1. What Josh Norman thinks about CB Tre'Davious White
Cornerback Josh Norman spoke to the media for the first time as a Buffalo Bill on Thursday. Norman spoke highly of the organization, its ability to turn things around and the team's tough defense. The All-Pro said Buffalo's secondary is the best in the league. One reason Buffalo's defense finished third in the NFL in 2019 is because of All-Pro corner Tre'Davious White.
"He's doing so many things," Norman said about White. "I'm just looking at him and just being amazed too because I'm seeing myself in him a little bit when I was coming out early on. Just seeing how he's really explosive and how he's taking every rep as if this was his last rep."
Norman called the team a bunch of "workaholics," he that competitive mindset will get the best of him and his teammates.
"It's only going to make us so much better as a unit because if one person does something, it's going to turn the other way even more," Norman explained. "So that competition there is going to be essential to us bringing over into those late games, late times where somebody's going to need a play. You look at one another and say, 'It's going to be you or it's going to be me.' And I think that time now, why that grind is going hard, is what is going to pay off in the long run."
2. Ed Oliver ranks 4th on this list
NFL Network's Gil Brandt thinks there's a second year player on the Bills defense who could have one of the best breakout campaigns among year two defensive players. Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver is fourth on Brandt’s list of nine.
4 | Buffalo Bills DT Ed Oliver
Drafted: No. 9 overall (Round 1)
A May arrest on DWI and gun charges threatened to derail Oliver's offseason, but fortunately for him, the charges were dismissed, which means we can focus on the difference-maker he can be for the Bills on the field. We saw proof of this last season, like when he recorded two sacks and a forced fumble against Dallas on Thanksgiving. The 6-foot-1, 287-pound Oliver possesses the quickness to give interior linemen fits when rushing as a 3-technique. He'll get an even bigger boost if Vernon Butler or Harrison Phillips is able to step up and help keep blockers off him, with Star Lotulelei having opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns.
In 2019, Oliver totaled 5.0 sacks, one forced fumble, two passes defensed and 38 total tackles.
3. How the NFL is encouraging players to vote
On Thursday, the NFL launched NFL Votes. It's a league-wide, non-partisan initiative to support player voting as well as encourage the Legends community, NFL personnel and NFL fans to vote on Election Day. NFL Votes will focus on three categories—voter education, voter registration and voter activation.
"Today marks the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was meant to ensure the right to vote for all Americans, prohibiting discrimination in voting based on race or color," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Through meeting with players and legends to better understand causes and issues they are passionate about, we found a consensus around the importance of voting. That's why we're putting the power of our platform behind NFL Votes, aiming to inspire and encourage people to get educated about the voting process, to get registered to vote, and to ultimately exercise their right to vote."
The NFL has also partnered with three non-profit, non-partisan organizations to help with this cause—I am a voter., RISE to Vote and Rock the Vote. NFL Votes is a part of the league's social justice initiative called Inspire Change.
For more information on NFL Votes or any of the non-profit organizations, click here.
