Niagara Gazette

‘The knock over the past 20 years is that running backs break down early, and with an emphasis on the passing game, they are valued less financially and in the draft, with five backs taken in the first round over the last five years and six were taken in the first round in 2000. And in an attempt to decrease wear and tear, teams have gone to a rotation in the backfield, but it hasn’t lengthened many careers.’

‘Claypool is the most intriguing of the trio, given the early success in his career after the Pittsburgh Steelers made him a second-round pick in 2020 and that he’s still only 25 years old. The problem is that Claypool has floundered the last two seasons.’

‘One of the most stable rosters in the NFL was turned upside down, shaken and flipped back over during the offseason. There are still 16 spots left to be filled by undrafted free agents before training camp, but there’s an infusion of new blood that could create intrigue Buffalo hasn’t been accustomed to over the last few years.’

‘“He will have a lot to learn but we think his DNA, his intelligence, super smart by all accounts at Utah when we spent some time with him, our coaches did and this guy knows ball and seems like he’s a quick processor and understands that he’ll have work to do,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “… He’s going to have a hard time starting at the beginning of the season, but we’ll see how it all shakes out. We told him today, just learn the playbook, follow the vets and your time will come.”’

‘One of the top run defenders in the NFL, Rousseau ranked 10th by Pro Football Focus among defensive ends and 14th among all defensive linemen with a grade of 79.6.’

‘Jokes aside, the Bills need instant production from the No. 33 overall pick. Perhaps it’s unrealistic to assume he’s going to achieve 1,000 yards, but Buffalo can’t trade away Stefon Diggs and expect to survive without replacing his numbers in some fashion.’

‘It’s fair to feel tepid about replacing an All-Pro like Stefon Diggs with an unproven 20-year-old and maybe the decision will flop, but Beane’s track record shows he deserves the benefit of the doubt until shown otherwise. Beane crafted a roster that produced more wins (48) than anyone in the NFL but the Chiefs (51) over the last four seasons.’

‘The Bills are going to find out as early as the first rookie minicamp practice whether they made a mistake or not on certain players. But they took another step forward in accomplishing what’s necessary and that’s finding younger players who can produce at a cheaper price tag.’

‘Analysis: Coleman should slide into the lineup immediately and see a significant number of targets. Being Buffalo’s top target or gaining 1,000 yards might be a stretch as a rookie, but he’s not a player to bring along slowly.’

‘“Is he going to run away from people? Probably not,” Beane said. “It’s probably not his No. 1 strength. I think his play speed is definitely faster. We were able to get access to the GPS times. I would feel his play speed is closer to 4.5. Not 4.4, but plenty fast, separation ability, the ability to drop his weight … If he was true 4.4 game speed, he wouldn’t have been available.”’

‘It’s because the Bills clearly view receivers like most of the NFL teams: important but not vital. There was enough proof long before the draft, but the Bills put it on display again, disregarding the need to move up, and instead, trading back to get the guy they wanted in Florida State’s Keon Coleman.’

‘Beane has now made seven first-round trades in seven drafts since becoming Buffalo’s general manager, but for the first time Thursday, he traded back and did so twice. The Bills acquired the No. 32, No. 95 (third round) and No. 221 (seventh) in exchange for No. 28, No. 133 (fourth) and No. 248 (seventh).’

‘Most of Beane’s gambles have worked, with Allen becoming one of the top players in the NFL, while linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was a Pro Bowler with the Bills and earned a record contract with the Chicago Bears in 2023. Last year’s top pick, tight end Dalton Kincaid, looks worth the price, although the jury is still out on 2022 top pick Kaiir Elam.’

‘Buffalo could trade up to snag a receiver or trade down from the No. 28 pick. Here are some names to watch, regardless of where the Bills pick.’

‘“The draft here in Detroit is going to make a big step for us in making that old image go away and people having the new image of the city,” Gilbert told The Associated Press. “We’re going to be able to showcase Detroit like never before.” Green Bay, smaller in population than Buffalo, hosts the NFL draft next year. That should tell us something, a lot of somethings. Where’s our sports commission? What’s the status of our business community working with public unions and the area tourism agency to pull our NFL proposal together? Sadly, I’m not sure we’re anywhere near in shape enough to do such a thing.’