Olean Times Herald

‘“You’ve got to have enough self-awareness to manage yourself. If getting notice was the goal (last season), then maybe we accomplished that. But if winning (it all) and the goals we had set up, we didn’t accomplish that last year. This is a new season, a new team, and as I’ve said countless times, we’ve got to respect the process and remain humble and hungry because if you don’t, this league gets you and it gets on you fast.”’

‘Fans are excited about Buffalo’s season prospects but also worried about how deep the intrasquad schism might be regarding vaccination for coronavirus. On the anti-vaxxer side is wide receiver Cole Beasley, one of the NFL’s most outspoken critics and, to a lesser extent, guard Jon Feliciano. The pro vaccine crew is led by All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs and defensive end Jerry Hughes. In between is the most popular Bill, quarterback Josh Allen, runner-up in league MVP voting last season, whose wishy-washy “more research” stance leads most to believe he hasn’t been vaccinated. Of course, that negates his ability to convince others to get the shot.’

‘From the start of camp, coach Sean McDermott has set 17 practices with the schedule from Aug. 24 through the final cutdown date (Aug. 31) to be announced.’

‘The Bills were peripherally a part of an impactful 1962 draft. That year, the NFL’s Washington Redskins had the No. 1 overall pick and chose Ernie Davis, the All-American running back from Syracuse, whom Buffalo selected with the fourth pick in the AFL’s first round. He was a player coveted by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, so George Preston Marshall, who owned the Redskins, an all-white team, and feared he’d lose the Heisman Trophy winner to the Bills, offered a deal. Washington would send the rights for Davis to the Browns for running back/wide receiver Bobby Mitchell and Cleveland’s ’62 first-round pick, halfback Leroy Jackson.’

‘Indeed the Bills’ home city, Buffalo, has been losing population every year since 2012 and now is barely 270,000 residents. And while many of them are fans, do they really care enough to fund a stadium that’s home to a member of one of the most successful businesses in the country?’

‘And though he presented his position somewhat ineloquently and probably didn’t “read the room” considering that over 70 percent of New Yorkers are vaccinated, Beasley has every right to express his opinion.’

‘“We’re just trying to be real about it and make sure everyone understands what normal is going to look like, in particular for those who are unvaccinated come the fall. (Still,) I feel better (than during last week’s OTAs) and feel like we’re moving in the right direction. The important piece is that we continue to build awareness.”’

‘Daboll: “Playing well is the biggest thing, but continuity and communication does help. You can have something come up from a year-and-a-half ago in a particular game when you made an adjustment and had a different call and you can draw from those experiences. It’s the same with a coaching staff that’s been there for a while … it’s different than the first year, or the second, when you’re just getting together. It’s the five guys (on the offensive front) who are playing the best and working the best together (who play).”’

‘“Each year he learns a little bit more about the system and we try to tailor the system specifically to him. There’s a lot of really good give-and-take between the two of us … things he feels comfortable with and things we can do a better job of. He’s the consummate pro … never satisfied with what (he) did the previous year.”’

‘“It was definitely a challenge to get to that first game (without mini-camp or Organized Team Activities) … what our rotation was going to be like, knowing we had lost a couple of guys in free agency in the offseason (including LeSean McCoy, John Miller, Jordan Mills and Charles Clay) and we had to replace those guys … how were we going to rotate going forward?”’

‘Predictably, she got a question about the team’s women fans. “When we’ve looked at this, we realize that our female fans don’t want to be treated as female fans,” she pointed out. “They just want to be included as fans. We’ve tried different things like ‘Football 101’ classes and they never went over really well. Our (female) fans just want to be engaged as a fan, not a ‘female fan.’ I think that’s the best lesson we’ve learned.”’

‘Of course, he offered a predictable response to how he assessed the team last week’s two-day rookie mini-camp and a similar length OTA. “It’s hard to tell,” McDermott said. “It takes time to really get a feel for just what you’ve got. Right now we’re out there in shorts, t-shirts and helmets which is not really football. I really appreciate the participation and the players who have shown up (but) we’re gonna crawl before we walk.”’

‘As of now, nearly half the league – 15 teams – has indicated it will not participate, though individual players from those franchises can opt to attend on their own. Among those declaring their non-participation are the Steelers, Browns, Dolphins, Patriots, Jets and Giants. Not among them is the Bills, which speaks to coach Sean McDermott’s skills in promoting a team-first mindset in Buffalo. His veterans clearly feel they’re part of a squad that has high expectations and are unwilling to appear as anything less than all-in.’

‘And, coming off a season in which they reached the AFC Championship Game, the Bills will tie a franchise record for national television appearances in the 2021-22 season with five such games and the possibility of a sixth.’

‘In fairness, of Beane’s 23 draft choices from 2018-20, 19 remain on the roster. However, only seven – Allen, Knox, Singletary, Oliver, Edmunds, cornerback Taron Johnson and placekicker Tyler Bass – are starters.’