Olean Times Herald

‘Smart and competitive quarterback with an accurate arm but doesn’t have the arm-strength, mobility and deep accuracy that would allow him to ascend to the next level. Fromm projects as a sufficient quarterback as a borderline “win with” or “win in spite of” player. He isn’t necessarily a guy who will be the main reason a team wins games, but he won’t normally be the reason his team loses them. His leadership and smart decision-making will be his best assets.’

‘In a poll of ESPN, Ourlads Scouting, Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports and Bleacher Report, the consensus was that the two-time All-Big Ten selection was the 19th highest graded player in the draft. He was also the third-ranked defensive end behind Ohio State’s Chase Young who went second overall, and K’Lavon Chaisson of LSU taken 20th, by Washington and Jacksonville, respectively.’

‘But he also admitted that when the lottery got to the fourth or fifth round, the picks would likely be decided by need, noting that a fifth-rounder, for instance, who was the best player on the board, might not make Buffalo’s roster. Thus, Beane indicated, those last five choices would likely be selections at positions where depth was needed.’

‘The broadcast also turned a negative into a positive. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the last few drafts, has been booed unmercifully. This year, Bud Light turned it into a COVID-19 fundraiser with a promotion called #BooTheCommish. And every time Goodell appeared in front of a wall of screens showing a team’s fans, he encouraged them to boo.’

‘“Day 1 will be hard,” Beane admitted of tonight’s opening round. “We’ve just got to play some videos of Stefon Diggs when 22 comes up. We’ll just be patient and watch it all and when Day 1 is over, whether (we trade back into the first round) or not, we’ll stare at the board … ‘What’s (there) that we like’?’

‘“All the time we hear rumors,” Beane said. “It was pretty open that we were snooping around (last) midseason to make a trade for another receiver and we just couldn’t find a deal that worked for us.”‘

‘Sure enough, Las Vegas has the Patriots and Bills in a virtual odds tie to win the division with the Jets and Dolphins a toss-up for last.’

‘“I’m very confident in Josh. I’ve had conversations with him … just life stuff. He reached out to Diggs and some of these guys we signed and he’s working. Josh is not going to leave a stone unturned. He’s his own worst critic. I know he has many critics out there … some which I just think are way off base. Sean’s confident. Our team is confident. Our fans and everyone else should be confident in Josh Allen. I have no doubt — he took a big step from Year 1 to Year 2 — that he will continue to grow. He’ll have to. I know he’ll figure it out … how to make improvements to some of the things that didn’t go perfect for him last year. But I thought he took some great strides and he’s looking forward to taking that next step and proving any of the doubters and naysayers wrong.”’

‘“Everyone would love to get back to normal, but right now, this crisis and the health of our country and our world is No. 1. My focus right now is what’s in front of me and that’s the draft. When we get done with that, maybe I’ll dig in a little deeper and see where things are on May 1 … then June 1, but we’re going to be ready for all scenarios.”’

‘Still, it’s worth noting that since Sean McDermott took over as Buffalo coach in 2017, while the Bills are 0-6 against New England, Brady was hardly the executioner. In those six games he’s thrown four touchdowns and been intercepted five times with a passer rating of 80.2 … profoundly pedestrian. Buffalo has lost those games because it hasn’t scored against the Patriots, averaging under 11 points in those meetings with a high of 17.’

‘He played four seasons for the Bills, after taking a year off, but was never the same player he was in college. His career total was only 420 rushing yards, though he averaged nearly four yards per carry, impressive for a fullback. He added 75 receptions and finished with two TDs. After retiring, at only 26, Moore became a deputy sheriff in Flint, Mich., and died of a heart attack in 2009 shortly after turning 50.’

‘As for the price, it’s a bit steep. But, with the Bills having nine draft choices and general manager Brandon Beane insisting that not all of them would make the 53-man roster, Buffalo had some extra collateral. As it is, he still has seven draft selections, one each in Rounds 2-5, two in the sixth and one in the seventh.’

‘Clearly, Addison is seen as the replacement for end Shaq Lawson with Jefferson providing depth, and Butler will vie for the spot of Jordan Phillips while Klein is viewed as the heir apparent to retired strongside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander.’

‘The reality is, though, Orchard Park is an ideal compromise location from all directions. To be sure, road access directly around the stadium can occasionally be problematic on game day, but the Thruway and Route 219 get fans reasonably close and tailgating is helpful in that it extends arrival time. Rarely is there a monster traffic jam.’

‘“Last year I had to defend Buffalo,” Beane said. (But) I think people understand and see what we’re building here. People across the league see that we have a young quarterback that’s developing and growing. You look at what Green Bay did all those years with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. If you have a quarterback to build around, (that’s an) attractive thing.”‘