Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘But trying to judge a draft as soon as it ends is akin to proclaiming a basketball game is over two minutes after it starts. It’s a foolhardy exercise because we simply don’t know enough about any of the players to determine who killed it and who didn’t.’

‘Araiza started becoming a media star during 2021, his only season as the Aztecs full-time punter. Once he started booming 80-yard punts – of which there were two – people began to take notice and that’s when the nickname was born.’

‘“We feel like he’s kind of a wide receiver in his own way,” Beane said. “Obviously we didn’t get (J.D.) McKissick through that scenario in free agency and this was a guy that really stood out to us with the ball in his hands. You can split him out, he can run routes similar to a receiver, obviously he’s a good guy to hand the ball to in the backfield.”‘

‘Bernard is undersized at 6-foot and 224 pounds, but what he lacks in bulk he makes up for with speed as he ran 4.59 at his pro day.’

‘“We had had a good grade on Kaiir and we were down to one player in the first round on our board, and so at that point, it just made sense,” Beane said of making the trade. “Not sure what those teams would have taken, but there was a lot of trade action going on, too, so you don’t have to look at just what they might take, you got to look at the teams behind them. So it just felt like it was within striking distance.”’

‘Abram Elam allowed Kaiir to play sports such as baseball, basketball, swimming and track, but he did not let him start in with football until he was in the seventh grade, though his late start didn’t hinder him.’

‘Sure, Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane admitted last week that waiting to pick No. 25 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night will test their patience – just as it did picking 30th last year – and they’ll cringe every time a rival team takes a quality player in front of them.’

‘“It just proves that the government rules,” he said. “We had no say because the people in government, politicians — they’re going to do whatever is best for them. … We should at least have a say.”’

‘Edmunds has been a good player, often very good, but there are many observers who believe he has never lived up to his status as the No. 16 overall pick in 2018, that he has reached his ceiling and further investment would not be prudent.’

‘They will go into 2022 with a strong 1-2 combination of Dawson Knox and O.J. Howard, and you can certainly do worse than Tommy Sweeney and Reggie Gilliam behind them.’

‘Also, Poyer can become a free agent after 2022 and now that he’s hired Drew Rosenhaus’ powerful agency to represent him, you can assume his asking price on a contract extension has soared in recent discussions with Brandon Beane, perhaps out of Buffalo’s range.’

‘He also said that it would not surprise him if the Bills — depending on how their board plays out — decided to bolster already strong position groups such as wide receiver or edge rusher, even though they have superstars Stefon Diggs and Von Miller locked up for several years.’

‘And White’s recovery from knee surgery could hold him back early in the year, so another starter might be needed. If the Bills don’t sign a second-tier veteran free agent, is Lewis really that guy? Or Siran Neal, Nick McCloud, Olaijah Griffin or Tim Harris. I think not.’

‘“We’ve completely turned our focus towards this next season and trying to figure out how do we take that next step? How do we win that Super Bowl?” Allen said. “I’d be lying if I said that’s not what drives me, it’s to win a Super Bowl and get it done. That’s why you see so many guys here right now putting in that work to accomplish the goal that we want to accomplish.”’

‘However, with Oliver, Jones and Settle locked up contractually for just two more years and Phillips one, this might be a good time for the Bills to think about the future and pick an interior lineman who they can develop.’