Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘“Everybody always says it was my height,” he said of the lack of belief so many had in him, “but you gotta make a believer out of people. That’s all it takes. I just kind of kept my head down and was grinding, just trying to do my best to get better every year. And I felt like I kind of accomplished that.”’

‘Isabella was the sixth of six wide receivers on the roster in 2021 − stuck behind DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green and Christian Kirk − and only had one catch while being inactive for half of the Cardinals’ games. Arizona released Isabella a month into 2022 and he landed on the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad for the majority of the year. Baltimore released him on Tuesday. Isabella has 33 career receptions for 447 yards and three TDs.’

‘“It means a lot, the bosses are on my side at the end of the day, and they know football best for the Bills,” Davis said Thursday following training camp practice at St. John Fisher University. “You got the guys who run the team and run the organization saying that they’re on my side with things and they trust and believe in me. I mean, there’s no better feeling to have when you go out on the field that the other guys that are out there with you don’t want to replace you, they want to keep you there, and they know the potential and the success you can have.”’

‘Beyond Diggs, it’s a big season for Davis, an inconsistent player heading into the final year of his original rookie deal. Davis set career highs for receptions and yards last year, but he also mixed in far too many games where he simply wasn’t a factor and that allowed defenses to pay more attention to Diggs.’

‘It didn’t feel like he was paying lip service to the inquiring media just to get everyone off his back and close this chapter.’

‘”Oh, my God!” the girl said aloud as Allen inched closer to her along the barricade. She asked Allen for a picture with him.’

‘That talk is largely fueled by how each of the past four seasons have ended. The flameout last January when the Bills got whipped at home by the Bengals, a shockingly non-competitive performance; the 13 seconds debacle the year before which led to a hard to fathom loss to the Chiefs; the one-sided AFC Championship Game defeat at Kansas City in the 2020 playoffs; and the second-half collapse at Houston in the 2019 playoffs.’

‘Now, the Bills have to pivot and one player who could get time at punt return is wide receiver Khalil Shakir. He had three for 23 yards last season before Hines arrived. Another wide receiver, free agent acquisition Deonte Harty, has experience performing both jobs.’

‘Harris looks like the main backup with Hines perhaps earning a role as a pass catcher, but I think he’s going to be used primarily as the punt and kick returner. As for Murray, I’m going back and forth between keeping him or cutting him and adding him to the practice squad. In the past, the fourth RB has been Taiwan Jones who played only special teams, and Murray won’t do that. Gilliam should continue in his small role as the only fullback on the roster.’

‘The Bills currently sit at the maximum 90 roster spots. This year the NFL has one cut date on Aug. 29 to reduce rosters to 53.’

‘DE A.J. Epenesa: He’s heading into the final year of his contract and the 2020 second-round pick has never lived up to his draft status.’

‘The four on-air personalities were asked which team would win the AFC East. The three-time defending division champion Bills were shut out.’

‘DE Leonard Floyd: Getting Floyd so late in free agency feels like a steal for Beane. He is a proven pass rusher with 29 sacks in his last three seasons for the Rams, and he’s an ideal replacement until Von Miller is ready to return. Even then, Floyd will be a big part of the rotation, likely pushing A.J. Epenesa or Boogie Basham into a diminished role.’

‘Tyrel Dodson has been a backup for three years with five career starts; Terrel Bernard was a 2022 third-round pick who saw very little playing time as a rookie; A.J. Klein will be 32 next week and he’s better suited to being a backup. In all likelihood, one of those three will start on opening night in New York, and your guess is as good as mine.’

‘Throwback Tea, which is an official sponsor of Bills Mafia, is a non-carbonated, red raspberry hard iced tea. Besides the red raspberries, what will have Bills fans thinking back to Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith and the rest of the 1990s Super Bowl era squad is the iconic red helmet on its packaging.’