1. Brandon Beane: We want to continue to stay strong up front
Brandon Beane joined Bleacher Report’s Stick to Football podcast this week at the Senior Bowl to talk the upcoming draft and the status of the current roster. Beane said the team made several moves last offseason to create a strong offensive line to help Josh Allen and a priority going forward is to make it stronger.
"If you're not good up front it's hard to execute," Beane explained. "We want to continue to stay strong up front. I'm not saying we've arrived up there either, we need to continue to get better. Then, also adding weapons for him [Josh Allen]."
Beane notices how talented this year's wide receivers draft class is but wants to put an emphasis on putting players around Allen who can flourish, regardless of the position.
"Devin Singletary came in this year, but you're always needing multiple backs, so another player there," Beane said. "Wide receivers, tight ends — we will look for any type of playmakers, I call them touchdown makers. Guys who can get the ball in their hands and take the pressure off of Josh where he doesn't feel like he has to make every play himself."
Heading into next season coming off of a 10-win year, Beane's message for the team is it doesn't get easier because now Buffalo's talent level will not surprise any opponents.
"We still have our work cut out for us, we got some free agents and every year is a new year," Beane said. "I get that people are going to say we're right there but we still have to re-prove ourselves. You can't be a fluke one year or anything like that. We have to come back, this is a new season and that's real. Our guys have to understand that we're not going to sneak up on anybody anymore, people know that we made the playoffs. Anytime you play a team that was in the playoffs the year before, the coach is going to measure you against that team. We have our work cut out for us."
2. PFF thinks Buffalo should pursue this free agent
Pro Football Focus paired a free agent to each NFL team based off of their offseason needs. The PFF analysts think the best free agent for the Bills is pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
With Shaq Lawson set to hit free agency and Lorenzo Alexander retiring, Buffalo has nearly half of its total edge pressures to replace this offseason. Luckily, the Bills have the third most cap space to play with and can bring in marquee guys. Edge defender Yannick Ngakoue makes too much sense for Buffalo — he can slide right into Lawson's 6/7-tech role and make an immediate impact. Ngakoue has produced PFF pass-rush grades that were among the 20 best edge defenders in each of the past three seasons, and his 196 pressures in that same period are the 10th most. His tackling and run-defense have been subpar, but his pass-rushing is what matters most — and he gets pressure on the quarterback consistently.
Ngakoue played for the Jaguars last year where he recorded eight sacks. He has 37.5 in his career and was drafted by Jacksonville in 2016.
3. NFL announces 2020 draft events and locations
With the 2020 NFL Draft just a few months away, the NFL released several locations of draft events in Las Vegas that will take place Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25. The Bills have the No. 22 pick in the first round and fans attending are welcome to watch from the main stage for free.
Set against the iconic backdrop of the Strip, the NFL Draft Main Stage will be constructed next to the CAESARS FORUM. Free and open to the public, fans are invited to gather at the Draft Main Stage viewing zone to watch the first round selections on Night 1 (Thursday), Rounds 2-3 on Night 2 (Friday), and Rounds 4-7 on Day 3 (Saturday). The Main Stage will also host daily performances by headlining acts throughout the Draft.
The NFL will also host an NFL Draft Experience Stage, open to the public, where fans can see memorabilia, play several games and meet many NFL players and legends.
Located adjacent to the NFL Draft Main Stage, the NFL Draft Experience presented by Oikos® Triple Zero will be a free, three-day football festival highlighted by interactive games, the Vince Lombardi Trophy, autograph sessions with NFL players and Legends, brand activations, giveaways and the NFL Shop presented by Visa. At the center of the action will be the NFL Draft Experience Stage, which will feature special performances by Las Vegas talent as well as interactive NFL-themed experiences._
The NFL Draft Experience will be free and open to fans at the following times:
- Thursday, April 23: Noon – 9 PM PT or the end of round one
- Friday, April 24: Noon – 9 PM PT or the end of round three
- Saturday, April 25: 9 AM. – 6 PM PT or the end of round seven
Fans who are interested in these events and more can visit NFL.com/2020Draft and NFL.com/2020Draft/Interest for more information.
