WGR

‘There was very little on-field offseason time this year due to the Covid pandemic. There were no preseason games. So the teams with the most turnover on their roster and/or coaching staffs will have to play catch-up a little bit, while the teams who have more returning players and coaches should have a competitive advantage. The Bills have that advantage, and need to use it. Buffalo returns 37 players from last season’s opening day active or practice squad roster. The Jets return a lot of defensive players, but only two wide receivers and two offensive linemen. So the Bills need to take advantage of a group of wideouts and an offensive line that will largely be playing together in any sort of NFL game for the first time by using different coverages, stunts up front, and other new wrinkles the Jets may not have prepared for.’

‘Defensive tackle Vernon Butler, also with a hamstring injury, is listed as questionable for the game.’

‘”We’ve had, even before Stef [Stefon] arrived, good players on our offense, so I don’t want to slight those guys in any way. Stef adds another dimension to our offense. I can tell you from a defensive standpoint, it’s hard enough to take away one receiver, let alone multiple weapons, if you will. That’s where we have to continue to play good team offense and use all of our weapons. It all starts up front. We’ve got to play well up front, physical, aggressive and strong, and make sure we give our quarterback time to get the ball to the weapons.”‘

‘The Jets weren’t so fortunate Thursday. Two starters in the middle of their defense missed practice after being limited on Wednesday. Inside linebacker Avery Williamson was out with hamstring injury and safety Marcus Maye, who had been dealing with a calf issue was now also listed as having an ankle injury.’

‘The other injuries of note were running back/special teamer Taiwan Jones, who was limited due to a knee injury, and defensive tackle Vernon Butler, who was also limited with a hamstring injury.’

‘However, head coach Sean McDermott was sure to not give up too many answers as he did not give anymore clarity to the situation. Instead, he listed Ford as the top guy at both guard and tackle on the depth chart. Meanwhile, Daryl Williams is also listed as a top option for the Bills at both guard and tackle. Brian Winters is the only other top option listed at guard for the Bills, while Ty Nsekhe is also in the discussion for the top spot at tackle.’

‘Third-year linebacker Tremaine Edmunds returns as a captain on the defense, while defensive end Jerry Hughes will take over the second captaincy role from former Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander, who retired following the conclusion of the 2019 season. In addition, the Bills added an another captain on the defensive side of the ball this season with safety Jordan Poyer.’

‘The veteran journeyman has played a number of years in the NFL, spending time with the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders.’

‘To go up against Diggs, a top-tier route runner, deep threat, and overall WR in their first game is a tough ask for anybody. Neither Desir or Austin present the kind of talent that should make anyone worried about Diggs getting shut down.’

‘”It’s a win-win. That’s the best deal. We wanted something fair for the Bills and fair for Tre. As I said [on Monday], I am super happy for this young man. He has done everything we could ask for a player three years in. He’s such a pro, he’s so well loved, he brings a great energy to our locker room, and beyond that he’s a damn good player.”‘

‘Kumerow gives the Bills added depth both on offense at wide receiver and on special teams. In Green Bay last season, Kumerow played roughly a third of their snaps on both offense and special teams.’

‘While White is currently the highest-paid corner in the league, Beane probably saved the Pegulas some money by getting this done before some other top corners like Jalen Ramsey, Marshon Lattimore and Marlon Humphrey get their next deal.’

‘“I just felt like when they had to cut him loose, he’s going to have to win you that type of game against Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson,” Dunne continued. “They tempt you into a shootout; you can’t win that 17-14 game that Sean McDermott wants to win in mid-January. To reel off three playoffs wins in a row, I just don’t know if he has it in him. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. But we’ve seen nothing to suggest he does so far, and I’d put my money on Belichick to shut him down – and really, shut him down for good over time.”’

‘;The recently released veteran back, who was surprisingly cut by the Patriots over the weekend as they pare down their roster ahead of Week 1, is already scheduled for a visit with one of New England’s division rivals.’

‘The cabinet was barren for Allen and Darnold as rookies, but over the following two offseasons, Bills general manager Brandon Beane has surrounded his franchise QB with far more talent than the Jets have given Darnold. Following the 2019 free agency period and draft where Buffalo acquired WRs John Brown and Cole Beasley, as well as RB Devin Singletary and TE Dawson Knox, Beane followed it up in 2020 by pulling off a blockbuster trade with Minnesota, giving Allen a true #1 WR in Stefon Diggs.’