BILLS SQUAD SHOW: REPORT Bills to target Doubs or Shaheed; WR room REBUILD:

0:00Hey, Bill's mafia. I'm Jeremy White and it's not enough to add a better wide receiver. We need to see them acknowledge the build has been a mistake. I'm Joe Marino and I guess we'll talk about receivers until we don't have to talk about receivers. I'm the big O'Jerry Astroski shame on the national media. Wait around for the offensive lineman. The best sound bites, the smartest guys in football. You're watching The Locked On Network and this is Bill Squad. Who's ready, Bill's mafia? It's the Bill Squad. Everything Buffalo Bill's every week. Breaking down the big hits and game-changing plays, the way only the Locked On podcasts network can. Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bill's. So gear up and squad up. The Bill Squad show starts now. Okay, then, Bill's mafia. It's the Bill Squad. Jeremy White, Jill Marino and the big O'Jerry Astroski.

1:04Today's episode of Bill Squad brought to you by Fandall, use your Fandall private boost on any NBA future and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals, player game with Fandall, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. We're here with Monday edition twice weekly. Join us live on YouTube or of course get the pod wherever you get your pod on the Locked On Bill's channel. Let the record show. I was ready to come in and talk about three techniques and I was ready to come in and talk about speed to power and offensive line sets. But Jeremy Fowler's got a report out there all of a sudden, like right back in the spotlight, reporting rival teams expect Buffalo to strongly address the receiver position and that multiple league execs are linking Rashid Shaheed and Romeo tobs to the Bill. So not Jeremy White's fault. I'm going to use myself in the third person. This Jeremy Fowler's fault. Guys, so we're back. Welcome back. We're back talking, you know, Bill's off season. How are you, gentlemen? I'm great. I'm great. I'm excited that a week from today, literally like almost to

2:05the hour, the legal tampering period opens and player movement will start to happen and we can start to get a real picture of what this 2026 roster is going to look like. So one more we can get ready. We'll see. Maybe there'll be some moves along the way. There's been some activity early this week already, but the speculation will soon be over. Exactly, man. We just got to see some trades. I guess Houston feels they're just going to get rid of the whole entire offensive line. They couldn't fix it. They couldn't fix it. So like, you know, Texas, hold them just they're all the, you know, draw five. They're all the cards back in and pick five more. So they're in the move. I mean, obviously, David Montgomery's gotten traded. I mean, lots going on. This is the week, guys. I mean, we know that this is the week after the combine. We're going to start seeing a lot of moves. I guess we're kind of waiting a little bit with baited breath to see what happens with Dawson Knox and maybe some other contract redoes. I mean, obviously the Spencer Brown one's been done, but nothing else. So it's been, you know, it's been pretty quiet. Yes, more to do. And as you mentioned, that Jerry this week, Albert Breer says that Max Crosby, it could be this week and

3:09lists the teams that are monitoring the situation. He did list the bills. Oh, maybe if there's a movement, it happens before we actually get to free agency. So the teams that are making those moves know, like, listen, Joe, this makes sense to me. Let's decide to get this deal done before without their signing creations. Because if I get the Crosby deal done, this brand and being or anybody, then I know my approach, maybe in the defensive end market is going to be a lot different than if I lose the Crosby sweepstakes. So to me, the this week is a timeline would make total sense. If you're going to trade for Max Crosby, you want to get that done as quickly as possible. Because if you're wanting to add a player like that, you're probably interested in other options as well on the free agent market. And so you'd want that first domino to fall that way. You can then either get Max Crosby in a just or not get Max Crosby at a just so I can certainly see the appeal and that type of stuff getting done. And we're certainly getting close. I remember a few years ago, like, there's a Joe Flacco trade to Denver. That happened like in January. The Matthew Stafford Jared Goff trade was was like super early and just had to wait it out. But we're close

4:15enough now where, you know, obviously it's starting to happen already. So maybe, maybe we'll get that news this week as well. Once you think, Joe, if we do make a move from Max Crosby, maybe some pieces that are on the defensive line right now, we'll be headed out the door. I'm trying to see where he fits. He's not an outside linebacker. We paid a guy last year to be the starter at the end. Maybe some pieces move out the door. If the bills are the team to win the quote unquote, like theoretical Max Crosby sweepstakes. Well, I just feel like he's not going to get moved. He's not. Yeah, that's right. I am. Yeah. Just don't think it's going to happen. I mean, you saw Kubiak win a super bowl with Seattle. He's not he sees what's going on. I mean, he's the best deals to stay there and get into that new defense and play it out. I don't see him moving either. Yeah, I'm ready to be wrong on that too. Like he's working out at the facility. He's talking about his relationship with Tom Brady. This is not ugly. This is not the Niners haven't talked to Brandon. I you can 12 months. This is they say how to Crosby every day. So we'll see maybe maybe someone comes in with an

5:19offer and kind of like knocks their socks off. Maybe they're just going to plane it up to do that. We'll see. You know, on the rest of it, free agency, we're going to get there a week from today. And maybe on the show next week, guys, we're live breaking news, covering signings, covering, I guess not signings, but legal tamperings and agreements on deals. So Jeremy Fowler reports that the bills are aggressively looking to fix their receiver situation, which I think no one would be surprised by Rashid Shaheed, Romeo Dobbs, and it looks like Pickens and Pierce will be off the market. Pickens franchise tag and for Pierce, the Colts have said that they plan on bringing him back. That could be a transition tag. Maybe it's a franchise tag who knows. So Dobbs and Shaheed are the two biggest names. We know we'll hit the market. The other, I guess, is Mike Evans. And I'm trying to figure out how the Romeo Dobbs idea works. And I realize like, guys, I don't want to be a hypocrite. I'll sit here all day, tell you that do what you want on the cap. It's nothing to worry about and how badly they need receiver and how they should have

6:21a veteran. But they already have so much money committed to the position. I would be really nervous about a four year deal for Dobbs. You tell me one year, Mike Evans, 21 million, I'm into that. They're all void year, whatever. Get that cap number down. But if I'm locking in the way that I've locked in the last two middle class receivers, Curtis Samuel, Josh Palmer, I feel like I've been getting burned in this market. And I'm, I'm wary of doing it again because the bills, they need help. Obviously, and Dobbs would be help. I'm just worried about getting like boxed into much. Yeah, it's, it's kind of disappointing to be back in this, in this space where we're discussing mid-tier wide receiver investment and hoping that it solves everything. And obviously, there's a lot to learn about Josh Palmer. I, I do feel like a lot of that was just, he couldn't stay healthy. And, you know, maybe that's also a concern is that he can't stay healthy. And of course, we know Curtis Samuel couldn't stay healthy. But there's no doubt my mind,

7:22Romeo Dobbs would help this wide receiver core. He's a good player. And there's a lot of his skills that I really like in terms of route running. There's verticality. He's a get bucket type player. And that's a lot like what I said about Josh Palmer last off season. And obviously, it's like the defensive line conversation where, of course, they've invested, but they haven't gotten their right. So you just got to keep doing it. And it feels like we're right there at wide receiver. And they're sealing it upside and all that with Romeo Tom's. But he is probably going to be pretty expensive for a player that's never had a 60, 60 catch season in the NFL. I, I, I just, I want to see this approach differently in terms of team building. But I struggle to see that approach get the return like the impact that's needed right now, because I feel like they need to be drafting receivers. And the consequence of these types of signings is that they haven't been drafting receivers. And obviously, the one they did, Keon Coleman hasn't really

8:23panned out. And so it, this feels like a big consequence of just some missteps along the way and building out this receiver. Well, the problem is when you're paying the quarter back, that much money. Jerry's on the bills here. Oh, there he is. No, I agree 100%. I mean, it's a guy 59 catches in 2023 was the closest he's come to 60 catches. Last season, 724 yard six touchdowns on 55 catches was available for 16 games. One thing about dobs I like seems to be an available player at a position we have not had much consistent availability. But I agree with you, Jeremy. I you'd look at the situation. You know, you keep throwing money into a sinking boat. Eventually, you've got to get a new boat. And I've hopped on this for quite some time. They've got to draft players, especially that position. I wouldn't mind a free agent to go along with a high draft pick both of them together and then make some moves to try to get this this cap right. But right now, just to throw another bunch of money at a mid-range wide-out

9:28to say, hey, we've tried to fix the position. I think that's kind of frivolous and not a very smart thing to do. You've got to start developing your own. And they've got to do a better job at that. There's a little line to walk. I mean, if you want to sub in the word or the position defensive end in this exact same conversation, like what should they do? Should they sign a pretty good defensive end for four years because he's the top guy in the market? You could argue that they need a starter and they need they need position players there. But like, it's just it's going to be so interesting to see what they do. Evans is going to be really interesting. I don't know if a team will get if him more than two to three years on the open market, maybe one year does he want to just chase a Super Bowl for a year, chase it again, somewhere else. Jeremy Fowler also reporting that Mike Evans wants four things. A quarterback he believes in, check, right? Chance to win a Super Bowl, check, you would think a top flight offensive coordinator. I think I could say check for that. Joe Brady has had a really good offense the last couple of years with Josh Allen. Sure, I'll give that a check. And then the other is he wants high volume touches. And we might wonder

10:33about that, right? I think he would get a high volume of touches if he came in and joined this team, but maybe he wouldn't be convinced of that. You know, he sounds more and more like he might leave Tampa and mercenaries. We kind of came into this offseason thinking that mercenaries one year deals all over the defense. Maybe it wide receiver. These could be the kind of deals that they maybe seek out where there's a one guy for 12 million instead of four years, 12 million per year, like a Palmer who was three years and nine or whatever it was mercenaries. I feel like that's going to be filling holes this year. The deal with the defense of end deal is though we don't have that guy on the roster. The guy that we need at that spot, that linebacker, that's on linebacker, Russian type guy. We don't really have on the roster. I mean, I'm trying to think Michael Hoyt maybe is the closest thing we have to that. And I'll be interested to see what Hoyt does this offseason. Does he drop weight to, you know, to try to fit into this defense a little more, keep the weight that he had. But we need to find somebody in that as far as a veteran presence at that spot because we really don't have one. Hoyt's the closest thing we do. And you still do need

11:36to back up. But again, you've got to draft as well. But that's, I think, a little bit different than this wide out position where we have a bunch of those guys and we still don't have the young guys developing and coming along. The one thing that really stands out about Mike Evans' checklist is that I don't know that Tampa checks a lot of those boxes as I've continued to really put out there that Tampa's fiercely loyal with their players. Guy stayed there forever. And you know, Mike Evans is certainly a legend of their overall organization. And I don't think they have a top flight offensive coordinator in Zach Robinson. I think there's a lot of questions about him. In terms of volume of targets, I mean, they just drafted a Buka in the first round. They paid Godwin. McMillan looks like a good young receiver. They have Ted Johnson. I mean, he'll probably get run. But I mean, I think the volume component would be more significant in Buffalo. And so maybe he does shake loose. Tampa are, they were a team that has won at the vision many years in a row until this year. But was it just a consequence of that not being a very good division?

12:37And they were able to kind of stay on top of it. Like his Tampa team. That's truly a contender. Baker Mayfield's got a bounce back. So maybe he does hit the market. And what I would like about Mike Evans is, you know, he's he's been a dude. He's a he's a very good separator. I think he immediately gives you everything you want in the X receiver, which I think dobs would as well. But that slippery slope of committing, you know, a pretty significant contract to dobs over multiple years and being worried about the return on that. I think it would be mitigated because of the short-term nature of Mike Evans. But at the end, that's the trade off as it's probably a short-term option. Yeah. Shaheed is another name here. He's maybe faster, more over the top. Dobs is a lot younger. So if Jeremy follow and talk about these two guys specifically, dobs is 25 about to be 26. So if again, like if they were to do this, I'd probably find my way to you like, all right, well, they're better. But I'm going to want you to draft somebody because everything is so expensive at receiver and it's costing you elsewhere. And maybe, you know, by this time next year, whoever you draft grows into a role and you move on from from a Josh Palmer. I'm going to ask you

13:42one more defense question because I got to call this morning on WGR. A guy asking about trading for Justin Jefferson, everyone's shooting for the moon for Justin Jefferson. And that's fine. Like, hey, why not? And the caller asked about the idea of trading Ed Oliver and his fit in this defense. Both you on this because I think that in the next month and a half, we will see Ed's name in trade rumors consistently, whether it's a good idea or not, because he's an asset that might fetch you something, right? It is a fit. How do you see him fitting in what Jim Leonard wants to do? Is it silly to talk about this? Like we thought it was silly to talk about a Dawkins trade or his Ed something that, you know, if the price is right, you could see it. I don't really find myself concerned about the fit. I know that you would think of that Oliver as a penetration style three technique, but he could play this four-eye role that Zach Allen was terrific at with the Denver Broncos. And I think at Oliver's a probably more, not probably,

14:44he's definitely a way more dynamic athlete than Zach Allen's similar size and length. Think about Milton Williams with the Patriots. That guy's awesome, right? I think there's a similarity to the way that Ed Oliver plays Kobe Turner with the Rams. So there's a very clear path to this role and how Ed Oliver fits in. And he played in a nod front at Houston. He was actually a nose tackle, but he's used to that type of that surface and that structure and that spacing and, you know, those assignments. So I really don't believe that Ed Oliver is not a fit. If you wanted to get into okay, tradable asset, we're, we're gutting the defense. You know, these are McDermott guy. Okay, that's a little bit more interesting, but the idea that he doesn't fit like his skill set doesn't work. I'll push back hard on that all day long. My biggest issue with Ed Oliver is is he available. I mean, we've had a lot of injury out of him the last couple of years, missing time with hamstring injuries. And this year, the multiple big injuries, the surgery on the biceps tendon. That's where I have concern. As far as fitting in this defense, I think I'll kill it. I think it'll be really good

15:46at that four-eye spot, especially when you get a big nasty nose guard next to him to eat up blocks and let him get more one-on-one. This is his type of deal. I think he will excel and do really well in this. My problem with Ed Oliver is, are you, you're gambling on this injury thing now? I mean, we're at this point in his career, six, seven years, six, seven. Where is his durability? Is he going to be okay? Now, one thing that I'm excited about is he's had a whole, I know he's been nursing injuries, but he's had a whole season of football off, basically. So he didn't take a beat in this year. He did have to get healed up, but he's got that one less season under his belt. So no, I think he's going to be fine. I think the biggest question mark is and Joe had talked about it. We had talked about it before is where does the, where do you fit him in this contract stuff? Do you extend them? Do you rework his deal or do you let him play it out? So I think that's more of anything. Bill Squad Show here. You can drop us a line. We'll get to comments and questions

16:51later in the show. I have a Packers guest coming up in about 10 minutes as well. Peter Brokowski locked on Packers to talk to us about Romeo Dubs who hits free Asian scene. If he would be a good idea for any team out there looking to add a receiver. So that's coming up in about 10 minutes. When we get back the fullest of players, the bills met with at the combine. We'll get into that and see if we learn anything and some other combine news and notes, including Joe Marino's win on our carnal tape bag. I checked the transcript and you won. Kind of. It's coming up next year on the bill squad show. This episode of Bill Squad is brought to you by Fandall. That's right. Fandall College basketball is nonstop big games tight spreads momentum swings every single night from early tip-offs to late night West Coast shootouts. Always action on the board. And now Fandall is giving you a way to turn that energy and even bigger potential with a college basketball parlay profit boost. You can build any college hoops parlay anyway you want robbery games

17:53ranked matchups whatever fits in and mixed spreads totals player props to match how you see the slate playing out. You can apply the profit boost and instantly bump up the potential payout. So look at the odds. See what you like build it from there. Go safe. Go bold right to the team. You've been following all season your parlay head to fandall.com to get started. That's fandall.com Fandall play your game. Back here on the bill squad show we're going to get to who the bills met with at the combine. We have a working list of players not every player but the players that did say yes but before that I went back I checked the transcript on Thursday we made a guess on what carnell tape would run at the combine and I think we put the over under it four five five and did he run a four five four I mean it was close it was close but you took the under a four five five and he went under four five five so congratulations Joe you went on I think you put it at the exact right spot yeah

18:59five so so had tip to you as well on that I was I was thinking there was a chance he could run a little bit faster but happy to be right you know we'll take yeah take this up spike the ball they give a spike itself you know how about where the combine all of a sudden is like yeah I know you're going to four five five or whatever on the on the on the actual lasers but I had a couple GM say it was a four four seven Adam Sheffler tweeted that out after the comment we're officially at Jerry we're officially at just do whatever you want with the combine numbers none of it matters the senior ball measurements are not the same as the combine measurements on arms lying like you know do what you want I've said this the other day it's it's kind of like Buffalo wings in the city of Buffalo don't tell me where to go get a good wing in Buffalo tell me the couple places that have bad wings in Buffalo it's the same thing with the combine don't keep telling me who's had good numbers everybody has good numbers at the combine anymore just tell me the two or three that don't and yeah I mean it's just these numbers are running I mean things are doing I mean it's expected they've been they it's specifically trained now I mean just the way it goes yeah well and you're

20:02also you also in a spot where guys that won't run fast don't run anymore right in three years in a row where no defensive back runs a four six that's because the guys that would run a four six don't run four six it was four five okay four five yeah Joe Jeff something if you're gonna if you're gonna run slow only run once right so save that for your brother save that to your brother I assume you don't run and you're healthy that something's wrong you're not fast you know that's the assumption that I start to make and what was it it was the fastest combine at every single position except for quarterback and it was number two yeah if you're not able to run fast you're not running um which it's kind of exciting although they did have the first or second fastest time ever at the quarterback position right with 2003 with green so they did have that watch the guy throw football and I agree or he's what he runs fast well he we already you know his his his vertical and his broad jump were out out of the building as

21:03well but yes you are correct well we had some defenders I mean we had safeties go nuts a lot of safeties to fall in love with good numbers from from the safeties all right so who the bills met with combine interviewees who they interviewed uh talked with one edge rusher a couple of defensive tackles and no tackle one corner one uh three safeties rather including uh Dylan Thiniman he was the guy from Oregon who went like off the charts athletically we get to him in a moment uh Jacobi Dean what safety as well and then it receiver they were six so maybe that's just a function of receivers are most likely to get asked them sure the bills met with some offensive lineman but as we pointed out the media left and probably didn't ask the same questions but Omar Cooper Jr Jordan Tyson Casey Concepcion Denzel Boston those are four guys that are often seen in the first round end of the first round and then Skyler Bell and Antonio Williams as well Skyler Bell UConn he's probably a day three guy and Antonio Williams might be well two round three Skyler Bell's

22:04stock rose quite a bit this week at the combo and he was one of the guys who was on the rise list and a big riser at that yeah and your history guys of tracking who they meet we still have their their their pro days their zoom calls there's their 30 visits what they bring guys in do you feel like you can start to see what their plan is by what you see here or is it just like the inner is the information a little too intermittent to make any sort of conclusions the big thing will be what happens in the coming weeks and free agency um and more who they bring in for the 30 visits I do find those to be pretty telling in terms of where they want to go and I just the bills needs aren't hard to identify I mean no receiver guard center nose tackle edge rusher linebacker safety it's it mean I guess you can just say everything but um they in that that what who they were speaking to aligns with the perceived needs and so we'll see what boxes being checks he he normally likes to go into the draft with at least some form of a veteran answer at every

23:07position I'll be curious to see if he's able to pull that off this time around because when he doesn't and then he gets forced into a Kyriellum or a Keon Coleman you know that's where the this feels like the mistakes are made yeah I think so how about one quick note if you're looking for guard and free agents or interior alignment and free agency don't the risner of the Bengals looks like he's back with Cincinnati so that one that happens before he even hits the market I don't know if you guys were a fan of that is an idea um but if you were you can go ahead and exit out because he's back with Cincinnati Jerry you had asked me about Dalton Risner and and I think he would have been a fine like get through a couple season or a season type player he was about one year five million to go back exactly what the Browns did the Browns signed up from one year Bengals yeah Bengals right excuse me yeah all right uh other takeaways from the combine you got anything that you like we got Brandon being talking with Pat McAfee we got him joking that it was good that Carnell Tate ran a slow 40 times so you know I probably wouldn't draft them high I hope he he

24:11dips a lit I did see a mock draft today where Tate lasts all the way into the mid 20s like 24 don't know if that's gonna happen so we'll see safety is to me a really interesting position here guys because if you're falling in love with us an athletic profile at safety they have one in Cole Bishop and you know does does a Jim Leonard defense want to add a safety early and have two guys to play together for you know four five six ten I'm a tense big number obviously um but play together for a long time and just go ahead and say like we have the most athletic safety tandem in the NFL because if they get a a stud early I mean they might have claimed to it I mean you could convince me that that's a good path to go we saw the value of having a great pair of safeties and boy are high and hide for a long time but if they're if they're lingering with needs at edge rusher and and and receiver and they go safety it's a it's a little bit like the Malachi Starks conversation last year it's like good football player is this the best way to optimize that

25:11pick to improve your football team and we got a lot to learn between now and then I think I feel pretty comfortable that we can find a center field single high safety they can get us through the next couple years if we need to without investing a high draft pick on one of those guys I think they're out there I think there's cost effective guys out there um so I think we can do that I think there's many more other needs I'll be honest with you need area and I've harped on it again and I know I talked about before but they better watch this and hear offensive line stuff that's going on and they they better address it Linda bombs going to get what number out there right Tyler Linda bombs going to hit the open market the this is good for Conor McGovern and figuring out he might ultimately get because Linda bombs going to hit is it 22 I've seen 22 million could be his number which it'll be over 20 green Humphreys the the king the AV king right now at 18 but I think he gets 20 and if if he hits if he hits the market and there's like a true bidding war I think it could absolutely push 22 million I've got his replacement I've got I've got Linda bomb

26:18light if you want if you want to go ahead and draft him in the draft yeah who is it Logan Jones center from Iowa just for Tyler Linda bomb came from very similar player very very athletic moves well strong explosive if we you know if we have to find one I found one what's the name again Logan Jones I think I was so yes I was watching the combine on Sunday and I saw Mr. Logan Jones and I thought to myself that's a 35 year old man you looked like right look like a corn fed boy for place college football in Iowa so right right and and what do I like in centers those types of dudes yeah yeah you're getting them and that's what Linda bomb looks like as well for now he looks like a 50 year old man right no that'll I've watched that group quite a bit this season because they not only they win the the Joe Moore award but they've got a lot of prospects on it and I like Logan Jones a lot I really do is there a is there like a draft prognostication for him for second

27:21third day what would people say about him so far I think he's probably a mid round guy like a late day two early day three guy but I think this combine in the way he he he came out and shined and and and produce the numbers he did and the way he looked really comfortable in the offensive line drills move well I think his stock probably went up quite a bit you know that pipeline of offensive line from Iowa and for ends and stuff that's pro style stuff so right come in pretty ready to go it's just a matter of do you want a rookie center stepping into this right it feels like you want the younger player at left guard but right we'll see how it all shakes out I agree with that I mean I I talk about these things I have some guards too that we can we want to draft them in the second round I'm I'm about for that as well I'm ready who do we got are we looking for and I got on receivers ready so you can be the guards and we're we're off and running well obviously if you know Vega's my my my dream right which will never happen but I'd like this kid named Chase Bassani from Texas A&M former tackle he's and he's got a he's nasty like

28:23he's got a mean streak but one of the things I've been thinking about is and why I like guys like say there's a kid at Northwestern named Caleb Tiernan right Tierman who plays left guard left tackle I'm wondering if I've got this idea of taking a guy like him that's dropped down the board if you draft him and bump him in their left guard let him play left guard until he's needed a tackle and then are you able to bump him back out once you get his feet wet and he gets inside and gets experienced so there's a lot of things going on but the started a kid from A&M is a is a wagon I like this Tiernan kid if you want to go ahead and get a flex guy to complete guard tackle obviously I thought about this much longer than than a lot of people has already but yeah there I think there's some really I think there's some really good middle of the draft talent in this offensive line that he definitely helped us you know can Jennings Dunker go come on you know that the red head mullet mustache from Iowa is he easy you got Jennings Dunker is a right guard and will be a right guard

29:25and will play right guard and when he retires will be a right guard that is what he is he played right tackle at Iowa he's limited in past protection he's a little robotic stiff but the flow is amazing the red flows amazing and he is a big physical dude that will translate the guard very very easily it's the bill squad show here talking draft prospects free agency we are a week away from the sort of legal tampering when teams can contact the agents for players they can probably you know get a little bit of a jumpstart that through a combine weekend of course also talking today about the report from Jeremy Fowler that the bills are expected to aggressively go after receiver and that Rashid Shaheed and Romeo Dobbs would be on the short list to get to when we return we'll talk about some more free agents get some more ideas here and you know kick around how they should be building all these rooms as we approach another season and the first in the new highmark dating which is exciting the season ticket other guys a few if you have whatever you got to see in the

30:28new stadium they're sending out emails with a link to take a look at your seat which is kind of cool this the stadium the run up the stadium they've done the least amount of virtual stuff publicly I can ever remember a team doing so you have to go into that stadium experience or now you have to get your email otherwise just like drone shots from above like it's it's it's been a strange strategy but we can start to see those I've got my seat so anyway that's that that's my rant on them not doing enough digital but didn't they just now put it on the website where you can go and look what happened like last week yeah yeah that's right and for anybody doing that so there's a quick thing to mention it if you're in the upper deck your rendering will show you a railing in front of you and stairs that are that look to be a little bit in the way and throughout the process for me like getting those tickets and taking a look I expressed concern these look like they're kind of in the way but I've been in the seats and I've been to the stadium where you would be looking down on the

31:29field and can say as I was told by my rep and I start with my own eyes it's not as bad as it looks in the virtual so the virtual actually overstates these railings kind of being in your field of view so if you're panicked about that I think you don't have to worry about it I think it's okay there you go when we return more on free agency your comments your questions NFL news today with a couple of trades it's all coming up here on the bill squad show this episode of bill squad brought to you by indeed deadline stacking up inbox overflowing and the one position you have to fill still sitting open when the pressure is on you need the right hire this is a job for sponsor jobs indeed sponsor jobs helps you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for skills experience location so you're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles across your post and here's a stat that says it all in the minute I've been talking to you companies like yours made 27 hires on indeed according to indeed stat data worldwide if you're hiring spend less time searching

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33:32rap release probably waiting to see what they do with Tyler Bass they could save money there too right I've also seen some mock trash with the bills go kicker and or punter and they did meet with a couple of punters at the combine so take that for what it's worth but of course the big decision guys is Dawson Knox and what happens there pay cut who do you think has the true leverage here between the two I know the team could just outright cut him but they probably don't want to and this is Joe you've been talking about how the bucks are really loyal the bills are really loyal to a select group of players and the way they talk about 17 and all the things he wants like he and 17 are close so from a leverage standpoint who's got it I think the bills do I think the bills can kindly box Dawson Knox into a corner because that cap it is 17 million dollars and I don't think he has any guaranteed money left on his deal and so the bills could release him and say all right go go get a deal and I think Dawson Knox would probably get between seven and nine million

34:38dollars a season on the open market but then it's the open market right he he would have to be satisfied with the teams that would want him maybe not a contending type team or you could say hey you know what you can just take a pay cut stay here and continue your career with Josh Allen you mentioned you love Rob Boris as your tight ends coach well guess what he's back he's a run game coordinator we know you met your wife here in Western New York you have a kid and 25 built in babysitters in the in the area you know this seems like a good spot for you and so I think the bills you have a lot of leverage there and I feel like he's comfortable with the role that he fills I don't know that he's a guy that's looking to go like I am the tight end of this football team right I think he's pretty satisfied with what he's done I love the way he's talked about all and can get so I think the bills have a lot of leverage there I think the bigger question is you know do they want to have that much tied up into another tight end would do they think they can get comparable contributions and and for that to be a pathway to go even lower in terms of what

35:40they can free from a cap perspective so it'll be interesting to see I kind of think he's back but I do think that the bills have more of the leverage than Dawson Knox I agree I think to you know you look at his you look at his dead cap money you're looking at about 7.4 7.5 million in cap money I mean that's obviously not desirable but it's not that bad if you have to eat it so you could go ahead and release him and do what you want especially but the thing about this is and I think that it goes to both sides you know tight ends play a long time in his league I mean you got Zach Erts that's still playing you've got Hunter Henry you've got guys that are very comparable to Dawson Knox so if he wants to really push the issue and really he's worried about just how much money he can make in his career he can go find another place and make more money than he's going to make a Buffalo if he stays I truly believe that because that's one position that seems to have that longevity especially him he's not been too badly beat up so you know you've got to weigh those options I would think he wants to stay in Buffalo be a heck of a time to leave with

36:42what's going on in a new stadium and everything else and especially his family situation has been very well documented so I think they get something worked out but obviously looking at the dead cap money or anything else I mean the bills have the power I mean they can move them and that's it tends to have the vibe of an offseason where there are maybe more holes to fill than previous ones and creating them by you know Dawkins and Knox these conversations you know I think for the three of us they don't really go anywhere we have a guest here joining us host a lockdown Packers is Peter Bukowski to talk about how the bills might fill one of those holes and Romeo dobs Peter thanks for joining us Romeo dobs how good of an idea is it for any team that is looking for an extra receiver that's 25 going on 26 years old so we've got a lot a lot of runway in front of them yeah I think if you're expecting a true blue no doubt number one receiver like that's just not what he is and that's okay because he's still a very good player the comparison that I like to make

37:43is if you look at what Joanne Jennings was in San Francisco someone who when needed could be that number one guy but was really more like third down red zone got to have it situations he could produce for you as that not even 1b I would say it's more like 2a in that way you know green bay runs what I've called the most egalitarian offense in terms of passing offense in the NFL they're they're a ball finds energy passing game and and that's what they've been and I think you look at this playoff game against the Bears that of course didn't end the way that the Packers were hoping but that was probably his best game of the season and when they needed a receiver to step forward he was the guy that stepped forward and you know when you look at the ways that that the bills and the Packers have failed in the postseason over the last five six years it's been unfortunately remarkably similar but Romeo dobs and basically every playoff game he's played in has come up big for the Packers Peter take me back to 2024 what what happened here where he was he told to stay

38:46away for a game mr. couple of practices what happened well we did we did a lot of reporting about this over at the leap because we had some some information on on what happened there and then you know the longer it goes the more you get in that situation I'll say this because it wasn't just what happened at practice he came into practice my understanding is there was something that had happened off the field he was not in a good headspace and came in and was just not in the game plan the way that he thought he could help the team and there was a blowup and he was they he was told hey you know stay stay home and and cool off and we'll get back to you the rest of the season it wasn't like he wasn't getting his numbers like he wasn't getting his touches like he was still a big part of this offense they still call a lot of stuff for him and so it you you can matle floor has a bad poker face as someone who's covered him regularly but the actions will always tell you so who is getting who is getting the shot plays called for him who is getting it's third

39:49and eight who is getting the ball who is getting the play designed for them and it is regularly Romeo doves and so there there was that issue but I will tell you I've talked to Romeo a couple different times I talked to him at Super Bowl he is a very measured guy he is he is a pretty mild mannered guy I'm in front of the cameras but behind the scenes he's he's a ball of energy he's he's a really fun guy he is a a glue guy in that receiver room and I remember talking to him a couple of years ago at at Super Bowl and he was someone who you know I was like he would tell me like I was trying to keep the guys together I was trying to keep them motivated all this stuff and I'm like Romeo are you you're like a much more vocal guy behind the scenes and even then he kind of he kind of demurety was like I don't know but he he really is a leader in that receiver room and I think that's something that the Packers are going to have to figure out it does seem like he's going to he's going to be you know a free agent here and so they're going to have to find a way

40:51to fill that void in Green Bay it's not going to be a small thing Peter when you look at dobs just what are his strengths as a receiver you know this fan base really is like yearning for that stretch the field guy to get separation those you know the new the terms you hear all the time yeah but that's an area that we really need help with is that some is dobs a guy that can help us in those areas so he is someone who certainly is going to be able to win with his route running he's not you know going to going to trick anyone into believing he's Devonte Adams because he's not that level of route runner there are times that that if he becomes above low bill he may bother Joe because there's going to be trying to trying to land on tiktok tiktok with some of the route running and and so when you have that ability sometimes you wind up in those places trying to get a little too cute it's like Romeo you've got to get out of that stem because the timing and rhythm of the play means you've got to be in this spot at this time but he can win with his route running and he is I would say he's better after the catch then he gets credit for as someone who can make guys miss can can get up field in a hurry he's not a burner vertically but

41:56that was something that if you you know you go back and watch him at Nevada he was a vertical receiver in college he was able to create big plays down the field and there were times when I would get frustrated with Jordan love going hey man like just just run the play whereas he's got Romeo dobs isolated one on one and is taking his shot down the field and there you go back to I can't remember if it was 2023 or 2024 they basically iced a game with a go ball to dobs against the chargers and it was just like yeah that that's part of what he can do it's not he's not going to go out there and scare every defense the way that someone like Christian Watson does for this packers offense the way that they drafted Matthew golden to be but he is certainly someone who can get create that verticality and then also win for you on third and eight like I was saying this on radio this morning in Buffalo I want to see Josh Allen rip some backside digs to Romeo dobs like that's the part of his game that I really really like you go back to the cowboys playoff game in 2023 it was double moves for days like the cowboys had their offense scouted

42:59and the floor just called every tendency breaker he could think of and dobs just snapping guys off and and I understand like that was Trayvon digs and Jerome Blan when they're at their most we're going to jump every route but you can use that to your advantage in those big moments and he does have the ability to snap guys off and create a ton of separation um there was a there was a play in the bear's playoff game it could have been the game ceiling play but but dobs leaps to catch the ball with one hand and unfortunately slides out of bounds on a third down it's a slot fade and he just cooks the corner I think it was Kyler Gordon and it's just like it's it's beautiful to watch he has that in him and to go to another quarterback that can make those kinds of throws one of the packers go to's on third and medium is out routes just simple classic old school and Jordan love can throw him far hash you know who else can throw him far hash Josh Allen and Romeo dobs is really good at selling that inside working outside to create separation and then you've got

43:59that window for Allen to fit the ball in so he certainly is someone who can who can win both vertically and with his route running is he probably leaving the packers because they have someone else that can do all that is this Matthew golden spot to step into not to make them exactly the same player but it's right is that why he's leaving and is a team that signs him to 16 to 20 million good feel good about it the numbers are always just so funny to me because the the they seem big in the moment and then if you get a good player two years later you're like well whatever we got a good player like I think you don't you don't really get in trouble signing good players to contracts even if you pay 20% more than maybe they're they're worth in a vacuum I think you have to have clear eyes about what he is and what he isn't and if you want him to come again if you want him to be Stefan digs he's not but if you want him to come be a reliable pass catcher in your offense and someone who can be a high quality starting receiver for you who can make big please a huge that's why Joanne Jennings is the name that I go to because third in medium red zone that's where

45:04he really shines he's not going to be someone who's going to get 12 or 14 targets in a game for you and and just like blow up a game but so he's leaving this packers offense because this is kind of what the packers have built this offense into I mentioned that egalitarian style where they're they're just going to throw to the open guy it's going to be very game plan dependent it's going to be very defense dependent all those things he's just kind of priced himself out of green bay they don't they don't want to pay I think any receiver that's not Devonte Adams and even Devonte Adams they they pushed back on getting him top of the market money that's why Devonte ultimately pushed for a trade they plan for this and they gave Christian Watts in the one year extension I think he showed in the second half of the season why he is you know valued in this packers organization and they have Jayden Reed in non-tabian wicks under contract for at least another season they used top hundred picks on Matthew golden and saving on Williams they plan for this stuff even when good players walk out the door they're always planning a year two years in advance they drafted AJ

46:07Dylan because they had contracts coming up for Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams can't pay everybody and so they ended up paying Aaron Jones they kept AJ Dylan Jamal Williams went on and had a really nice career and and is is a good football player but they're just they were not going to pay what the markup on free and same thing with Rashid Walker like they drafted Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton and so they feel like they're insulated and Rashid Walker if you're going to go get 20 plus million dollars on the open market Romeo dobs if you're going to go get 16 18 million dollars on the open market go with God and and you know we wish you the best of luck no hard feelings you get those comp picks back as well yeah exactly right if I could seek one more in Peter yeah what you described in terms of this packers offense is a lot of what this bills offense wants to be there's a huge difference the packers are drafting receivers yeah right that that make it possible where right I guess my question is is we have acknowledged that but is there there's a frustration and buffalo about that style of offense does that happen in Green Bay are people like oh my gosh they don't have a true blue bonafide number one receiver or happy with this style those those conversations

47:09are certainly happening and I think that you know I I heard um our old pal Ben Solak talk about this on Meena Kheim Show last year about like hey it's all it's all fun and games in the regular season when you can spread the ball around but in the playoffs you need that guy I you know I don't I don't know if that's true the way that that it is meant in every offense I think when you have an alien at quarterback like the bills do it can be the trump card but I do think you've seen the shortcomings of it and it's funny you mentioned that Joe because coming into the season last year I made the same comparison I was like is there really a difference in the way that the bills and the packers are built other than the fact that Josh Allen is a bonafide MVP and Jordan love is not um but I think you you see you do see the the flaws there that being said like if you put Josh Allen on last year's packers team their offense is probably good enough in the playoffs right and Jordan love was not the problem in the playoff game either through for over 300 yards and four touchdowns they get up 25 fourth quarter points guys like this is this is just like that was not on the offense they had a kicker miss an extra point and a field goal in the fourth quarter it was

48:13just like it was one of those Murphy's laws games where he just like how how couldn't this happen but those conversations show are absolutely happening in Green Bay it's why they were so happy to see the Matthew golden draft selection it's why Christian Watson's elevation this past season and if you look at the yards per out run numbers he was a top 10 off receiver last year um there were games where he looked absolutely like a number one receiver and was able to pull them out of holes when they needed him to so I think that they would like to have a balanced offense I think what happened in 2021 guys um when when when Demiko Ryan's had Aaron Rogers the MVP the two-time MVP at that time back to back um in in just a straight jacket was that was an offense that was too reliant on one receiver and I think Matt Laflore left that playoff game going never again we will never have a passing game in Green Bay that looks like that and so they've tried to design it that way the bills have kind of tried to do that too it's just that some of the guys that they drafted have not worked or have not taken the steps that they were hoping for and so that's that's why

49:16they're left with with what they're left with now you know frankly I'd like to see them be on the phone with Holly Roseman every day about trying to get AJ Brown out of Philadelphia because that would be I got I got a big smile out of Joe on that one um that I think that that would that would be that would solve a lot of problems for Buffalo frankly yeah Peter thanks very much I mean we talk about receiver a lot and you know Romeo dobs the latest so um if it happens thanks for all the I love to see it guys I really would I think he'd be great in Buffalo very good all right Peter Burkowski locked on Packers uh during the thanks Peter one other thing about what he lays out there like did how the the builds are similar guys this is going to be a little I'm going to go a little too far but I'll say it why can the Packers trade for Micah Parsons and the bills can't because they have five guys that have been drafted and are not making a lot of money and they have a lot more cap space more cap flexibility at a very expensive position and the bills are like why don't we have room you know expensive position it's not only that I know I know anyway um

50:19our thanks to Peter there good stuff on on the Packers and like Christian Watson Matthew Golden that's a good offense it's drafted to receivers 20 goldens 22nd and Watson was the first pick of the second round yeah 34 second pick of the first second round I liked Watson you know it's funny about the Packers is like they haven't been great in the first round at all Quay Walker that's not a great first round pick the Vante why it Lucas Van Nass Jordan Morgan they they've been able to fill with their mid mid to late round picks and position themselves to have a lot of flexibility with who they can let go and making a trade like the Micah Parsons one so yeah they they they have a lot a lot of second third fourth fifth round hits that have allowed that to happen and they've had a lot of volume if they they draft like 10 guys a year so beans got to find some more hits so they can be more flexible yeah a little bit then again like the bills have been pretty darn good too to this stretch we all we all do know that all right back

51:23on the other side NFL news and notes of the day your comments and questions got a couple of that we start and we'll get to give a comment or something you want to hear us address drop it in we'll get to it it's the bill squad show here on the lockdown bills channel this episode of bill squad is brought to you by game time we live in a world where you can stream anything order food minutes carry super computers in our pockets and somehow buying tickets to a live games still feels complicated hidden fees jumping prices endless steps there has to be a better way that's why I use the game time app it gives the fans the advantage and makes getting tickets simple whether it's NFL games concerts comedy whatever you're into you can jump on the app check out tickets for an upcoming game and it takes minutes you can see panoramic views from every seat before you buy the price you see includes all fees no surprises at checkout you can even spot zone deals where you pick a section and game time picks the seat for extra savings two taps you have

52:24great seats locked in fast easy done take the guesswork out of buying tickets download the game time that create an account and use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code locked on for $20 off download game time today back here on the bill squad show Jeremy white Joe marino and the big O Jerry Ostrowski will have an episode for you coming up later this week and then a week for now legal tampering will be underway we will have reporting about the bills are in contact with this player have come to terms for this player what like it's the start of free agency even though it's not the start of free agency every every year we do this kind of thing so anyway one week one more week we also have an NHL trade deadline ahead of that too so you know when sometimes it's Friday Friday Friday you're a lot of version how are people feeling about that I always work the boys were chopping it up this morning I look on the on the radio I mean I've been watching the Sabers games but I don't know what players

53:28you know would help them or what they need they they look pretty good to me so did I hear this driving watching Jeremy look pretty good move goal-tending talent to get talent more scoring talent is that correct I don't know I can't figure out what they should do they look good on the goal tenders don't they in the in the system don't think I move somebody they might not have anybody they can trust too much but we'll see just that talent figure it out right yeah just figure it out just go win the cup you know just like everybody expects quick news and notes today how do you guys like the David Montgomery move for Houston kind of a name running back he'll be paired with Woody Marx and now Jamir Gibbs and insert someone else here David Montgomery to the Texans well they need a running back I mean obviously Joe Mixen has had the foot injury all year that wasn't going to work so they had to find another reliable running back more than Montgomery's been one of those guys I like him quite a bit but again who's who's going to block for him right I mean they got to figure out this offensive line pretty quick

54:30yeah they traded away tight as Howard who was obviously a good starter for them two shrugs as part of that trade as well who was not a starter this year but what Houston has been doing to try to get their offensive line correct is is there's a lot they've been purging and drafting and yeah I don't I don't feel like they're any closer to having a solution here so they got to get that right because the the CJ Stroud element has been very inconsistent and as that protection continues to be questionable combined with a quarterback that holds on to the ball you see some some bad lowlights from CJ Stroud coming up on that fifth year option and then you're gonna have to make a decision so they're gonna pick it up they're gonna pick it up but yeah I like David Montgomery a lot he's just one of those guys I like to watch him when the when the Lions signed him I thought wow it's a lot of money for a guy that's kind of old and he put up numbers for them 2500 yards over the course of that three years and 20 touchdowns maybe he's just been let out of the kind of back that I feel like a lot of teams use and kind of flying

55:35the face of you know running backs don't matter because he's productive in short yardage he blocks his rear end off look he's he's a value so I kind of like to deal for Houston it gives him an opportunity to try to maybe be that spotlight number one back again for a little bit I mean obviously the Lions are not going to move on from Gibbs they're going to find a way to get that deal done I'm sure lamb it does the same thing with Robinson but yeah it gives Montgomery a chance to shine again and be the guy and and Marx is really to me and more of a a pass catching back yeah and so I think this is a good complimentary skill set think about how much we had to watch Nick job play for the Texans last year it's a nice old upgrade here in David Montgomery another Iowa state guy which is a requirement for playing for the Texans that's right Jerry you got a request here for from a comment the kid from Alabama you know the 673666 free who is that which which lineman that's proctor proctor's a kid speaking of Iowa proctor went to high school in Iowa originally committed to Iowa went to Alabama back to Iowa then ended

56:36up in Alabama again so kid proctor well traveled there but huge guy athletically a freak he's a guy I think again when I talked about earlier when I was talking about Caleb Tiernan as far as the left tackle that you can move inside and then if you had to as he got his feet wet moving back outside the tackle if you think you can get him there that's what I think from him as well I think this is a guard in the NFL now he's athletically is there but I think in the league he plays inside with maybe a chance to move outside later but yeah he is athletically size wise and movement wise is a legitimate free good comment slash question here about the receiver conversation to number one I always ask and I wonder if someone asks him what if Josh doesn't want a true number one after dealing with things what if he wants a bunch of different skill sets instead that comes from Levi so what if Josh prefers the build of no one is truly separating themselves

57:39fine choice of words by the way Jeremy when you phrase that separating themselves yeah no one's separating themselves party wants to like tough what do we want we don't want great players like would do we not want our left tackle to be too good what's you know like what why would you not want someone great if you don't want someone demanding slash commanding the ball I get that but even Joe Brady says every receiver wants it so you know what am I supposed to do just like appease the quarterback here as well he gets a lot that he wants with the amount of heat that the bills have taken for the receiver position I feel like this would be widely understood if that was the case in terms of what Josh I want I think Josh is going to embrace what he has to embrace and the 2024 season I'll always really admire the way that he altered his style of play to kind of overcome the deficiencies of the offense but I thought we saw last year that guy wants to chuck it man and he wants somebody he knows can can be reliable for him and so I would I would disagree

58:42with this idea that Josh doesn't want a number one receiver I don't think it city doesn't want a number one receiver he wants a number one receiver that would like to come to the pizza party every week and play nice and play and play nice in the sandbox does that make sense it does should have asked Romeo or Peter about Romeo dobs and he's you know whether he likes pizza parties as Peter started laying out there he to me painted a picture of a guy that is a good teammate but some stuff can happen you can flip a switch he cares a lot yeah I like that yeah me too I want a guy that's not just happy to be there I want to go that you know it was psycho a little bit but he had it was not forced leadership he'd let on his own he didn't have to be asked to do it yeah Ryan writes in Keon could benefit a ton from having a high gravity where I receive it to pull a team's attention to same argument as Gabe Davis I don't really think they're giving they're going one on one with Keon all day long saying beat us and he can't so there's no gravity that's gonna help they're already

59:43getting one on ones and he can't win him so this is what's so funny I think this paint's a great picture about the NFL in prospects about where they were drafted and or not drafted because he was picked the first pick in the second round we're manufacturing ways to to help him if this well that head coach might be doing that if this area yeah this was me after being cut three times they had been like move on down the road you know this is a weird parallel but it reminds me a little of the CJ spill or conversation where for years you heard the bills are not using CJ spill or correctly and then he goes to Sean Peyton and Andy Reed he doesn't produce either you know maybe the guy's just not that good right right thanks Ryan narrative is always different about depending upon drafts this isn't always to so I'll back up Ryan for a little bit here on that comment the bills might agree with him even though there might not be a ton of evidence there that's what teams would do that or anything would be different the bills might agree because they keep talking like they're gonna get this thing right I think I think it's a defendable idea I think

1:00:48the problem is they just haven't brought in the right players like I get it you don't want to have a $40 million receiver you'd rather spread the wealth and do what the packers are kind of doing but that starts with getting the right people in the building and they haven't been able to do that yeah to not tomorrow sorry Thursday we're back we'll have some more rumors of course maybe some trades maybe Max Crosby Albert Breyer says it could happen this week and it'll be of course a bit closer to the start of free agency which is actually going to be March 11th so legal tampering starts a week from today and then March 11th is the start of the league year bills have to be kept compliant by Wednesday of next week anticipating restructures anticipating goodbye to Curtis Samuel and maybe a couple more so thanks for writing in our thanks to Peter Pekowski of lockdown packers as well and the leap he covers the packers gentlemen we'll talk later this week maybe we have a new Buffalo bill by then right maybe there's a big trade from Max Crosby I just don't want them to trade their first round pick because then that ruins my next six weeks I'm counting on that

1:01:51pick we might have less bills by Thursday true true all right well we'll we'll check in on Thursday and see where things are until then have a great day and go bills go bills much love go bills