Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Dawkins and Milano are clearly two of the core players on the roster, and getting them signed and sealed ensures additional stability in those two position groups.’

‘“Each and every head coach in the league would tell you that to be a good coach is one thing, to have a good staff is one thing,” McDermott said. “But to have the opportunity to work with a general manager that knows what he’s doing and is at the top of his game, and being fed players that we can then mold and develop as coaches, it goes without saying that’s a critical piece of what we’ve done here and what we’ll continue to do, and Brandon has had a big hand in that.”’

‘The reliance McDermott and Beane have had on their days in Carolina regarding some of their personnel moves is not new in the NFL as many other coaches and GM do the same thing.’

‘Terms of the deal are not yet known, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the extension will run six years through 2025, a massive commitment to the 46-year-old.’

‘But with Fitz throwing for 369 yards and two touchdowns, the Bills put on a stunning rally culminated by Rian Lindell’s 28-yard field goal as time expired to slay the dragon 34-31.’

‘“Well, I’m not sure, but to be honest in Montgomery County, they have a no-refusal law so you can’t tell them, ‘No I don’t want to go to jail,’” he said. “That’s how it was explained to me so I don’t know. Maybe so, but the law in Montgomery County, I would hope to believe that whatever color you are, you’re going to jail. I was on the way to my house and not expecting to be arrested. You never know, you can be doing anything and life could just hit you.”’

‘Oh, the Bills have flattered us, making much of the Twelfth Man, the thousands of pilgrims who come to the stadium and fervently believe they influence the play.’

‘Like most players who change teams, Winters admitted that most of the play designs are recognizable. After all, a halfback rushing play through the 5-hole is standard across the league. But it’s the terminology that changes, and while it’s not as complicated as learning a second language, that’s the analogy in football terms. He’s been speaking Jets, now he has to speak Bills.’

‘“I think me and Tremaine (Edmunds) definitely have to step our leadership roles up this year with him being out of here,” Milano said. “And the addition of A.J. (Klein), another older guy coming in, so I think he can step into that role as well.”’

‘Now that the White will-he-play-or-not drama has passed, the focus will go back to the other side where Norman and Wallace will battle it out to start. No matter what happens, the Bills have a solid top three. Johnson needs to stay healthy, and if he does he should nail down the nickel spot. Jackson, the seventh-round pick, will likely struggle to make an impact with no offseason practice, so maybe the practice squad will be his destination. As a seventh-rounder, the Bills should feel relatively safe that he won’t get signed elsewhere.’

‘With Jon Feliciano out perhaps half the season or possibly more due to a torn pectoral muscle, Winters would seem to be the frontrunner to step into his starting position.’

‘Further, no other players chose to sit out, so the Bills will now move forward minus just two players who decided to opt out – defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and cornerback E.J. Gaines.’

‘“Oh man, it’s a night and day perception from, you know, one of the worst to one of the best,” Norman said Thursday. “It definitely has changed its face for sure. Who has the biggest change of a franchise? Buffalo’s got to be at the top, without a doubt.’

‘“I’ve got until tomorrow,” White said. “But, you know, I just wanted to come in and kind of see like how it was going to go, how the season was gonna go as far as like moving around in the locker rooms, how the day to day operation is. At the end of the day, no matter what, my family is always going to come first. My kids are always going to come first.”’

‘“I’m super excited,” Diggs said Wednesday when he was asked about finally getting to practice and play with the Bills quarterback now that training camp has begun. “I’m looking at him as a quarterback who’s got a big arm, a big quarterback, a lot of heart, he runs around, he’s mobile, can extend the play. He can do a lot of things extremely well.”’