Niagara Gazette

‘Buffalo returns four of the five offensive linemen from last year in Spencer Brown, Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern and O’Cyrus Torrence. But the one who is gone, Mitch Morse, was the leader of the unit and a steady hand at center.’

‘All-Pro slot cornerback Taron Johnson takes over as the unquestioned leader of the secondary, but perhaps the most important player in the secondary is Taylor Rapp, who goes from spot duty to full-time starter at safety. With a newcomer Mike Edwards or a rookie Cole Bishop starting opposite him, Rapp has to take over for Hyde and Poyer by directing traffic.’

‘“You’ve got to continue to evolve year to year, and so, whatever success we might have had last year running the football towards the end, we’re going to have to continue to evolve that,” Brady said. “You can’t just pick it up and just continue to do the same thing. James Cook, we’re excited about the progress that he showed at the end of last season and the mindset and the work ethic that he’s having right now that you’re hoping he’s a guy that’s going to continue to take another step.”’

‘In their last four playoff losses, the Buffalo Bills have logged a total of four sacks, while allowing 5.6 yards per carry and 7 yards per play. With little pressure to deter them in those games, opposing quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow have completed 72.3% of their passes and thrown 10 touchdown passes with no interceptions.’

‘The cash-strapped Bills also said adios to receiver Gabe Davis, the team’s No. 2 receiver the last two years, and couldn’t pay him the three-year, $39 million deal he got from the Jacksonville Jaguars even if they wanted to pay him that price. So now the Bills are replacing 58.6% of their receiving touchdowns, 53.4% of their yards and 51.2% of their catches.’

‘In games Allen throws one interception, the outcome doesn’t change drastically from the game he throws none.’

‘“I’ve been on teams that were better than the teams that made it to the Super Bowl,” Beane told the Gazette in an exclusive interview during minicamp. “A lot of things got to line up. Whether it’s health, whether it’s team chemistry, the way the ball bounces a play here or there, I mean, we’ve had games in the playoffs, where a bounce here, play here, play there, and we’re advancing to another game.”’

‘Offseason shoulder surgery — his second surgery in three offseasons — made Brown limited throughout minicamps, but it was stress-free compared to his back surgery heading into the 2022 season. Brown is also in the last year of his rookie contract, but he’s not concerned with that either.’

‘“I’m a confident kid; I always have been,” Carter said. “And it really starts at home and it’s just the respect we have for each other in my house. … My dad always says a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. So I grew up hearing that 24/7. I’m not afraid to speak my mind, not disrespectfully or anything, but just in the sense of like, if I have something to say, I’m gonna say it if it’s the appropriate time.”’

‘“It’s been awesome I learned so much,” Solomon said. “Not every day was perfect but my goodness, the amount of stuff you build and gain just over and over again being with some really good vets, so Day One and right now it’s completely different in terms of what we’re trying to incorporate ever since I got here but it’s been it’s been a long road. I’ve got to do a lot, got to train a lot; I’m going to try to move around as much as I can, learn as much as I can over the break.”’

‘Kincaid’s 73 receptions were the most by a Buffalo tight end in a season and the fourth-most by a rookie tight end in NFL history, while his 673 yards ranked ninth. After Buffalo reconstructed the receiver position during the offseason, Kincaid — who was second to Stefon Diggs on the team in targets and catches — seems primed to be quarterback Josh Allen’s top weapon this year, but he will need to challenge history to do it.’

‘“Really you focus on yourself and put in the work and whatever reps they give you, you make that rep the best rep it can possibly be and then get more reps on that,” Isabella said. “So that’s all I’m focused on. One rep at a time, one play at a time. Every opportunity I get, whether I get a lot of opportunities or not that much, I make the most of every single opportunity I get.”’

‘Elam has shown flashes of brilliance, but they have far too often come with moments of frustration. Whether it has been injuries that have dogged him for two seasons or a struggle to fit into Buffalo’s defensive system, Elam’s play has made many wonder whether he was going to live up to the expectations of not only being a first-round pick, but one whom the Bills traded up to take.’

‘The first practice at St. John Fisher will be held at 9:45 a.m. July 24, while the Bills will also hold their annual red and blue practice at Highmark Stadium, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 2. There will be no night practices at St. John Fisher, with every practice but one beginning at 9:45 a.m.’

‘“Schematically, this is a time of year for us at least where we try and develop our menu a little bit, try things, throw some things out, add some things,” McDermott said. “It’s really the time of year to try some of that and then my ask of the coordinators is that when we break or before we break that they’ve got a pretty good menu built that they believe in and matches what we know at this point at least to be the strengths of our players.”’