Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘The Buffalo Bills have pressing needs at offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and edge rusher. Here’s a look at some of the players national publications think the Bills could choose in the first round of the NFL draft in April.’

‘He went on to say that he really enjoyed the Bills fans, and that was part of why he wanted to return. “If you want to have a college environment with a rowdy crowd where everyone loves you, this is the place to be.”’

‘Metcalf did 27 reps on the bench press, which tied for the most among wideouts with Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry and was more than all but 12 of the offensive linemen. In fact, only two other receivers going back to 2006 have ever done 27 reps, North Carolina’s Greg Little in 2011 and Brooks Foster in 2009.’

‘Not surprisingly, that tidbit got a lot of attention in western New York. But it also caught the ear of Saturday Night Live writers, who turned it into a Weekend Update joke.’

‘“It always starts with who the person is, you have to be able to check that box first,” McDermott said Wednesday in his first public comments about Dorsey. “So obviously firsthand experience working with Ken and who he is, the great family he has around him. You start there and go to the other parts of it. The overlap, his work with Cam Newton. There’s similarities (to Allen) between what Cam brings to the table in some ways with the athleticism, the mobility, the size, there’s certainly some parallels.”’

‘“We’ve got some guys that are free agents that we could bring back, but you’re right, if all of them left, we could have two to three holes,” general manager Brandon Beane admitted. “We’ve done our homework. We’ll see what happens in free agency. We’ll try and make sure we add a couple of those back if it’s not those same guys, other guys that are coming from other teams. And then the draft. We’re focused on those guys. I think there is depth on the line as well and I think we’ll be able to find some value.”’

‘When it all came to a head in the first round of the 2018 draft, Beane maneuvered his way up to the No. 7 spot and it was there where he selected Allen. Allen now goes into 2019 entrenched as the starter, and Matt Barkley and Derek Anderson are already signed up to be the backup and mentor, respectively, so Beane and his staff can turn their focus to the other positions of need on the roster, of which there are several.’

‘“The tight end is an important position for a quarterback,” McDermott said. “Being around a couple good tight ends in my history, both in Philadelphia and Carolina, namely in Chad Lewis and then in Greg Olsen, you see how that helps a young quarterback whether he becomes a security blanket, he can turn a five-yard completion into a 15-yard gain. Obviously, the work on third down and in the red zone, I think it goes without saying how important the position is.”’

‘What the combine provides coaches such as Sean McDermott and general managers such as Brandon Beane is the chance to gauge and compare the players in a similar environment. Everything is the same in Indianapolis — same watches timing the 40-yard dash and the cone shuttle, same 225-pound bar on the bench press rack, same benign indoor conditions for the quarterbacks to throw and receivers to run routes and catch, and, most importantly, it’s the same, unbiased medical experts examining the players.’

‘Congrats to Robert Kraft on 6 Super Bowl rings and 1 prostitution ring.’

‘Hughes will be in the final year of his contract and turns 31 in August, so there’s a chance he may not be with the team beyond 2019. Then again, the way he has played since joining the Bills in 2013, it’s possible the Bills could re-sign Hughes to an extension before he becomes a free agent after the season.’

‘With Clay gone, the Bills have a glaring need at the position as the only player currently under contract on the roster is unproven Jason Croom. Logan Thomas is a restricted free agent, and given his lack of production, he may not be a player the Bills are interested in bringing back.’

‘In one memorable game against the Dolphins — who were then coached by Gase — Long flubbed several snaps, which caused former Jets coach Todd Bowles to pull him. Thereafter, he played guard the rest of the year.’

‘And then came the text: “Go Bills.’’’

‘“Maybe you’re thinking what I’m thinking…not another surgery,” she continued. “I know. Another mountain to climb. But…also, another opportunity to trust God and walk by faith.”’