June 18, 2025 • 24 mins
On this week's episode of Bills by the Numbers presented by FanDuel, Chris Brown and Steve Tasker discuss where there is greater confidence in the Bills roster now than heading into the 2024 season. They both share their thoughts on the biggest concern for the roster and who might exceed expectations and breakout this year. Steve is quizzed on Bills roster addition history in The Numbers Game. Finally, they give their answer to this week's One Burning Question - will James Cook have a new contract by the time the season begins?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You found it, Bills by the Numbers, where we let
the stats tell you where the Bills are at. We're
presented by a fan who will make every moment more
coming up. Where there is greater confidence in the roster
now than in twenty twenty four? And why where there
might be concern? And what part of the roster has
the greatest potential to boom? Steve has quiz on roster
(00:23):
edition history, and we'll have our one burning question ring
the bell schools out all right. Happy to have you
with us here on Bills by the Numbers, Bill's Wall
(00:45):
of Famer, Steve Pastor Bills play by Playmasters Brown here
with you, and we begin with where the Bills roster
currently sits now in between the close of spring practices
and the start of training camp, knowing changes will be
minimal during this stretch. So Steve in these three things.
Thing number one, what part of this team do you
(01:09):
have greater confidence in as they prepare to head to
training camp than you did last year at this time?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
And why I think for me that the ones I'm
most excited about are the wide receivers. Is the wide
receiver room now? Last year I told you before the
season I thought they were gonna score a lot of points,
and they did. Mac Collins overachieved, Khalil Shakir emerged, and
they got hit and miss seasons from Keon Coleman and Kincaid.
And I'm throwing the tight ends into that a little bit.
(01:38):
But you certainly got a great performance from Cook. So
the skill positions are great. But the wide receiver room
with you know, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Now, Keon Coleman,
you got it. He's been around the block once. He's
got a little bit of a pedigree now and he's
got some i think a higher level of comfort and
acclimation to the offense. He's going to contribute a little
(01:58):
bit quicker. But Curtis sam Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore
are guys who elevate well above the threshold where even
mccollins performed. Last year. Mac collins had a career year
for him. He was a journeyman when he showed up
last year and thrived here, no question about and we
loved him. These three guys, Samuel Palmer and more Samuel,
(02:20):
particularly if he stays healthy, they have potential to take
three guys beyond where mac Hollins was a year ago,
and he put keyon Coleman and Khalis Shakir on top
of that. They're a handful, and I think that's one
of the things I'm most excited about.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, I think you have more proven commodities there. Kali
is certainly a proven commodity. You're still waiting on Coleman
to reach his ceiling. But Samuel, now with a year
in the system and hopefully healthier at the start of
the season, produces more right from the jump. Elijah Moore,
in my estimation, is a proven commodity. Sixty one catches
in Cleveland last year with four different quarterbacks, and he's
(02:58):
been productive with two horrible franchises in the Jets and Browns.
Now he comes here, I'm expecting a lot out of him.
And then you already mentioned Palmer, so that makes sense.
I'll go I'm gonna pivot here, and I'm gonna say
I have greater confidence in the special teams unit, mainly
because of the coordinator at the controls in Chris Taber. Because,
as I've mentioned many times on our daily show One
(03:20):
Bills Live, this is the first time since twenty eighteen
that Sean McDermott has had a special teams coordinator who's
been a special teams coordinator somewhere else in the NFL before.
He had two brand new special teams coordinators the last
two times around the block with Matt Smiley and then
with Heath Farwell before him. And let's not sugarcoat it.
(03:41):
There have been some costly mistakes over the years, not
only in the regular season but in the playoffs as
well that have cost the Bills, and I think that
goes away with the addition of Chris Taber, not to
mention the fact that you have a nice young core
of special teams guys andresen Uleafocio cam Lewis as a
gun Codrington who established himself as a return man, even
(04:03):
though he's going to be part of a competition with
Leviska Chanlt, who's a nice addition. I even like the
undrafted kid out of Virginia Tech, Keante Jenkins, who I
think is going to be a awesome special teams player
as a hybrid linebacker type who's going to serve you
on special teams. So I really have greater confidence in
that group than I've had in the special teams unit.
(04:25):
In a long time thing Number two, where might you
harbor some concern with regard to Buffalo's roster heading into
training camp and the preseason and maybe need to see
a bit more to be assured of it.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
To me, it's at the same position group on the
other side of the ball, it's the DBS. There's a
little bit of a mishmash. Now you go down, listen
to DeMar Hamlin, Taron Johnson, Taylor rapp Cole Bishop, Trey White,
Christian Benford. All those guys have played for this team
and have you know or acclimator to the system is
the one who's the youngest. But all those guys have
(05:02):
started games for this club in the past and had
some success doing it. But then you've got Dorian Strong,
Jordan Hancock, the draft picks. You've got a lot of guys.
I don't know what that's gonna look like. Trey White, certainly,
I think in a perfect world is an insurance policy.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
And Max Harrison's starting right where.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Maxwell Harriston is starting. That's right. But I think for
all the pieces that are there, and this is exactly
the exactly the same reason I like the wide receivers
group is exactly the other reason I don't like the DBS.
I'm concerned about him. A lot of new guys and
with some pedigree. I mean, Maxwell Harrison's the first round pick.
(05:45):
He's off the charts athletically. Trey White comes back into
the fold. So you know, you put Samuel Palmer and
Moore the wide receivers, and it's like Trey White, Max
Harriston and Jordan Hancot, Dorian Strong, Brandon Codrington's a great athlete,
except he's a little bit tiny. Uh. I don't see.
(06:06):
It's harder for me. Maybe it was because of my
offensive background. Those guys need some continuity back there, and
the only one who's got it, the only two who
have got it is Tarran. At corner is Tarran and Benford.
Everybody else is new and they play five of these
guys all the time. The safety position, everybody's calling for
(06:31):
an upgrade there is Forrest the guy. I don't know.
It's harder for me to see the path to success
in that side of the ball. Maybe it's because of
my lack of experience over there as a player, But
that's that's my concern.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
I'm gonna kind of shuck your concerns down to the
cob here and make it simple. I don't think it's
that the Bills don't have players capable of filling those
roles and eventually excel. The concern there is how is
it all gonna fit together? You've got pieces of the
puzzle that you feel are capable of playing, maybe even excelling.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Who's the who's the starting five? Who's backing up Taron Johnson?
You know, Taron Johnson and Benford are there. You probably
know rap is one of the two safeties. After that,
it's a crapshooting, right you have, you have good options,
but how is it going to fit together? And that's
why you need to see.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You really feel like if Trey White is two years
pass the thing and still got some gas in his tank,
You've got three top flight corners in Benford, White and
Maxwell Harriston if he you know, is what they seems
to be. So you got three really big pieces of
the puzzle there. Taron Johnson right in his prime got
You've got a rookie, ostensibly a rookie backing him up
(07:47):
at the key spot on the defense safety. I don't know,
we'll see are they going to be happy to go
with Hamlin and rap again this year, or does Cole
Bishop take Camling? You know, finally finally get on the field.
There's some really good looking parts there, but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
The puzzle hasn't been put together. Yeah, and that's that's
the concern more than anything else. Finally, thing number three,
What part of this roster do you believe has the
greatest potential to boom and exceed expectations?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Oh, it's the D line, yeah right, Joey Bosa, Greg Russo,
Michael Hoyt, A J. Landon Jackson, and then down inside
I mean Dwayne Carter, Ed Dion Walker, T J. Sanderson,
(08:44):
Kon and ogun Joeby too if he comes back, I
mean you've got that's got a chance to like significantly improve,
particularly in pass rush with Hoyt and Bosa, if those
guys get on the field and stay here healthy together
along with AJ and Greg Russo. Who And I'll say
this about Greg Russo, he he has not been He's
(09:07):
made one or two. If you think you know the
tipped interceptions in Kansas City, you know that he's made
a couple of two, A couple of flash flash plays
in his career, but he has been unspectacular. But the
thing you have to acknowledge about Greg Russoe, every single
year he gets a little better. He never stagnates. And
(09:27):
the one year he has leveled off yet, right, he
hasn't leveled off yet. And the one year he did
kind of have a rook he was playing with a
high hand or he was injured. The whole thing he
has gotten better every single year he has played in
the NFL, and he's played a ton. So all of
those things mixed in is like, man, there's a chance there,
man if you like, if they get a spark there,
(09:48):
that could really turn things around for the entire squad.
I mean, you get a defense that all of a sudden,
quarterbacks don't have two and a half seconds, everything changes
for the entire team.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I would agree it's the defensive line that has the
greatest potential to boom.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And I think the reason.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Why is the collection of players that they have assembled
have finally given the Bills the ability to come at
quarterbacks in waves. They're not just relying on one or
two guys. They have the potential to come at quarterbacks
in waves, both on the interior and on the Edges,
(10:24):
and I am very bullish on Greg Grusso. I think
he's going to be a double digit sack guy this year,
coming off a season that very quietly he basically had
the triple crown on defense for this team. He led
the team in sacks, he led the team in tackle
for loss, he led the team in quarterback hits and bonus,
he led the team in forced fumbles. So that was
(10:46):
the quietest wired to wire leading season you've ever seen
from a defensive end on this roster, maybe this side
of Leonard Floyd. They so I'm bullish on that group.
And if they can find defy for those guys, and
we know the rotation and they can come at quarterbacks
in waves where they're never tired because they're rolling that
(11:07):
many quality guys through, you're going to have something.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
The thing about it is as well, I don't we
haven't heard about this, and nobody's really talked about it.
I believe one of the reasons this team likes to
run the football half the time in a league where
everybody else throws it a third of the it runs
it a third at the time is because I think
they want to shorten the game. They know their offense
is going to score a lot of points. They're very efficient,
(11:32):
they score on a lot of drives. A high percentage
of their drives end in points. They run the ball
to shorten the game, to keep their defense off the field.
Sometimes I think they really feel like it. And I
think Sean McDermot says, our defense is going to get
some benefit over having a ball control offense. Instead of
going out and scoring three touchdowns in the first half
or four touchdowns in the first half, let's score three
(11:52):
and only give them three chances to score, you know,
three drives kind of thing. I think part of that
is a you know, that complimentary football philosophy they have,
and I think that is a necessity. When you've got
a defense that struggles to stop teams on third down,
you know they're gonna give up some double digit play
(12:14):
drives during the game, whether you can get them off
the field or whatever. The Bills were very good and
still are very good at turning the ball over, have
been for five years, so that's may not go away.
But if you can give just one more facet of
their defense that isn't playing at a much higher level,
like the D line, I think that ripple effect goes
all the way to the other side of the ball.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Oh yeah, we pivot now to the numbers game, where
Steve will be quizzed on roster addition history. Let's do it.
Question number one. This off season, the largest free agent
contract in terms of total dollars was signed by Joshua Palmer,
who had the largest free agent contract for the Bills
(12:58):
last off season, Steve and terms of total dollars who
had last year? Who had the largest free agent contract
for the Bill's last off season in terms of total
dollars this year was Joshua Palmer. Who was it last year?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Curtis Samuel, You are correct?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Three years, twenty four million dollars. Day, Well, we yes,
we have mentioned it a few times, so well done.
Wanted for one.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I was a little bit, you know, throwing a dart there,
but I hit the board.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Question two. This off season, the Bills traded kye Elm
to the Dallas Cowboys. Which two players did Buffalo trade
last off season?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Trey White White I just released him. Uh wow, that's it.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
One is obvious, don't know say that? Well, you'll kick
yourself if you don't get the big one. The other
one's a little more obscure.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
It was a baits.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Ryan Bates was the more obscure one.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Yeah you got that. I'm gonna say, oh, Steph.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yes, Steph days, I got them both. Look at that one.
Two for two. The chance for the sweep is on.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Let's them go.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Question number three. This off season, the Bill signed three
receivers in free agency, Elijah Moore, Joshua Palmer, Leviska Channel.
How many receivers did they sign in free agency last
off season?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Free agency? Oh dude, there was a ton of them
because they had to fill out them. I mean, for
they had to go to camp with thirteen guys right.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Five, it was actually four? Do you uh? Do you
want to try to name them?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Okay, I'll try it. There's mccollins.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Correct. One was mentioned, Samuel.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
What I was gonna say, m m.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
M.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I'm gonna say, I can't remember the roster last year,
and those guys are they're dead to me?
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Uh? The well, one of them you're not gonna get
because he didn't even really last in camp. Quintes Cephis
and then Chase Claypool.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Oh yeah, the experiment.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah. Question number four. This offseason, the Bill signed two
players who had played for the Bills previously, Dame Jackson
and tre Davious White. How many players who previously played
for the Bills were signed last off season? There were
(16:04):
two players who previously played for the Bills that were
signed during the season.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
I'll say it was a Daquon Does that count?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Nope? A player that went to play somewhere else and
then came back for a second stint with the club. Now,
I will tell you upfront two players that were signed
during the season late in the year, Jordan Phillips and
Quinton Jeffers Jefferson who came off practice squads from Dallas
(16:33):
and Cleveland, respectively. How many players who previously played for
the Bills were signed last off season?
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Was Michael Hyde signed?
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Well, he was retired or he was out there, and
then he was only signed to the practice squad, not
the ends, and that was late in the year. Was
not during the Austine Not a bad guess.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
He didn't go with this player went else He tell
him that was a fantastic get.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
We're talking about players that went elsewhere, so, you know,
played somewhere else and then came back for a second
stint with the club. How many last off seasons were
signed by the Bills.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Two.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Actually one you want to try to take a stablish would.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Know I was guessing it. The two, I'll say, I'm.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Really I'll give you a hint. The persons still on
the roster. M h.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Was he on a practice squad elsewhere?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
No, he was on an active roster roster.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
All right, I'm gonna say, I'm looking. I'm looking. I'm looking.
I'm gonna say, I'm not gonna know. I'm not gonna
do it. I'm gonna people. Yeah, this is good. This
is a great podcast right now, I'm me sitting here.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Reggie Gilliam, Mitchell Tripisko went to Pittsburgh for a year
and re signed here the following year.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Quarterback.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
So that is the numbers game. You came out right
a house on.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Fire therero It always happens like that.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
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with FanDuel Official Sportsbook, partner of the Buffalo Bills. Time
now for our one burning question, what are the chances
(18:42):
that James Cook has a new contract before the season opener,
not training camp, season opener. Give me a percentage?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Okay, I'm gonna say, I think it's a coin flip. Yeah,
here's the thing. They when they had motor was here,
Devin Singletary, they let him play out his contract, made him,
they made him an offer, let play out his contract.
He went to free agency and hit the big home
run James Cook. I think they're gonna handle the same way,
(19:18):
except the fact that James Cook is way better than
Devin Singletary.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And proof of that was Devin Singletary. He signed a
one year contract with Houston for three million dollars in
free agency.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So yeah, James Cook will do better than that.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Yeah, I don't. I don't know that I would qualify
it as a home runlse.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Oh, I thought I thought he was with the Giants,
so he signed there.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
After he hit after the Texans. Yeah, so I'm and
even then that I think that was a one year deal,
maybe a two year deal.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
It's it's tough, uh. James Cook is a significant cut
above Devin Singletary. Athletically, production wise, skill set, the whole thing.
So but I still think the Bill's philosophy is what
it is. They'll make him an offer, a respectable offer,
but it's gonna be along the lines and people are
still shaking their heads of the Khalil Shaker deal. He's
(20:09):
getting thirteen million year, which is awesome money.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Well for the Bills.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
It is for the Bills, and it's good money for
him too, except that the market I mean that's middle market. Yes,
it's mid market money. But you can bet Khalil seq
is gonna see that money and more if he stays healthy.
So it's a pretty good job on his part. Running
Backs are different, though. I think the Bills will make
James Cook an offer and he'll have to decide whether
(20:36):
he wants or not. And that's the coin flip. You
gotta know. If James Cook, if you're James Cook, if
you play this year, stay healthy, you're gonna hit a
home run and you're gonna make five million bucks doing it.
Next year, you're gonna be maybe the best running back
available on the free agent market. What does that mean?
Is it gonna be significantly more than you're kind The
(21:00):
Bills are giving you now that will preempt the five
million you're supposed to make and give you whatever whatever
right up front and all that, and then the year
after and year after you gotta do the math. And
that's James Cusk can sit down and sit Will I
make more killing it this year at five million a
year and then next the next year after that and
the air after that, or should I take the bills
(21:22):
deal now, knowing that it's a loyal group, a loyal organization,
and also I got a good chance to see most
of the money in that contract, right, if I stay healthy, I'm.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Gonna put it at sixty forty. I'm gonna try to
say stay a little more optimistic, because I believe there
are ways you can structure the deal to make it
more palatable to what James Cook is after. Whether you
give him a twelve million dollars signing bonus and pay
him three million in base salary so he gets his
fifteen million this year, or something to that effect. I
(22:00):
want to believe in deep down, I think they want
to sign him. There's clearly a difference in value because
of the way in which they use him and what
he believes he's worth. I want to believe that this
is going to be one of those classic Brandon Bean
right before the season extensions that we've seen many times
(22:24):
over in years past, whether it's Spencer Brown, Tyler Bass
like run down the.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
List, Epanessa did they didn't think they did it, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
So I want to when they did. I want to
say sixty forty. But we will see.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
It's not a given soon.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I don't think, no, it's not. It's not just because of.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
The way the team handled the last running back they drafted,
who was just a round better, different but a different player,
different player. I think the team philosophy is what it is.
I don't think it. I don't think the players.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
And I respect that, but I will maintain that the
difference here is next to Josh Allen, he is the
next most dynamic player in your entire offense, and that
counts for something. How much we shall see. Our closing
figure deals with the number of first and second year
players on the roster from twenty twenty four to twenty
twenty five. In twenty twenty four, heading to training camp,
(23:13):
the Bills, not counting undrafted rookies, had thirteen first and
second year players on their roster. This year. In twenty
twenty five, Buffalo has nineteen first and second year players
on their offseason roster, not counting undrafted rookies, which makes
the number even higher. That's a seven percent increase in
youth on the roster. Doesn't sound like a big number,
(23:35):
but it's notable. That'll do it for this episode. Make
sure you subscribe on whatever podcast platform you use so
you know when the next edition is out, because when
you need to know about the bills, you need to
check bills. Buy the numbers for Steve task around, Chris Brown,
Thanks for listening. We'll catch you next time.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Everybody,
You found it, Bills by the Numbers, where we let
the stats tell you where the Bills are at. We're
presented by a fan who will make every moment more
coming up. Where there is greater confidence in the roster
now than in twenty twenty four? And why where there
might be concern? And what part of the roster has
the greatest potential to boom? Steve has quiz on roster
(00:23):
edition history, and we'll have our one burning question ring
the bell schools out all right. Happy to have you
with us here on Bills by the Numbers, Bill's Wall
(00:45):
of Famer, Steve Pastor Bills play by Playmasters Brown here
with you, and we begin with where the Bills roster
currently sits now in between the close of spring practices
and the start of training camp, knowing changes will be
minimal during this stretch. So Steve in these three things.
Thing number one, what part of this team do you
(01:09):
have greater confidence in as they prepare to head to
training camp than you did last year at this time?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
And why I think for me that the ones I'm
most excited about are the wide receivers. Is the wide
receiver room now? Last year I told you before the
season I thought they were gonna score a lot of points,
and they did. Mac Collins overachieved, Khalil Shakir emerged, and
they got hit and miss seasons from Keon Coleman and Kincaid.
And I'm throwing the tight ends into that a little bit.
(01:38):
But you certainly got a great performance from Cook. So
the skill positions are great. But the wide receiver room
with you know, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Now, Keon Coleman,
you got it. He's been around the block once. He's
got a little bit of a pedigree now and he's
got some i think a higher level of comfort and
acclimation to the offense. He's going to contribute a little
(01:58):
bit quicker. But Curtis sam Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore
are guys who elevate well above the threshold where even
mccollins performed. Last year. Mac collins had a career year
for him. He was a journeyman when he showed up
last year and thrived here, no question about and we
loved him. These three guys, Samuel Palmer and more Samuel,
(02:20):
particularly if he stays healthy, they have potential to take
three guys beyond where mac Hollins was a year ago,
and he put keyon Coleman and Khalis Shakir on top
of that. They're a handful, and I think that's one
of the things I'm most excited about.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, I think you have more proven commodities there. Kali
is certainly a proven commodity. You're still waiting on Coleman
to reach his ceiling. But Samuel, now with a year
in the system and hopefully healthier at the start of
the season, produces more right from the jump. Elijah Moore,
in my estimation, is a proven commodity. Sixty one catches
in Cleveland last year with four different quarterbacks, and he's
(02:58):
been productive with two horrible franchises in the Jets and Browns.
Now he comes here, I'm expecting a lot out of him.
And then you already mentioned Palmer, so that makes sense.
I'll go I'm gonna pivot here, and I'm gonna say
I have greater confidence in the special teams unit, mainly
because of the coordinator at the controls in Chris Taber. Because,
as I've mentioned many times on our daily show One
(03:20):
Bills Live, this is the first time since twenty eighteen
that Sean McDermott has had a special teams coordinator who's
been a special teams coordinator somewhere else in the NFL before.
He had two brand new special teams coordinators the last
two times around the block with Matt Smiley and then
with Heath Farwell before him. And let's not sugarcoat it.
(03:41):
There have been some costly mistakes over the years, not
only in the regular season but in the playoffs as
well that have cost the Bills, and I think that
goes away with the addition of Chris Taber, not to
mention the fact that you have a nice young core
of special teams guys andresen Uleafocio cam Lewis as a
gun Codrington who established himself as a return man, even
(04:03):
though he's going to be part of a competition with
Leviska Chanlt, who's a nice addition. I even like the
undrafted kid out of Virginia Tech, Keante Jenkins, who I
think is going to be a awesome special teams player
as a hybrid linebacker type who's going to serve you
on special teams. So I really have greater confidence in
that group than I've had in the special teams unit.
(04:25):
In a long time thing Number two, where might you
harbor some concern with regard to Buffalo's roster heading into
training camp and the preseason and maybe need to see
a bit more to be assured of it.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
To me, it's at the same position group on the
other side of the ball, it's the DBS. There's a
little bit of a mishmash. Now you go down, listen
to DeMar Hamlin, Taron Johnson, Taylor rapp Cole Bishop, Trey White,
Christian Benford. All those guys have played for this team
and have you know or acclimator to the system is
the one who's the youngest. But all those guys have
(05:02):
started games for this club in the past and had
some success doing it. But then you've got Dorian Strong,
Jordan Hancock, the draft picks. You've got a lot of guys.
I don't know what that's gonna look like. Trey White, certainly,
I think in a perfect world is an insurance policy.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
And Max Harrison's starting right where.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Maxwell Harriston is starting. That's right. But I think for
all the pieces that are there, and this is exactly
the exactly the same reason I like the wide receivers
group is exactly the other reason I don't like the DBS.
I'm concerned about him. A lot of new guys and
with some pedigree. I mean, Maxwell Harrison's the first round pick.
(05:45):
He's off the charts athletically. Trey White comes back into
the fold. So you know, you put Samuel Palmer and
Moore the wide receivers, and it's like Trey White, Max
Harriston and Jordan Hancot, Dorian Strong, Brandon Codrington's a great athlete,
except he's a little bit tiny. Uh. I don't see.
(06:06):
It's harder for me. Maybe it was because of my
offensive background. Those guys need some continuity back there, and
the only one who's got it, the only two who
have got it is Tarran. At corner is Tarran and Benford.
Everybody else is new and they play five of these
guys all the time. The safety position, everybody's calling for
(06:31):
an upgrade there is Forrest the guy. I don't know.
It's harder for me to see the path to success
in that side of the ball. Maybe it's because of
my lack of experience over there as a player, But
that's that's my concern.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
I'm gonna kind of shuck your concerns down to the
cob here and make it simple. I don't think it's
that the Bills don't have players capable of filling those
roles and eventually excel. The concern there is how is
it all gonna fit together? You've got pieces of the
puzzle that you feel are capable of playing, maybe even excelling.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Who's the who's the starting five? Who's backing up Taron Johnson?
You know, Taron Johnson and Benford are there. You probably
know rap is one of the two safeties. After that,
it's a crapshooting, right you have, you have good options,
but how is it going to fit together? And that's
why you need to see.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You really feel like if Trey White is two years
pass the thing and still got some gas in his tank,
You've got three top flight corners in Benford, White and
Maxwell Harriston if he you know, is what they seems
to be. So you got three really big pieces of
the puzzle there. Taron Johnson right in his prime got
You've got a rookie, ostensibly a rookie backing him up
(07:47):
at the key spot on the defense safety. I don't know,
we'll see are they going to be happy to go
with Hamlin and rap again this year, or does Cole
Bishop take Camling? You know, finally finally get on the field.
There's some really good looking parts there, but I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
The puzzle hasn't been put together. Yeah, and that's that's
the concern more than anything else. Finally, thing number three,
What part of this roster do you believe has the
greatest potential to boom and exceed expectations?
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Oh, it's the D line, yeah right, Joey Bosa, Greg Russo,
Michael Hoyt, A J. Landon Jackson, and then down inside
I mean Dwayne Carter, Ed Dion Walker, T J. Sanderson,
(08:44):
Kon and ogun Joeby too if he comes back, I
mean you've got that's got a chance to like significantly improve,
particularly in pass rush with Hoyt and Bosa, if those
guys get on the field and stay here healthy together
along with AJ and Greg Russo. Who And I'll say
this about Greg Russo, he he has not been He's
(09:07):
made one or two. If you think you know the
tipped interceptions in Kansas City, you know that he's made
a couple of two, A couple of flash flash plays
in his career, but he has been unspectacular. But the
thing you have to acknowledge about Greg Russoe, every single
year he gets a little better. He never stagnates. And
(09:27):
the one year he has leveled off yet, right, he
hasn't leveled off yet. And the one year he did
kind of have a rook he was playing with a
high hand or he was injured. The whole thing he
has gotten better every single year he has played in
the NFL, and he's played a ton. So all of
those things mixed in is like, man, there's a chance there,
man if you like, if they get a spark there,
(09:48):
that could really turn things around for the entire squad.
I mean, you get a defense that all of a sudden,
quarterbacks don't have two and a half seconds, everything changes
for the entire team.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I would agree it's the defensive line that has the
greatest potential to boom.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And I think the reason.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Why is the collection of players that they have assembled
have finally given the Bills the ability to come at
quarterbacks in waves. They're not just relying on one or
two guys. They have the potential to come at quarterbacks
in waves, both on the interior and on the Edges,
(10:24):
and I am very bullish on Greg Grusso. I think
he's going to be a double digit sack guy this year,
coming off a season that very quietly he basically had
the triple crown on defense for this team. He led
the team in sacks, he led the team in tackle
for loss, he led the team in quarterback hits and bonus,
he led the team in forced fumbles. So that was
(10:46):
the quietest wired to wire leading season you've ever seen
from a defensive end on this roster, maybe this side
of Leonard Floyd. They so I'm bullish on that group.
And if they can find defy for those guys, and
we know the rotation and they can come at quarterbacks
in waves where they're never tired because they're rolling that
(11:07):
many quality guys through, you're going to have something.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
The thing about it is as well, I don't we
haven't heard about this, and nobody's really talked about it.
I believe one of the reasons this team likes to
run the football half the time in a league where
everybody else throws it a third of the it runs
it a third at the time is because I think
they want to shorten the game. They know their offense
is going to score a lot of points. They're very efficient,
(11:32):
they score on a lot of drives. A high percentage
of their drives end in points. They run the ball
to shorten the game, to keep their defense off the field.
Sometimes I think they really feel like it. And I
think Sean McDermot says, our defense is going to get
some benefit over having a ball control offense. Instead of
going out and scoring three touchdowns in the first half
or four touchdowns in the first half, let's score three
(11:52):
and only give them three chances to score, you know,
three drives kind of thing. I think part of that
is a you know, that complimentary football philosophy they have,
and I think that is a necessity. When you've got
a defense that struggles to stop teams on third down,
you know they're gonna give up some double digit play
(12:14):
drives during the game, whether you can get them off
the field or whatever. The Bills were very good and
still are very good at turning the ball over, have
been for five years, so that's may not go away.
But if you can give just one more facet of
their defense that isn't playing at a much higher level,
like the D line, I think that ripple effect goes
all the way to the other side of the ball.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Oh yeah, we pivot now to the numbers game, where
Steve will be quizzed on roster addition history. Let's do it.
Question number one. This off season, the largest free agent
contract in terms of total dollars was signed by Joshua Palmer,
who had the largest free agent contract for the Bills
(12:58):
last off season, Steve and terms of total dollars who
had last year? Who had the largest free agent contract
for the Bill's last off season in terms of total
dollars this year was Joshua Palmer. Who was it last year?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Curtis Samuel, You are correct?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Three years, twenty four million dollars. Day, Well, we yes,
we have mentioned it a few times, so well done.
Wanted for one.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I was a little bit, you know, throwing a dart there,
but I hit the board.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Question two. This off season, the Bills traded kye Elm
to the Dallas Cowboys. Which two players did Buffalo trade
last off season?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Trey White White I just released him. Uh wow, that's it.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
One is obvious, don't know say that? Well, you'll kick
yourself if you don't get the big one. The other
one's a little more obscure.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
It was a baits.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Ryan Bates was the more obscure one.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Yeah you got that. I'm gonna say, oh, Steph.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yes, Steph days, I got them both. Look at that one.
Two for two. The chance for the sweep is on.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Let's them go.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Question number three. This off season, the Bill signed three
receivers in free agency, Elijah Moore, Joshua Palmer, Leviska Channel.
How many receivers did they sign in free agency last
off season?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Free agency? Oh dude, there was a ton of them
because they had to fill out them. I mean, for
they had to go to camp with thirteen guys right.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Five, it was actually four? Do you uh? Do you
want to try to name them?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Okay, I'll try it. There's mccollins.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Correct. One was mentioned, Samuel.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
What I was gonna say, m m.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
M.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I'm gonna say, I can't remember the roster last year,
and those guys are they're dead to me?
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Uh? The well, one of them you're not gonna get
because he didn't even really last in camp. Quintes Cephis
and then Chase Claypool.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Oh yeah, the experiment.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah. Question number four. This offseason, the Bill signed two
players who had played for the Bills previously, Dame Jackson
and tre Davious White. How many players who previously played
for the Bills were signed last off season? There were
(16:04):
two players who previously played for the Bills that were
signed during the season.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
I'll say it was a Daquon Does that count?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Nope? A player that went to play somewhere else and
then came back for a second stint with the club. Now,
I will tell you upfront two players that were signed
during the season late in the year, Jordan Phillips and
Quinton Jeffers Jefferson who came off practice squads from Dallas
(16:33):
and Cleveland, respectively. How many players who previously played for
the Bills were signed last off season?
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Was Michael Hyde signed?
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Well, he was retired or he was out there, and
then he was only signed to the practice squad, not
the ends, and that was late in the year. Was
not during the Austine Not a bad guess.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
He didn't go with this player went else He tell
him that was a fantastic get.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
We're talking about players that went elsewhere, so, you know,
played somewhere else and then came back for a second
stint with the club. How many last off seasons were
signed by the Bills.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Two.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Actually one you want to try to take a stablish would.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Know I was guessing it. The two, I'll say, I'm.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Really I'll give you a hint. The persons still on
the roster. M h.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Was he on a practice squad elsewhere?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
No, he was on an active roster roster.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
All right, I'm gonna say, I'm looking. I'm looking. I'm looking.
I'm gonna say, I'm not gonna know. I'm not gonna
do it. I'm gonna people. Yeah, this is good. This
is a great podcast right now, I'm me sitting here.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Reggie Gilliam, Mitchell Tripisko went to Pittsburgh for a year
and re signed here the following year.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Quarterback.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
So that is the numbers game. You came out right
a house on.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Fire therero It always happens like that.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
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now for our one burning question, what are the chances
(18:42):
that James Cook has a new contract before the season opener,
not training camp, season opener. Give me a percentage?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Okay, I'm gonna say, I think it's a coin flip. Yeah,
here's the thing. They when they had motor was here,
Devin Singletary, they let him play out his contract, made him,
they made him an offer, let play out his contract.
He went to free agency and hit the big home
run James Cook. I think they're gonna handle the same way,
(19:18):
except the fact that James Cook is way better than
Devin Singletary.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And proof of that was Devin Singletary. He signed a
one year contract with Houston for three million dollars in
free agency.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So yeah, James Cook will do better than that.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Yeah, I don't. I don't know that I would qualify
it as a home runlse.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Oh, I thought I thought he was with the Giants,
so he signed there.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
After he hit after the Texans. Yeah, so I'm and
even then that I think that was a one year deal,
maybe a two year deal.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
It's it's tough, uh. James Cook is a significant cut
above Devin Singletary. Athletically, production wise, skill set, the whole thing.
So but I still think the Bill's philosophy is what
it is. They'll make him an offer, a respectable offer,
but it's gonna be along the lines and people are
still shaking their heads of the Khalil Shaker deal. He's
(20:09):
getting thirteen million year, which is awesome money.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Well for the Bills.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
It is for the Bills, and it's good money for
him too, except that the market I mean that's middle market. Yes,
it's mid market money. But you can bet Khalil seq
is gonna see that money and more if he stays healthy.
So it's a pretty good job on his part. Running
Backs are different, though. I think the Bills will make
James Cook an offer and he'll have to decide whether
(20:36):
he wants or not. And that's the coin flip. You
gotta know. If James Cook, if you're James Cook, if
you play this year, stay healthy, you're gonna hit a
home run and you're gonna make five million bucks doing it.
Next year, you're gonna be maybe the best running back
available on the free agent market. What does that mean?
Is it gonna be significantly more than you're kind The
(21:00):
Bills are giving you now that will preempt the five
million you're supposed to make and give you whatever whatever
right up front and all that, and then the year
after and year after you gotta do the math. And
that's James Cusk can sit down and sit Will I
make more killing it this year at five million a
year and then next the next year after that and
the air after that, or should I take the bills
(21:22):
deal now, knowing that it's a loyal group, a loyal organization,
and also I got a good chance to see most
of the money in that contract, right, if I stay healthy, I'm.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Gonna put it at sixty forty. I'm gonna try to
say stay a little more optimistic, because I believe there
are ways you can structure the deal to make it
more palatable to what James Cook is after. Whether you
give him a twelve million dollars signing bonus and pay
him three million in base salary so he gets his
fifteen million this year, or something to that effect. I
(22:00):
want to believe in deep down, I think they want
to sign him. There's clearly a difference in value because
of the way in which they use him and what
he believes he's worth. I want to believe that this
is going to be one of those classic Brandon Bean
right before the season extensions that we've seen many times
(22:24):
over in years past, whether it's Spencer Brown, Tyler Bass
like run down the.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
List, Epanessa did they didn't think they did it, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
So I want to when they did. I want to
say sixty forty. But we will see.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
It's not a given soon.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I don't think, no, it's not. It's not just because of.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
The way the team handled the last running back they drafted,
who was just a round better, different but a different player,
different player. I think the team philosophy is what it is.
I don't think it. I don't think the players.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
And I respect that, but I will maintain that the
difference here is next to Josh Allen, he is the
next most dynamic player in your entire offense, and that
counts for something. How much we shall see. Our closing
figure deals with the number of first and second year
players on the roster from twenty twenty four to twenty
twenty five. In twenty twenty four, heading to training camp,
(23:13):
the Bills, not counting undrafted rookies, had thirteen first and
second year players on their roster. This year. In twenty
twenty five, Buffalo has nineteen first and second year players
on their offseason roster, not counting undrafted rookies, which makes
the number even higher. That's a seven percent increase in
youth on the roster. Doesn't sound like a big number,
(23:35):
but it's notable. That'll do it for this episode. Make
sure you subscribe on whatever podcast platform you use so
you know when the next edition is out, because when
you need to know about the bills, you need to
check bills. Buy the numbers for Steve task around, Chris Brown,
Thanks for listening. We'll catch you next time.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Everybody,
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