Archives for April 21, 2017

'The Dallas Cowboys, one of the NFL’s marquee teams, play only two games with 1 o’clock Sunday starts. The other 14 are either Thursday, Sunday or Monday nights or in the late Sunday afternoon national television time slot. Buffalo is just the opposite, playing 14 games at 1 p.m. Sunday … including all eight at New Era Field.'

'But the idea that the general manager, who’s closest to the scouting department and would seemingly be the de facto expert on college talent, isn’t part of a press conference dealing with the draft, was an unmistakeable snub of Whaley.'

'"We have to weigh all the opinions that are in the room and, certainly, Doug has great familiarity with the players because he's been looking at these players for a long time," McDermott said. "So I'm trusting Doug on that and his staff in terms of their experience around these players and what's happening on campus with these players over the course of the last one, two years, three years sometimes.'

'"Just like any other position, in order to do our job the right way, for us to just ignore certain positions wouldn't be doing my job, or" General Manager Doug Whaley "doing his job. We're going to look at every position, so that we know that 'X' player is sitting there, we know them inside and out and we can make a good, solid decision for this organization. Quarterback is no different."'

'The Bills have until Monday to make that call. The Patriots' offer is reportedly for two years and $6.4 million, with $4 million in the first year. The Bills last year elected not to match the contract offer to wide receiver Chris Hogan, allowing him to sign with New England as a restricted free agent.'

'"The hardest part about that is, with Sammy’s situation, is there’s not going to be much different physically because of the limitations with the injury for us to evaluate prior to the deadline. That said, we’re still going through that."'

'Seven of the first nine choices were defensive players. With no quarterbacks taken, I went with North Carolina's Mitchell Trubisky for grins.'

'In the schedule announced by the NFL Thursday night, the Bills play four of their final five games against AFC East opponents.'

'Since McDermott doesn't want to look ahead, we'll do it for him. Here is a game-by-game rundown of the Bills' 2017 schedule, along with a prediction for each…'.

'It's amazing to think Whaley is still employed and Murray is gone. Of course, Whaley has been diminished in the organization. From the day McDermott was hired, it has been clear that the coach's vision is now the one driving the football operation.'

'While this latest purge is a bold and warranted one, it surely doesn't paint the Pegulas as a stable sports ownership. Maybe they'll get it right this time, but it perpetuates the general dysfunction of their two major pro franchises and heightens the perception that they're over their heads owning multiple sports teams.'

'At 6-foot-4, Harvey-Clemons is massive for a safety. Because of that, he could play some hybrid linebacker. In fact, he's worked out at both positions for teams during the pre-draft process. Scouting reports refer to him as a willing, physical tackler, which is a trait Bills coach Sean McDermott has mentioned he looks for (what coach wouldn't, right?).'

'Kouandjio was found in a T-shirt without pants, but wearing underwear, wandering in a field after climbing over an electric fence, authorities said. When an Erie County Sheriff's deputy went to detain him, a police source said that the 6-foot-7, 322-pound Kouandjio yelled, "Shoot me!"'

'Dec. 27, 2016: With Bills playoff drought hitting 17 seasons, Ryan fired.'

'If the Bills are somehow in the playoff chase at this point, the final five games are going to be quite a test as they play division rivals Miami and New England in four of those games.'