For starters, there was Roger Goodell looking more human than ever as he read picks from his basement. Bill Belichick’s dog stole the show (and probably could have made better picks than the Packers). Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that Buffalo’s MVP of the draft wasn’t a trusted scout, it was long-time IT expert Dan Evans, who ensured that everything ran smoothly from a technical standpoint.
“He’s the MVP,” Beane said. “I’ve got to get him some kind of trophy. I would like to see him in all your publications, front page.”
Happy to oblige, Brandon. These are bizarre times, so we might as well have a little fun with it.
Pushing that all aside for a moment, the most comforting aspect of the draft from a strictly football perspective for Buffalo was undoubtedly Beane himself. Sure, we won’t know for sure until a few years from now how the Bills or any other team truly fared. Grading drafts immediately after they take place has always been one of the most flawed concepts of all sports coverage. But in what has become a growing trend since Beane first arrived in Buffalo, he appeared to knock another draft out of the park.
Pro Football Focus, using its unique brand of analytics, ranked Buffalo’s draft class third out of all 32 teams. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. raved about Buffalo’s haul and said it was the best in the AFC East and among the best in the league.
Again, we won’t know for sure for a few years how anyone truly fared. We can only evaluate based on the information that we have on hand — and, based on that, it looks like Beane grabbed steals up and down the draft board.
Bu hikaye Bills Digest dergisinin June-July 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Bills Digest dergisinin June-July 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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TRACKING TRAINING CAMP
Bills Digest was there for all the big moments at training camp. Here are some observations …
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For more on what’s happening within Buffalo’s offense, here are some highlights from offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s recent press conferences.
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Here are some highlights from head coach Sean McDermott’s recent press conferences.
ALLEN GETS HISTORIC DEAL
Bills QB now under contract through 2028
Right back in the swing of things
It’s fair to say that this year’s Bills training camp looks wildly different from those of the past.
1st & Ten with STEFON DIGGS
Stefon Diggs had one of the best seasons ever by a Bills receiver in 2020, and he’s looking for an encore. Diggs was clearly amped up and ready to go as the Bills began their preparations for the new season, leading the huddle and supporting his teammates as they kicked off training camp in Orchard Park. Diggs recently touched on his goals for the upcoming season for both himself and the team in an informative discussion with members of the media. Here are the highlights from that discussion.
RUNNING BACKS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Aaron Jones, Packers 5-9 • 208 pounds • 27 years old A fifth-round steal in the 2017 draft out of UTEP, Jones is equally proficient in the running and passing games. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards the last two years, and caught 49 and 47 passes, respectively. He’s also a touchdown machine with 30 TDs the last two years (25 rushing and 5 receiving). The son of two career Army officers, he’s a tough, driven player and the kind of guy players want on their team.
THE RIGHT STUFF?
Keeping two important starters is a priority as the right side of the O-line hits free agency
QUARTERBACKS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Dak Prescott, Cowboys 6-2 • 235 pounds • 27 years old A solid starter who has a nice TD-INT ratio over his first five seasons (104-40), Prescott is an accurate thrower and very mobile. However, he’s coming off a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle, so it remains to be seen if this will impact his game moving forward.
TIGHT ENDS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Hunter Henry, Chargers 6-5 • 250 pounds • 29 years old A very talented player, Henry has had issues staying healthy, unable to complete an NFL season, including missing the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL. But when healthy, he’s a terrific all-around tight end who really connected with Justin Herbert in 2020 with 60 catches. Henry is very good at finding holes in zone coverage.
