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OBL 4/2: Christian Benford Joins The Show; Draft Emphasis - Coverage Or Pass Rush?

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Published Apr 2, 2025, 7:10 PM
Chris Brown and Steve Tasker updated the latest news and notes from around the NFL. Bills CB Christian Benford joined the show in the first segment after signing his 4-year contract extension with the team. He talked about the reception he's received from his teammates, the relationships he's developed, and the goal of winning a championship. Christian then talked about his new children's book he authored, "Stylish Safari." Brownie and Tasker then asked the listeners would you put more emphasis on the Bills pass rush or coverage in the draft?

This this one Bill's Live, presented by Callida Health. All right, how is everybody Chris Brown, Steve Tasker with you here on this Wednesday, April second, all the April fool chokes are out of the way because they were coming fast and furious yesterday. Hopefully you weren't fooled. But here too, well, you know, it happens. Happens to the best of us. It happens to the best of us. But we've got some Bill's News to jump right into today. On another dreary day. Uh here in western New York, we are waiting for the weather to break. Even Brandon Bean was asking us if we could do something about the weather.

He's my My standard answer is tax Day.

Yes, we know, that's the turning point for you.

Kind of count on having a bunch of good days, you know, good days in a row instead of just this twelve hour period we get once in a while, yeah, you know, and then back to the gray. So I'm yeah, another couple weeks.

There are also uh Bill's players trickling in as we inch closer to the start of the off season conditioning program. Uh So, we've seen a handful of players here, some of them have been here a week already, just doing their training here. Others are kind of trickling in h So we're seeing more and more of them with each passing day. More of the younger players, you know, guy entering their second year, those kinds of guys want to get a jump on this. This is their first full off season as a pro. And I think they know as well as anybody that after you've been through that cycle once, improvements are expected to be made to your game, and I think a lot of them are looking to get it still.

Also, I remember seeing it from young players and feeling it as a young player. It's, you know, the season happens then all of a sudden, you know first and a lot of them and my case as well. You you got money in your pocket for the first time. Although it's different now with nil these guys are kind of doing it. Come out of money before they get in, but they've got it's your first time away from the club for a while. Then you come back and it's like wow, you know, it's it's kind of cool to be back. Yeah, in the building, you miss you know, can reconnect with your teammates, all that stuff. It's you know, It's kind of like first day of school coming back and like, hey, you know, except you get to work out and have fun and you know a lot of other stuff. You get a lot of free time in the you know you snow curfew and all that. That's pretty fun.

Not yet anyway.

Yeah, So and the second year players come back and it's they're still they come back a little early, probably because there're you still feel like you're getting the hang of it right, and you want to make sure you're there plenty early, get settled, get you know, how's it going to be. What happens when all these guys show up. You know, it's just a little uncertainty still until you make your first full lap.

I kind of wonder if a lot of those guys are almost it's like a double checking maneuver. And what I mean by that is last year, at this time, they're on the pre draft banquet circuit, just trying to get enough workouts in to be ready for some pre draft workout request or something of that nature. And now it's I got to get ready for season two with the Bills. You know, brush up on the scheme, maybe on my own and maybe test run my level of conditioning with the strength of conditioning staff before everybody else gets here, and make sure that I'm buttoned up and I'm where I'm supposed to be because they don't know for sure. Not to mention the fact that you know, you've got a new strength and conditioning coach here too, in Will Greenberg, granted, promoted from within, but things are presumably going to be a little different there.

As well, right right, You just want to Yeah, you don't want to be show up and like what what's going on? What am I doing? What do you mean?

I do not wish to be behind or even feel as though I'm behind.

And also it starts to this time of year when everybody, including you and me and everybody in the building, they're also talking about the draft yep, and it's like, for the first time at dawnt On you that they're going to try and replace me with somebody better. That's a realization that hits can hit pretty hard sometimes.

Yeah.

You know, for a guy who feels like it, you know, was didn't get on the field as much as you thought you would. You know, it wasn't. Didn't you start You started in spots and you felt like, gosh, you got you know, I gotta I want more, you know, I want to do better. And then you come back and you say, man, they're going to they may hire somebody. It's a tough realization for some of these guys, and you know, showing up early and being on time and showing up in shape is the start of that kind of mindset.

The biggest news though here at One Bill's Drive today is it is now official. Christian Benford has signed this four year contract extension after flying into town today. We'll have him here in studio in a bit on today's show, so we look forward to that conversation. I think it's the first time we're going to have him on set as a matter of fact, so looking forward to that. ESPN is reporting that Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond is scheduled for a pre Draft thirty visit with the Browns, Packers, Chiefs, Bills, and Titans starting next week. He also has a local pro day workout schedule with the Falcons because he is a Georgia native, so Bond on the list for pre Draft thirty visits, according to ESPN. So we'll have to keep our ear to the ground on that and see what comes of it, but without further ado, we welcome to the set Bill's cornerback, newly minted with a contract extension, Christian Benford Christian, Yeah, congratulations man, really happy.

For you bring here.

Sure, absolutely happy to have you going on these days. It was funny at your press conference a little bit earlier you were joking about how much your hand was hurting signing your name that many times. Yeah, there's a lot of pages on a four year contract extension.

Yeah. Yeah, I had to use my left hand for some of it. I had to use my right.

Wait, you can write with both hands? Are you ambied?

Extras like that?

That?

Really?

How did you do that in school? Like your hand get tired, you flip over the other side?

Yeah, I don't know that. You know how some time you be right in your hand just.

Like yeah, oh yeah, well you just flipped it over, No, no problem.

Yeah.

Is your penmanship just as good one side with the.

Other, No, it's it's it depends like sometimes it depending on what I'm doing. Like if I got like curse you, I was better where like my left Okay, my penmanship like regular it is better than my.

Right, gotcha?

Okay? Better cursive writer on the left side.

That's break that down for trivia question at some point.

That is a good one. I'm gonna file that one away. So congrats, I mean, it's this great news. Really happy for you. Did this kind of in your estimation, not that you've been through a free agent process, but we're not even a free agent but a contract extension process before. Was your was your agent kind of keeping you informed throughout or did you just say call me when it's over, Like how did you approach that.

A little bit booth because I don't really want to hear about it too much.

Yeah, because then you're thinking about it.

Oh yeah, But I did have some thoughts I like, yeah, like checking up on you, like what's the word, Like what's the verdict? And then he was just like we're talking, we're talking, we're talking. Be patient, and I was like, all right, yeah, let me just chill, just let me and I don't really want to hear like what it could be, what it is, Like I want to know, like when it's time to get put pin the paper, like all right, let me know what's the verdict. You know what I'm saying, sign it or not? And then it's like all right, then we could talk if it's just like maybe this, maybe that, like to.

Get to a point where it's it's when it's not a smart move.

It's a smart movie.

And I've been through that because you you you start out, they're always far apart, and that's disheartening when you kind of man, you feel like it's never gonna get done.

But if you just say, listen, call me when it's close.

We'll call me when it's when you're ready to sign, and then then I'll listen to that's a smart move because it keeps the emotions.

Out of it.

And now you can give brand being a hug and.

Definitely right, yeah, for sure.

So who is the first person you called.

Uh when I found out?

What's the first teammate you called when you found out you're gonna son?

Or more importantly, what was the first teammate that reached out to you when the news broke?

And probably was like it was the same ones that like I've been talking to you out like this whole season, like turn Sue Dang d him just the same old guy j Mark Caier. It's like the same old guys that I've been talking to you pretty much, like right, yeah, the whole d B room.

That's nice.

So they they reached out to me, my Doss, Saraan, all them boys, Poe, Micah, t Rap, the whole nine. They all like we we just because we've been all talking continuously. So uh, they reached out. And the first person I called, though I didn't really call nobody. Uh, but the first inson I talked to was uh my train to Wantree Okay, Uh, that's my guy. And I called my right hand man, Deshon. I called him Smoke, but uh, I called him because my girl she knew already because like I was talking to her, she was there, my folks kind of you already. So like I had the people I called with Mantre and my God helping you.

Yeah, is it a little weird to know that maybe aside from Taran and Dane who's coming back and has a year or so on you, you're one of the You're one of the guys that maybe some younger people are going to be looking to pretty soon for how to do this the right way and do it for a long time. Because I think I think it's safe to say you're more of a lead by example guy, you know, just talking to other guys. They're like, yeah, we try to get CB to talk a little bit more, but that's just not his nature and they're cool with it. But you know, you're a lead by example guy. But now you're one of those guys that a lot of younger players who will probably be in here in the not too distant future are going to be like, well, there's I gotta watch Benford. I gotta watch him in practice. Like is that kind of a switch.

For you, because no, not really. I've been trying to help the people that got here, even like before I even got to the position I'm in, I was always trying to help the people that came in as best as possible, sharing knowledge as much as I know. You know what I'm saying. I don't know everything, so just help them as much as that I know, like play play calls, how to read the offenses, read the receiver, stem, stuff like that, and they give me pointish too. You know what I'm saying. I don't know it all. I'm not above nobody, you know what I'm saying. We're all equal as men of God, so I wouldn't be nothing different, you know what I'm saying. It's nothing different from what I was already doing.

One of the things that when we last saw you, it was in the Kansas City game.

You had to leave the game early.

And so how's that all going to any ramifications? Or you feel one hundred percent and all that?

What's the word?

I actually feel better than before because I understand like body and mine what it takes to get my keep my body. We're up to par where it needs to be. Yeah, sometimes like up top injuries is tough. But I feel better. I feel like in a different space because now I really like div into like how the body works and what I need to consume and put into my body for longevity, how to make surean straight Sometimes stuff just happens, though, but what you feel in your body can prevent the outcome, all right.

So with that in mind, does that mean the fruit roll up pregame is going away? Or is that still gonna is a pre game ritual you're talking about And I just wanted to make sure, like that's the fruit roll up stays, that's gonna be in the locker on game days.

Yeah, I need I need that fruit roll up in M and.

M's like you get you know, obviously we've seen guys get concussions all the way.

I had a bunch when I play, just change helmets all that.

They give you advice on that, you're gonna take a little extra care, say maybe one one extra thing you can do like that.

Yeah, we know the roster undergoes change every off season. It's just the way business runs here in the NFL. What are your thoughts about kind of the secondary thus far, Christian, because you know the got d Hamm back. I know you're excited at have Dane back in the fold as he comes back from Carolina. Just what are your initial thoughts as you're starting to see the pieces come together, because I would imagine you guys like you want to know how it's going to look sooner rather than later, but you understand the off season takes side.

Yeah, I'm actually excited to continue to play with the people I came in here with, you know what I'm saying, Especially like it's different when I played with d him because when I first got in here, we wasn't once, like we wasn't starting. Yeah, we had to really like grind to get where we're at, and like it was always me and him on the same side for some our reason, you know what I'm saying, and so like I know how he played and not to sing him out, but he brought the name and it kind of like sparked that memory. Like all the times and camp we talk to each other, like all the wall through when we was in the back, we were like, oh, it's gonna be us like one day, yeah, and then we're gonna we're gonna help impact people around us too, you know what I'm saying. But once our time come, like we're gonna take it a run with it. And we've been like that for since, like since I got here, like but not for since I was like first camp and the field it feels just different. So I'm excited though outside of him, to see the new parts come together. They ain't goals, they ain't go so they hear, I would say, you know the mission they hear when that super Bowl work. It is hard be a be a family. You know what I'm saying. Nobody got no ignorant or to no ignorant energy, just no self and energy. We all got a one mission when the super Bowl wil be better as men on and off the field and get that ring.

How do you feel that vibe I mean because obviously you guys got one right to the doorstep this last year, which is further than they've been since you you know what I mean, You're you're getting closer. What's the vibe like in your locker room when you guys interact about you know, what's next for you that you know climb them ount? You got the draft coming up, and I know veteran players kind of take some interest in what the team does. Obviously, what's the vibe in the locker room like about about you guys your season last year and then what you're looking forward to.

Uh, we all like we all know what it feels like, you know what I'm saying. We all got a taste of it. So like everybody was already hungrier, but like now it's like we got a little more edge to us now because we know where it feels like like back to back, like you know where, like that tastes you like it's on the tip of your tongue, but you need like you wanna get it there. You wanna get there, you know what I'm saying. So a lot we already got like hard workers in the locker room. People that's like busting their tail in the film room, smart guys. But now it's like, all right, it hit different now, Like I know that you the the man tit next to me, like he works hard, he he felt what I felt. So now the locker room, it's like it's more like a brotherhood even more now because now we know what each other's want, so if anything go wrong, it's easy to pick each other up, like, yo, you remember what we went through and you know what the goal is and you know what's subburdy, So it feel I feel like I feel like we're tighter than you know what I'm saying. And again we're all coming back together.

But with with the new contract, you know, knowing and you said, you even said in your press conference, this is not going to change me as a self motivated player that's always trying to be the best. So that's admirable enough and none of itself. But you know, we know that your there were some trials in your upbringing, was never always easy to be able to provide for your family in a way that you never have before. How gratifying rewarding is that for you just knowing you can provide an untold amount of security for your family going forward, I have to imagine that's going to feel very rewarding.

It's I feel louitude from God that gave me the blessing to have what I have because I always pray every night to help help my family, make a change in my family, build a legacy. As men, that's what we're supposed to do, lead and make a legacy. So it's it's mad gratitude. I'm mad appreciative from the man above. And that also that like my hard work on top of him, my hard work is paid off, you know what I'm saying, Because sometimes, like I said earlier, you could work as hard as you want, you work all that all these hours, all that time building a different version of you, and sometimes this outcome is just not your favor, you know what I'm saying. And that's something like we all know that feeling. And it hurts. You do all that time, sacrificing, sometimes sacrificing families from the people that you love to get where you want to be at and sometimes it just don't fall through how you want to, and it hurts because it's like, ooh, what am I doing this for? You know what I'm saying. But I kept God at the center, kept God first, kept praying and kept saying true and believing, and it feels good. And again, I'm just grateful that it came through, how it came through, that I could change my family life, my future children's life, my future wife's life. And I'm like, you know what I'm saying stuff like that.

Yeah, well, so when you sat down, I teach you about you know, a lot going on, not just you know, signing a contract. You've been busy with another project. You got in April twenty second, you got a book coming out. Yeah right, tell us about it.

Uh, it's because started Safaris The Adventure of Being You. It's a kids book. Outside of the title being The Adventures of Being You, it's it's to teach kids like it's okay to wear what you want to wear, to do what you want to, not do exactly what you want to do, respectfully, but to be you, bro, like you're you. God made you who you are for a reason. You know what I'm saying, And you don't. You shouldn't be wanted to be like somebody else. You shouldn't want to be like those people that you see on Instagram. We should be a version of yourself the best version of yourself. And I want to with this book, I want to teach kids like it's okay to wear what you want to wear. Kind of sometimes like my kids, I would try to get them like it started because like I would try to get like Nikes, like Nike shoes or something like, yeah, all right, these shoes nice. I go to your Sea Shore. Oh yeah, these Nikes tough, Like you should wear these. They go to like some like powering shoes or like te moovie Zemi shoes. You like what like, yeah, some crazy shoes like buh no, And it's like it's them though.

They like that.

And I want to teach kids like to change their wire, like Yo, that's cool. Bro like to wear that. That's cool.

So you I was because I was going to say, you know, you're you're obviously younger generations than us, but you kind of you've seen growing up the impact of social media on kids' ways of thinking. And social media will knock a kid down right quick with you know, other kids in school on social media. It's like that's where the bullying can happen. Sometimes it can maybe get some kid to change the way he wants to dress or the way he wants to look because of the criticism he gets in social media. So was that kind of the inspiration for you to kind of encourage self expression and individuality through this book?

Yeah, encourage the people who's bullying and who has been bullied, you know what I'm saying, to rewire their brains to see a different way, because you know, sometimes kids only see certain things, so their vision is narrow based, and so they only know what they see a little bit, and they haven't been through too much, they haven't gone so far, they haven't had so many years under their belt, so they only know a little bit. And I'm with this book. I want to be able to influence the kids I can reach out to a little bit, and if they bullying, they give them a different viewpoint that it's okay to be different. Different is okay, Like just because something different, you shouldn't make fun of it. You should accept it with love, peace and kindness. And the people who's being bullied, teach them how to teach the people that's being bullied. I mean, there's brilliant, you know what I'm saying. Rather than do aggression, because sometimes gression doesn't work. Sometimes if you rewire them, it helps impact that person, and the person that he could he can impact somebody else. Now it's like a domino effect. Now you continuously impacting somebody for sound.

It's a lot like the culture in the Bill's locker room, the Sean McDermott PREI you, that's fine, but you got to be the best you, right, And that's kind of what it's all about in this culture. I mean that it seems to you can understand why you thrived in McDermott's culture. Here they don't care if you're a quiet lead by example guy, or or Jordan Phillips guy waving his arms on the line of script. You know what I mean, It's okay to be you and we're gonna help you be the best. Is that kind of part of the reason you just signed a new contract, part of the reason you went from where you began your career as a six n late round draft pick to starting on opening day of your rookie year, and and and and even going beyond that.

It's that same kind of attitude.

Correct, Yeah, just wanted to continue being part of culture, the loving culture, the family like culture, the open arms like culture, to be you and no judgment type of culture, and yeah, you're right McDermott. Being the hard point being the best version of you no matter who you are, they just want to see the best of you. You know what I'm saying. They're not trying to make you a craft, you into this type of person to fit the team. Now, whatever you are, bring this part of the team. Then they going to make you the best version of you and to help you be the best version of you my bad. And that's the culture that you want to be a part of that allows you to be you.

Another best version of you was looking pretty good right now? Contract, you got a book coming out?

How important was that in this product? How do you tell your agent? I mean, you tell us now that it's all signed and done, can you say, listen, I want.

To be here.

This is kind of where I've thrived. They they've given me this. How much of that was in it? Because when push comes to shove, you got to look out for your family.

Yeah, and I know the Bills thought the world of you and they wanted to bring back. Obviously the contract says that, But how much did you tell your agent on a personal levels, like, Hey, if we can make this work, I really want to stay.

Here mmm a lot. Uh. Now, I ain't talk too much about that. I'mna cue the but realistically I did say, like I do want to be here, you know what I'm saying. I ain't really say it like every day you know what I'm saying, or all the time it's here that no, no, But I was just like telling them, like, yeah, I do want to be a party here, like I like your mom. The guys are great and the love is genuine. Like I told him, I do want to be a party here for like the next two years of my life. You know what I'm saying. I want to continue to grow here. I want to continue to win here, Super Bowls here, I come out and continue to build relationships here with you guys here and whoever else to come to the part of this culture. You know what I'm saying. So I did communicate with that with them.

Congratulations again on the contract. On the book, which is called Stylish Safari The Adventures of Being You. You got Benny, the bobcad in there, whole bunch of animals. It's Christian's uh first children's book and uh it'll be I know. You can get it on bookshop dot org. Beginning April twenty second, but they do have a pre order tab there as well, so if you want to pre order the book before it's even out, go to bookshop dot Org. I know they've got it there. Stylish Safari the title of Christian's book. All the best of you, man. We're getting ramped up. We'll stay out there on the field real soon.

Thank you.

Yeah, that's Christian Benford joining us. Stylish Safari is the book. We'll take a break. Be back with more here on One Bill's Live, presented by Kalidah Health. It's Buffalo Bills Radio. All right back here on One Bill's Live. Chris Brown, Steve Tasker. Good conversation there with Christian Benford. Congrats to him again on his new contract extension which became official today as he flew into town signed it, and he'll be heading back out again. They turn right around and leave if I have to be here for a couple more weeks. And you know, he's got his trainer back home in Baltimore, so he's doing his own thing down there, and then he'll get here when you know, the conditioning program starts in a couple of weeks, so he's good for him.

He's been around the block a few times, so he knows well right how it works.

Yeah, and it was good to hear that he's, you know, good to go, because I know to your point, and that's why he asked him. You know, the last time we saw him, he was getting cartered off the field with his second concussion in as many weeks. So nice to see him good to go now, So that was good to hear, good to see so just happy for him overall. It's nice when you see guys that have a dedicated mindset, nose to the grindstone type approach to the game get rewarded like that. And I think we all kind of knew that the Bills wanted him back in the fold for the long term, so nice to see that come to fruition.

He also gives you a glimpse into how much these guys care, how you know, how close of friends all these players are to each other. You talk about, you know, DeMar Hamlin and Christian Benford to come in together, and they they're sitting back there in the walkthrough, is talking about what they do, how you play this and what and then says some day it's going to be us. And then that day comes all too soon. Then DeMar goes through what he went through, and what a heroic story it was. And Christian, one of his close friends, is there with him, you know. Uh, and now he's back on the field with him. That's pretty significant life event. Oh yeah, So the two of them, you know, and and others on the field too, you know, poor Year and High and all those guys. I mean, they got you know, it's uh, it's it's means something to these guys. And I thought, I'm glad he gave us a little glimpse into how you know what the locker room does mean to him.

Yeah, I mean him and tomorrow Hamlin. We're running with the twos when they first got here, and now you know, this past year they were running as fellow starters. So all those reps they got back in the day when they were second teamers, you know, it helps, it helps. So just happy for him overall. Got to go around the end now though, which is brought to you by Kalida Healthy, official healthcare system of the Buffalo Bills. Patriots have their long term franchise quarterback in the fold. That's Drake May, but they also drafted a second quarterback last year Tennessee's Joe Milton, and after his Week eighteen performance against the Bills backups last season, there are teams interested in acquiring the soon to be second year signal caller. Milton is obviously hopefully he can go to a team where he can compete for the starting job, but it's really not his choice. Last month, ESPN reported that the Cowboys were interested in Milton as a backup to Dak Prescott. The Giants and Browns are still seeking a long term answer at the position, so we'll see if something develops come draft weekend, possibly sooner. Milton went twenty two for twenty nine for two hundred and forty one yards and a passing touchdown in Week eighteen against the Bills backups. Also ran one in for a touchdown in that game. And I gotta tell you, Steve just being there seeing him throw it, He's got an arm like he is every bit the physical specimen that Josh Allen is. He is that big.

He's a big dude.

So I'm that can be enticing for some teams that are desperate, beyond desperate for an answer at the position.

And also, he just spent twelve months behind a guy who's getting it done, you know, watching and then he got a chance to put it on the field in live action, certainly against you know, it wasn't against you know, Josh and the and the guys, but.

You know.

He played well at the NFL level. None of these guys that are going to get drafted in two weeks or three weeks I can say that. Yeah, I absolutely there's some you can't afford not to kick the tires.

I think he's going to be a hot name. I think so too if he's not moved before, he is going to be a hot name draft week.

Yeah, because he's not going to play in New England and New England. If you're trying to build a team, get something for him. Well.

And not only that, Yes, you've only seen glimpses, but at least you have seen him in an NFL setting, on an NFL game field. You can't say that about anybody else in the draft class.

And it wasn't preseason, right, so.

Might have been half a step up from that though still because the Bills didn't need the game, as we know.

Sure, I get all that, but it's not about him playing against You still.

Have to go out and perform. Yeah, and he did that, and he did with not much to work with in New England. Let's not forget a bad offensive line and a less than stellar receiving corps and he still was productive.

And he's toolty. I mean that says it all. The guy's got some he's.

Six six with a rocket arm and he can run around.

That's right. That guy's he's gonna be around for a while.

I would think, yeah, you know, I think one of these teams should bring him in and have him compete against somebody else and let the cream rise to the top. And even if he's not your starter, do a lot worse at backup quarterback than that kid.

I agree. He you know, yeah, he's perfect and plus and for him you couldn't imagine because he wasn't a high draft you know, he wasn't one of those he's one of those guys that he's a proud he's one of these finger quote project guys. Right, perfect landing spot for him to go to New England, particularly with Drake May playing well because he never got thrown in. He got a chance to sit do everything, to watch, watch how it's done, got a chance to go out and say, Okay, let's see what you got Joe and he and he killed it. It's perfect start to his career because now he's got some credibility and some knowledge to go with it, and a little bit of he's been around.

The block ones and that helps man In a non ballyhooed quarterback class, I think he might be viewed by some teams as a better option than anything that's on the board. So I think he's going to be a hot name draft week if he's not move before then. Speaking of potential trades, the rumors continue to swirl that the Eagles will move veteran tight end Dallas Goddard. When Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about that possibility at the owners meetings, he said, quote, right now, he's on our team, and obviously Dallas Goddard has meant a lot to us. We'll see how that plays out. He's a heck of a football player, heck of a leader. Want to be able to have back as many guys as you possibly can, but that's not the reality of the NFL. End quote. I don't know if I would necessarily call that a ringing endorsement that he's there to stay. Yeah, the door is clearly open.

Well, Sirianni's I mean he was barking at the Philly fans during the Super Bowl rear, right, so he doesn't say all the things the coach speaks stuff. All you got to say there is Yeah, we want him back. He's a great player, great leader. Of course we do. That's it. Yeah, it's just a I'd love to have him back, but I don't think he's gonna be That's.

What he's the reality of the NFL.

Yeah, So I was like, okay, right, like, yeah, that's true. But okay, I mean, and look, what if he does come back.

Now, we can't dismiss the finances either, because trading him would lead to a cap hit for the Eagles. But there is strong conviction among the Philadelphia media that he is going to be moved off the roster. The Eagles did sign a pair of tight ends in free agency already, and Harrison Bryant who came over from New England and Kylon Grantson who came from Indy, so it's not like they're short numbers there. I think they have five tight ends on the roster right now. They might be moving on from their most expensive one. We'll see just because he's expensive.

He's not earning that contract.

I'm not going to pretend to know the ins and outs of all of it.

I imagine that they feel like they can win without an expensive tight end.

Probably yeah, And maybe the money they're paying him doesn't fit the role of the tight end in the offense. I think there might be something to be said for that. But he turns thirty one. At the end of this coming season. His production was the lowest it has been for the Eagles. He only played ten games, but it's the lowest it has been in four seasons. So I think the Eagles might be subscribing to are we getting the value for the money we're paying number one? And number two? Are we best served to Pard Ways a year earlier rather than a year later. Some teams subscribe to that. The Bill's notwithstanding, they moved on from Diggs probably a year earlier than maybe some people thought they should, and that ended up working out pretty well.

If there's a durability concern, I mean, Bills fans can can commiserate with this, you know, in the case of a guy like Matt Mulano. Love the guy wan Wold play and when he's out there, he's a difference makers that hasn't been out there enough of late, and the Bills reworked his contract. So you know, unless Philly, you know, tears up the deal, which maybe Dallas Goddard says, no way, you know, not tearing my deal up, then you got a different, different animal there. But you know, we can kind of commiserate with that kind of problem when you've got a guy that you love but can't stay on the field.

So we'll see what happens there too. That perhaps could be a draft day trade and does Howie Roseman now move up the board again by trading a player instead of picks. So something to just bear in mind and keep an eye on as we get closer. We're quickly finding out why Aaron Rodgers is still dawdling this offseason on decision on where to play this fall. It appears to be down to the Vikings and the Steelers. Clearly Rodgers would prefer to play for Minnesota. He and head coach Kevin O'Connell have had multiple conversations. What's causing the hold up, apparently, is a progress report on JJ McCarthy. There soon to be second year quarterback and his recovery from knee surgery which cost him all of last year. When the team returns for offseason workouts in a couple of weeks, an assessment will be made on McCarthy's progress, and it's believed that if the club isn't encouraged about that progress, that Rogers would become a more viable signing for the Vikings. So apparently that is what Rogers is waiting on. McCarthy. If he is on schedule, they probably pass on Rogers and then he'll only have Pittsburgh as a place to land, So right, that seems to be how this is all getting weighted out, So a little more waiting to do. We'll see.

Yeah.

Thirty nine year old Kaleaiis Campbell Steve has signed with the Arizona Cardinals, agreeing to a one year deal for five and a half million. Campbell was a second round pick of the Cardinals all the way back in the two thousand and eight draft, played his first nine seasons for Arizona before moving on. He returns to play for the Cardinals for the first time since twenty sixteen. Steve, I know you've said it a long time if you were six six and three hundred pounds, you'd still be playing well. Kaleius Campbell is proving you right in many many ways.

I read an interesting thing about Kalais. He's in the league in twenty twenty five. He played or was a teammate with.

He was with the Dolphins last year.

Yeah, but he was also also back early in his career. He was a teammate I think of Steve Young or was he was in the league with Steve Young. Steve Young was also in the league when Steve Bono, the quarterback was in the league. So Steve Young was a teammate or played against a guy in night that was in the league in nineteen eighty five and with a guy who's in the league in twenty twenty five. Dear lord, that is a long stretch to have a connections.

Longevity with a kle l that.

Yeah, Kalais Campbell is and he's still productive. Yeah, he's a good player. He's a Hall of Fame caliber player.

I think he was second on the Dolphins in sacks.

Last I think that. Yeah. I say this all the time and people, and I don't know how people. It lands with people. But playing a long time in the NFL is the old trump card for respect for players once you're out of the league. Playing a long time is really an unbelievable tip of the cap.

I mean, for a thirty nine year old that's not playing quarterback or kicking to still be going.

And subtly up front, I'll bet you he's got more people interested in just the Arizona Cardinals too. He can still play. Just a tremendous a tremendous player for a second round pick. He's, like you said, when he walks into a room, it's like, Wow, I wonder what team he plays for, because he's a professional football player. I mean, he stands out in a card, but.

He's doubting it.

Yeah, he's a big dude.

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowle said he's hoping wide receiver Chris Godwin will be able to play Week one. He said, quote, I'll have more to know about that after this month goes on. See how he feels when he gets running and practicing and everything else. He's working his way back from a dislocated ankle that he suffered in Week seven last season. Did not return, so getting in back in the fold will be big for the Bucks, who decided to run it back with both Godwin and Mike Evans who resigned, so the top two guys in their receiving corps will remain there, at least for this coming season. Forty nine Ers owner Jed York, when asked about when a contract extension will be completed with quarterback proc Perty, said quote, when he's ready, we'll sit down and finish.

It.

Shouldn't be that hard to do. Is this an indication of an owner that's not one hundred percent familiar with how Limny twists and turns these contract negotiations?

If I mean that hard to do?

Right?

Done right? If I'm the player and the player's agent, I'm raking that GM over the coals now, because if the owner's sitting there going just get it done, he's saying, Hey, money, no object, Let's go give me the money.

Yeah, give me the money.

Who's making the most? Oh yeah, now it's us? Yeah, And that's all yet because that's it. Yeah, the guy writes check says, get it done. Can't be that hard? Yeah, you're right.

Meanwhile, head coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned he hopes Purty wouldn't hold out of offseason workouts if a new deal wasn't completed. The general tenor of contract negotiations for Purty is that it will get done, though there are some that believe it is not advanced as quickly as the party camp would have preferred. So there's that, and then finally Steve. This one's interesting. With the NFL schedule for twenty twenty five due to be released next month, word comes that the Kansas City Chiefs have already put a request into the league that the NFL make them an annual fixture on their Christmas Day slate, similar to the way that Detroit and Dallas are fixtures on Thanksgiving. The Chiefs played on Christmas Day last season. This season, Christmas is on a Thursday, and I believe there's a triple header that's supposed to take place there.

The only question is when are the Bills going to play on Christmas Day? Because they gonna play on Christmas Day?

Do you think that's happening this year?

There is right, it will get the hammer and chisel out. I will tattoo that on my arm.

I would tend to agree that. Okay, now that that I want to put on the white tattoo I'm not getting a tattooed playing on Christmas.

That's how confident I am that the Bills will play.

I would tend to lean in favor of your supposition, because, uh, not only do the Bills have an enormously attractive home schedule as it pertains to the television networks Baltimore, the Saints, the Bucks, the Chiefs, the Eagles, the Bengals. I mean, my god, you have a lot to pick from just on the home slate alone.

The whole games are phenomenon.

That gives me hope that if the Bills do in fact play on Christmas, it will hopefully be at home. Let's throw in the fact that there is a all Mark movie featuring the Bills for Christmas season. And oh, by the way, you have an NFL MVP that you can unwrap, so and oh you got another one.

Yeah, it's gonna snow.

Well that too.

They love it, but networks a little, they do love it. We're gonna get We're gonna say there is four o'clock Thursday game on Christmas, the four o'clock there's gonna be.

You've got it down, there's going to start time.

Seventy five million people tuned in to the four o'clock Christmas Day game with Josh Allen facing Lamar Jackson or Pat Mahomes or Jalen Hurts for Joe Burrow.

Not to mention last year in the stadium, right, let me throw that on top of the fire too and get the U log rolling because.

And that will be like two weeks before the end of the regular season. And yeah, maybe I'm right there with you.

I would surmise there is a greater than ninety percent chance. And I'm just guessing. I don't know anything.

Listen, I'm not getting it, but I'm not getting a tattoo in my arm just for a ninety percent chance. It's it's happening. Yeah, it is.

Because when you have the Chiefs, the Eagles, the Ravens, the Bengals, and the Bucks all playoff teams at the exception of Cincinnati on your home schedule, They're gonna find a way to put one of those on Christmas, right, Yeah. Yeah, And you have the NFL MVP and the defending MVP and the possibility of snow and you got.

A two time you got a two time MVP and Lamar who's a possibility? You got it? Is it Pat multiple or just one MV? He's got multiple, all right, so Pat's up multiple MVP. You got Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles defending world champions coming in depending on how their seasons going or all that. I mean, come on, and you got to you gotta make the schedule in a month.

It makes too much sense to not happen.

So it's just questionable they will time.

In all likelihood, I would anticipate a Christmas.

Day game, which time slots are gonna be? That's all there is to it. Yeah, is it gonna be a snow game? And let's o'clock night, you know, seven o'clock kickkick kickoff, eight twenty whatever it is, or the four to thirty game or the one o'clock game. Yeah, that's that's the only question that there is.

Christmas on a Thursday for this football season. We got to take a break here, but when we come back, we're gonna set the table on our topic of discussion today, in the wake of the Christian Benford contract extension signing, would you put more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or coverage in the draft concerning their defense? You lean towards pass rush or do you lean towards coverage when the Bills reach the draft, you let us know at eighth three zero five fifty one eight eight eight five fifty two five fifty the numbers to get on board. We're back with your phone calls. Next here on one Bill's Live presented by Collide of Health. It's Buffalo Bills Radio heading into the draft. Would you put more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or the Bill's coverage? It's been an on going debate. We want to get to the bottom of it today at eight oh three zero five fifty one eighty eight five point fifty two five fifty whether to address the defensive front line or the defensive back line. Yes, Christian Benford's in the fold for the next four years, and that's all well and good. But that position is thin. And that's a description that even Brandon Bean used to describe the cornerback spot. So we know that position is light on numbers. So two is defensive tackle. I mean they have some players there. We know they added Joy Jody Joey Bosa at defensive end and Larry Ogan Joby at defensive tackle, though he won't be ready for the first six games. He'll be out on suspension. But where are you placing greater emphasis? For example, you know the Bills have ten picks. Let's say they come out of the draft with eight. Do you want three defensive linemen and a corner or do you want a couple of corners and a defensive tackle and you'll be happy. Where are you putting the emphasis for Buffalo's defense on the pass rush or on the coverage? Eight oh three oh five fifty? Hard?

Yeah, And it's hard to look at the Bills roster and where they're at with their linebacker rotation to say you're gonna you know, even if you put all your picks into defense, you may you're not gonna take a stand up linebacker. You know you're gonna take D Lineman and dbs. You might take safeties and corners, yep, But man oh man, and maybe there is a stand up guy off the ball where you can put with Dorian Williams and you know, Terrell Bernard Milano that crew. Maybe there is another guy, Joe Andresen. Maybe there is a guy you want to throw in there. Maybe I don't know, but right now, you draft D Lineman, you draft corners, You draft safeties, that's it.

At least you have numbers at the linebacker position. Inspector too, that's right. So at least you have numbers at the linebacker position. You can't really say you do at corner, not enough number anyway. And safety I think could use a little jolt, even though you re sign Damar and you sign Derek Forrest, the free agent from Washington, So your numbers are a little better there, you know, knowing that you still have Taylor rap Cole, Bishop cam Lewis. But corner, you can't say it. You need more people there. So eight h three zero five fifty one eighty eight five fifty two five fifty got open lines for you there. And look, I'll be the first to tell you, Steve, and I understand that the draft doesn't work this way where you say, well, I want to come out of the draft with three defensive linemen and two corners and the rest. I don't really give a wood. As long as we address though, we realize the draft doesn't work that way, especially when you're picking as late in the round as the Bills are. A lot is going to happen in front of them that is going to kind of steer their direction to some degree from a value perspective. But all that being said, these are positions that have to be addressed.

You get in this draft and even you know, on one of the big boards where they drank every player artists of their position, who's going to be the best pro And they try and do it all the way down through the first guy that pops up at a corners at number seventeen, and then you get a safety at nineteen. The rest of them is edge, defensive line, edge defensive line. You know, a couple of wide receivers you get, you know, then you get another safety. So you're gonna get a chance at thirty, even if the Bills do pick thirty, which they are not going to. Even if they do pick at thirty, they're gonna get a chance at a really good player at one of those spots, at corner, at safety, at D line. Who's it going to be? And then you got you got the fifty six and the sixty two pick as well. You know, I'm how do you want those three picks to look when it comes down to.

It, where do you put your emphasis? Eighth three zero five point fifty one eighty eight five fifty two five point fifty the numbers to get on board, and we are wide open for phone calls in the second and a half of the show because we had Christian Benford on in our opening segment he of the new contract extension. But let's crack open the tweets sheet here for now while the calls come in in terms of whether you'd put more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or the Bill's coverage in the draft Defensively tweet sheet brought to you by Corrigan Moving Systems, the official equipment moving company of the Buffalo Bills, and Jeremy says, pass rush. Yes, our secondary isn't the strongest, but no one can cover forever if there's zero pressure up front, right, And I would say I would tend to want to put the emphasis on the defensive front as well, because if you have a good pass rush, your coverage group doesn't have to be uber talent.

They work hand in hand, no question about it. But the simple fact of the matters is that, yes, every team would want a front four that can get home in a second and a half. Somewhere one of the four it's you just can't get there. Certainly, you get into a game like they did in the Super Bowl with the Eagles, and all of a sudden it shows up where you've got a team that's a little bit less than sharp at their offensive line or their tackles, whatever you want to say, and you you're hitting on all cylinders and you're in a big game and all of a sudden it shows up. It's the same thing and happened to Peyton Manning and a Super Bowl back in with the Broncos when they hung. He had fifty six throwing touchdowns on the season and got crushed in the Super Bowl because because forty yeah to six, I think they have because the pressure got there. Now every single time he dropped back, the pressure was in his face. It's a magic elixir. The problem is you see it like once every twenty years from some random team. Yeah, you can't do it. You can't. You're not going to put it all in one off season. You're not gonna build that kind of dominance. The Eagles didn't do it in one off season, and it'll be interesting to see how long they can hold it together.

They've already had some free agent losses. I mean, yeah, so so to say Joey Bosa is awesome he's a great player and he's gonna help, you know, with Rousseau on the other side, all that stuff.

It's all going on. But even so, you're not gonna build a dominant pass rush in one off season. He's not gonna do it. Even if you draft a guy like Abdual Carter, he'll be good. He may he may even get double digit sacks, but that's not enough. Look at the Cincinnati Bengals had a guy with seventeen and a half sacks. Their defense was horrible. So you defense. The reason I'm saying all this defensive line, dominant pass rushes, you don't build him in one off season. The Bills are gonna they can get better. We all agree they need to get better. They've made steps towards getting better. Do you want him to continue to do that in this draft or you say, let's let's let's put some attention to the back end as well. We need you know, I mean, certainly we all feel like their defense needs help. Their offense was gangbusters this last this last season. The defense is what is begging for some people.

Break time for us here, we're at the top of the hour, but we will hit the phones when we return, We'll lead off with Steven Syracuse and others holding at eight oh three oh five fifty, big long segment coming up, so we'll get to everybody when we return. Here on One Bill's Live presented by Collide Health, It's Buffalo Bills Radio.

This the One Bill's Live presented by Calida Health.

Pur number two here on Wednesday, Chris Brown, Steve Taskier on defense? Would you put more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or Bill's coverage in the draft? Bill's have ten picks at their disposal. You tell us where the emphasis should lie in refortifying a defense that needs to improve after finishing twenty ninth and third down defense last year, eighteenth in sacks with thirty seven and middle of the pack in run defense eight oh three five p fifty the number to get on board one eight eight eight five point fifty two five point fifty. As promised, we lead off with Steve in Syracuse. What do you got for Steve? You're on One Bill's Live.

No question defense first, no question about it. Not even close corners you can get later in a draft or a diamond dozen. I don't care what you say. We picked before, but it wasn't the same wasn't good. But we need at least two, maybe three defensive tackles and an edge rusher because the ones we have now didn't do the job either. They may be some of them might be replaced, like Oliver per Chains, they might trade him or something, but they got to stick with the defense. Look at the schedule we got next year at home. It's brutal. It's brutal. You got you better have a strong defensive line. And if a defensive line and an edge rusher will make the corners, even average corner look better because they're going to get to the cornerback quarterback, we don't have time to throw the ball. But the opposite way, your corners are going to have to be all pro because they're going to pass us to death. Back there. No, you gotta have the defense pass rush, no question about it. Please. I'm tired of hearing the people calling in the first choice a corner, corner, corner blown a corner. If you need a corner, yes, but not this year. We got first time in years that we're gonna have a lot of people to pick from and a defensive line. We never had that luxury before, even late in the draft We're going to be fine if we play strict that defen get that line in there, because next year, year after you might not have a luxury having all these good defensive linemen in there. May be the apposite next year it's the corners. Corners are better, sure, no question about it. But we got to build up that defensive line first. You gotta do it. We got a brutal schedule at home next year. They could lose four games next year at home. They're not careful. And I think Bean and Ben McDermot, Brandon Bean is a great guy. He's smart enough to be caught in that trap where get the corners first. No, to just really disagree, all right, thanks to you.

Brandon Bean does say you can never have enough defensive lineman, and he has said that before.

So I can't disagree with Steve. I get it. Yeah, I don't know how well you're gonna do with with picks thirty.

Fifty six, six sixty two, but I'm with you. I would say. The only counter argument, so what Steve said is the proliferation of the quick game in passing offenses league wide. You could have all world pass rushers out there and the quarterbacks getting it out in one and a half to two seconds. There's nobody in the league that gets to the quarterback that far.

I'll say this though, the Bills have good success against the Miami Dolphins because they run that the ball has to get out of to his hands quick and the Bills are really good at shutting down his first read. You think back at about some of the you know, the monumental games the Bills have played against the Dolphins. They have forced the Dolphins either to Tua to pump fake it because he can't the ball's not there. They've got it shut off and then to start looking to his second option, or he drops back and has to go over the top.

But what did they do very effectively in the second meeting when it took a sixty one yard field goal from Tyler Bass to win the game. They threw it to devon a Chan in the flat like fifteen times and there was no answer for that.

You got course, but just got to tackle. You gotta have a plan to take away those first quick reads. But you're right. If you can't do that, yeah, teams are gonna light you up. Corners are only can only cover for so long. But there's just too much space back there in the athletes in the NFL are just too good to cover up. So yeah, that I would agree with Steve. I'm I'm all about it. The defensive line is awesome and hopefully you get a guy that outperforms a thirtieth pick in the draft. Spot.

Yeah to Mark in Jersey City, next, what's up? Mark?

Good afing and gentlemen, thanks for taking my call. It's gotta be sure. I gott to just reiterate defensive line. I mean, you look at their biggest failings and being says, you know, it's always when you lost it, it leaves you what you need to do. And if you look at where when they've lost in the playoffs, it was just a lack of pass rush nonexistent. And then it gets more frustrating when you watch like a preceding team just destroy. You know, whether it's k c and the Super Bowl twice or you know Houston, you know, not being able to get Watson on the ground and kneel and a lot of run into each other, and you know, it's just every time it's the lack of where Burrow just stands back there and throws five yard routes with the receivers, you know, getting no push. It's just it's unfortunate. But they have a great class lined up. I think, you know, with these suspensions, it almost say it forces their hand, but it almost forces their hand. But I think the class lines up, the need lines up, and I think we see probably three defensive linemen, two defensive tackles, an edge or I think it's perfect. I think they can. There's so many different variations.

They can go body types, a plugger, and like the previous caller just said, there it's a gauntlet. I mean, you're assuming everybody's going to be healthy and everybody's going to line up with their best twenty two. But that's not always the way the NFL works. But thanks for taking my.

Yeah, you're right. Yeah, that's a good, good point, Mark. Yeah, the homes, the schedule is what it is. No question, you're trying to build your team with the best players you can. And I don't have a problem, like you said, at this point, when it's all theoretical, give me two edges and a tackle or two tackles on an edge in those first three picks, and then get some athletes at the back end like you did. You have done in the past, showing the great ability to do Taron Johnson, Christian Benford, Matt Mulano. Give me some athletes in the later rounds. There's a ton of them, so you know, the guys who are genetically different tend to filter to the top of these draft boards. This year, it seems like there's gonna be a lot of them and get.

Some not for nothing. The big guys tend to go sooner, So if you want to get in on that party, you're probably gonna have to lean towards d Lion sooner rather than later to get some of the best of the crop. Let's go to Orca in West Seneca. A good day to be an Orca. It is pouring here.

It's just scoring over here too. Guys. Hey, Steve, good luck. I hope you'll make it before my lifetime is over with. Chris Craig's out on the radio. I just got one.

Question, Okay, go ahead.

Oh how did run did Brandon Bean get fleeced on these two big tackles that he signed not knowing that they had uh suspensions coming up?

One bet, Yeah, Mike Hoyt. They did know. They liked the player a lot, and they didn't mind the six game suspension. They were willing to live with that, and that's why they signed him to a three year deal. It wasn't just a one year deal. They signed with three a lot. Ogan Joby. Uh, they didn't know, and Brandon Bean was like, you know, they might not have done it. And in fact, i'm they may have adjusted the numbers on the contract when they found because to his credit, ogin Joby told him before he signed the deal, they say, hey, you're going to you know this came out and they I get the feeling they might have adjusted the cut numbers right before his own.

Originally it was reported to be a one year deal for eight point three million. Knowing the guy is going to miss six games on suspension, it's not unreasonable to think that they amended the terms a little bit. And yeah, Steve is right. Brandon Bean even said in his press conference, he said, look, I was willing to take on one player that I knew was serving as suspension, and you know I would not have done too, but the circumstances were this. Ogin Joby agrees to terms. En route to flying to Buffalo to sign the contract, he learns that he was flagged for a PED violation on a on a test. Being up front, he tells Brandon Bean before he signs the contract, Hey, I want to be upfront with you. I just got noticed notified that I got flagged for a PD violation, first time in my eight year career. I don't know how, but that's what it is. Brandon calls the league. The league didn't even know yet that Larry Ogunjobi was flagged for a PD violation because the players notified first, then the league, then the club they belonged to. So it was all very unexpected based on Ogunjobi's history, and he said, Brandon said, the reason we signed him anyway was because in that allotted amount of time from the time they agreed to terms with Ogunjobi to the time he flew into town and told them of his positive PED test, other considerations at the defensive tackle position were already off the market, and signed Ogunjobi was the best option they had left at the position, and so that's why they signed him anyway. Really, to be honest, Brandon Bean just got caught between a rock and a heart place without any other good alternative options. So this is how they have to ride it. Out through the first six weeks of the season unfortunately. But to our previous college point, Steve, it almost it almost raises the level of urgency to add defensive lineman knowing you're not gonna have Ogan, Joby or Hoyt for the first six games of the season.

That's right. So that's how it happened.

Yeah, let's go to Doc and Williamsville next.

What's up, Doc, Well, I got to tell.

You that your question should be based on philosophy. You're going to defend the pass or you're going to rush the passer. I don't think you can do both. I don't think there's enough talent available under the cap to.

Do both, not even in the not even in the draft this year.

Doc, it's hard to say. It's hard to say drafts or crapshoot. The only thing I can say about the draft, and I heard it on your show, don't mess, don't pass up talent for need. Take the best player available and make them, make them fit into your your your philosophy. And again, are you going to defend the pass that means you need rushers you don't have them, or the other way around. If you're rushing, you don't need defenders. So you've got to come up with a philosophy here, and it should be when you're picking players.

Yeah, that's it. Yeah, Doc, that's that's a great point. And I've said it too. That's kind of you go with. You get the best players you can, whether they're DBS or DT's right, and then you find your recipe for the way you're going to win. You know, week to week, how are you gonna beat Are you gonna beat the Eagles the same way you beat the Bengals? Probably not, But you find you get your players and you get the best ones you can. So if you're looking at the board. The problem is with that is this You're sitting here looking at your roster and the best player on the board is now a running back. Well, now what you're gonna pass up a great running back because you need a defensive player. That's what you run into when it's best player on the board.

When you're picking. As late as the Bills are too.

That's right where you're picking. They left. That's that's the issue. That's the issue. And you go do that. All of a sudden, you got a draft like this draft that we're coming up on now you were talking, we need defensive backs, we need safeties, we need defensive tackle, we need edge guys. And there are all these guys in the draft, saw some but by the time you pick all that's left or tight ends and running backs, Now what are you gonna do? Now? What are you gonna back? You got three guards that are gonna be all pro guards. Now you're now what are you gonna do? Now you're gonna That's what you're looking at. That's a problem and that's what invariably it runs into with these draft and the draft boards.

So you know, I will say the chances are better this year that they're going to be able to find defensive line help when they're on the clock. There's a greater chance of it happening because the defensive tackle class is so deep. Just to quote one person, Daniel Jeremiah from NFL Network who was on our show at the combine, and he said, normally he has twelve defensive tackles over the course of the top ninety or so picks, which is essentially day one and day two. And he says this year he has double that. He has twenty four defensive tackles in his top ninety, so that at least enhances the chances that when the Bills are on the clock, they'll find a defensive tackle whose grade matches where they're picking on the board. So hopefully that happenstance comes to pass. Let's go to carl In Pittsford next. What you got for us?

Carl, Hey, Chris, I got a hand it to you for saying what's up? Doc without laughing like that.

I didn't even crack those of us old enough to remember bugs bunny.

Of it, So I gotta say a lot like Josh Allen, I'd like to play with the mock draft simulators, and what I'm finding is that if you get to the second round, you you're out of the top cornerbacks, and there's still good defensive linemen there. But it's like what you're just talking about, supply and demand. So I'd go, I'd go a defensive back first round, and then then start loading up second round and beyond, and then also pull up, pull up Christian Benford, and pull up pull a good a good potential uh dB in the in the late rounds.

So that's what I got.

Yeah, it's it's it's a it's a valid point, Carl. You know supply and demand. I just told you the defensive tackle is uncommonly deep this year. Cornerback class is okay, but it's not as deep. And and we got to remember this too, Steve. Right now, as the roster currently stands, you can make the argument you need a day one starter at the cornerback position opposite Christian Benford.

Yeah, you need a day one guy like starting on day one because they don't result isn't here, So you're gonna end up with either Dane Jackson over there or who Cam Lewis, JaMarcus ing JaMarcus Ingram. So yeah, that's you need a day one starter then, at least right now you do.

Yeah, so you may have to take that guy early just because of the hole you have to fill, right because you have day Kwon Jones and Ed Oliver to play defensive tackle in your starting lineup. You have Joey Bosa who can line up at edge opposite Greg Russ. So you have starters that at least to give you some degree of comfort.

Solomon, you got guys, I don't know if you can say that at the other corner opposite Benford. Right, know that there's guys like that. So I'm I'm kind of with you on that. I'm but like I said, and he says, corners, there's no gonna be high level corners left. Christian Benford was not considered a high level corner. You can find guys with traits and a bill and you get them in your system. And this. You don't hear him say this too much, but I know there's got to be an attitude in this building. They're like, listen, we get that guy. He's gonna be way better for us, particularly maybe at that end of the defense. They've they've done it consistently, They've gone done it consistently. I mean, you've got guys like Taron Johnson and Christian Benford out there tearing it up. I just think, plus, you're gonna get there's more guys with elite traits in the defensive backfield industry than there are than there are guys with elite traits in the defensive line industry, just because big, huge athletic guys are rare. Normal sized guys anybody six two or less, six three or less who are elite athletes, Dude, there's a hundred of them in this draft.

Literally, So they don't all play cornerback, though some play receivers. You play safety.

My point stands. My point stand, they're not unusual. Yes, there's prove it. You got guys sitting in the stands watching who are athletes. Know, Oh god, they're everywhere. I'm I'm hyperbole. I get Yes, they're on every street corner in every major city. You got guys at the wreck thing that are better athletes than anybody in the building. That kind of stuff. I'm just My point is, there are way way more guys to take flyers on late in the draft at positions that don't require you to be genetically different. So get the guys who are rare just because of who they are and what they are physically, get it. Get them higher in the draft. Don't panic that you can't get a sauce gardener at the top of the graphic draftic corner. There's a lot of guys that come after him that are just as good, are going to be, maybe even better in your system. So I get the I get the thing about corners. Maybe you want to take a corner high because you know those of the pool.

Isn't the pool isn't as deep? No, No, you got hoppy Cock, says to Pop. Yes, yes, it's all blasphem.

I'm almost yes, I'm almost as sure about that as I am about the Bills playing on Christmas this year.

All right, So let's go to Bill and ken More next. What's up Bill?

Yeah, thanks for saving and Carl. Get back to the defensive tackle. Grant is the guy from Michigan at Harbury. You know, he brought him in and I'm looking at the teams that are ahead of Buffalo, maybe started at seventeen with since he the Chargers, Harborough's team at twenty two, and the Rams at twenty six to seven. Of course you're going to get Kansas City down there, you know, past Buffalo. But what would it take for Buffaloes, say, move up to like twenty two or twenty one, first or second or fourth or what? What would be the combination of numbers?

Yeah, I actually that much. Yeah, it's took a look at this Bill and we were looking at pick twenty four that goes to the Vikings. The Vikings only have four picks in this entire draft. They might be interested in sliding back six spots and picking up a couple of picks. You can get up to Minnesota's pick from thirty to twenty four. With your first at thirty one of your twos and your two lower fifth round picks, that's enough of a package. So you have three fives right now. You take your two lower fives, you're high two, which is at fifty six along with thirty, and you can get up to twenty four. So if you're willing to do that, you can get to twenty four. It would take even a little more to get up to twenty three or twenty two, but your point is well taken. You can make a case for a lot of these teams. Pittsburgh at twenty one. They need help on the defensive interior. Cameron Hayward's not playing forever and they just lost Ogun Joby to the Bills. Chargers need help on the defensive line. Bay just lost their defense starting defensive tackle TJ. Slayton in free agency to Cincinnati. They have a defensive line need. Minnesota has a defensive line need. Houston could use some help there. The Rams are the only team that doesn't need defensive line hope, because they've drafted them all in the last two years. And you can even say Baltimore would take a defensive tackle. So that's the concern for me. There's gonna be a run on D line talent, and I'm worried the cupboard's gonna be bare by the time we get to thirty. And then you may have to pivot and take a corner because you got the third best corner in the draft. Stare and yet in the face.

Yeah, or maybe the top safety in the draft. All of that stuff's in the mix. You really could, because here's the thing. If if all this quirky stuff happens, teams start trading around, jumping around, hopping around, and a guy drops and drops and drops, and all of a sudden, you pick it, you trade, you don't trade, You pick it thirty and the top player at some position group falls to you. You know, well, that's hard. It's hard to walk away from a guy who is projected to be an All Pro caliber player, All Pro, not Pro Bowl, all Pro. That's a difference. You've got to think long and hard about whether you pass that guy. I don't know if you do, no matter what position he plays, you know, I mean, that's that's a player that's gonna make your team better. But if you know, like I said, a minute ago. What are you gonna do if it's a guard or running.

Back, you're trading out, you know, Yeah, you might trade out of that, trading out.

That not that the guy. You don't think the guy is great, but he's not gonna help you enough in the right way.

Yep.

I don't know. Yes, the Bills could move up or down, and I anticipate they will, so we just have to wait and see. I think they're gonna jump up and get a guy they like. I think we're gonna probably get an inkling of who it might be, whether it's a you know, Walter Nolan or you know Harmon from Oregon, one of those guys. Kenneth Grant has been mocked to the Bills fifty times so far. I don't know that he's gonna be there.

Yeah, we'll have to see. We are up against the break here, but Kevin and Hamburg, Johnny and Buffalo will get to you when we return. As we are asking you, would you put more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or the Bill's coverage team in the draft later this month? You let us know at eight h three h five fifty one eight eight eight five fifty two five fifty the numbers to get on board. Here on One Bill's Live, presented by Kilide Health, it's Buffalo Bills Radio. Back here on One Bill's Live, Chris Brown Steve Taskier asking you today, where do you put the emphasis in the Bills draft? More on their pass rush or more on their coverage. We're expecting it to be a defensive heavy draft. Where does your emphasis lie if you were making these picks for Buffalo. Back to the phones, we go at eight oh three zero five fifty one eight eight five point fifty two five fifty into Kevin in Hamburg. What's up, Kevin?

Hey, guys, how are you doing? Thanks for taking my call. I want to bring up about I like the idea of secondary because I mean, even though the defensive mine is important, if a quarterback is worried about throwing on a secondary, then even the defensive rush don't get there. They know you're still worried about throwing on a secondary if you get good secondary guys. Now, give me an example I was talking about. Take for example, just an example of the Niners when they were great. They knew opposing quarterbacks did not want to throw on Ronnie Lotts or people like that, so we if the rush didn't get there, it was gonna get there because you did not want to throw on those type of people. If they're good enough to make a quarterback throw, I'm not gonna throw on that guy. You know what I'm trying to say?

Yeah, I got it.

Shut down corners and stuff, Yeah, I get it.

I think most teams are willing to live with a pass rush that forces the quarterback to at least get it out on time, right or hurry his throw right. So the very the baseline is that the guy's got to drop back and if he's supposed to be throwing it, he's got to throw it or he's gonna go down. Most teams can live with a pass rush like that, and that's kind of where the Bills have been living existing for you know, five or six years now. So that means your DB's got to cover for the you know, one point two you know, second and a half or two and a half seconds, whatever the number is. And if the ball's out, the quarterback doesn't want to throw it and he goes down or he's got to run around. So if you can live with a pass rush that's at that level, yeah, your dbs can thrive in that, and that's when it kind of works hand in hand. And then also when you when you're living like that, you can see it, you can see it. Then the coach has got to have a handle on what they're gonna do out of this formation, on this personnel. You got to be on it because then they say, listen, they're gonna do this or this. When they're in this personnel grouping and this formation, this down and distance, they're either gonna throw it here or they're gonna throw it here. And then you teach your guys to be ready for that, and then you win games like that. That's when your pass rush is working, your dbs are working, and then you're when you've got just enough, your coaches have to be on it and give them the tools to win because you know, nobody's beating anybody physically in that scenario. And then you know, so all of those things got to be in place. It's a lot. Yeah, it's a lot. And if you can just get one game wrecker to make the quarterback have to hurry it, Okay, that changes everything. So yeah, I get it. Uh, you know, the DB's can help out. They can cover these guys up quarterbacks back there patting the ball and then you know, the rush makes him move around, then the play comes apart. I get all of that, but the man, the absolute bare minimum you can live with is the ball's got to come out at least on time, right. I don't know that we've been there enough.

Last year you would say you were not. Yeah, let's get back to the phones and to Johnny and Buffalo next. What's up Johnny?

Hey, guys, thanks, you're taking my call. You know, I kind of agree with the point on taking a guy in the secondary. I mean, we've invested just countless assets in the defensive line over the past five years, you know, whether it's you know, at Oliver, Greg Russo, a Jpinett, and then you're you know, signing Don Miller and now Joey and you know you've signed the two free agents yet to suspended. But you've extended Oliver too. So I don't I can't see how we can't just plug and play for the first six games until those other guys come back. If anybody's good at plug and playing, it's Vicdermott. That's what he drives, That is getting the most out of whoever he's putting on the field, and to put more assets into this defensive line without trading up significantly to get you know, one of the best guys there, I think would be a mistake. And you know, we have to address that secondary. It is awful, you know, with the exception of Benford, uh, you know, I think we definitely need to help. You know, hopefully Bishop takes that next step at safety. But opposite Benford, you know, obviously Tron Johnson's great as well. But what do we got there? And you know, to your guys point, if the best player available is a guard or a running back or something along those lines, I know you said, you know, you might have to trade back or something. But if you've got a guy you're looking at, you've got him graded as you know, one of the top ten guys in the draft, that on your board, and you're looking at him a pick thirty or you can trade up to get him. I don't see how you don't do it, especially with a guy like Josh Allen. I mean, look at what he did last year with what many people called preseason perhaps the worst talent on the offensive side of the ball. Yes, James Cook did well, but we still didn't get a ton out of key On Coleman. Last year as a rookie, we got some flashes, Shakir did well, kincaid, we're still waiting to pop. But other than that, we still don't have that elite talent on the offensive side of the ball. We're hoping josh Palmer does well, but let's add weapons, and I can't see us just investing more assets in that defensive line. It would just drive me crazy. So thank you guys, and have a good day, all right.

But I get it, Johnny, I mean, to your point, they have made a lot of early draft investments in defensive linemen with mixed rates of success. I can't get on your train for offense as an emphasis over any of these defensive positions, though, because all you have to do is look at the numbers from last season. I mean, the Bills after the playoffs were over, led the league in points scored with the crew they had last year and made some similar type acquisitions with Joshua Palmer and Leviiska Chaneau who you know. You could argue Joshua Palmer is a bigger playmaker than Matt Collins, at least over his career he has been Leviiska Chaneau is probably here more for special teams than receiver, but it's another guy in the mix, and I think they believe a healthy Dalton Kincaid will add something to the offensive side of the ball this year. After playing most of last year on two bad wheels. Your defense was twenty ninth and third down defense, they were in the bottom third of the league. In red zone defense, they were middle the pack as a run defense, and completion percentage against and passer rating against was in the bottom third of the league as well. All of that has to get better in short order, especially with the caliber offenses you got coming in here next year Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Baltimore. I mean, you better load your defense up with some talent that you can put on the field sooner rather than later, or you're gonna be in a lot of shootouts and that's not where you want to live. So I can't get behind looking for more weapons when the Bills tried to do some of that in free agents. I'm not saying ignore offense in the draft, but the vast majority of the picks in this class have got to go to the defensive side of the ball.

The simple fact of the matter is Josh elevates all those guys on that side of the ball, both on the offensive line and at the edges. All the skill guys are better. All those guys had as good years they've ever had last year getting it from Josh with the exception what Amari Cooper who got here after nine game with eight games left, You know that kind of thing. You still feel like you've got to feel like you got a lot left under the hood with Keon, he's gonna you're gonna get some more consistent play out of him the more he plays, obviously, if he's got to stay healthy and all of that stuff. Khalilshak here is everything he thought he would be. Josh Palmer, well, we'll see. He seems to be a better option to wide out than Mac Hollins was, and we loved Mac. So you can do more on the offensive side with Josh with less. You can't do more with less for anybody on the defensive side. Maybe Joey Bosa changes that equation when he plays, But right now, I mean nope, I don't think any none of the callers or anybody we all mentioned him. I don't catch a lot of faith.

I don't think people feel comfortable stamping him as a sure thing because of his injury.

Yeah, he's been injured, and now when he plays you expect it. Yeah, you expect him be that game wrecker guy. But now he's a ten year vet after being injured for a lot of his career, so you're thinking it's not going to get healthier. So it's a legitimate concern. There's nobody on that defense that is a game wrecker. There hasn't been for quite some time. So I have a hard time getting on board with best player available, even if you know, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, I'd say best player available no matter what defensive position he plays. I can't get away from that right now. I just feel like the roster's sitting at a spot where you can't ignore it any further.

We always take mock drafts with a grain of salt, but our good friend Field Yates, who is a weekly visitor on this show during the season, has put together a two round mock draft, and he has the Bills at pick thirty, trading back into round two to pick thirty eight, and then moving back up a few spots to thirty four in a second trade with the Giants to take Kenneth Grant, the defensive tackle of Michigan. He apparently thinks he will be there as late as the top of round two, and then later in the round, knowing the Bills still have two other second round picks. He has the Bills taking cornerback Jacob Parrish at sixty two, the second of the or the last of the second round picks fifty six, He's got them taking Ohio State edge rusher JT. Twam Alou. So he goes defensive tackle, edge rusher, then corner. He picked Jacob Parrish out of Kansas State, who might be one of my favorite corners in the whole draft. So Field's kind of on board with us, or at least most of the callers, which was D line, D line, D line, then worry about corner We had a few dissenting votes or cornerback first because the pool is deemed to be thinner. But it's an interesting take here by Field on a day where we're discussing.

This, I've got this another Marx has taken with the exact picks we got so far. No trades. Derek Harmon the defensive lineman from Oregon. He's edge rusher. Then safe safety Andrew mccudah Makuba, I'm sorry from Texas. Eric Ayan minor wide receivers from Stanford, Sanford. Then they got Ashton Gloat from Louisville, and then uh Sam Schmail Mandon Junior's a linebacker.

Oh, smile, London, Smile, London, smile. Many from Georgia.

So you know, three defenders or four defenders out of the first five picks with a wide receiver sprinkled in.

Yeah, we have to step aside here. But in our final segment, we'll get some final thoughts on the tweets sheet about whether you would put more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or the Bill's coverage in the upcoming NFL draft that's coming away in next here on One Bill's Live presented by Kalida Health, It's Buffalo Bills Radio. All Right, some final thoughts on the tweetsheet here concerning putting more emphasis on the Bill's pass rush or the Bill's coverage in the upcoming draft. Big Deer says coverage is way more important. Franchise quarterbacks get rid of the ball in less than three seconds. The pass rush won't win that race. Great coverage creates sacks. Chance says, I think another great corner will help the pass rushers more than another pass rusher will help the coverage. You know, there is one thing to be said about that, Steve. The corners don't come off the field. These pass rushers rotate ad nauseum throughout the game. You get a good corner that can start for you sixty five snaps.

Right, And there's also nothing that says the offense has to wait until third down to throw the football. So you got your run stuffer on the field. They just decide they're gonna throw it on first and second down, then run it on third and short. That kind of thing. So yeah, they can go. They can play that personnel card at you when you've got great pass rushers. The only advantage to rotate in the pass rushers is you get fresh guys. The offensive line doesn't rotate.

So they're going to understand why they do it.

But yeah, corners play every snap. That's a plus. There's no question about it. A good corners make a difference.

Jacob says d line is most important draft emphasis need to improve talent. Jones is thirty three at Panessa and Bosa are free agents after this season. Need to compete defensively against top quarterbacks in the playoffs. The Bills d is built to win in the regular season. Cornerback is the bigger short term need, but it shouldn't be the draft emphasis. That's kind of a good way to differentiate it. You would say that the cornerback is the bigger need, but he doesn't believe it should be the bigger DFT emphasis. So he's all for taking a corner, but he thinks attack defensive line in numbers here.

Like I said, you can get a guy. You can get physical traits after the third, third, and fourth round. You can get them all the way back in the back of the draft. You can find a guy. And if you if it hits right and you get the right guy, turn he turns into Christian Benford. You don't need to get him at thirtieth.

Which is why Jack says pass Rush McDermott and company can coach up his secondary enough to disguise coverage his full quarterbacks and get the most out of their players, But if you can't get to the quarterback, coverage can only hold up so long. The NFL is about quarterback and affecting or disrupting them. We have hours have to get after their let's go. Thanks for listening, Thanks for the commentary. Thanks to Christian Benford. We'll see you tomorrow at one

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