Night Train

This time of year is all about faith and narratives. Belief that your draft and off-season prior helped your roster. Bills really followed the depth chart for needs. Lots of the Day 3 selections had promising scouting reports, indicating they could help. Many will get their shot. One common theme in addition to talent is the amount of team captains they drafted. Obviously something the Bills like. Character does count. They are no longer short in any position on the depth chart. How good those positions actually are will be exposed come summer at camp. Until then, every narrative of good or bad can't be proven otherwise. We are all speaking from a position of genius. 👍

Wow. That's a lot of picks today. Yet they needed them this year. Camp will be interesting.

3rd round DT Carter https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/buffalo-bills-draft-dewayne-carter-duke-defensive-tackle-leader

Can change the outlook of a passing game early in his career based on his size and his ability to go up and get it. Can make the spectacular look routine. Rarely lets it hit the turf. - Ourlads Scouting

DeJean is the highest ranked player left . Kiper has him #16 overall. Ourlads scouting has him at #19. Future starting Safety. I would have zero issues with that pick but who knows what Beane is going to do. 2 Draft days to watch him work. Yes, WR will be addressed. Still many good one left for the late 2nd round pick or even 3rd round if they don't pick one out of the gate tonight. He's also a top punt returner.

I listened for a sports update while driving my wife to work. What I heard from one of their morning people was a meltdown over KC getting Worthy. Somehow, Bills were supposed to block it ? That was his insane point. Sounded like a grade school kid throwing a fit, void of logic. Hmm..what if they are inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk of San Fran or Tee Higgins of Cinci ? That's bringing on another big contract ala Diggs. How could they work that ?

From ESPN Text from a non-Bills scout: “Trading back to 33 (for Buffalo) is super smart. Now they have all day tomorrow to try and trade for Tee Higgins or one of the 49ers wideouts”

Bills draft picks updated: Round 2 (33) Round 2 (60) Round 3 (95) Round 4 (128) Round 5 (141) Round 5 (144) Round 5 (160) Round 5 (163) Round 6 (204) Round 7 (221) So they backed up 5 spots. Obviously weren't interested in WR's Worthy or Legette. KC was getting Worthy either way. S Cooper DeJean is the highest rated player still out there. Several WR's they had in for visits are still out there. Beane being Beane, Said a trade up was all smoke and rumors. There was nothing there. The early run on QB's and offense basically killed that idea if it was ever there. Having the #1 pick Friday means lots of phone calls coming the Bills way. Could trade down again. Went from having 1 Friday pick to having 3 by backing up 5 spots.

That might be my 2nd trip of 5 from sleep to the head that night. Maybe I can time it !

Foster Hewitt, his son Bill Hewitt and then Bob Cole. Hockey Night In Canada was iconic for me as a child and all were great announcers. Dave Hodge in the studio. Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin in Montreal. Top shelf. RIP.

He tipped his hand as an ascending player while playing for Germany in the World Championships. Carried it over to the Sabres season. Meanwhile, many around him declined.

Kiper's wife of 35 years runs his business. He recently joked in an interview that he has zero idea where the $ is. She has it all. He built a small studio in his basement which he does all his shows from. Lives North of Baltimore. Yes, he has no cellphone and has multiple land lines with old answering machines.

I wish some of our Vets possessed half the hustle and grit this kid has.

Anyone remember the first couple times ESPN covered the draft ? Probably around 1980, when I was finishing college. George Grande was the host with Howard Balzer of USA Today and Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated giving their thoughts. A couple years later, they brought on a young guy who had volumes of scouting reports, Mel Kiper. I bought his draft guide early on, which was top shelf in presentation. He answered the phone himself in his kitchen and took your order. I asked him about some player and and gave me a rundown with time being of no concern. Met him at an Orioles game in the late 1980's when I was stationed in Maryland while in the Navy. Came across as a very nice person. Right or wrong, his ability to generate interest and talk concerning the draft literally invented an industry. His pre-draft shows on ESPN this year with Field Yates were outstanding with tons of highlights to go with projections.

Sabres need 5-6 new forwards, IMO. That may come from promoting a couple of the young guys but that still means going out and getting some Vets. Still, a big issue was the huge production decline form our top 2 lines. I like JJ and Quinn (if he can stay healthy) but can TT, Tuch, Cozens and more wake up ? Is Skinner a buyout ? Trying to blame bottom 6 guys like Jost,Krebs etc. for our issues is beyond silly. Our so called stars let us down.

The trade up for Watkins shows what a bad idea it is to give up a couple drafts for 1 player. Only do that when you need a QB.

Reporters asked Beane about pick #28. Beane answered he doesn't have 28 players with a 1st round grade. So a trade up or down seems likely. I pay little attention to the speculation in regards to actual player names. Only he knows what he wants. The "media" is clueless.

That was a direct dig to the Jersey GM.. thought it immediately..

I voted OK. I should have realized Adams wanted comfort and his former boss. If they improve, I'll be pleased. They still need lineup changes. Yes, it could be far worse...like every guy after he left..

God bless.

He's so awkward as a public speaker during Bills/Sabres pressers.

Small hands combined with a repeated history of drop issues are a cause for concern. Injuries. 30 catches 478 2 TD's. Slot. That's part of the Ourlads report on Ladd McConkey. I'm guessing more size, wide experience and better hands are part of the Bills WR desires. We'll see.

Just trusting Beane to find help. Doesn't hit all of them but covers himself well in FA prior to draft week. I have the Ourlads scout guide. I'll ✔️ all the Bills picks as they fall. I can post their views after.

" Hey Kevyn, can I get some stout Vets in here to win ? We'll trade some of your 90 kids in the farm system. "