't know, man. It's humid. It's raining. I got to mow my lawn. Give me the fall. Pumpkin spice lattes all around for Dan. All right. So to share to share Well, let's jump into it and let's let's kind of start with Ranking where we believe the Buffalo Bills top needs are in this draft Where would you go if if all other things are equal if the board is of if every position is available What is your pick the position
wise for that with that 30th overall? You know, I've been saying this for a couple of years. I I understand what the Philadelphia Eagles did to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl was a product of just a vicious defensive line. They did a really great job. What was underrated about that, though, was the fact that there were just athletic freaks at the back end of that defense. And Keon Mitchell and Cooper Dijon are Cooper Dijon rather sorry. that we're just locking down
Kansas City's wide receivers. I am going to put secondary as my number one need. I know this is an unpopular prick with a lot of Bills fans that want a Derek Harmon or a Kenneth Grant, but for me, no matter the situation, we've seen this Buffalo Bills four -man rush struggle at many times to get pressure on opposing QB. Coverage
needs to hold up. I think the Buffalo Bills need to flip their approach get a bunch of freaks that can cover everywhere on the field and give your defensive line an Opportunity to get a sack as opposed to working at the other way around So I'm actually going CB man. I think they need some good cover guys some guys with some man traits But you know, what do I know I've only been saying it for three years and it hasn't
happened. So So I mean, okay, and this is this is where we depart because it's the classic question of what is more important coverage or pass rush,
right? And I think that the Buffalo Bills having only made two defensive line choices in the first round in the entirety of Brandon Bean and Sean McDermott's time on task tells me that Picking as high as they possibly can a defensive lineman an impact starter of which this draft Class has a number of excellent impact starters that you can get later in the round better than any recent memory of draft, you know, and for that reason, I think that, you know, the needs line up with
this draft class in a way where for me, it's defensive interior with some pass rush juice. For the Bill's Mafia out there who are like, I need a 350 pound, you know, guy, I need a Ted Washington. I need somebody who's a giant mountain of a man. I'm not there. I just need the best combination of size and athleticism at defensive tackle that you can get and I can make that work,
right? Like they have to have a pass rush upside because having picked Ed Oliver and then much later on Greg Rousseau at the end of the round, that's it for your premier kind of blue chip investments in the defensive line. And then you have others, you know, free agents all across the board, old vets, you know, picking up Joey Bosa, you've got AJ Appaneza, who was a later second round pick, like they just need talent investment in that first round. That's why it's
D line for me. And that could be edge or interior, but I prefer interior because behind Dequan Jones, it's literally, I don't know. Who you know Zion
Logue like who do they have? Yeah, I mean no one really with Ogden Joby being on that six game suspension right listen I I I think two things can be true and I agree with you that it is a Travesty that the Buffalo Bills have not invested more draft capital in the defensive line Especially after taking yet Oliver where they took him in it with a top 10 pick the year. He was drafted That being said though, they play so many teams, dude, that just, they get rid
of the ball so quickly. They're gonna play Cincinnati this year. Joe Burrow gets rid of the ball in two seconds. Tua gets rid of the ball in two seconds. We see him twice a year. All these teams that have not developed the advanced running game that Baltimore, Buffalo, and Philadelphia have developed are all leaning into this quick game as an extension of the run game, and for me, it doesn't matter how good your defensive
line is. There is no one in the league that is getting to a QB in under two seconds, so you need your coverage to hold up. And I think there's some defensive line prospects later on in the draft that they can get that will help bolster the ranks there. To me, if there is a blue chip dude at cornerback that has an actual athletic profile that the Bills have been afraid to take, I want them to take the plunge. I want them to do it. But I definitely get where you're coming
from. And I'll say this, I get where you're coming from to one of the biggest frustrations I have with... the Sean McDermott slash Bobby Babich defense is the rotation of defensive lines where they're like, let's have, instead of having four premier blue chip athletes, let's have eight mediocre people rotate 50 % of the snaps each. A lot of B plus guys. Let's have a lot of B plus
guys out there. It's a money ball approach. And so to your point and agreement with your point, a cornerback in this defense plays every snap. The 100 % snap guys are your starting outside corner. corners, and then your 80 % snap guy is the nickel with Tyron Johnson. And so I get the investment in terms of just a pure hours on the field standpoint, having a CB that you plug and play day one starter, much value in respect to that position. And further to your
point, there is a And to mine as well. There's a lot of depth at the defensive line in this draft. There's a chance you get somebody who is around not around one level impact starter on day two, but really a solid every down starter on day two Yeah, and the Buffalo Bills, JJ, they've got 10 picks on the draft. They have the most picks out of any AFC AFC playoff team from the previous year. They're going to they're going
to work. I would assume Bean is going to work some magic to get back up into the third round to regain that pick that they lost in the trade for Amari Cooper and figure out a way to have the Buffalo Bills get four top 100 picks, which would just further allow them to exploit some of that starter caliber depth that we both feel is sitting in this draft. I think we both agree on this point the Buffalo Bills just need dudes.
They need some studs They need some ceiling razors on this defense That is what Philadelphia had and that whether it was on the defensive line whether it was in the defensive secondary They just had dudes that could play football true athletes that could transcend the scheme and that's what the bills need Yep, let Josh Allen elevate Role players on offense and invest to make to have difference makers on defense That's what this that's what the theme of the draft
if I had to nail down what I hope the theme for This team is it's it's that all right, man. I love it So where do you want lower? Do you want to start because the bills are gonna pick here at number 30 this year? They don't have a third round pick. They've got two picks in the second round 56 and 62 Correct. Which so let's start with you. Let's start with your ideal. Let's call it dream scenario. So it would be defensive
line. Who are some of those guys that you would want to target if the board fell the way that you hope it falls, assuming the bills don't make a trade up? Yeah. So for me, one of these four players, one of these five players falling to the bills in that bottom of the first round of the defensive line. Donovan Iziraku from Boston College who's a non -traditional body type for the Bills. pound, you know, edge setter who can maintain in the run and then have some pass rush
upside. That's not Donovan Izoraku. He's like 6 '2, 240. And so he has much more of an outside linebacker in a 3 -4 scheme body type. But the Bills have shown with the signing of Von Miller, they're willing to kind of play in that field. So Donovan Izoraku, I think he has one of the most natural pass rushers and he has the bend the edge ability that you like The Bills have not had on their team other than the first four games or whatever when Von Miller came over.
Michael Williams, I think is also excellent. Nick Scowerton out of Texas A &M has the body type. Those are the edges I would consider at 30. So those three edges are there for me. I'm out on Shamar Stewart. I just don't think that, and I know you're out too, somebody who has those incredible Miles Garrett level athletic measurables, but wasn't able to turn that into production in either tackles for loss or sacks in the college level. I don't think they're going to be able
to find that in the NFL. We might be totally wrong, but I just don't I don't buy it. If he gets drafted by the Eagles, he will. Well, that's the thing is like he's got the athletic skills to clean up sacks that other people, you know, create from their pressures. That's possible. But the Bills don't have that line. So I'm out on him for the Bills and then for the defensive tackles. And these are my two my two sort of dream scenarios. Kenneth Grant and Derek Harmon.
God, either one of those. Give me one of the two of those honorable mention to Walter Nolan. I just really like the way he plays. He's got a hot motor. Doesn't give up on plays, but you know, I wouldn't. I think they'd be overdrafting him if they took him at the end of the first. I think so. I think so. I think Walter Nolan. Yeah. I mean, I've seen some some mocks, you know, it's guest season where he's like going as high as 24. But I think that's a little bit
of an overdraft. So those are my that's my like dream scenario for the first round is one of those five or six players. And, you know, to your preference, if Jaday Baron or Will Johnson or Trey Amos are there, then I'm like really conflicted. Yes, based on should. Yeah. If if they're there and Kenneth Grant and Derek Harmon
are gone, I'm probably going to flip to CB. Yeah, I mean and if any one of them three is there dude Trey Amos 61 195 has the arm length the intelligence the zone capabilities of the bills look for and he has legitimate Polish with man technique as well. I would love it if this dude fell to the bills I've seen him mocked a couple
of times at pick 30 to the bills. I think out of all the CBs I think the bills would really like a guy like Trey Amos and I think sneakily Jade Baron out of Texas I agree with you if he's sitting there at 30 Here's what he doesn't give you right away He is not like a lockdown outside corner. This is this. This dude is this year's Brian Branch. Right. Weiner. He's a little bit of a tweener. But, dude, Bobby Babich would have an opportunity to do some super sick things with
Baron in the mix. And he gives us a legitimate successor, pending what Taquan Hardy, you know, ends up being able to do in OTAs and training camp this year. He gives us a legitimate. A plus successor to Taryn Johnson, which I love Taryn Johnson. We all love Taryn Johnson. That dude throws around his 511 frame with a reckless a recklessness that Josh Allen throws around his 6 -5 frame You know what I mean and 511 don't
hold up the same as 6 -5. I said some injuries He's entering his year 29 season I have seen that dude and run fits disappear into piles of men twice his size and I find myself holding my breath hoping he will come out of it he just has a lot of tread on the tires and if you can
get a guy like Baron with the 30th pick. Not only is there some immediate fun dime package stuff that Babich can do with both Taron Johnson and Baron on the field at the same time, but you shore up what is an insanely important position for you for the long term and finding your replacement for Johnson. So dude, if Baron's there, I love it. Staying on the cornerback kick. We talked about Baron. We talked about Amos. Siobhan Ravel is a dude who a lot of Bills fans have been tracking.
pending what his health outlook looks like. If he can keep that four, three speed with that six, two, 200 pound frame, this is a dude that translates to zone, has real man capabilities, and you can grow into your system in a way that's gonna make him a legitimate outside corner. So I like him there at 30 as well. Let's say all these guys are gone and the Buffalo Bills are forced to go either defensive back more generally.
Or they go defensive line, which I agree with you is a big need here I'm looking I'm looking at a guy like Malachi Starks who for me it would be the dream of dreams of Starks falls to 30 He can do all the stuff that Micah hide could do. He will allow Cole Bishop and Taylor rap to play closer to the line of scrimmage, which
is their comfort zone. It feels like a bit of an excess at 30 when you've already brought in Forest, you've resigned Hamlin, you have Rap, you have Bishop, but Malachi Starks is really the piece. that sets that center fielder need to rest for the Buffalo Bills in the safety room. And if a dude of that caliber falls to 30, I'm hopping all over that. And then defensive line. I mean, I think we both agree. I've got Derek
Harman slightly above Kenneth Grant. I know a lot of Bills mafia are hoping for Kenneth Grant
at this point because he is the big. Body guy that can eat up double teams can free up at Oliver But dude when it comes to pure pass rust situations if Derek Harmon is there and you're talking about third and eight Third and nine where the Buffalo Bills had an issue getting off the field last year You get immediate pocket compression teaming up Harmon and at Oliver together And I just love that pick and then I think this is probably a little rich for pick 30 But I love to leak Williams
out of Ohio State. He's another big body dude six three, pushing 329, maybe 330, depending on where the scales are at that day. But he's another dude who kind of fills that Jordan Phillips type of role and can be a really solid backup to Dequan Jones. Yeah, I like Tyler Williams. I think they'd be overdrafting to pick him at 30. And it would really be a situation that I'd be taking him if nothing else was available and the CBs were not the impact players. I agree
completely on Malachi Starks. It would be kind of a departure from a need, but. His value is so high that it would be it'd be like passing on who was the the safety out of Notre Dame that the Yeah, it'd be like passing on Kyle Hamilton dropping right? Yeah, you'd be passing on somebody who's like an actual difference maker who fell kind of to a place on the board that you were
not expecting them. And it is, again, a deep draft for the defensive line, the kind of draft that if some of the key starter contributors are gone, you just wait because your next tier, the next shelf of players you have is in the second round anyway, where you have two picks. You know, if you can't get one of those top tier players and Malachi Starks is available because,
yeah, I agree. Investing for the Bills in the safety position with a young talent who's going to be available on a cheap rookie deal for four years. That's, that's too important to this to the Sean McDermott defense and the Bobby Babich defense to not to not take that. Yeah, dude. What are your thoughts on Nick M and worry because he's a dude who's likely going on the first round. The athletic profile jumps off the page. Oh, yeah. Six, six, three, two, twenty, four, three
speed. He's a ball hawk. Super intelligent. You listen to his teammates talk about him and he can pretty much fit any scheme. That being said, when you watch his film, there is a strong improvement in his play, the closer to the line of scrimmage he gets. And I think as freaky as he is athletically, he's already duplicating a set of skills that we have in Cole, Bishop and Taylor. Yeah. That's my problem with Nick Imanuari is I think that he reminds me of Tremaine Edmonds. He is an athletic
outlier. Like he is an absolute special person when it comes to his athletic, his natural athletic ability. He has to see it and react to it as opposed to somebody like a Matt Milano who isn't an outlier special case physically. but has an intuition, you know, piles upon piles of intuition. That's also the difference for me with Malachi -Starks and Nick Imanwari is like Malachi -Starks has like the actual instincts that I look for in defensive kind of impact player. And I think
even the safety from Notre Dame this year. Xavier Watts. Yeah, Xavier Watts also has those instincts. without the athleticism, like his athleticism is not great comparatively. Of course, Nicky Manuari was like basically setting all of the records for DB's. And so I don't, yeah, I don't see the fit for what the Bills need. I think that they could make it work if he was the best player available because I still think he's a
first round talent. Just don't know that he's what he's not the player they need in that position because I also think Tremaine Edmonds was a first -round talent and I don't think that was a bad pick when they took it and you know, he put in his time, he was leading tackler on the team for four years, never was like a huge splash play guy. That's sort of how I feel about Nicky Manoir. He'd probably be a good pro and a reliable starter, but I don't think he'd be like a major
change maker on the defense. What about Mike Green? Because I noticed you left him off your edge rusher list. What do you think about Mike Green out of Marshall? Led the FBS this year in sacks. He's got that similar kind of lighter profile, more But dude, I watch this film. I
know there's all field issues. I watch this film and he just has a a ready -made set of moves to win at the point of attack that I think I think he translates into the league like Michael Parsons translate translate into the league That's that's that's heavy praise. He he has comply. Yeah No, I know you can play. I know he led FBS in sacks. He the off field issues are a little bit. Was he the one who was just arrested like somebody was just arrested? That wasn't him.
That was one of the Georgia kids. I think that was was that Mikel Williams? Oh, maybe somebody. One of the edges. It was it was a Georgia player. Oh, was it a Georgia player got arrested? I want to. Damn, dude. No, and that's just looking at the facts. There was a meme or something I saw on the Twittersphere X or whatever and it was like George's alternative uniforms and it was a jumpsuit, like a prison jumpsuit. They've had a lot of people get arrested. That is not an
untrue thing to say. Mike Green, I do like his game. I worry a little bit about how it translates to the NFL because I don't think he is an absolute outlier athletically. His speed and he does have bend, but to me it looks like college bend, not NFL. You know what I mean? For me to watch a defensive end in college and feel like they're going to make that kind of massive jump to the NFL and be able to translate it onto the field
against bigger, longer tackles. That's the biggest thing is like college tackles aren't six, seven with 36 inch arms. Like not you, not always. And it's pretty rare those ones get drafted. And that's that's a smaller percentage of the offensive lineman. So that was my thing was watching Mike Green. I think it was he made a lot of really, really mediocre to poor offensive lineman look terrible. And I worry that that wouldn't be as
effective. And I think that the last year draft pick that they made out of TCU, no. Who did they pick up in the fifth round last year? Javan Solomon. Javan Solomon. Javan Solomon has a little bit of that. Out of Troy. Yeah, out of Troy, you're right. Has a little bit of Mike Green. Mike Green's a better athlete. Javan Solomon in a bigger athlete. But Javon, I feel the same that like, oh, I see the skills and I see the like instincts and it looks good and the moves are, the hand fighting
is good, the moves are there. I just, I think it would be a project a little bit. Yeah, fair enough. Is there a position, not necessarily a player, but is there a position outside of edge? Interior defensive line and cornerback. Let's say DB right quarterback safety Is there a position outside of those three or four that would surprise you if the bills went to it number 30? Yeah, yeah, so I there it's lion season,
right? So take this with a grain of salt, but there has been reputable NFL reporters saying that the bills are potentially looking at Linebacker with one of their topics. How do you feel about this scenario? I think that's I think that's a smoke screen. Because like, here's what we have. So the Bills have just locked up Terrell Bernard long term. So they have their like defensive signal caller center, you know, center fielder in the second, second level of the defense. Matt
Milano restructured his deal. He's he's over 30 and he restructured his deal to go into free agency after this coming season. And then, you know, they have Dorian Williams, who. looked better and better as the year went on last year. And so he I believe is kind of the heir apparent. They drafted the linebacker at a Fuon Olifosio out of Washington out of Washington last year.
Unimpressive a question right like unimpressive So I can I can actually I can absolutely see linebacker being a need in this lead or in this draft I don't see it happening because the linebacker class is kind of weak Before the fourth round I think that they will make a pick at linebacker, but I don't think it's gonna be before the fourth round Poo Paul is Maybe a third rounder Chris Paul Chris Paul Jr. out of Mississippi. Yes. He's maybe a third rounder. That's the picture.
And they've shown interest. He came on a visit. That's the kind of player I could see with that kind of coverage linebacker, speedy receiver, out of the slot, stifler. I could see coming in the third round if the Bills are able to trade back or trade into with some of their fourth and fifths to grab. Yeah. Fair enough. Any other positions that would surprise you? They're not taking an offensive lineman. No, they're not taking an offensive lineman. They're pretty stacked
an offensive lineman. They're not taking a running back anywhere in the top three rounds. Wouldn't that be a message to send to James Cook? Well, I was just actually texting with my nephew about the bills, the upcoming draft plans. And I said, if the bills select a running back above the
fifth round. James cook will be traded either on draft weekend or shortly after I Mean even even if yeah, I don't think they're going to either but it's a really deep running back class I do think they're gonna splash a picket running back. Do you think so? I think they are. Yeah, and I've held this belief even before James cook made his 15 million dollar Instagram demand.
It's just it's such a deep class They are always splashing at this position in the draft be be it and UDFA territory or late round picks and with a class this deep and And cook going into a contract year. I there's no way they pass on somebody So I think they absolutely spend a fourth or even a fifth at some point on a running back wide receiver would actually surprise me if they went first round depending on who is on the board. I think we all assume Travis Hunter will be gone.
We all assume Matthew Golden will be gone. And then beyond that, I'm not really invested necessarily in like a Luther Burden in the first round. The kid out of Ohio State. Amika Ibuka. I'm not really. I'm not really interested in him. I think it's a duplicative skill set with with Shakir. Yeah, right. We just we have a lot of slot guys. We need a dominant dude on the outside. Maybe Ken Coleman's that. But I would be really shocked if they went like with a Jaden Higgins, for example,
or a Jalen Royals at Pick 30. I would also. Not I would also not be surprised if they traded out of the first round depending on how the board fell If you still have like a Jackson dart sitting there at 30 You've got a Jalen Milro sitting there at 30 and you've got a team like Cleveland or you've got a team like the Giants New Orleans or New Orleans who pick early on in the second round and they want to jump at one of those guys I could see the bills moving for for for the
right deal Doing a pick -swap for a fourth and a third and then trading down to the second round I could see them doing that. Yeah, and I think that's actually kind of one of my nightmare scenarios is that they have a situation where there is not an interior defensive lineman, an edge, or a CB that they consider an impact starter day one. and they have to trade out because that's
really that's really it for me. If none of those three positions are available and they that they could look at and be like that is an 80 percent or 70 percent snap guy on the line or that is a 100 percent outside corner starter. They're going to go they're probably going to look for trade partners and there's probably going to be trade partners with where the bills pick and the quarterback class and people wanting a fifth year option. Yeah, without a doubt, without a
doubt. So that is going to be tempting for them. All right, you mentioned nightmare scenarios. I want to talk about some guys that we want to we would love to pick in the later rounds. But let's talk about first round nightmare scenario. What is your top nightmare scenario here? The top nightmare scenario is that the Buffalo Bills use their first pick on a wide receiver, and it's a wide receiver who has a similar profile
to. Similar to profile to Gabe Davis, where they get the body catching, you know, four seven speed guy who's just a good football player. Like that's my absolute nightmare. It's that or it's picking a offensive tackle because the value was just too big or picking a slight framed tight end. to be their third tight end because, you know, they don't expect to get Greg back. So, yeah. Yeah. Oh, man, that that would be malpractice.
I do think I do think they're going to splash it a tight end, too, because this is another really deep class. But I mean. Tyler Warren's not going to be available at 30. I'd be shocked if Colston Loveland is available at 30. Both of those guys, by the way, immediately would push Dalton Kincaid for starting reps. So Mason Taylor is a guy who's probably available, but no, I a tight end pick at 30. I think Buffalo Bill's fans would riot. You just got to see what
you got in Dalton Kincaid. And you got to give the kid a chance to play a full healthy season and see what he can give you. I it 30. I don't this is going to sound terrible. I don't hate offensive tackle like depending on how the board falls. That's not a nightmare scenario for me.
It's not desirable, but you're. With the depth of the tackle class, let's say one of the Josh's is available I'll say Josh Simmons or Josh Connerly Ohio State and Oregon respectively are available if they're at 30 and there's not an interior defensive lineman you love and you know that you've got a couple of picks in the second round that you can splash around in the secondary with Why not take one of those guys and hedge for the future? That is a trade -out scenario 100
% of the time. If you're bored, for me, if you're bored. For one of the Josh's? Yeah, for one of the Josh's. We love Josh's. Josh's are wonderful. We get this Josh thing wrong in the draft, man. Let me tell you. I know. No, but I'm saying like, ah, it's a trade -out scenario. because you would be adding to a position. You just locked up Spencer Brown. You just redid your left tackle in Dion Dawkins. You have legitimately two tackles on depth of your depth chart that could start for
any NFL team that needs a tackle. It's a situation where you have four players for the position that are ready to go today, and then you invest the best. the best possible dart you have to throw at an impact defensive player. Yeah, no, I get it. I get it. It would have to be a very specific scenario for me. I'm just saying it's not a nightmare. Yeah. OK. Yeah. Yeah. My nightmare scenario is the Buffalo Bills trade up for for with Cincinnati for Trey Hendrickson. Oh, yeah.
Oh, no. The way the bills give away their 30th and let Cincinnati come into the round to get 30 -year -old Trey Hendrickson. Yeah. No, no, no, no. The bills trade. Yes. Yes. What you just said. Yeah. They move down. Correct. Let Cincinnati come up, take Trey Hendrickson, and then have to pay him $27 million a year. Exactly. Yeah. That's not the scenario that I want to see happen. And I don't think the bills give up 30 for Trey Hendrickson. I mean, listen, again, it's lion
season. I'm knee deep in reading everybody's hot take about what the bills are going to do. Hendrickson is still sitting out there without a new contract and the Buffalo Bills giving up first round value, even if it's late first round value to an AFC rival for a guy who I get it. He's led the league in sacks the past couple of years. He was a guy that you and I were hot and cold on when he came out and free agency from New Orleans. But that's a rental. Right.
That's a rental. And at 30, you should be able to get cost controlled value, which is what you need when you've just resigned your star QB to one of the largest contracts in NFL history. Yep. I just I feel like at that point, the value is too high when I give up one of the second rounders for Hendrickson. Probably, but I still got to pay him. Right. And that's the problem with this whole scenario. Yeah, I don't think that scenario is going to play out just because
of the money of it. They just don't have it. I mean, they have some levers to pull. They could make that money. But it's all it's to do. That would be almost a saint scene type of cap management scenario. And Bean has never shown that he's like willing to mortgage the future to pay some guy a huge contract that you can't necessarily afford after the second year. Right. I mean he made that mistake with the second digs contract extension that no one asked him to including
Stefan Diggs, right? Yeah, and we're finally out from under that. So yeah, yeah, but that would be my nightmare scenarios They lean too hard into this veteran trade market and and they they pay a steep price I don't get the sense that the bills are feeling that urgency though, but that would be a nightmare scenario for me.
Absolutely No, I think it's different, you know if they didn't sign Joey Bosa It would be different if they didn't have a veteran Difference maker option who they're kind of betting on traits, you know traits wise and production wise they they do have that and so I think they're Probably a little bit more comfortable taking a flyer on somebody with a 30th pick Yeah, I agree. And again, you want that you want that fifth year option, which is so important in the assessment
of a player. It was important, so important in the assessment of Greg Russo. So, yeah, I'm all about this. All right. Who are some who are some later round picks? And it doesn't have to be specific in order of any round. But who are some guys, JJ, that are not on everyone's big board for the first round that you'd love to see the Bills target in their later rounds? I think that. Kyle Williams the wide receiver Is is somebody that I like I Really like Jordan Phillips the
good Jordan Phillips Maryland. Yeah out of Maryland, you know Because I think that he's got he's got all the things that the Jordan Phillips that bills fans are so familiar with has had But he's a plus athlete and he has more production. And so let's let's get the younger, hotter version of Jordan Phillips. And that's probably around four or five guy. Jamari Caldwell out of Oregon is a good defensive interior guy. I like as well.
C .J. West, Indiana. Somebody that I would take as well in the later rounds again These are kind of bigger plugger guys who don't necessarily have a lot of upside in terms of pass rush ability and skill But they definitely bring their chops with run stuffing and those opportunities For and I'm just talking like defensive players really I mentioned pooh Paul already Chris Paul jr You
know Kobe Bryant CB Kansas out of Kansas. Yep you know some people have compared him to uh who's the oh man who's the lat the kansas cornerback that came out a few years ago that's excellent i can't think of it oh god who is that same physical profile um Yeah, so, you know, I've mentioned in talking to you before, Benjamin Morrison, I think, out of Notre Dame has an excellent kind of pedigree and is coming off an injury. So you
got to make sure your medicals are right. But has the would have probably have been a top 15 pick if he didn't get injured and could be a steal in the two to round two, round three. Dorian Strong. Love that guy. Iowa. 64 200 pounds former track athlete former wide receiver He has the the hands of a wide receiver the speed of a traffic track athlete in the body of a linebacker Could could you get any better, but he's a first year star one year starter. So you're really kind
of projecting How about you? What are what are some of those later kind of mid third fourth fifth round guys that you think could be steals? I'm really I'm looking at Landon Jackson and Jada, Arkansas. Love that dude He's he's still putting it all together. You can see on the tape some of his disjointedness where. He is making a decision for what he wants his body to do, but he is not yet trained and polished enough
at the position to execute fluidly. Right. I think that's a dude that with some coaching has some really elite traits. Six, six, two, sixty four ran, I think, a four, four, six. That's funny. I want to say, I mean, this dude is this dude's wild or four or five, six. Sorry. We're in a four or five, six. We're still amazing. Right. For the edge position. This is a dude who a lot of Bill's Mafia fans really like to. I just think he is. We want to be the guys that
he puts it together with, right? We want him on our team when he kind of figures that stuff out. Sticking on the defensive line, I know we're going to argue about this one, and I'm totally fine with that. I'm ready to take your. Take your your your poison darts here on this one. But Dion Walker, I like I do. This year's Devon Drey Sweat to me. How much did we like Devon Drey Sweat and how many people missed on him because of the fact that they didn't think he
had to pass rush chops. Give me Dion Walker. Give me Dan Walker in like the fourth round. Right. We've got so many picks to throw away in the fourth and fifth round. Give me a dude who plays with a lot of speed. Plays with a lot of ferocity with his upper body. Yes. He doesn't have his pad level necessarily Right all the time, but you can't teach six seven and three hundred and thirty pounds You just can't in the
middle of that. He's a big block eating dude And I think if you can figure out some of his lower body mechanic inconsistencies You've got a dude who's gonna be a starter for a long long time My problem is exactly what you just said If you can figure out his lower body mechanic like at this point and he's he's 21 so he's still young I get that I get that but at the same time like the the question of if you can figure out his lower body mechanics somebody who's 340 pounds
Should not be getting blown off the ball when double -teamed like I've seen him get blown off the ball and double -team I'm not interested in big Big and athletic if you don't understand the mechanics of the position and that's I He is big and athletic and that's nice. He is He is just a mess when it comes to his hand fighting in the mechanics He's not he's not he's not terrible He's better at hands than I than I think I you know, I'd give him credit for His hands are fine.
It's really the mess that is everything below his waist. Yeah, it is definitely like driving with power. It's getting his hips under his pads. It's moving people off the ball and getting pushed. Those are big enough marks for me that I'm like, no thank you. Yeah, I feel you on that. I feel you on that. I do think there are a couple of need areas that we haven't really talked about that are sneaky for the bills. I think linebacker is a need. I think especially with Milano's pending
departure. And listen, there hasn't been a good linebacker draft class to come through necessarily in a while. But I do think they're going to take a look at linebackers with some of their later round picks. I think a dude like Demetrius Knight out of South Carolina. He's a bit of a tweener type. He's 6 '2". Comes in at like somewhere between 2 '30 and 2 '37". I think he's a dude whose traits they would really like. He ran,
I want to say he ran a 4 '5". He ran a 4 '5", which is great end -to -end speed for a linebacker. I think he's a dude that they potentially take a look at. And then... I think they're going to David Edwards played really, really well.
He's got a very manageable contract. I know Alec Anderson is waiting in the wings, but I think the Buffalo Bills are still learning the lessons from that Cincinnati Bengals game a couple of years back, and they're going to want to invest in the interior offensive line later on in this draft. I think one of their fifth or sixth round picks, I could easily see them take a project guard that they put behind. They put behind Alec Anderson. I think of a guy potentially like Emery
Jones Jr out of LSU and then. Bear with me. My computer is loading very, very slowly. Another guy who I think they they might take a shot on is. Let's see, where was he? He's the kid out of Kansas State. What's his face? Guard. Guard out of Kansas State like and he might be in UDFA territory quite frankly Where did he go? Oh? Here is Easton kitty I mean, I like the name,
but he's a 50. He's a fifth year senior. He is 64308, a little bit lighter than the Osiris Torrance type that they went through in the mall in the run game. But he's got some versatility to his game. I think you put him in that offensive system with Aaron Kroemer and Joe Brady. And I think is a due to if he adds a couple of pounds, could be one of those nice tuck them away off the UDFA list for a year and could be a guy that you want
to look at. All right, I've got a couple of linebackers that I like for the second round maybe the third round Maybe maybe one maybe Jeffrey Bassa from Oregon drops into the fourth round. That'd be nice. I like yeah, I like him He is he is basically this classes version of Matt Milano. He's a converted safety smaller frame smaller body but better athleticism than a lot of linebackers you'll see. And it definitely projects to be a Mike or a Will outside linebacker in a 4 -3. I like
Demetrius Knight. That was a good suggestion.
Carson Schwessinger at UCLA is a good. Coverage linebacker who will get washed out in the run game a little bit because he's a smaller frame again But what we know from the Bills is that they prefer to have smaller coverage linebackers as they sideline to sideline athletes They always talk about we need them to be coverage, you know coverage flexible first because the defense is too Variable to not have them be they they're never going to sign, you know a Patriots esque
linebacker who's just a downhill thumper. They haven't done that. Jack Campbell. They're never going to get it. They're never going to go after a Jack Campbell because they're they're ideal is that everybody can cover everywhere on the defense so that you're not getting killed in short passing. They they do not care about defending the run. Yes, we understand. This is Bill Spence.
Stop the pass and be able to pass. Yeah, and then another area look for me as safety I really I know we depart on this one, too I really like Andrew mccuba out of Texas. I that that dude just reeks of mycahide traits to me He's not the fastest guy in the world. He ran a he ran a decent four four four five forty The long speed doesn't necessarily show up on tape But the change of direction does the ball. The ball instincts are there. He's he's a project when it comes
to tackling securely in the run game. But overall, he's a little bit of a lighter dude. Overall, though, he gives you a profile in that safety room that you do not currently have. You've got a lot of thumpers in that room with Bishop, with rap. you know, jury's out on Forrest and his athletic profile, though it says plus rating to me, but you just, you don't have anyone that is elite away from the line of scrimmage in that safety room. And I just think Micuba addresses
that. I mean, I wouldn't hate Micuba. I don't, you know, I don't, I think he's, he is aggressive and his size would worry me a little bit with how aggressive he plays, you know. Getting in there and banging around is probably not going to go well for his size. Dude, Taron Johnson's made it for real. I know. That's true. Come on. Yeah, no, and that's fair. I think that, so I like a couple of, the problem is the safeties I really like in this class are box safeties.
And we have two box safeties already. We're set on box. Yeah. And so, you know, somebody like Jalen Reed, somebody like Jonas Sanker, you know, there's a lot of really good safeties that I think are but their profile is not so good. Sebastian Castro. Think is somebody who could be a deep
middle. Yeah, he doesn't have great athleticism But he reminds me a little bit of Micah Hyde in that regard in terms of he's not gonna be the you know, the guy the makeup speed but he just was really Intuitive about reading routes know where he needs to be and I very much like him to be able to cover the top in that way So yeah, absolutely. Yeah Buffalo are the Buffalo Bills gonna finally draft some speed JJ a wide
receiver? I don't think they're gonna again unless a Matthew Golden falls to 30 I don't think they use one of their top three picks on a wide receiver I think it's all defense all the time But let's say who's the kid from Virginia Tech, Jalen Lane. Let's say Jalen Lane is sitting there early in the fourth round and you've got the opportunity to trade up and get them. 5 '10", 191, ran a 4 '3", 4 '40". Is that the type of speed that
you want to say on this team? Is it Keandre Lambert -Smith, the kid who I've got on my list out of Oregon, ran another 4 '3", a little bit taller at 6 '1", 190? Is it Dante Thornton Jr. who people are comparing to who the heck was just traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers? Oh, oh, God. D .K. Metcalf, D .K. Metcalf. Yeah, people are comparing their body types and abilities. Yeah, 10. Yeah, Tennessee. Go ahead. You say your piece about
him. Go ahead. Oh, were you about to say that Tennessee's offense creates nothing but messes? How do you scout? I mean, we were both on the Jalen Hyatt bandwagon a couple of years ago. How do you scout anyone on that offense like I know it's a lot of repetitive nonsense routes. They're not running a pro offense. There's no route tree for these guys like All Tennessee produces are ridiculously fast, athletic wide receivers that have a massive learning curve
at the NFL level. That can't figure out a playbook for their life. Seriously. Yeah. No, I don't know. Isaac Tesla is somebody who's also a little bit fast. Round four or five. Savion Williams, I think, is his name from TCU. Yeah. He's a 4
'4 guy. Yeah, he's a little bit slower. From, in my opinion, If the Bills pick, if their first three choices, the 30, 52 or 56 and 62, if those three are defensive players and at least one of them is a defensive interior and at least one of them is a cornerback, they can use every one of their fourth and fifth rounders on running backs, wide receivers and linebackers. I don't care. Like at that point, I don't care. Like I just need you to fix your defense so that it's
not just Josh Allen score 50. because we'll never stop anybody like fix the defense with the first top three picks and then give me any throw as many darts as you want at a speed or speedier wide receiver who can be a field stretcher, because I think that is a component that's missing in this offense. It's been missing for years and we've been screaming about it for years since John Brown's first stint with the team. Seriously, man, seriously. Another and this is kind of one
of where I wrap it up. Voluntary workouts have begun. James Cook, no show. First thoughts on this and it's going to lead me into a draft question. But your first thoughts, is this a big deal or is this no deal that James Cook is not there? I think it's no deal. I think it's no deal right now because it's still so it's still so early. People will miss the voluntary offseason workouts for so many different reasons. Family events,
vacations, you know, weddings, et cetera. I do think he's holding out like he's starting a holdout now. Like, I think that's accurate. I think his reason, you know, he probably could have cleared a schedule to do this and chose not to. And I but I think it's no deal right now. Talk to me again once mandatory mini camp comes through. At that point, if he is still not appeared, it's
a big deal. Yeah, I would agree with that. I and I said this earlier on I think the bills were gonna splash with how deep this running back class is They were gonna splash a late round pick day three pick at running back anyway Is there a guy who you see in there on your running back board? That you would love to see the bills target on day three. I've got a couple in mind Yeah, why why don't you go first cuz I? I'll
fill in the gaps. DJ Giddens out of Kansas State for four speed six foot six one right around there about two twelve decent hands out of the backfield really kind of gives you that that James Cook ability to play the first couple of
downs. Trevor Etienne Etienne. Out of Georgia, you probably need to catch him in the third round potentially So he's probably a trade back into the round scenario, but four four two speed a little bit on the smaller side of five nine Pushing about 200 pounds, but listen man, Georgia program their guys catch the ball out of the backfield. They play with great speed. They hit the hole
quick. Etienne could be a really good fit. And then just from a pure speed standpoint, because I love a good four three time by Shel Tutton. Oh, yeah. Out of Virginia Tech. Dude, give me that. Give me that dude early in the fourth round and like let's cook. No pun intended. You know what I mean? So and yeah, that's the thing for
me is like. Bachel Tutin is one of those players that I feel like you can get in the fourth or fifth round and Could provide you the same kind of long -speed game -breaking ability of James Cook not to the same level I think James Cook is a really complete back He's just not reliable and pass pro on third down and I don't then I think the same is true for Bachel Tutin I really like Devin Neal who is kind of like Devon Neal reminds me of a more athletic Devon Singletary.
Like Devon Singletary was a fine start. He is a fine starting running back. Very capable. Yes. Could do everything you want a running back could to do with decent and not even exemplary blocking can turn every carry into a four at four yard game. Like, you know, like I think that Devon Neal is one of those players out of Kansas. You know, he's like six something and 200 pounds. So he can he could do the job. But yeah, Basial
Tutin is the is the player that I'm like. You know if you if we need somebody who's like home run ability that that could be the guy Mm -hmm without a doubt lots of options on the board man. I think to summarize everything Where the bills have set themselves up this to me is the draft year Where the Buffalo Bills have best set themselves up to draft best available player in an impact position The depth on the defensive line, especially in the interior, is still questionable.
But because of where the Bills have set themselves up in the first and second round with the capital they have, if Derek Harmon's not there, if Kenneth Grant isn't there, I don't want them stretching the 30th pick to reach for a guy who they might be able to get with one of their second round picks. Same thing with cornerback. The depth is a concern, even though Trey White is back. Dane Jackson is back. Neither of those guys are a liable outside option to me opposite of Christian
Benford, but they really help. You should Benford go down or should there be injuries that hit that room? But the bills have left themselves in a position where they're going to have options at 30 and they're going to have options in the second round, too. They have needs on defense, but they've got the draft capital to address
those needs early on in the draft. And then to your point earlier, after you go in some order of defensive line edge, DB do whatever you want do whatever you want address those three needs with your first three picks and then do whatever
you want right? Yep, and that's a credit a credit to how bean is constructed this roster in this offseason with again a limited amount of cap space Being able to really raise the floor and ensure that this the floor of this team remains 10 wins and competitive in the AFC's right pre -drift. Not a lot of other teams can say that Yeah, no, for sure. And that's kind of where I'm at. You know, now a couple of days away from the jet draft is fix your defense, do whatever,
throw some darts. Right. First three picks, fix the defense and then, you know, bring in a running back to challenge James Cook. Yes. Trade James Cook for a second. Oh, God. I mean, is that so? All right. So let's end on this race. James Cook, you and I have had this talk about do you sign him? Do you not sign him? I do. I believe if I ran the Buffalo Bills, I would sign James Cook with the cap going up to where it is. I would
do it, but I'm a fan. I understand that you can find replacements for running back, despite what happened with Derek Henry and Saquon Barkley this year with the with the incredible years they had for their new teams. I think that will continue to prove to be more of an outlier. And the fact that Nick Chubb. and JK Dobbins are still free agents on the on the running back market shows me that the league has not changed their perspective on the value of running backs.
So that being said, I feel like Cook will successfully play out the final year of his contract. He'll go get signed by like. the LA Chargers, right, or something like that, we'll thank him for his service, but then we'll replace him moving forward. I think that's what the Bills are gonna do, and that's why Brandon Bean runs the team and I don't, right? So what do you see the trajectory or the future for James Cook with the squad? I think
it's the same. I think that they've proven with Devon Singletary that they set their prices with running back, and if you don't take that deal... then thank you right like goodbye because I think that they see the running back position like so many GMs so many teams in the league see it is we can get by like as long as we have our critical needs on offense covered we'll find somebody to do that job right like it's more important that the tackles the guards in the
center are better than the running back because if those guys aren't good You're not going to get anywhere anyway. And so we've seen plenty of running backs waste the prime of their careers behind terrible offensive lines. CJ Spiller. Yeah. And we've also seen plenty of running backs in the league who were incredible, who left good
situations. and were terrible, right? Because Le 'Veon Bell is the exact example I was thinking of, is players who ran behind an excellent offensive line and were lighting the league on fire and then go other places, hold out, have all of these kind of things. I think that if James Cook played for the Patriots last year, he doesn't break 1 ,000 yards. He definitely doesn't get 16 touchdowns.
No way. Right. Like he gets four touchdowns, breaks a couple of long runs, probably a six or seven hundred yard running back with maybe 20, 30 more touches. Right. I just think that it's he's more of a product of the offense than I think than the offense is a product of James Cook. For that reason, I don't pay him 15 million, even though I projected that when, you know, we were on. I was one of the shout guys. Oh, I remember that. Yeah, you were like, yeah, give
him 15 million. They're like, what they left me out of the shop. But that's that's what he's asking for. And I don't depending on where the cat projects. I don't hate him in that number.
But I also understand that the bills because they have secured their guys at so many other positions with all of the contracts They've doled out their MO is they want to pay you Before you reach market value and bet on your upside Yep, and cook has probably already reached the point where he's at market value and as such too expensive for the bills So that's all I think it is. I
think he's worth 15 million dollars a year. I think any team in the league would probably his production is good if they have a solid line to get you 15 million dollars a year worth of yards and touchdowns and catches and touchdowns.
I just don't think that the bills. care about that value, knowing what they know about what their offense can do with a lot of different guys, including cheaper options like Ty Johnson, Ray Davis, you know, they had production out of those guys too, giving those guys more of a share of the touches, their production's gonna go up. Absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, God, I cannot wait for the draft. It's so exciting to talk
about this stuff. Oh, my God. We're back in a folks back in Buffalo Bills football territory for all of you listening at home. Thank you. As always, like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, YouTube, Apple and Spotify. And as always, go bills, go bills.