Are Brandon Beane Big Swings Aggressive Or Reckless?

0:00Has the news been getting you down? I'm Megan McCartle, and I'm here to help. I'm the host of a news show from Washington Post Opinion called Reasonably Optimistic, and it's an antidote to the pessimism that's riddling America right now. Every Wednesday, I'm going to talk to people who see a path forward. It does seem to me that there is some awakening of a desire to act together to solve problems where they are. You know, I am a believer in America and it's worth fighting for. Join me Wednesdays on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. What is going on everybody? How you doing? Welcome to another episode of talking Buffalo, your weekday daily driver for Buffalo Sports Talk, and more.

1:04My name is Patrick Moran. Thank you so much as always for watching, for listening. However, you are consuming his podcast. Appreciate you guys. Very, very much big shout out to our sponsor for today's show. The law office of William, Mattara, herding a car. Call William, Mattara 4444444. Call William, Mattara today to get the compensation that you deserve. All right. This is our Friday podcast. If you listen to the show regularly, might sound a little bit different. Clearly doing something different today. I'm actually recording this live from Brayden's in Florida. I'm down here in Florida for the next handful of days down here with a very close friend of mine. Talked about that a little bit on the show yesterday, so I don't want to be too redundant. But our next few shows are going to be here in the lovely state of Florida. Well, at least I will be anyway. Back in Western New York, I am joined by good friend right now.

2:07Very good podcaster from the Buffalo Sports Collective, my buddy, PK, man. What's up, buddy? How are you doing? Pretty good. Pretty good. I know I get the text from you. I was like, okay, I've got a nice day off. I got no interviews to do anything. There's no lacrosse games I got to catch up on. And then I get the message from Pat, hey, can you jump on? I was like, okay, I can come home do this. And then I got the rest of the night to enjoy like a Saber's game that's actually going to be enjoyable. Yeah, in my bed. I got no games on. No, it goes, man. Life of the podcaster, it's how it goes. I appreciate you being on. And like I said, it's been, this is a vacation for me for the most part, but I want to make sure that I'm able to get some some podcasts in while we're still here. In Florida, like I said, I got a road mic, a little bit of a webcam. So hopefully it looks all right up for people watching. Hopefully it still sounds all right for people who are listening to the show. I was traveling yesterday, PK.

3:08So let's start there. And I'm sitting at the airport bar, sipping out a, on a pint of beer. And, you know, like everybody else, bills fans pretty much since Monday at noon. I've been constantly on Twitter and social media, hitting refresh, waiting to, you know, to see what the bills are going to do. And very cognizant of the fact that, um, the bills did resign countermegovernment, which was a significant piece of business. They got that done Saturday, very cognizant of the fact that they pulled off a significant trade for a wide receiver in DJ Moore. And very mindful that the bills as much as we hate hearing it from Brandon being and we see other teams always seem to be doing roster gymnastics or cap gymnastics to do what they got to get done. We're, you know, they didn't sign anybody for a few days. And I'm frustrated just like most bills fans are sitting at the, like I said,

4:13getting ready to, to jump out of flight to Orlando before connecting here to, to Bradenton, um, they signed Bradley Chubb. It's like first thought. Quickly details emerged and financially three years, like a little over 43 million, uh, 29 guaranteed. I saw from spot rack and practical contract terms, just like two years, 29 million, which is still a significant investment. But you know, not an historically big investment for the Buffalo bills. Let me start by, uh, asking you, just a, a simple, straightforward question. What's your first reactions to, uh, to this move? What do you think about the move? Do you think about Bradley Chubb? Obviously there's some good and bad. I want to hear from you first. What do you think? So, I mean, through the whole off season, it was rumor that he was going to get chopped from Miami and everybody was saying this was like a perfect fit for this new defensive scheme. So I kind of went in assuming that this would be a target for Buffalo going in.

5:16I think it's a bit more money than I was anticipating it being. Sure. But I mean, I mean, it's a, it's a, it's a spot that they needed to fill. But the guy who has a track record of performing, it's just, I think it's, it's another year of them putting money and guaranteed money behind a player that has injury history on a team that has been injured recently. So I'm, I'm, I'm happy that they brought somebody in that can contribute to this new defensive scheme. But I'm, I'm a little worried, especially with his track record of bringing in defensive players and it not really panning out to what we at least hope it's going to be with the Joey Boses. With, I know Vaughn Miller's was injury related. But the end tail end of the contract. I mean, it didn't really work out. So I, I'm, it goes down to the money. I'm shocked that it was that much amount with how much injury history he has. But it, it feels a need that they desperately needed.

6:17You know, it's funny. As I'm talking to his off camera or because I'm listening to, I should say there's a dog who is staring a hole through me through the, the plate glass door. Look at air outside. So I know at least one person is very intently watching this podcast today. I agree with pretty much everything you said. My, my first thought was, I was a little underwhelmed because again, like a lot of people. I'm thinking Trey Hendrickson, you know, the Ryan Tablet put out a report a few days ago from Syracuse.com that the bills had interest in them. And I think they did. And the Max Crosby trade fallen through and you're like, I'm one of the bills. It was a room when they were in on that or they're going to jump back in. So the hair Bradley job, who was cut by my, my, my, a couple of weeks ago, a little bit underwhelming. But in fairness, and I have a kind of like a mixed bag reaction PK. It's, you start to look at the other free agent defensive edge guys,

7:24the, the good ones, you know, the, the big ones. And what they got in the open market. And you start to ask yourself, well, would you sign that if you were brand and being, would you feel good given that contract out? And Trey Hendrickson's getting a lot of money for years, hundreds of millions, even if it only ends up being a three year deal. That's a lot of money for, and don't get me wrong. I'm not going to sit here and downplay these guys because they're not buffalo bills. Now, I'm not taking a, a home aristic point of view towards it. I'm not just trying to shoot everything down. Well, the guy, you know, he's overpaid. You know, the circle works. It's a great deal for the bills. It's great value. If you go somewhere else, well, they overpaid. So I'm not doing that intentionally. But I think for a 31 year old guy who's, you know, has significant injuries now. I mean, core muscle surgery. That's a big deal. And he's 31 years old. That's a big, big, big commitment to him.

8:24They shot, you know, they took their shot too from when I understand. But I'm okay with them, not paying Trey Hendrix in that money. Plus, you know, at three, four defense, as he played that before, is it a good fit so you can start to look at things like that. The Max Crosby situation. Man, the guy is in a lead player. But again, a major, major injury. How much of it was medical while why Baltimore shut it down? I guess we'll never truly know. But regardless, the thought of paying him all that money and giving up not one of two first rounders. And even if that price drops a little bit and it's a first rounder and then say another conditional first or a conditional day to pick, that becomes high compensation. One guy that Bradley Chow played with in Miami is Jalen Phillips. I like Jalen Phillips in awful lot. But 30 million dollars a year, 30 million. What has he done to earn 30 million? That's your projecting with it.

9:24That's a shallow to money. Odafe always got 25 million a year. We're watching him. Bowie Matthew from the Seattle side with Cincinnati. I like him a lot, but again, 20 million dollars a year hasn't really done a hell of a lot in the league. So as you go around and you look at these bigger names in the league and what they got, I don't think Bradley Chow is necessarily an overpaid PK. Does that kind of make sense to you? Everything you said, I think you're 100% right out of the injury history and the concerns that you have. But I really don't think a practical two year, 29 million dollar deal is, I don't think that necessarily an overpay. Yeah, I agree. It's not an overpay. I just think based on his injury history, it's more money and considering how much more need they have on defense, it felt like they invested a ton in Bradley Chubb that I mean,

10:25I feel like could have been spaced out for multiple different players. So now with the investment of him, the investment of Conor McGovern, which again, a big signing and bringing him back. It was between him and David Edwards. I think getting the center back who has history with Josh Allen is major along that line. But I think when you're looking at it, could and DJ Moore, I should say as well, investing that amount of money in him as well. I think I'm a little shocked that they invested that amount of money in one player when now they're going to probably have to go to clearance rack to get a starting safety, to get another starting linebacker. I mean, they're still missing two starting positions on this team. So investing that amount of money on a guy who has legitimate injury scares. And I know he played through some stuff last year and played all 17 games. But you can't look past the injury history. So in the grand scheme when you're comparing it to the league averages this year and what guy's on the market got, yeah, it's pretty much a discount. But when it comes to how much money Buffalo had to offer players,

11:26infrariancy as a whole, I think that's where it seems to me that they spent a bit more money on this position that I don't know. I like the player. I like the signing. I think he's going to fit a need for this. It's just a bit more money than I was anticipating them investing in that position. That's fair. And you know, when I explain that I said, these others, guys are making all this money and people have said, well, what the hell we, what do you suggest they should have done then? You know what I mean? That Caleb Chasen from New England went to Washington. He got like 11 million a year. That's a guy that I really liked a lot. That would have been a good sighting. You know, I wonder PK, I say this would have smiled on my face, but I'm not necessarily joking here. I wonder if Brandon Bean puts his significant amount of stock in the weather than just necessarily looking at the big picture, putting a heavy focus on what these players do when they play against the Buffalo Bills. Because Bradley Chabet ain't a half sex last year.

12:27Two of them were against Josh Allen in the same game. He dropped Josh Allen twice in that Buffalo debacle at Miami. You look to DeAlford, who the Bills sign essentially to be the Taran Johnson replacement. He picked Josh Allen off in week six when Buffalo went to Atlanta. He was also the guy who tackled Josh Palmer. You can argue a hip drop tackle that sent Josh Palmer to to the sidelines for a month. But anyway, in all seriousness, I feel like Brandon Bean puts a lot of stock into what guys, and we've seen this before too, what they do against Buffalo. That's not necessarily me bashing him. I'm just, it's interesting, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, they can't hurt you if they're on your team, right? I mean, I guess they end in a negative way, but they can't sack your quarterback. They can't intercept your quarterback if they're on your team. But yeah, that does check out. I mean, those are two instances of players that cost you a few things last year, and now they're in-house and they can cost other teams the same thing.

13:30Yeah, and there's a couple of free agents out there that I wish he kind of put heavy stock into that from Denver to PJ Locke was a safety I'd like to. And I think he was going to be that expensive, but he wasn't. He went to Dallas for $5 million. He had an interception on Josh Allen in the playoff game. Alex Singleton, an older linebacker. I like him a lot. I thought he was a great target. So did I. I mean, we definitely assume that the Denver connection was going to follow Jim Leonard. He resigns with Denver. I mean, he's the guy who hit James Cook and caused that fumble in the first quarter, which turned out to be a big play in that game as well. Well, we'll get to linebacks. I want to stick with Bradley Chubbier for a couple more minutes. Because again, I think it's a mixed bag. You can look at it from a positive aspect. And there's two things that for me are positive. One, you look at his sack production. His last two healthy, healthy seasons. He had eight and a half sex last year. I mean, that's not sitting in the world on fire.

14:31It's not terrible either. Greg Rizzo. That's what Greg Rizzo had to him. You know, we said that Greg Rizzo had a really good year. And he had 11 sex in 2023. So it was last two healthy seasons. He's got into the quarterback pretty well. I also think he is a much, much better run defending edge than Joey Bosa was. I said this on Twitter. I haven't tweeted much the past couple of days. Because again, I mean, you're ready to travel. And I'm enjoying as much time as I can down here in Florida. But one of the things I gauge tweet about was we're looking just at sex and we're looking at pressure rate and stuff like that. And it's very, very important. Don't get me wrong. I'm not downplaying any of that. But I think what's getting lost in the shuffle is part of the problem with the Bill's defense last year was just, I hate to sing like one specific guy out because it wasn't just one guy. But Joey Bosa was a liability in the run game. I know you and I have had conversations on this show about this.

15:32How many times did that guy get caught inside, you know, getting pinched inside? And they would bounce it outside for big gains. I put a highlight wheel or a low light wheel together of Joey Bosa getting pinched in. He was awful against the run. And he just kind of fell off a cliff period near the end of the season. I think he played too much. Um, that's not his fault. There wasn't good depth on this team this year. But, uh, anyway, his play fell off and he wasn't good against the run. Bradley Chubb is a stout, solid, run defending edge. And part of the Bill's problem. Yeah. Mollenix does 46 passes and you don't drop him once. That's a big problem. Another big problem is the Bill's run defense is not being good. So he helps there. Then that's something I think people should look more at. Did you agree with that? Yeah. I mean, look at the one example of when Joey Bosa got completely turned around,

16:33where he just didn't even go for the quarterback because he got completely lost. So again, that's not a shot directly at him, but those are just examples of where you see an immediate upgrade on what those two are. Because I was starting to get worried. I was like, is Joey Bosa really going to be resigned with this team? God, I hope not because I don't want to see those packages once again of just him looking completely lost. So yeah, if you're looking at it like that, that's that's one area where you can look at the defense where it's going to be an improvement by just flopping out one player for another. Because in the run game, you said it multiple times. This team got carved up in the running game. How many times last year? And I think Bradley Chubb is a big upgrade in that position where he can help in that one situation. Maybe a couple more drives and earlier and you get the ball back to your start quarterback and you get more points on the board to avoid having these disastrous breakaways where like the first one that comes to mind is Bijan Robinson, how he carved them up in the first half. And that was a loss that cost Buffalo in the long run. Because I mean, they were able to turn it around on the second half,

17:36but what did Bijan Robinson do to this team in the first half? And Bradley Chubb's in there over Joey Bosa. Maybe Bijan Robinson doesn't go for 90 yards the one drive. So I do think that that is one area where if you're not looking directly at the cash and you're not looking at the injury and you're just looking at the player itself on where he upgrades compared to what it was last year, I think the run game is a big one. It's a good point and you know, I feel here's how I feel about him. I don't, I think if you can stay healthy and that's not necessarily a given man, but he's kind of like a, he fits a lot of the bill's defenders that I've seen in recent years. He, I think he's got a high floor, but I don't think he's got the highest ceiling. Right. Like, like Greg Rizzo at this point, Greg Rizzo is who he is and he's a very good defensive and he's a great run defending edge setting defensive and who's a decent pass rusher. He'll make you some plays. Greg Rizzo is never, we want him to be what it's not going to happen.

18:36He's never going to be a guy who's going to get you 15 to 17 sacks in a season. It's just not what he's going to do. I feel the same way about Bradley Chubb. Bradley Chubb will do things very well. He's kind of in the same mode too. He's not like twitchy and bendy, you know, he's a power kind of rusher. He'll play good run defense. He'll get you eight to 10, 11 sacks. That's his ceiling. So the ceiling is not great, but the floor is pretty high, which again, a guy like Bosa, we saw he was literally all or nothing. And I hate to keep comparing him, but we have to because that that was last year's big investment. And this is this year's big investment. Joey Bosa dominated at times. He had some huge plays, some game changing plays. And then he disappeared for games at a time. And he disappeared in January all together, period, you know what I mean? So he was more of a high ceiling, very low floor. But we also can't look at the point where you could just say, well, if you could stay healthy and you know, I'm throwing it away like it's a throw away line.

19:38It's not because this guy's had torn ACLs in both his knees. He's actually had three torn ACLs in his life because he tore his ACL in high school, which kind of leads me to asking you a question about Brandon Bean. Do you feel like there's not a right or wrong answer? Sometimes it feels to me like there's a line between being aggressive and reckless. I used that term, I remember at the end of the first half when Josh Allen took off running. And they were like, well, we're trying to be aggressive. And he could play that wasn't aggressive. That was reckless. This reckless football cost him was a turnover. Brandon Bean continuing, continuing to go after high profile edge rushers with significant injury histories that are also, by the time they get the Buffalo also a little bit long in the tooth, that is, it's questionable if you could say, well, he's being aggressive or if he's being reckless. Von Miller obviously had a torn ACL. We couldn't anticipate him to happen.

20:39And again, what he did, you know what I mean? Joey Bolson, we just talked about him. He's had tons of injuries and now Bradley job with two torn ACLs. How do you feel when Brandon Bean does something like that? Does it make you do you applaud him for being aggressive? So to speak or do you wonder if he's just kind of being like, born or lying reckless as he trying to outthink the room every time and say, well, you guys might think this guy's best days are done. But I don't and we're going to sign him and give him some good money. When you do that, you're relying on him too, you know what I mean? Yeah, I think there's a combo between like, I think Von Miller, I think that was a bit reckless based on, I think it's two parts here. It's the money that they invested, but it's also the reason they did it was the year before, they couldn't get my homes on the ground and they thought, okay, we're one piece away. We just got to get a finisher to get my homes on the ground. And that was supposed to be Von Miller. And maybe that ends up happening if he doesn't get hurt. To me, that more felt reckless.

21:39The Joey Bosa one, that one felt more aggressive because it wasn't that big financial investment. It was a guy that, you know, if he could touch whatever he could in his prior years, that would be a great move. This one, it's up in the air right now because it's not this major investment, but it's also a guy who does have injury history. So I think time's going to tell if this one was aggressive or reckless, but I do think that he has those in his back pocket of, okay, there's times where he's way too overly aggressive, but there's times where I should say way too overly reckless. And there's times where he's just being like aggressive with it. Like, I think DJ Moore, to me, that one's him being aggressive. I like that one. This one, this one feels a bit more reckless based on the injury history. And I understand the last two seasons that he was fully healthy. He's put up good numbers and he does fit a role on this defense. But to me, based on the cap space that they had, the money available, and how much money they invested in that pot of money that they had available

22:41into Bradley Chubb, I think this might, to me, it's leaning more reckless than aggressive when it comes to Bradley Chubb. All right. Well, you mentioned DJ Moore and you consider that more on the aggressive side. You know, I haven't talked to you about this. It's still relatively new. Your opinion on the trade now, I saw and had Joe from Queens on earlier in the week. And once he saw the Michael Pittman got swapped for a six for seven, he started bitching about that. And, you know, Ian Rappaport, was it Ian Rappaport? I'm pretty sure it was. It was Ian Rappaport, that son of a bitch. Oh, yeah, that stupid wording. Oh, yeah. The, you know, a mid-round pick. I was like, hell, yes, hell, yes. Then we find out it's a second-round pick. I'm like, mm-hmm, that becomes a significant draft asset that you traded. And again, Pittman for a six for seventh round, and he gets a new contract, too. I don't know, your thoughts on the DJ Moore trade? You see the trade like Pittman, some of these other guys going,

23:42which I want to be clear. I think DJ Moore is better than Michael Pittman. And go give me a better player, even if it's going to cost me more than a lesser player, who's got a back problem by the way, too, potentially now. For a, there's a reason why he was a six for seven pick swap and wide DJ Moore. Or, you know, that why they got a second-rounder. I actually, I don't defend Brandon being an often PK. But in this case, I feel like there was a market for him. And I, I think he's a really good fit, potentially for itself. It's, I like his ceiling a lot. How do you feel? Yeah, I, I agree. I've always liked DJ Moore. He's, he's always felt like one of those players that's right on the cusp of popping, but he's never had, I mean, it was Caleb Williams, his best quarterback he's ever played with. Like off the top of my head, I can't think of another quarterback. I know he had one year of, Justin Field, his best numbers were with Justin. Yeah, Justin Field, the world beater by any means. I can't remember if he was still in Carolina when they had Baker Mayfield there as well. So maybe, maybe that was also a case.

24:42But yeah, I, I really like his, his ceiling. I think he's going to fit perfectly with Buffalo. And I think he's a position of need. And I, I, I would have preferred it being a third-round pick. As soon as I saw like the mid-round pick, I was like, okay, game on. Like, I love this. It feels like it should have been a third over a second. But I'm not really going to nit pick over one round for a position that they absolutely needed. He's making a decent amount of money. But I, I really do think that he's going to come in here. And he's going to be, I mean, I've seen multiple people say he's the best fighter see for this team's head since Stefan Diggs. And I fully agree with that. I, I think he can come in and be. And I'm not super worried about him turning 29 close to 30. I'm not worried about that. I think he's going to hold up. And I, I really think that maybe this is just PK. And his hopeful status here and sitting here in March. But I, I really think that he could be a, a player that comes in and bees next year at top 10 wide receiver across the league with Josh Allen is this quarterback. I think he has that talent. And this is one of those players that you, you're going to mention it here. He has a high ceiling and he high floor.

25:44So he's, he's a, feels like a very safe player. So I'm not going to nit pick over one round where I thought he should have been a third instead of a second round. So I love that pick. I think this is one of those ways that I think Brandon Bean was aggressive and not reckless. I completely agree with you. I said, you know, I think Bradley Chubb ceiling is that he could be a significant contributor to this defense, which is a very good thing. I think DJ Moore could be a stud in this offense. Like right now to everybody eats sure, everyone who's going to get the football thrown them some. But like DJ Moore, he can get back to 12 1300 yards receiving 100%. I, I am with you on that. I think his ceiling is high. Though the mystery that we'll find out in time is his last two seasons have been not as good. If you're pro DJ Moore, again, maybe the chemistry wasn't there with Caleb Williams. They also had talented young

26:45mouse to feed. They were, you know, a top 10 picked another first round pick and early second round pick before DJ Moore. And they wanted to get rid of their contract because of those young, hungry, cheaper mouse. So that's the optimistic point of view. But it's something to keep our eyes on going forward for sure. One more real quick thing and then we'll take a break. I feel like this bill's team is staying stand right now. Our heavily, they're gambling on being healthy with a defensive unit that, you know, is a pretty significant recent injury history. And I'll talk about their important players too. Bradley, job obviously we've been talking about him two torn ACLs at Oliver, a major elbow injury this past season, also a foot injury. So two major injuries last year. Michael Hoyt, the bills are counting on him coming back from a torn Achilles.

27:47Michael Hoyt expects to be back. He said that on Eric Woods podcast, he expects to be ready for training camp. We'll see. I certainly hope so. I think the bills right now are counting on it. And then Jorobodard is not one injury. It's like a gazillion injuries. He's always hurt. I hate to say that mockingly, but that's kind of what it is. This is why I'm concerned right now with what I'm seeing in free agency PK because it's early and the bills are certainly going to have to fill spots. But I think depth is important because you got a lot of significant defenders on this football team that have been prone to injury. Yeah, when you're looking at the possible starters right now, excluding the one linebacker you still need and excluding the starting state that you still need, I like the projecting starting lineup for this team. I think they could be a very good defense, especially under Jim Leonard, with the guys that you're expecting to be the starters that are playing significant roles.

28:47But it's the depth because all those starters, the majority of the starters, you just want over it, have a long history and it's gambling with fire there. Like if everything works out perfect and there are no major injuries, your defense could be legit. How often can you count that in an NFL season that most of your starters aren't going to get hurt? You're going to need to have good depth in this positions. That's where I do think that Brandon being can put his stamp on this defense and Jim Leonard can help with him by finding those cheap depth pieces that he's done in the past. I mean, Chek Thompson was a revelation last year with this team and was playing meaningful minutes down the stretch, wasn't costing a ton of money. He was just a street for agent that they brought in in the summer, that is. I think we both thought we were both on the show saying I think he's going to have meaningful minutes and he could be a legit weapon on this team. It just took injuries to get him in there. But I think that they need to go out there and get a bunch of cheap options of guys that could pop if they need to be inserted in this lineup. I think

29:51Dorian Williams, for one, is an example of I think he's going to end up playing a big, big role on this team just because he's already there and he's cheap. I think that's the part here is they're going to have to go out there and find clearance racks of guys that don't need to be starters, but in a pinch has that capability to go in there and make a difference in a game or two. Because right now they don't have a ton of money left available to fill these spots. They're going to have to find some depth role pieces on this team. They did it last year. I mean, a lot of their players got hurt and some of the depth guys came in and made big statements, even Jordan Boyer. He was not anywhere close to the player he used to be, but he came in and I think he was critical in pivotal and seeing Cole Bishop take that next step. So even if they're not what they used to be or big time players, if they're contributing and bringing other players up around them, I think it's good signing. But yeah, it's it's very nerve-wracking and very he's playing with a ton of fire right now and juggling a bunch of those balls up in the air with all these guys that you

30:53have injury history because if one or two guys go down, which could happen, it's probably going to happen that depth is not there right now. Big thanks to our sponsor BetterHelp for partnering with us for this important conversation about mental health. This Steve Smith here, former NFL Y receiver and host of the 89 show on YouTube. So having a counselor and work with BetterHelp, that gives you an opportunity to really start to unpack, but people don't understand when you unpack things. You also open up a box, but you're not always sure what's inside. So I think that's why seeing a professional is extremely important. If you need someone to open up to visit BetterHelp, that's better, H-E-L-P dot com slash 89 to get started. Has the news been getting you down? I'm Megan McCartle and I'm here to help. I'm the host of a news show from Washington Post opinion called reasonably optimistic and it's an antidote to the pessimism that's riddling America right now. Every Wednesday I'm going to talk to people who see a path forward.

31:56It does seem to me that there is some awakening of a desire to act together to solve problems where they are. Now I am a believer in America and it's worth fighting for. Join me Wednesdays on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Here talking Buffalo, I'm with PK from the Buffalo Sports Collective PK from his home studio right now. In the north sounds, I am down here in kind of cloudy, but I'm not going to bitch about it because it's 80 degrees out of Braidings in Florida right now. By the way, I traveled with the Sabers hoodie and I got a handful of ghost sabers and you could see today if you're watching on the video side. Got my Sabers hat on. I got a TNT Tate Thompson T shirt Sabers pride right now is slowly back. And I'm telling you, I've been hearing it more and more at places that I hang out with with friends of mine or like I said in airport, whatever it's

32:57it's go sabers and I love it, man. It's just it's so different and I'm so happy about it. It just feels so good right now to have pride in a hockey team and it's just playing their asses. I'll we'll talk about them for a few and just submit it before the break you mentioned during Williams is one of the guys and you know, I feel like as things stand right now, but it comes at Jim Leonard fan and this is where us fans, content creators, even if you're not inside the team, you don't know shit, you know what I'm saying? It's just like, oh my god, Jim Leonard. He didn't know has no idea what he signed up for. He thought he was going to come here and he were going to get this here and to get that and they ain't giving him nothing. They're doing shit for him. He probably regrets, you know, choosing Buffalo already and all this stuff because we're watching all these guys fly out the board. We're getting really frustrated. Maybe he's a little bit, but I'm sure they got a plan, all right? We don't know what that plan is. We might not agree with that plan, but they certainly, yeah, it's not like they're not sitting there with no fucking plan

34:00PK whatsoever. What they're going to do. I think, though, as things stand right now, I mentioned this a little bit yesterday. I think the bills are counting on a few of these younger guys more than we're expecting the bills to count on them. Dory Williams is certainly one of them. Jerome and Jordan, Dory Williams, I think they're your two starting inside linebackers this year at this point now. I don't see anybody in free agency right now. Now Trees can always happen. A first round pick. Things could change, but right now, I don't see any linebacker like once Leigh is Chanel and some of those guys went up the board. I'm like, uh, it's Jerome and Jordan and Dory Williams. I think Dory Williams can be a start of this year. Uh, TG Sanders, you know, the bills moved up in the second round to go get them. I think he's going to get an opera. I'm not saying he's going to take advantage of it, but I think he's going to get an opportunity to have a significant role on this team this year. And then the other guy who I'm a fan of, so it's weird, but I don't want him to be locked in as a starter is Jordan and cock. You know, he's, uh,

35:05they signed a nickel corner. They don't have a safety depth on this team when I was cold bishop, cold is a Jordan and cock. They don't have anybody else right now. Safety is the one position by the way that I've really been frustrated about during this free agency process. Again, somebody's defensive edge guys, defensive lineman, wide receivers, the contracts that they're getting. I'm like, yeah, I don't, I'm not with that. Anyway, I'm glad being to spend that money. The safety contracts. I'm on the money I'm seeing. I'm like, that dude is absolutely worth it. Kevin Barrett going to the Patriots. Perfect fit for the bills would have been a perfect fit with cold bishop. Um, he goes into wingland. So that frustrates me, but I think these young guys are going to have a, a big role. I want a real quick PK for switched to the sabers. You think, as we're recording this anyway, Shaq Thompson, nobody's paid him yet. Trey White, nobody's paid him yet. Do you feel like there's a growing chance that maybe some of those guys are coming back to Buffalo? Yeah, I saw your tweet earlier on Thursday. I should say when people are listening to this. I, I agree. I think both of those guys are probably destined to come back to Buffalo. Um,

36:06to, to talk about those three other guys, I, I do agree. I think they're expecting their younger players to step up and fill a void, especially with, I know I keep mentioning, but the cap situation, they just don't have a ton of money. When you're looking at the safety room and as you were talking about the safety and the frustrations of all the safeties that are going off the board and nobody signing him here in Buffalo, it got me thinking I know when Sean McDermott was here, you saw all the years and years and years and how, and we heard it over and over and over how important the safety room was for him that those are vastly important players for the Sean McDermott defense. I almost wondering because you maybe you'll have to talk to somebody from cover one because they know so much more about football than I do. I wonder if the gym Leonard defense, the safeties just aren't as important as it was for Sean McDermott defense because if you're looking at it last year or the year before that or the whole Sean McDermott era, I don't think you would have a single season where they're not investing heavily in the safety department. And I know last year you ended up starting Jordan, but that's because of injuries and Taylor wrap goes down in their whole situation there,

37:08but I'm almost wondering if they're looking at the defense on maybe it's not as pivotal as it had been in the past or at least they view that way that you don't need a big time safety back there. And maybe the steps that Cole Bishop took last year make them feel more comfortable of okay if we put a guy that's making $2 million next to him or or three or four million dollars next to him, we'll feel comfortable there because we have a Cole Bishop because of the guys that are in front of them, because of the defensive style we play. So maybe that's the reason that they're not going heavily or maybe they are and they're just getting turned out. Maybe I'm just talking out my butt here, but I do worry about some of these younger guys that they need to step up and they're expecting to step up because of the guys currently in house and maybe by the time this airs, they sign two more guys in the safety room. But yeah, I also like Charm Hancock, but it is a little nerve wracking that currently right now he's slotted to be the next starting safety back there. 100% up. You know, I will say this though, too.

38:10Maybe you can't pay everybody. You can't be expensive across the board. You've got to have starters on this team that, uh, you know, that are cheap. That's why Alec Anderson will be starting at guard this year. Why David Edwards is a, a New Orleans state right now. And there's other positions that might be why Dorian Williams is starting a linebacker this year in Leo Chanel's not at eight million a year when you have Dorian Williams starting for less than two. Uh, here's what I think about safety right now. It's very frustrating, but I've heard people smart draft people saying that this is one of the better safety classes they've seen in a very long time. I see a guy like Xavier Watts from Notre Dame who is a player I watch play every week in Notre Dame. I'm a big Notre Dame fan. Um, he was incredible as a rookie with the Atlanta Falcons. The bills very well could be saying right now. You know what? We're going to take a safety early and he's going to play. There's, I know there's two safeties for sure. And I'm

39:15not even counting Caleb Downs will be long gone. There's two safeties, um, who are absolutely first round prospects right now. So I think safety is very much in play for the bills at 26. I think that's Russia. I think safety and maybe a wide receiver, but I, I think the bills still like their receiver room more than we do. And they know probably add somebody. Um, but anyway, my whole thing about safety, like I said, is it wouldn't surprise me if they say, well, we're just, we're going to draft a safety. Um, and we're going to feel good about that. They certainly need to get another veteran. No, man. They need another veteran there in that room. And his name better not be. I was just going to say, I was just going to say it. I knew you were going to say it. So I beat you, uh, I beat you to a punch. Before we get out here, let's just met a couple of minutes, um, talking about the sabers. I need the preface because although this is dropping out on Friday, the sabers play Thursday night, we are recording this before they play the Washington capitals. Um, going into this game. And it almost feels weird to say it,

40:21eight and oh, since the Olympic break. And I got to tell you the sabers, they weren't playing bad before the break, but they were stumbling a little bit. And you know, all those good vibes, the good feels about this team right now. And then climbing up in the standings. I thought, man, the last thing this team needs is a break right now. Keep the ball rolling when you're playing well. You don't want, you don't want to have a hiatus. You want to keep going. You want to keep building. And I was very, very concerned that this team was going to come out of the break. Maybe feeling themselves, it's some time to sit around. And when you sit around, maybe you feel yourself a little bit too much, right? Um, your two key players are in the Olympics. Maybe they're getting a little more worn down. They come back to bro and they're eight and oh, eight and no. And I'm still thinking about that Tampa game from Sunday because it's one of the top two or three games. I think from the sabers I've ever seen absolutely in the regular season. I guess I'm just

41:21blabbering here. I should be asking you a question. How, well, how surprised are you that this, this train, this wagon that everyone talks about and all this sabers wagon just keeps rolling along. And it's, you got other coaches talking about this team like, we need to be like this team. I saw the coach from San Jose doing it the other day. What is it right now? Well, how surprised are you? It's crazy to me. Yeah. This, the Sunday game, I think I was one of the very few people in Western Earth that wasn't watching it live. We were literally recording as the game is going on. So we, we saw it firsthand go from two nothing to four to one down to six to four. And then when we hit stop recording, it was seven six. And I told Phil I was like, I'm going to edit later. I got to go down and watch this last eight minutes. So then I finished the eight minutes it was awesome. And I kept seeing like, this is the greatest hockey game I've seen in decades. I was like, I got to find a way to rewatch this. So I don't get spoiled like all the different action that went down in it. So I saw that it was W or MSG was going to re air it like they normally

42:24do, but it's after bowling. So I'm sitting in bed on Sunday and I'm working on Monday morning going eventually this thing's going to have to I stayed up until like one one 30 in the morning rewatching that game. And every single thing that everybody was talking about it was spot on. It was one of the best hockey games in the last two decades for this team. But I mean, before the season even started, us at the VSC were having serious conversations of just chopping the sabers and not talking about them anymore because of how negative we were about them. And I'm like, nobody wants to hear just us come on the same show over and over and over. They can just play a loop of what we say about the sabers all the time. And we were that close to chopping them. And then December ninth happened and they've been a completely different team. I'm with you. When the Olympic break was heading up, I was like, this is the worst time for this team to go into a break. But now after eight games here and they're like they continue to do it. I'm like, this break was at the perfect time because they were getting run down. They were getting tired from that long stretch. You were seeing it in that Pittsburgh game. They were just tired and beaten up. You had no Zach Benson in the game. Josh Norris was still trying to come back. You had

43:29a UPL that just got injured. So I think really when you're looking back at it as you're sitting here now, that break that they went on was actually a blessing and not a curse because it could have happened. If they were sitting there, it's feeling themselves like you were mentioning, but they came out even more hungry. And I can't remember who it was. Somebody on the team was like, yeah, that Pittsburgh game. Now we got to sit with it for this entire break. I think them losing that Pittsburgh game and not finding a way to win it might have actually helped them because they were pissed off that they weren't able to beat Pittsburgh. And they had to sit there for close to 20 days, not being able to play hockey. And that was the last time that they saw him. So this, I don't know what flipped. But this team is actually like I, I, I was remember in December in November, Harpen on Tage Thompson. I'm like, he is just coasting out there. And now the game in San Jose is in the corner. He's skating hardies, hitting checks. I'm like, this is a completely different player. What the heck happened to this team? I am so happy to be a Buffalo Sabre fan again. It's like something flip, man. I, but yeah, that break was a blessing. And the sky is now looking

44:34back at it. I have a cross two different sport comparison with the Sabres that fans want to punch me in the face for. But I'm just speaking my truth here. I kind of feel like the Sabres in hockey are kind of like the New England Patriots with football. And I'll elaborate a little bit. Like the Patriots sucked for it a little not for 14 years, but obviously, but they've stunk the past few years. They've been as bad as it gets. Get a tough nose coach. They have a, a budding star. They have the guy who finished second in MVP this year. Okay. They have drug me. Okay. And they just, when games are supposed to win, now the difference is the Sabres are kind of beating on some of the best teams in the league, too, like Tampa Bay and things like that. So I might say it's a completely accurate. It's a loose based comparison. The turnaround, but also you said it and you're right. Like the Sabres kind of going into the break were stumbling

45:38and maybe that was a good thing for them. Instead of keeping it rolling going into the break, they kind of came back saying, you know what, we got to be back. We're not as good as we think you are. As much as I can't stand Stefan Diggs, when the bills beat New England, and this is where I'm getting at with this, when the bills beat New England and Foxboro, people were like, that was a measuring sticker. The Patriots for real. And then the bills beat them. Stefan Diggs said this could be a good, wasn't even mad at the bills won the game because I think we needed to lose. He said that and I hate him, but he's right. And you know, it's not, it's not the Patriots fault. Nikol Collins got hurt. It's not the Patriots fault that Bo Nick's got hurt. They got lucky. They got, you know, a pat to the Super Bowl handed to them. The Sabres aren't going to get a pat to the cup and into them quite like that. I don't think anyway. But my point was New England stunk. They lost the game. They learned from them. They got better from it because of adversity. And they made it to the Super Bowl. The Sabres can make it to the Stanley Cup. It's just, it's

46:39crazy. It's not unheard of. And every time we talk about Kevin Adams, who's some roster personnel, one thing we've never really mentioned and tied in with Kevin Adams. It looked really good on is the Beckman and Stein trade. And now I'm looking at Beck lately and that goalie scored the other night and just fighting. This is like, they came a second runner. The bills, the bills. The Sabres, Kevin Adams fleeced to Washington. It felt like the Sabres got fleeced. There's the other way around. It's like, every time we have a conversation, PK, we're mentioning something else that Kevin Adams did. It's crazy to me. Yeah. And what I keep saying and everybody keeps wondering like, this is the same team Kevin Adams built. I think why it's just a different philosophy in that room because even at the trade deadline for Yarno, the Robert Thomas one didn't work out and the Paraco one didn't work out. But he's out there and he made moves. It's not even that they were minor moves and depth moves to get them in the playoffs. He put faith in that room. He goes, okay, I see what you guys are doing on the ice. Here's a couple extra pieces

47:42that can get you into the playoffs and up and over the top. That's something Kevin Adams never did. Like for all the good that you're looking back on what he did with the Josh Dohn for Paturka and Ryan McLeod for Savoy, all those deals, even the Beckman and Stein one that he doesn't score normal goals. The thing that costs Kevin Adams's job is he didn't put faith in that room and go make a move when he needed to when they were in that big losing streak. He sat on his hands and he added Eric Robinson. Like that was his big move during that losing streak. His inability and his unwillingness are too scared to make the move when the team desperately needed to was the reason that he's not out of a job right now. I should say out of a job right now. Yarno, I mean were they minor moves? Sure. But their moves that is going to be beneficial when this team is in the playoffs and I'm flat out it's still weird to say that this seems in the playoffs because me and my buddies went out to a bar for the the Pittsburgh game a couple late last week. That was the first time

48:47that me and my buddies went to a bar legally when the scabers were in a playoff position this laden to a season. That's how long it's been. But yeah, I think Kevin Adams the reason he's not here is because he was either too scared or the inability to make the move when it needed the most and that affects the locker room. It really does. Probably the the biggest beef, whether it's people with me or people find amongst themselves and my mentions on social media now is when it comes to Kevin Adams because there's a lot of people out there saying the scabers effed up like they should have never fired him. He's he should be the executive of the year and the smart hockey people that I talk to kind of kind of piggybacked what you basically just said is that he made a lot of fantastic paper moves. He made this team better on paper and he does deserve credit for that. He absolutely does, but this team, this group in that locker room did not have faith in him and there were a lot of

49:49guys on this team who were coming to work and punching the clock. You know what I mean? Like they were playing the mutton. They didn't try, but they didn't have that extra motivation that extra gear. They weren't all in and you can argue with some of that might have been on the head coach too at the time, but when you don't believe in your leader and Kevin, your GM is your leader of the team. He's one of the biggest leaders in the organization that affects your your mindset and your approach to each day and for sure. So I think both things are true. I think his time was up and it was time to go and he deserved what happened, but he also deserves a lot of respect for the moves that he made and last thing about Kevin Adams. I don't know if he's going to get a GM job again, but he's going to get a consideration for a GM job again. He's going to get another job at hockey, something to do with personnel. I mean, he's certainly proved he can make good trades

50:53and draft some good players. So I'm feeling raindrops. Here's we're getting ready to wrap up. I didn't want to ask you one last question, though, because we're talking about Kevin Adams, talking about the players. I don't feel like we talked about Lindy Ruff enough. Lindy Ruff, wouldn't it surprise you if he ends up winning coach of the year right now? He certainly feels like he deserves it and what a what a just like everyone else on the team. I guess a magnificent turn around where it felt like maybe his legacy was going to get tarnished a little bit with this coming back for two years and his team stinks and then he walks away or mutually parts ways or whatever. But now we're talking about a guy who might win coach of the year. Yeah, I mean, back in November, December, I was calling for a sad like I did now. I thought the time had passed and buy this coat. All the things that we heard about Lindy Ruff coming in here saying this is the style of hockey that we're expecting. We weren't seeing. He definitely at this moment and I'm not being biased here. I think a lot of people would agree. He's coach of the year by far. What he's been able to do with this team, the turnaround that they have, they were 1114 and I think

51:58four in December 9. They won 40 games before they lost 20. That's insane and that is part of coaching there. Like it's not just the change in GM. It's them buying into the Lindy Ruff system. And this is the Lindy Ruff style hockey that we were expecting to see when he got hired here. I am the question isn't more towards is he going to win coach of the year because I think he deserves it and if he doesn't, he's ripped off. Is he coming back for another year? Are they going to sign him to a longer extension? Does he want to come back? That's the next story with Lindy Ruff beyond the playoffs and all that kind of situation. But yeah, for Kevin Adams, if Buffalo wins around or two in the playoffs, I don't know how Kevin Adams is in contention for some GM jobs. Whether he deserves it or not, that the team that he quote unquote built is making runs in the playoffs. You got to kind of look at a GM. They kind of built that short of them completely collapsing here at the end of the season. I think Lindy ruffs your coach of the year. And I don't

52:58think Kevin Adams gets a GM job. But I think Kevin Adams could be the next YARMO to another team where he, you know, he's an advisor or something like that and then maybe he'll get another opportunity from there. All right, dudes. So 1250 something episodes or whatever. I don't think I've ever halted a podcast before because I've literally, you can't see it on the video with trust room starting to get rained on a little bit. So I want to get this gear off this back patio here in Florida. Make sure you go in and you check out the Buffalo Sports Collective PK and fill doing awesome job. I wanted to get the bandit stuff. We'll get to that next time I have you on. Make sure you follow PK, of course, on Twitter as well at PK underscore BSC. Thanks for doing this as always. And as usual, thanks for being a team player and always coming to bed for me when I need you. Like I short notice, man, you're one of the best. I really do. I appreciate you, man. I'll always be the utility guy if you need me. All right, guys, thank you so much. Um, obviously Friday episode. So nothing this weekend. Let's up to major happens. But I will be, I don't know if

54:03I'll be live Sunday night, but there will be a podcast again on Monday. So enjoy your weekend, guys. The Bleacher Report app is your destination for sports. Right now, the NBA is heating up, March Manus is here, and MLB is almost back. Every day there's a new headline, a new highlight, a new moment you've got to see for yourself. That's why I stay locked in with the Bleacher Report app. For me, it's about staying connected to my sports. I could follow the teams I care about, get real-time scores, breaking news, and highlights all in one place. Download the Bleacher Report app today so you never miss a moment.