1. Daboll ready to utilize Emmanuel Sanders
He's known as one of the most savvy route runners in the league. Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders has seen just about everything that NFL defenses can scheme up. Sanders' talent and his wealth of experience provides Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll with a number of options when it comes to deploying the veteran receiver in his elite passing attack.
"Just getting to know Emmanuel these last months, he's got a really good football mind, he's an instinctive player," said Daboll. "We'll give him as much as he can handle, which to this point he's been able to handle all the different spots that we put him in. I think his experiences will serve him well, and we'll just take it day by day, in terms of the installation and the things we're asking him to do and learn. If we add more, we'll add more. If we need to slow down, we'll slow down, but he's been really good in the meetings."
Sanders' versatility figures to keep opposing defenses guessing as to where he'll line up, which could lead to advantageous matchups.
"He's flexible in terms of being able to play inside and outside," Daboll said. "He's had a lot of experience, he's played on a lot of different teams and in a lot of different systems. A skill set that that we like. We'll put him in the mix, he's a smart guy who's been around for a while."
2. NFL Network analyst has Stefon Diggs ranked in his Top 5 receivers
NFL Network analyst and former NFL receiver James Jones was asked to put together his top five NFL receivers entering the 2021 season.
Not surprisingly, Jones had Bills number one wideout Stefon Diggs in his elite group. He had him ranked number three ahead of the Chargers' Keenan Allen and the Falcons' Calvin Ridley.
"Stefon Diggs, this dude is speed coming at you right off the snap of the ball," said Jones. "His route running and being able to sink his hips and get in and out of his breaks and he makes the big time plays in big time moments. This kid is going to have another special year with that MVP candidate Josh Allen. He's absolutely special."
Diggs led the league in receptions and receiving yards in 2020. The only receivers Jones had ranked ahead of Diggs were the Cardinals DeAndre Hopkins and the Packers Davante Adams.
3. Draft analyst ranks Bills here in reviewing the 2018 draft class
NFL draft analyst for 'The Athletic' Dan Brugler reviewed the 2018 NFL draft this week and ranked the 32 NFL clubs in hindsight for their draft selections now that those players have three accrued seasons in the league.
Buffalo's draft class ranked third best on Brugler's list. Here was an excerpt from his assessment of the Bills draft haul that year as he had Josh Allen tabbed as the class' best player.
While Tremaine Edmunds (355 total tackles and two Pro Bowl appearances) has been terrific, Allen has emerged as one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Although he was a polarizing prospect because of his inconsistent play at Wyoming, the Bills traded up and bet on his exciting physical traits and imperturbable demeanor. Allen has gradually improved, leading the Bills to 13 wins last season and a spot in the AFC Championship Game. He was named second-team All-Pro with 45 total touchdowns (37 passing, eight rushing) and a completion percentage that jumped more than 10 points from the previous year to 69.2 percent._
The only teams with 2018 draft classes ranked higher than that of the Bills were the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens.
