INDIANAPOLIS - The buzz Bills Mafia felt during the 2019 season and the hope for the future due to what general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have built in the last three years has expanded beyond Buffalo. Many national analysts, head coaches and general managers around the league think Buffalo is back on the map and can be a consistent playoff team for years to come. Here's what they had to say about the Bills being back on the map.
1. ESPN's Field Yates thinks Buffalo's identity is working
The vibe amongst the national media is that Beane and McDermott's plan of how they want to form a winning culture is paying off.
"I think the Bills are back on the map," ESPN's Field Yates said. "First of all, it's a wins and losses-record league and they made major strides last year. I try my best to understand the plans of every NFL team, understanding that plans change. The Bills are one of the teams that the plan's been obvious for about three years now, and it shouldn't change going forward. It's a coaching staff and a personnel staff that work in great concert. There is an identity for the team right now, a hallmark defense with an ascending offense and a young quarterback. So, the Bills are definitely on the map. It's a team that I think has a chance to be consistently playing in January in games that matter which is really exciting."
2. Indianapolis' Frank Reich sees excitement in Buffalo
Former Buffalo Bills quarterback and current Colts head coach Frank Reich said he will always have a soft spot for Buffalo but is looking forward to watching what the Bills can do in 2020.
"I'm very excited for Sean and the Bills," Reich said. "Obviously playing there for 10 years, I'm a huge Bills fan. Even though they're in the AFC, when it doesn't hurt the Colts, I root for the Bills. I think very highly of Sean McDermott. I think he's all class. I think he's an excellent x's and o's guy. He's a great leader, very happy to see what he's doing there in Buffalo."
3. Houston's Bill O'Brien believes Bills are a tough opponent
Texans head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien recalled the tough game against the Bills in the first round of the playoffs this past season, explaining it's obvious to see it's a team that's heading in the right direction.
"They have an excellent team, they have a very tough team," O'Brien explained. "They have a team that plays great complementary football. It's a very physical team, very well-coached team, very disciplined team. They have a great young quarterback. They have a great head coach in Sean McDermott who does an excellent job. A really good coaching staff, strong guys on their staff, I know a couple of those guys. They're doing an excellent job. I mean that was a brutally hard game that we were fortunate to win."
4. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says the NFL is better when the Bills are winning
NFL Network and NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport believes when the Bills are winning games, it's better for the entire NFL. For now, he only sees Buffalo improving year-to-year.
"I feel like when the Bills are good, everyone kind of takes notice," Rapoport said. "Assuming that Josh [Allen] continues to kind of make the strides that he did, not that he's perfect but, it seems to be going in a good direction. I think this will be a team that'll be around for a while. If I had to guess, I would think they're only going to get better in the immediate future which will put them on the map, even more."
The 2021 NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis, Indiana. Click through to see photos of current Bills players from when they performed at the Combine.
Jerry Hughes at the 2010 NFL Combine.
Safety Jordan Poyer at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine.
Poyer (Oregon) measured in at 6-0, 191 pounds, with a 31 3/4-inch arm length and 9 3/4-inch hands. He recorded a 11.51 seconds 60 yard shuttle, 118-inch broad jump and a 30.5-inch vertical jump.
Safety Micah Hyde at the 2013 NFL Draft.
Hyde (Iowa) measured in at 6-0, 197 pounds, with a 31.48-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.56 40 yard dash, 6.78 3 cone drill and a 33-inch vertical jump.
Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Cornerback Tre'Davious White at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.
White (Louisiana State) measured in at 5-11, 192 pounds, with a 32 1/8-inch arm length and 9 1/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.47 40 yard dash, 32.0-inch vertical jump and 119.0-inch broad jump.
Tackle Dion Dawkins at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.
Dawkins (Temple) measured in at 6-4, 314 pounds, with a 35-inch arm length and 9 7/8-inch hands. He recorded a 7.30 3 cone drill, 26 reps on the bench press and a 106.0-inch broad jump.
Linebacker Matt Milano at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Milano (Boston College) measured in at 6-0, 223 pounds, with a 32-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hands. He recorded 24 reps on the bench press, a 126.0-inch broad jump and 35.0-inch vertical jump.
Quarterback Josh Allen at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Allen (Wyoming) measured in at 6-5, 237 pounds, with a hand measurement of 10 1/8 inches. He recorded a 70-yard throw.
Cornerback Taron Johnson at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Johnson (Weber State) measured in at 5-11, 192 pounds, with a 30 7/8-inch arm length and 9 1/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.5 40 yard dash, 33-inch vertical jump and 118-inch broad jump.
Safety Siran Neal at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Neal (Jacksonville State) measured in at 6-0, 206 pounds, with a 31 1/8-inch arm length and 9 7/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.56 40 yard dash, 40.5-inch vertical jump and 122.0-inch broad jump.
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
Edmunds (Virginia Tech) measured in at 6-5, 253 pounds, with a 34 1/2-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hands. He recorded a 4.54 40 yard dash, 19 reps on the bench press and a 117.0-inch broad jump.
Stanford defensive lineman Harrison Phillips runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver does the bench press drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, March. 1, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Florida Alantic running back Devin Singletary runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mississippi tight end Dawson Knox participates in the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Miami defensive back Jaquan Johnson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Boston College tight end Tommy Sweeney runs a passing drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday, March. 2, 2019. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Central Florida wide receiver Gabriel Davis runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa runs the 40-yard dash during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Pittsburgh defensive back Dane Jackson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Utah running back Zack Moss runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
5. Kansas City's Andy Reid thinks Buffalo has a talented staff
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid gave McDermott his first NFL coaching job during their time in Philadelphia and Reid is all in on what McDermott has created in three years with the Bills.
"Sean I think has done a tremendous job there," Reid said. "The toughness of the team is just the thing that jumps out at you. He's an organized guy that works extremely hard. We play them this next year so I don't want to give him too many credits here but they do a great job, a good coaching staff too."
6. ESPN NFL front office insider Mike Tannenbaum says the Bills leadership is strong
Former Jets general manager and current NFL front office insider for ESPN Mike Tannenbaum loves the leadership he sees from McDermott and his staff. Tannenbaum thinks this leadership can take the Bills far.
"Why I think Buffalo is in a good shape goes back to leadership because coach McDermott is a guy that when they've had bumps in the road, he's been the guy to steer the ship," Tannenbaum said. "There's a great identity. I think it's that defense, home field advantage and a young emerging quarterback."
