Olean Times Herald

‘And though “camp” begins today, it’s a bit of a misnomer. Players report for Covid-19 testing and physicals and McDermott will not be available to the media until Sunday as there’s really nothing to report.’

‘“That’s key to our success, player-driven leadership that you’ve heard me talk about before,” McDermott said. “For me to sit up here and bang the podium with not enough player leadership is not going to get us where we need to be and the players are aware of that.”’

‘But the reality is, it’s long been accepted that two exhibitions is plenty. As it is now, starters play only one or two series in the preseason opener and not at all in the finale.’

‘The Bills were listed at 13/10 odds to end that streak this coming season with the Pats tabbed for second at 17/10. But with the signing of Newton, as of Monday, both Buffalo and New England are viewed as a toss-up to claim the AFC East, at 13/10.’

‘“Terry and Kim have, to me, modeled that they are committed to winning,” McDermott said. “I can’t comment on what goes on at the Sabres (but) I can comment on what goes on here and that is, I see every day, not only from what they communicate to me and Brandon (Beane, general manager) but also what they do … their investment here in the Bills (is unquestioned). They are committed to winning and that’s really all I can go off of is my experience.”’

‘Yet I know full well, in buying the Bills and Sabres, the teams of which he was a lifelong fan, he felt he was doing absolutely the right thing for Western New York.’

‘“That’s the goal every week,” Daboll said of increased scoring. “Offensive football is assignment football and execution football. You have to get as many reps as you can to perfect the craft you need.”‘

‘Of Allen, specifically, Daboll said, “He’s our quarterback, but you can’t force leadership. You can improve it. You can learn about it. You can grow from it. But Josh has innate leadership qualities that guys gravitate towards, and he understands his role on the team … being one of the guys, being there for the players around him, helping them with the system, getting them together so that you can build that team chemistry, (it’s) not all about football.”’

‘“IT’S THE same in some ways as 2011 but it’s far different in a lot of other ways,” said Frazier of his first full season of his three as head coach of the Vikings. “We can communicate with the players whereas in 2011 you were slapped on the wrist if you tried to communicate with a player. So, if there is a better, this is better than it was back in 2011, especially if you’re a new staff. Fortunately for us we’ve been together as a staff now for the last three years going into our fourth season.”’

‘“For our team, and it may be different for other teams, we’ll start with rookie meetings just to give them their chance to get comfortable with their position coach and ask questions they had from the day before,” McDermott said. “Then, on normal days, we’ll come together in a team meeting format, or we’ll go right into unit meetings (for) offense/defense and then special teams.”‘

‘“We talk about leadership (and) to get the quarterback position to pull all that together and for the guys to meet them, I think it was outstanding and a big step for Josh and his leadership … just a phenomenal job.”’

‘“When you’re away, it just kind of frees you up a little bit,” McDermott said. “Specifically to kind of give you the look behind the curtain when you’re away at camp. I know myself, it’s a little bit of a different dynamic. When I go back to my room to go to bed, it’s just me. It’s not going home to my family … I think there’s a bit of a pull for husbands and fathers and that’s all good when home, but when you’re away it’s nice to have that.”’

‘“There’s certainly a business side where you add players to a locker room, six to 12 or more every year based on the draft or free agency. These guys know I love every last one of them the same and that doesn’t change, but it is competition. Part of the goal of competition is that it brings out the best in all of us. If someone was fighting to take your job, it’s going to motivate you to be better at what you do and develop a better set of habits.”’

‘NFL players can use Adderall for specified medical conditions, but only if they apply for and are granted a therapeutic use exemption. It’s not known if Oliver petitioned the league to use it.’

‘This has to be McDermott’s worst nightmare. Two years ago he admitted that the time he worries most is the six weeks when they’re on their own between when players depart from minicamp and return for training camp. COVID-19 has forced a longer period of distance from the team, and this was the result.’