Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Brandon Beane, about to conduct his seventh draft as the Bills’ GM, knows this, too, which is why he is facing so much pressure in 2024 because with his team in such a difficult position because of its bloated salary cap, he acknowledged, “We’re going to need to hit this draft and we need to hit every draft.”’

‘But the NFL Draft has become a cottage industry and mock drafts drive traffic to content sites, and I know there are many of you out there who are fascinated by what draft experts think the Buffalo Bills will do in the first round come late April, even right now. So in that vein, here are a few of the guesses that are being made regarding what Brandon Beane will do with the 28th overall pick.’

‘The only other teams besides the Bills and Saints ($36.4 million) who are currently over the cap are the Dolphins ($24.6 million), the Chargers ($20.8 million), the Broncos ($13 million), the Browns ($7.7 million) and the Cowboys ($3.2 million).’

‘“It’s easy for one to go into these meetings and say, ‘Well, this is what’s important for the Buffalo Bills,’ or ‘This is what’s important for my team,’ if you’re Mike Tomlin or whoever else is in there. But that’s not the job. The job description is to do what’s best for the overall league and growing the game and growing it the right way.”’

‘The NFL really doesn’t have an offseason anymore; it’s a year-round bonanza and the only actual dead time is the five-week stretch between the middle of June when all offseason programs end, to late July when training camps open. I thought I would get you up to speed on some of the key dates that are coming up on the NFL calendar with an explanation of what it all means.’

‘Allen hasn’t lot to any slouches: Mahomes (three times), Burrow and Deshaun Watson, but his victories are against a 40-year-old (Philip Rivers), a star who was knocked out of the game (Lamar Jackson), a rookie who has since been benched several times (Mac Jones), a third-stringer (Skylar Thompson) and a career backup thrust into a starting role late in the season (Mason Rudolph).’

‘The voting panel, made up of 50 media members across print, television, radio and online digital, decided that Joe Flacco – who got off his couch in the middle of November and then played very well in helping the quarterback-challenged Cleveland Browns make it to the playoffs – was the true “comeback” player of the year.’

‘Curry, who is popular with his players, interviewed for the Saints’ vacant offensive coordinator position in January but New Orleans plans to sign Klint Kubiak for the role. Kubiak is one of Kyle Shanahan’s top assistants with the San Francisco 49ers and will join New Orleans after the Super Bowl.’

‘Yes, he wasn’t as productive in the second half as he had been in the first; there is some change happening in Buffalo because Joe Brady is now the full-time offensive coordinator and wide receiver Gabe Davis will likely leave in free agency; and Diggs is planning to work hard in the offseason like he always does.’

‘In the end, only four of the players made the team, only three played, and two became starters. This was the fewest number of contributors the Bills have had from a rookie class since their six-man group of 2005 when only wide receiver Roscoe Parrish, offensive guard Duke Preston and defensive back Eric King got on the field as rookies.’

‘OG Connor McGovern: He cost the Bills the most money in the 2023 free agent class and he earned every penny with a fine season that helped solidify the offensive line after years of struggles at the guard position. And like all the O-line starters, he stayed healthy and started every game.’

‘One of Babich’s greatest successes was the development of Bernard in 2023. Bernard had the enormous task of replacing departed free agent and five-year starter Tremaine Edmunds. He hardly played on defense as a rookie third-round pick in 2022, but with Babich’s help, he became arguably the Bills’ most valuable defender in 2023.’

‘However, a very good argument can be made that the battered state of McDermott’s defense is what, more than anything, prevented the Bills from reaching the Super Bowl.’

‘The Bills just signed Bass to a contract extension so I doubt his job will be on the line in training camp, but he needs to bounce back.’

‘The one key area where there was a clear decline early in 2023 under Dorsey was in the running game which was down 24 yards per game from 2022. That was largely due to Allen running less both on designed runs or scrambles, a curious edict that may have come from Dorsey and/or McDermott in an effort to lessen the punishment he takes each week.’