Archives for May 2, 2017

'"Taking a swing at this one given that Sean McDermott is installing a new system and may want a hand-selected linebacker at the center of it. Milano is the first linebacker taken in the McDermott era after the former Panthers defensive coordinator had a lot of success with another linebacker out of Boston College. One Northeast scout told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein that Milano reminds him of a smaller Brian Cushing — or at least plays in that mold. Can he put on some more weight and mix it up?'

'“Just having Leslie coach me last year and being familiar with him and the way he coaches and what he expects (made a difference),” Wright said to BuffaloBills.com. “He made that phone call to me and told me he felt like it’s a great opportunity for me to come here and add something to this defense. I trust in him and we went from there.”'

'Beane essentially started in the PR department for the Panthers and rose to his current position, including a seven-year span as Director of Football Operations.'

'All that tied together, here’s how some national outlets graded the 2017 Bills draft…'.

'Analysis: The Bills made a good move with the trade down and drafted solid players. This was a great draft for them. The Bills are a better team, especially with the additions of White, Jones and Dawkins.'

'If this strikes you as an ownership group (Pegula and his wife, Kim) that doesn’t know what the hell it’s doing, then you would be correct.'

'The Panthers would have a hard time keeping Beane from interviewing, assuming they wanted to. Teams can block front office personnel from interviewing with other clubs if the position is one that does not include having final say on roster decisions.'

'Wright was released by the Ravens on March 7, exactly a year to the day of him signing a three-year, $16 million deal with the team.'

'“I don’t think it helps anybody to be bitter or hold a grudge, but it’s going to be motivation,” said Peterman. “I’ll carry that with me going forward. As many ups and downs as I’ve had, my confidence always helps me power through tough situations.”'

'"During the draft I kept praying and talking to God, asking him for a chance to play ball at the next level. A couple of minutes later he answered with a call from the Buffalo Bills," Polite said in a Winston-Salem State news release.'

'Beane is immediately regarded as a natural fit to work with Bills rookie coach Sean McDermott because of their past ties to the Panthers. McDermott spent the previous six years as Carolina's defensive coordinator before being hired by Buffalo to replace Rex Ryan, who was fired in the final week of last season.'

'Wright, 30, is a seven-year veteran of the National Football League with tenures with the San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens. Wright has spent the past two seasons with the Ravens, playing in 23 games registering 76 tackles, 11 passes defended, and a forced fumble.'

'Beane served as the interim general manager in Carolina in 2012 after Marty Hurney was dismissed following a 1-5 start. The Panthers went 6-4 in Beane’s ten games in that position.'

'They set the Bills win total at 6. At first glance you might think "6? Sign me up for the over." How far of a stretch is it though to see the Bills win 6 games or less next season? It's roughly the same team as last season, but with a tough schedule. You're also not getting a game against New England without Tom Brady, barring injury.'

'So for now, Wright provides a much-needed depth role that the Bills didn't have previously. Though, in the McDermott era, every starting position will need to be earned — especially at cornerback, so you really can't rule out anything just yet.'