Your guide to the 2020 Bills season

It’s newsworthy now when a national pundit doesn’t pick the Buffalo Bills to win the AFC East.

Is there a better way to describe just how far the franchise has come entering the fourth year of the “McBeane” era?

Under General Manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott, expectations have risen to levels not seen in Buffalo since the 1990s. In fact, the last time the Bills won the AFC East was 1995. They are the popular pick among most national analysts to finally do so again in 2020.

“I think, at the end of the day, we have to stick with what we do,” General Manager Brandon Beane said of the heightened expectations. “There’s been some earlier years here where we were predicted to win six, seven, eight games – whatever it is – and not be a playoff team. Now we’re by some picked to win the division or get in the playoffs.

“Our message has always been: Those are predictions from the outside. We control what we do here. Until we win the AFC East, it’s hard to go on the road and win three playoff games to get to the Super Bowl. The best route, if you look back in the '90s, those Bills teams were winning and hosting. Nobody wants to play here in January. We know that. We know it can be a big-time advantage not only with our fans, but the weather. We know that we control the in house and we will have to be ready. We’re not going to sneak up on anyone. People are mentioning us as a team that will be in the playoffs or win the division. How do we fare as the hunted versus the hunter? Time will tell.”

When Peter King of NBC Sports picked the Dolphins to win the division in his popular “Football Morning in America” column that published Monday, it caught the attention of some Bills fans on social media.

Of course, any perceived slight of their team is usually noticed by Bills fans. It wouldn’t be Buffalo without a bit of an inferiority complex.

It’s understandable why Bills fans may feel a bit slighted by King’s pick, though. The team returns most of its key contributors from a squad that went 10-6 last year and should have advanced to the divisional round of the postseason were it not for a meltdown in Houston.

Compare that to what has happened around the AFC East, and the Bills appear to be on solid ground. The Dolphins are going through a rebuild similar to what the Bills started two years ago. The Jets’ leadership under coach Adam Gase is shaky at best. The Patriots, meanwhile, won’t have Tom Brady as their starter at quarterback for the first time in almost two decades.

"Hopefully, we're still trending up,” Beane said. “We haven't won the division and to me, that's the goal we have to do because we need to host playoff games here in Orchard Park and the only way we get a chance to do that is if we win the division. We haven't been able to take down the Patriots yet – nobody has since we've been here. That's still the team we're chasing. We don't play them until the middle of the season, but I'm sure the Jets and the Dolphins are thinking the same thing. That's our goal, that's our focus. We've got to try to compete and win the AFC East."

Here's a capsule preview of the Bills' 2020 season:

Top strengths

Offensive weapons: On paper, the Bills may have the best three-receiver set in the NFL. That’s how much the addition of Stefon Diggs can help not just quarterback Josh Allen, but receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley. That’s a pick-your-poison situation for any defense when it comes to figuring out how to cover all three. Emerging second-year players Dawson Knox and Devin Singletary figure to play big roles in the offense at tight end and running back, respectively. “I would say I’m a lot more confident – and I was confident last year,” Singletary said.

The secondary: In the last two years under McDermott, the Bills have ranked first and fourth, respectively, in passing yards allowed. With All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White recently signed to a contract extension, the safety duo of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde back and the addition of Josh Norman to compete with Levi Wallace at the other cornerback spot (along with nickel cornerback Taron Johnson), the Bills should again limit big plays through the air. Last year, the team gave up the fewest number of 40-plus-yard passing plays – just four – and tied for the fewest number of 20-plus-yard plays (34).

Continuity: Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll made a good point this summer when he said continuity doesn’t mean much if coaches and players don’t, you know, do their jobs. Especially this season, though, with the lack of spring practices and no preseason games, it has to be looked at as an advantage that the Bills return 88% of their snaps from a season ago. According to ESPN, that’s the most in the league. Players and coaches know the system inside and out. Now, to Daboll’s point, they need to go out and execute it.

Biggest worries

The offensive line: Right guard Jon Feliciano will miss at least the first three weeks of the season after being placed on injured reserve because of a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery. The Bills had hoped to return all five starters from last year, but at least temporarily, that won’t be an option. Even when Feliciano returns, the question has to be asked: Is status quo good enough? The offensive line really struggled in the playoff loss to Houston. Defensive coordinators likely will look at the Texans’ game plan – relentless pursuit of Allen – and try to duplicate it. Can the line better protect Allen while consistently opening up holes for the running game? That remains to be seen.

Run defense: Veteran defensive tackle Star Lotulelei has opted out of the 2020 season due to health concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic. How he’ll be replaced in the starting lineup remains to be seen. Third-year veteran Harrison Phillips is returning from a torn ACL, and it will be a big ask for him to be ready for 50 or 60 snaps a game from Week 1. The Bills’ overall run defense has gone through some noticeable struggles under McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier in the past, and faces some strong running teams in 2020. Lotulelei’s true value to the roster will be on display in 2020, for better or worse, even with him at home.

The kicking game: The Bills are trusting a rookie kicker. Until Tyler Bass shows he can come through with the game on the line, that’s going to be a huge question mark. The Bills also have never seemed totally secure with Corey Bojorquez at punter. His consistency remains maddening. To Bojorquez’s credit, he has survived challenges from Kaare Vedvik and Lachlan Edwards this offseason, but that doesn’t mean he should get too comfortable.

Offensive emphasis

Score more points. Captain Obvious alert! The Bills know that the 19.6 points per game they averaged last season isn’t going to cut it. The team finished in the bottom half of the league in red-zone touchdown percentage (17th at 56.8%) and goal-to-go percentage (21st at 69.6%). One way for the offense to be more explosive will be for Allen to improve his deep-passing accuracy.

Defensive emphasis

Maintain a high level of play with some new faces. Another one that sounds simple, but could prove to be more challenging. It's tough in the NFL year over year to sustain strong defense. The Bills will try to do so while replacing two key pieces of their defensive line – Shaq Lawson and Jordan Phillips – with veterans Mario Addison and Vernon Butler.

Looming question

Can Josh Allen take the next step? Yes, this is exactly the same question as last year – but it remains unanswered. Allen has shown undeniable improvement in his first two NFL seasons. He has so much of what you want in a franchise quarterback. He’s worked hard to improve his deficiencies. His detractors, though, will point to the playoff meltdown against Houston as evidence that Allen will never be able to overcome his “hero ball” mentality. Beane has made it so that pretty much all possible excuses for Allen have been eliminated. Now, the quarterback has to show whether he can live up to the “franchise quarterback” tag.

Outlook

The Bills can finish with the same record as a year ago and be a much-improved team. Strength of schedule isn’t always a great predictor of what a team’s fortunes will be, but it’s worth pointing out the Bills face the fifth-toughest schedule this year based on opponents’ winning percentage in 2019. The schedule includes games against both Super Bowl representatives from last season, Kansas City and San Francisco, as well as a great deal more travel, including four trips to the Mountain or Pacific time zones.

As Beane pointed out, too, teams aren’t going to sleep on the Bills this year. None of the Bills’ first four opponents made the playoffs last season, so duplicating last year’s 3-0 start could go a long way toward a return trip to the postseason – and potentially a lot more.

Projected record: 10-6.

Finally, pro football.

With NFL training camps shortened and the preseason canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, most fans will get their first look at their favorite team when the regular season kicks off in mostly empty stadiums around the league.

The Buffalo News’ Week 1 power rankings for what promises to be a season like none other:

Rank Team (2019 record)

1. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4).

Reigning Super Bowl champs signed Patrick Mahomes to the richest contract in the history of North American pro sports.

2. Baltimore Ravens (14-2).

NFL MVP Lamar Jackson knows regular-season dominance means little without playoff success.

3. New Orleans Saints (13-3).

Drew Brees could end his 20th season with his second Lombardi Trophy.

4. San Francisco 49ers (13-3).

Only two of the last 10 Super Bowl losers failed to make the playoffs the following season.

5. Buffalo Bills (10-6).

Josh Allen is set up for success, with a loaded offense and one of the top defenses in the league.

6. Seattle Seahawks (11-5).

Bolstered the secondary with Jamal Adams and Quinton Dunbar.

7. Green Bay Packers (13-3).

We'll see how Aaron Rodgers responds to the Packers drafting his potential successor.

8. Minnesota Vikings (10-6).

Adam Thielen is the clear-cut No. 1 receiver with Stefon Diggs traded to Buffalo.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7).

Jason Peters reportedly wants a pay raise to move from right guard back to left tackle.

10. Los Angeles Rams (9-7).

Jared Goff was 22nd in passer rating and 19th in completion percentage last season.

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9).

They've built an old fantasy football team. Will it work in real life?

12. New England Patriots (12-4).

Bill Belichick refused to confirm reports Cam Newton was named the starting QB.

13. Houston Texans (10-6).

Deshaun Watson will try to drag the revamped Texans back to the playoffs.

14. Indianapolis Colts (7-9).

Philip Rivers should help the Colts contend for the AFC South title.

15. Dallas Cowboys (8-8).

Dak Prescott has one playoff victory in four seasons and is playing on the franchise tag.

16. Tennessee Titans (9-7).

Gave big money to Ryan Tannehill. We’ll see how that works out.

17. Atlanta Falcons (7-9).

Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said Todd Gurley could get 15 to 25 carries a game.

18. Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1).

DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald give Kyler Murray a pair of future Hall of Fame receivers.

19. Chicago Bears (8-8).

How long until Mitchell Trubisky is replaced by Nick Foles?

20. Carolina Panthers (5-11).

Teddy Bridgewater gets the chance to prove he's still franchise QB material.

21. Denver Broncos (7-9).

Paired Melvin Gordon with Phillip Lindsay and drafted receivers with their top two picks.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8).

Ben Roethlisberger returns from a season-ending elbow injury.

23. Cleveland Browns (6-10).

Kevin Stefanski takes over after Freddie Kitchens’ lone season as head coach.

24. Las Vegas Raiders (7-9).

Jon Gruden called Zay Jones the team’s most improved player.

25. New York Jets (7-9).

Sam Darnold is being subjected to another season under Adam Gase.

26. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11).

Tyrod Taylor gets to start under former Bills offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.

27. Detroit Lions (3-12).

Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn have managed nine wins in two seasons.

28. Miami Dolphins (5-11).

How long until Tua Tagovailoa replaces Ryan Fitzpatrick?

29. New York Giants (4-12).

Saquon Barkley could make a run at Chris Johnson’s single-season yards from scrimmage record (2,509).

30. Cincinnati Bengals (2-14).

No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow gets a boost with the healthy return of A.J. Green.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10).

The Jags’ once-elite defense was dismantled, and they just keep purging talent.

32. Washington Football Team (3-13).

Speaking of disasters ...

Here is how several News' sports writers see the Bills' season:

Vic Carucci

Tom Brady's exit from the AFC East creates a dream opportunity for the Bills, and I don't expect they'll turn it into a nightmare.

They have one of the best defenses in the league, which is enough to make them a serious contender. The unit’s ability to shut down passing attacks will make a difference against a schedule that will include some of the NFL’s more explosive offenses.

The Bills’ offensive explosiveness figures to improve, thanks largely to the addition of Stefon Diggs. Besides the game-breaking plays he’ll produce, his constant threat to shake free on deep routes should help create room for John Brown, Cole Beasley and other pass-catchers. It’s fair to expect the running game to show improvement with a more mature Devin Singletary and complementary power from rookie Zack Moss. Most of the offensive line should benefit from having been together for a season.

Assuming Josh Allen takes a big step in his development, the Bills should win the AFC East and have a chance to make a run in the postseason. They might not be ready to overtake the Chiefs, but they’ll likely be a factor.

Projected record: 11-5.

Jay Skurski

This is the year, as Ace Ventura would say, for the Bills to exorcise the demons. Brady is gone, meaning the Patriots are as vulnerable as they've been since Y2K. If the Bills don't win the AFC East for the first time since 1995, something went terribly wrong.

Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll made a great point recently when he said continuity isn't as important as playing well. That's right, but it sure should help the Bills. The defense's key components are in their third or fourth years together. Most importantly, of course, quarterback Allen is in his third year in Daboll's system. It's time for Allen to show why the Bills twice traded up in the first round to draft him.

The excuses for Allen are gone. He’s got a true No. 1 receiver in Diggs. He’s got young running backs who look dynamic. His offensive line returns intact. If Allen continues on his upward trend – which I believe he will – the Bills are positioned to win not just the division, but advance with a playoff win for the first time since ’95. It’s been a long time coming.

Projected record: 10-6.

Mark Gaughan

I see the Bills going 5-1 in division. I think it’s a sweep of the Jets, a more difficult sweep of Miami and a split with New England. I like them to go 2-2 against the NFC West. They must beat the Rams at home and then squeeze out one more win against that tough division. I think the AFC West will be not quite as tough as some expect. The Bills go 3-1 there. That’s 10 wins. The other two games are difficult, against Pittsburgh and Tennessee. If the Bills steal one of those, then maybe they only go 2-2 vs. the AFC West. I think the Bills need to get to 10 wins because Bill Belichick will find a way to get New England to nine wins.  

Like last year, the Bills’ defense faces an easier schedule than the offense, largely because the defenses for the Patriots, Dolphins and Jets are good to excellent, while none of those teams’ offenses are going to be elite. If the offense can pull its weight early, the team could get off to a 4-0 start. The defenses of the Rams (Week 3) and Raiders (Week 4) are not elite.  

As many have argued, the pandemic should play into the Bills’ hands because they have such a veteran team operating under familiar schemes. The offense hit the 21-point mark in only six of 17 games last year. I look at the talent on offense and don’t see why the Bills should not go from 23rd in points (19.6) up to, say, 12th or 13th (24.0).

Projected record: 10-6. 

Jason Wolf 

This is the year Allen proves he’s the Bills’ franchise quarterback, setting career highs for completion percentage, passing yards and touchdowns while leading Buffalo to its first AFC East division title since 1995. The addition of Diggs opens the passing attack for Brown and Beasley, who both improve on their stats from a year ago, while Singletary and Moss form a formidable one-two punch out of the backfield.

Expect the defense to remain the strength of the team under coach Sean McDermott and coordinator Leslie Frazier, with Ed Oliver terrorizing opposing quarterbacks in the pocket, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano both making the Pro Bowl and the secondary continuing to rate among the most fearsome in the NFL. Tre’Davious White maintains his All-Pro form but does not lead the league in interceptions as he did a year ago, but only because quarterbacks are increasingly reluctant to throw to his side of the field.

Of course, this is contingent on key players remaining healthy and the Bills completing a full 16-game regular season, which is no guarantee given the Covid-19 pandemic.

Projected record: 11-5

Rachel Lenzi

The Bills have a foundation after consistently winning games in 2019 and getting playoff experience. Now, they need to build upon that base, and have a stronger chance at winning the AFC East now that the Patriots have been revamped and Brady has headed to Tampa Bay.

Personnel wise, the addition of Diggs will complement Allen, Brown and the passing game, but the Bills must improve quickly on their defensive line following the departures of Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson (and their combined 16 sacks).

The Bills must capitalize on the first four games of their schedule before getting bona fide challenges in weeks five and six, at the Titans and at home against the Chiefs. However, the second half of the schedule will be where the Bills must prove their mettle.

Projected record: 10-6

Milt Northrop

If the Bills don't get off with a win over the Jets, you can see the possibility of them taking a 2-3 record into a Thursday night game against the Chiefs, the third of a tough four-game stretch that includes a home game with the Rams followed by road games at the Raiders and Titans. Bills optimists may be confident of a demise of Belichick and the Patriots with Brady gone. Bill will find a way.

It may take a while for Allen and the offense to kick into gear, so the defense will have to hold up, especially in first half of the schedule. The addition of Diggs and Moss may not be enough to bring the offense into the league's top 10. In the Super Bowl era, the Bills have not had good luck drafting kickers. None of have made it here. They need Tyler Bass to come through as field goals will be important to a team that leans so hard on its defense.

Projected record: 9-7

On June 17, the past met the present in the way so many encounters happen these days. Andre Reed and James Lofton, two of the greatest wide receivers to play for the Buffalo Bills, occupied a pair of boxes on a video-conference screen. The rest were filled by the Bills’ current receivers along with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and receivers coach Chad Hall.

The team invited Reed and Lofton to share some of the wisdom that helped them contribute to the Bills reaching four straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s and to their inductions into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

When the alumni asked members of the current group for their expectations, Stefon Diggs talked about wanting to make the team better, wanting to make the playoffs, and wanting to win a Super Bowl.

In short, he laid out what the Bills and their fans immediately envisioned on March 20, when General Manager Brandon Beane acquired Diggs and a seventh-round pick from the Minnesota Vikings for first-, fifth- and sixth-round choices last April, plus a fourth-round selection in 2021. The price was steep, but the chance to land a true No. 1 receiver was too good to pass up. The Bills haven’t had a receiver of this caliber – someone GMs in the NFL would universally rank in the top 10 to 15 at the position – since Eric Moulds’ final season with the club in 2005.

With Diggs, who caught 365 passes for 4,623 yards and 30 touchdowns the past five seasons, it’s widely assumed a passing attack that has perpetually ranked near the bottom of the NFL will be vastly improved. That also means it’s widely assumed that Diggs’ presence will go a long way toward helping to make Josh Allen a far better quarterback in his third season as a starter.

It’s reasonable to think, based on his talent and production, Diggs can have the desired impact on a team that ranked 26th in the league in passing yards last season. The Bills have been among the bottom seven in the NFL seven straight years and have not been in the top 12 since 2002.

"If you want to get to the AFC Championship game, if you want to get to the Super Bowl, you've got to be top 10 in those categories," Lofton said.

Finally, with Diggs, there’s legitimate hope the Bills’ pass offense should join the modern NFL era. But Allen’s development and how quickly he can form the kind of bond with Diggs that Reed and Lofton had with fellow Hall of Famer Jim Kelly is a major factor in how much Diggs delivers. Even the iconic receivers agree.

“That quarterback is the most vital part of your operation,” Reed said. “Really, it's about Josh Allen taking another step forward to commanding the offense, number one, and leading this team to where it wants to go.”

“He can do it all,” Lofton said of Diggs. “It just depends on the chemistry that he can create with Josh Allen.”

‘Rookie all over again’

The time to do so has been limited, at best. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, there were no offseason workouts at NFL facilities. Diggs did get to work with Allen and 18 other Bills offensive players during a weekend workout in South Florida in June.

However, with no preseason games because of the pandemic, most of whatever they’ve done together has been during training camp practices that began early last month and included two weeks of walk-through/conditioning work.

“We’re not working with a lot of time,” Diggs said during a videoconference with reporters last month. He described himself as a “rookie all over again,” as part of a new offensive system with a new quarterback.

“If there was a genie and I could rub the bottle, I would want all the good things to happen,” Diggs said. “(Allen) throws the ball 100 yards and I’m right at the 101-yard line, catching a touchdown. But I’m just trying to take advantage of the small time that we have to get better. We can’t make it all happen at one time. Just trying to take those small jumps, like learning the offense and getting everything down. … My focus is, whatever he does well, I want to be able to do that.”

“I think the timing’s getting there,” Allen told reporters last month.

Though similar challenges exist throughout the league, the situation is less than perfect for a receiver learning a new offense and the many nuances that go with being in sync with the quarterback.

“I would have liked to see them have a lot of work together in OTAs on ball placement, where Stefon wants the ball, where he uncovers best, all those kinds of things are what you work on in OTAs,” said Bill Polian, the former NFL GM who was the chief architect of the Bills’ Super Bowl teams and assembled a Super Bowl champion in Indianapolis on the way to the Hall of Fame. “But it didn’t happen.”

“Just watching film is good, but it doesn't equate to actually seeing it in person,” Reed said. “That's going to be the biggest thing for all of them, to take a little time on really seeing each other up close and your mannerisms and how you run routes, how Josh throws the ball. I'm sure that Stefon ran routes differently in Minnesota than he does in Buffalo because (Allen and Vikings QB Kirk Cousins are) two different quarterbacks.”

Reed and Kelly became teammates in 1986, when the Bills signed Kelly after he spent two seasons in the United States Football League. But Reed, who the Bills made a fourth-round draft pick in ’85, said it took about four or five years before he and Kelly formed an elevated chemistry.

“That’s when it just became automatic,” Reed said. “It was just a little nod, a little look, whatever we needed to do, that told us we were on the same page mentally.”

The NFL’s best quarterback-receiver combinations are formed through time spent together in meeting after meeting, practice after practice, game after game. They’re achieved when passer and catcher simultaneously translate what they see across the line before the snap and come to the same conclusion about how to attack it.

“And then,” said Cris Carter, a Hall of Fame receiver and another former Viking, “because you have discussed it with the quarterback, it's just one of those moments in time that your eyes lock with each other and it's like you both take the same picture. Click-click. These are the parts that slow down the game for the veteran players, the guys that played at a high level, compared to the guys that (feel) the game’s still speeding up.

“When can Josh and Diggs look at each other and make the game of football slow down? How long will it take? Will it be November? Will it be a cold day in January, where they run from the huddle and they finally get it? But they’ve got to do it right now. They’ve got a couple divisional games early and developing a chemistry with some wins would help.”

Allen acknowledges that he and Diggs are only part of the way there.

“Last year, me and Cole (Beasley), me and John (Brown) had great communication. We watched a lot of film together,” Allen said. “Obviously, with the limited amount of time and reps that (he and Diggs have) had, as far as watching film and stuff go, we’re a little behind on that. But that’s going to change here. We’ll try sitting down and kind of going over things that we see, that I see. He’s going to be able to relay that back to me and try to get on the same page that way. But I think, right now, the things that he’s able to do, I’m reading them extremely well. He’s made some crazy plays already, and I can’t wait to be on the field with him (in a game).”

Scary vertical speed

Polian calls the building of chemistry between Diggs and Allen a “work in progress,” but thinks the receiver is “going to make Josh better.” He’ll do so, first, Polian says, by using his speed to stretch the defense. Diggs might not be a classic burner, but he’s plenty fast, especially in the open field – before and after the catch.

“He’s got a lot of strengths, but his vertical speed scares DBs because he’s really good down the field on the deep ball,” Hall said. “The ability for him to get DBs out of their back peddle and then turn their hips is very good. That’s one of the best assets to have as a receiver, because once you get them around, then you're in control. And no matter what you do underneath or if you stop, you're going to create separation.”

With Diggs expected to consistently draw coverage like a giant magnet, incumbent wideouts Brown and Beasley, as well as tight end Dawson Knox, should find greater freedom to operate in the secondary.

“In Brown’s case, he’s probably seeing the No. 2 corner, which makes things a lot easier for him, or he’s certainly seeing more one-on-one than he was getting last year,” Polian said. “In Beasley’s case, he’s either going to have one-on-one with nickels or dimes, or he’s going to get linebackers. Either way, he can get open and beat those guys. It changes the whole equation in terms of how the secondary plays.

“And let’s just think in terms of the Jets on opening day. You know (defensive coordinator) Gregg Williams is going to show some blitzes and some coverages that you’re not prepared for. I mean, he stays up nights dreaming up blitzes. But what's the universal antidote? Throw it where they can’t catch it. And if Diggs can go get it, hold on!”

Polian anticipates the New England Patriots having their own defensive conundrums when they take on Diggs for the first time in a Bills uniform.

Polian expects the Pats to have two coverages in their game plan for Diggs. One would have cornerback Stephon Gilmore shadow him with the idea of simply taking Diggs away and forcing the Bills to try to beat them with their other pass-catchers. Another would put Gilmore on Brown in the No. 2 spot and roll zone coverage to Diggs’ side. That would allow Diggs to be double covered, theoretically reducing the threat of the Bills’ top two receivers. Bill Belichick would occasionally employ a version of the latter when Darrelle Revis was his top cornerback in New England.

“Either way, (Diggs) is forcing an adjustment in the secondary, which the Bills could not do last year,” Polian said. “Because, as the cliché goes, he can take the top off the defense. So, the defense has to always be aware of his alignment and the matchups. And the fact that Allen can throw it a country mile only adds value to that.”

It brings back memories of the Bills’ Super Bowl run, which began taking shape in 1989. With Reed having firmly established himself as a dominant force inside, Polian and coach Marv Levy set out to add outside threats. They began by making ultra-fast Don Beebe a third-round draft pick that year. Then, they signed the aging but still speedy Lofton, who had previously played for the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Raiders, as a free agent a quarter of the way into the season.

“Now, people would say, ‘Well, you’ve got to take away Andre Reed.’ But then they’d say, ‘Yeah, but what about Lofton and Beebe? Who can we single here? Who can we double?’” Polian said. “So, Stefon changes the complexion of how people defense you. That will make it easier for Allen, because Allen's going to get cleaner looks.

“It’s hard to disguise coverages when you’ve got a burner out there. For example, when we had Marvin (Harrison) and Reggie (Wayne) in Indianapolis, until we got Reggie, people would do a lot of disguising. So, you wouldn’t know until the ball was snapped what they were going to do with Marvin, who was similar in stature to [Diggs], too, by the way. Once we got Reggie, and because of his ability to beat one-on-one coverage, even though he was not the greatest burner in the world, now they had to declare pretty much what they were going to do, so they could be in position to play them. So, what people started to do was wait until about 10 seconds on the play clock, and they would jump into the coverage hoping that Peyton (Manning) wouldn't pick it up. But, of course, he did.”

‘Easily see’ 30 TDs

Based on Allen’s 2019 statistics, and the dimension he brings as a highly effective runner, Lofton projects that Diggs’ presence should only boost the quarterback’s numbers.

“Josh Allen led the league in rushing touchdowns last year, with nine, so when I look at the fact that he threw 20 touchdown passes, you can easily see him throwing for 30 because now people are worried about you running when you get down in the red zone,” said Lofton, a former NFL assistant coach and current TV analyst for CBS. “And that opens up another element for this team. The fact that he's going to have another receiver down there that's hungry for the ball is going to help. You’re also going to have Josh Allen jump from just under 3,100 yards to maybe 4,200 yards. They should be that much better as a passing team this coming season, because of Diggs and the maturity of Josh Allen, too.

“Allen's got to go from 59% to 67%-68% completions, and I think Diggs helps him make the jump definitely, because Diggs is that driven of a player. Now, you've got three guys on the field, four guys with Knox, and a fifth receiver that you can dump the ball to out of the backfield. I think they're going to throw the ball more than they did last year.”

During their video call with the Bills’ receivers of the present, Reed and Lofton addressed the importance of a team-first approach. They stressed to Diggs that, beyond what he would bring to the field, it was equally vital to do his part off the field to contribute to the Bills’ success.

Diggs’ current and former coaches and teammates praise him for the leadership he has demonstrated in the short time they’ve been around him.

“You have to be a good teammate, you’ve got to be a good locker room guy,” Reed said. “Your expectations, especially coming from another team, and the hype that you bring, you’ve got to be able to live up to that hype, for yourself and how you go about handling your job. And again, you lead by example. Be a good practice player. Be a good leader. Be all that stuff that you need to be that maybe, to a certain point, you might have done in Minnesota. But this is a different atmosphere for you that you have to kind of re-establish all that stuff.

“And that’s what I think, organization-wise, they’re looking for him to do. They know what he can do on the field. What can you do in a locker room when things aren't going great? And there's going to be times in the year when it doesn't go great. They're going to look at you, because you're that guy that they're looking at. They look to Josh and look at other playmakers. I thought I was that guy every time.”

Hall is certain Diggs is that guy, too. In a short time, the coach has seen the receiver become a tone-setter for the rest of the players at his position. He has witnessed it in meetings, as well as in practice.

“He’s brought a competitiveness to our room, a vocalness to our room,” Hall said. “He’s got a lot of energy. He loves to compete in practice. I haven’t seen him in a game, but he goes hard every time he’s in. He's one of the best practice players I've been around, him and John Brown. They push each other, and it's been great to see.”

Now, comes the moment of truth. All of the hype, all of the promise, all of the anticipation give way to action when the Bills open the season Sunday against the New York Jets. The Bills made the trade to give themselves a transformative piece to the championship puzzle they’re trying to build.

They don’t expect anything less. Nor do their fans.

“You paid a heavy price,” Lofton said. “But you looked at your team and you said, ‘After three years, we’re 25-25 overall, counting 0-2 in the playoffs, but we’re ready to move forward. And moving forward doesn't mean drafting somebody who's going to be good two or three years from now. We need to be good this year.’ It's not because Brandon Beane or Sean McDermott felt any pressure that they had to win. They just looked at what they had, and they thought, ‘We can win.’ ”

Watch now: How Bills can exploit matchups with Stefon Diggs as No. 1 WR

Buffalo Bills defensive linemen embrace the idea that the onus of success for the team’s defense this season falls on them.

“I’m a firm believer that we’re the tip of the spear,” said defensive tackle Harrison Phillips.

“If you ask me, I think all great defenses start with the defensive line,” said defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson. “They’re defensive-line driven. Great offenses are driven by their offensive line. You only go as far as those two groups.”

“We’re going to have to rely on our four pass rushers,” said defensive end Mario Addison.

While defensive linemen on any team might say the same, it’s especially true for a team coached by Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier.

The Bills' head coach and defensive coordinator have a scheme that is heavily reliant on the front four.

Consider: The Bills ranked eighth in the NFL in rushing four men at the quarterback in 2019, according to Football Outsiders. They were 12th in 2018 and sixth in 2017. How about before McDermott got to Buffalo? His last three seasons in Carolina, the Panthers were fifth, eighth and eighth, respectively, in four-man rushes.

Why?

The core defensive tenet for McDermott and Frazier, besides limiting points, is limiting big plays. The Bills are great at it.

“For us, if we limit explosive plays, it’s hard to move the ball methodically down the field against us,” linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said late last season.

The Bills led the NFL last season in fewest pass plays of 40-plus yards allowed and fewest 20-plus pass plays allowed.

The ideal way to limit explosive plays is to keep defenders deep.

The Bills play a lot of Cover 3 and Cover 4. In Cover 3, a safety protects the deep middle and the two outside cornerbacks cover the outside third of the field. In Cover 4, there are two deep safeties, and the outside corners are responsible for their deep quarter of the field.

The Bills are not a big blitzing team. They ranked 18th in rushing five or more men at the quarterback last season, according to The Buffalo News. The Bills blitzed on 24.3% of pass plays, The News charted. The Bills were 17th in five-plus rushes in 2018 and 24th in 2017.

If you’re not going to blitz a lot and you’re going to play zone, you have to impact the quarterback with the four-man rush. If the quarterback has all day to throw, he’s going to find holes in the zones.

“I think at the end of the day, the better defenses that I’ve been around are anchored by the defensive line,” McDermott said.

The Bills enter the 2020 season with what could be one of their deepest defensive lines ever.

They lost defensive end Shaq Lawson and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in free agency. Alexander, a role player in the pass rush, retired.

But they added Addison, who is a true speed rusher from the outside. Lawson is a good player but isn’t an edge-bending speed rusher. Now for the first time in the McDermott-Frazier era, the Bills have two outside speed rushers, with Addison joining Jerry Hughes. Lawson had a career-best 6.5 sacks last year. Addison has posted nine or more sacks each of the past four seasons.

Phillips led the Bills with 9.5 sacks last season. But he plays the same 3-technique position as Ed Oliver, whom the Bills drafted ninth overall a year ago. Oliver had five sacks as a rookie. The Bills expect that number to increase.

Plus, the Bills added a former No. 1 pick in defensive tackle Vernon Butler from Carolina, a widely respected role player in Jefferson from Seattle, and second-round pick A.J. Epenesa, the defensive end from Iowa.

The Bills are poised to have an impressive eight-man rotation on the front four.

“That committee approach usually serves it well,” McDermott said of the front four. “I think it’s really about fresh bodies. And we’ve got a number of guys that we can roll in there, which is good to have, many of whom have significant reps under their belt at this level.”

Hughes played 64% of the defensive snaps last season. Trent Murphy played 65%, Oliver 54% and Star Lotulelei 49% (not counting the regular-season finale). Expect those rates to decrease a bit for Hughes and Murphy. Oliver won’t need to play more than last year. If the Bills get a quality 45% from Harrison Phillips, Lotulelei’s replacement because he opted out of the season, they should be in good shape.

“The fresher we can be, the faster and more physical you play, the stronger you play,” McDermott said. “That’s a position where there’s friction, if you will, on just about every play because there’s engaging with the opponent on every play. Not every position can say that. That tends to wear people down.”

Hughes is 32. Addison just turned 33.

“We’ve tried to be smart with Jerry’s age, just getting a little older and his time in the league,” McDermott said. “We’ve tried to be smart with giving him some rest as well as Mario. The more we can continue to put fastballs at the quarterback, the better we’ll be, and the more collective they’ll play. It’s a big part of our defense.”

The Bills’ pass rush probably will need to be better than it was last year, when the Bills ranked 12th in sacks (with 44) and 10th in sacks per pass attempt. Buffalo faced the easiest schedule of offenses in the NFL last year, based on yards gained.

This season, none of the AFC East foes looks like they have top-12 NFL talent in the passing game. But the Bills face arguably the most dangerous pass offense in the NFL in Super Bowl champion Kansas City. The schedule includes a bunch of top-12 offenses from last year (the Niners, Seahawks, Rams, Chargers, Raiders and Titans) plus talented-looking passing teams in Denver, Arizona and Pittsburgh.

While the Bills like to rush four men, it would be incorrect to draw the conclusion that McDermott and Frazier aren’t creative. Former Bills defensive chief Dave Wannstedt relied on a static, four-man defensive line rush in Buffalo. That’s not the current Bills.

Frazier employs a lot of designer pass rushes, with varying four-man combinations and a lot of stunts and twists. Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano last season increased their rushes, often trading places with a defensive lineman who dropped back into an underneath zone.

“The guys are moving,” said center Mitch Morse. “We’ve got guys who can really move and penetrate. They’re always moving toward a spot, and they play with a tenacity that’s really fun.”

Edmunds and Milano are critical to the scheme. One way to attack zone coverage is to run the secondary deep and create more space underneath. Frazier’s scheme doesn’t work well if he doesn’t have two fast linebackers who can make tackles sideline to sideline in coverage.

And like every defense, the Bills mix it up. They played man coverage 35.9% last season, 23rd most in the league, according to Sports Info Solutions. But that includes man coverages with one or two help zone defenders. The Bills rarely use “zero” coverage – a heavy blitz with just one defensive back for every receiver.

The Bills’ front four has plenty to prove. Hughes and Addison have to maintain their production despite their age. Oliver needs to take a step forward in Year 2. Phillips needs to fill Lotulelei’s shoes.

But if everyone plays up to expectations, the Bills' front four will be setting the table for a big season.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun being able to play with these guys," Hughes said, "going out there and pin our ears back and hunt the quarterback."

Brian Daboll has seen it before.

A rookie comes into the NFL and has a fair amount of success in his first season. Big things are expected in the player’s second year, and then ... crickets.

“I've been around some guys that have had really good second seasons,” Daboll, the Bills’ third-year offensive coordinator said, “and some where it didn't go up quite as much as you hoped.”

Just how much things go up for the Bills’ second-year players will play a major factor in the team’s success for the 2020 season.

Can Cody Ford solidify himself as a solid starter at guard or tackle? Can Devin Singletary become a 1,000-yard rusher? Can Dawson Knox live up to the hype as everyone’s breakout player candidate? Is Ed Oliver ready for stardom?

All those important questions are awaiting answers.

“It's such a transition when you come from college into the pros,” Daboll said. “It's not just the playbook, because they all have to learn a different playbook and different vocabulary and system and structure. There's all the other things as a young man coming out of college that they have to deal with.”

Before they even dive into the playbook, rookies in the NFL are tasked with finding a place to live in a city they might not be able to find on a map. It’s not uncommon for them to be pulled in a million different directions by those closest to them.

“These guys are young men getting out of school,” Daboll said, “plus they're thrust into this high-pressure job. So there's a lot of things on their plate. There's rookie meetings, then there's more rookie meetings, then there's meetings after that. Then they've got to go home, and their vocabulary of the playbook is usually quite a bit different nowadays coming from college. So there's a lot.”

Normally, things have settled down by year two. Second-year players have their living arrangements set up. Most importantly, they know how their organization is run and what the expectations are. Here in Buffalo, they know their coaches and how they coach.

“It’s less stressful for me, just from learning the plays,” Knox said. “Last year, it was like every day was a new install, so every piece of information was new. I was really trying to wrap my head around the plays, where I’m supposed to be, what I’m reading in the defense. All that came before actually going out there and doing the job.

“This year, it’s really slowed down for me. I feel like, when a play's called, I already know the assignment. ... It’s been a lot easier to, mentally, go out there and just play faster.”

That’s a benefit of having continuity within a coaching staff.

“Our guys are putting everything they've got into it and we're trying to give them every resource we can to help them improve this year,” Daboll said. “There's a lot of things that familiarity helps in your second year, but at the end of the day, you've got to go out there and you've got to be able to do it and execute when called upon.”

Oliver, Ford, Singletary and Knox represent the Bills’ first four draft picks in 2019 under General Manager Brandon Beane. It’s got the makings of a home-run class, but each of them has to come through.

“Those guys, I think, really jumped in and played some significant minutes for us last year and were a big part of what we're doing," Beane said. "The thing that we challenged those guys with this offseason, especially being able to make the playoffs and get that experience, was don't relax. People have film on you, people will study you, especially people within our division that we play twice, and you're going to have to be a better version of yourself as a sophomore than you were as a rookie."

Beane lauded those players for coming back "ready, focused, body was in shape; none of those guys was out of shape. And mentally have jumped right back in and shown that it wasn't too big for them."

To a man, they say they are ready.

“I learned a lot from my first year. Basically, how they block guys like me,” said Oliver, who started seven times as a rookie, finishing with 43 tackles and five sacks. “I’m expecting to start off where I left off last year, and if I can do that, I’ll be in great shape. We’ve really got tremendous coaching, so I’m just learning as much as I can right now, so I can go apply that to the field.”

The Bills felt comfortable letting defensive tackle Jordan Phillips walk in free agency in large part because they felt like Oliver, the ninth overall pick of the 2019 draft, was ready to embrace a larger role. A hip injury during the early part of training camp slightly slowed his progress, but Oliver is back to practicing fully.

“It all comes with experience," Oliver said. "If I knew what I knew the second half of the season the first half of the season, I’d have had three or four (more sacks). But I didn't know, so you don't know what you don’t know. I missed some easy layup ones at the beginning of the year.”

Ford, meanwhile, spent his rookie season splitting reps with veteran Ty Nsekhe at right tackle in a rotation that lasted the whole year. It remains to be seen where Ford lines up this season. Right guard Jon Feliciano is out of the lineup with a torn pectoral muscle, and Ford worked some inside last year. The idea that he may be better long term at guard persists.

“Versatility is a big key in how you can play ... at any level and any team,” he said. “So you don't want to limit yourself to just working on one position and one side. ... That way if there's any incidents or anything happens, you're ready to go.”

Ford spent the early part of the offseason in Buffalo, recovering from shoulder surgery. He eventually returned to Oklahoma, where he rode out Covid-19-related lockdowns.

“This was my first true offseason that I've had since playing football,” Ford said. “In high school, you go to spring practice in April, you have spring workouts with the team up until that point, and the same for college. You can't even lock in on what you need to lock in on – stuff like that – because at that point, you still have school, you still have class. So this offseason was a true offseason where I can get in with an O-line specialist and we can just go to work on finding the details that I need to work on.”

The Bills drafted both Singletary and Knox in the third round in 2019, and they showed flashes as rookies. Singletary took over as the lead back from veteran Frank Gore in the second half of the season, and proved to be a dynamic playmaker, even if he thought he could do more.

“To be honest, I feel like I need to do everything better,” he said. “Year to year, that's what it's about. You always want to be better all the way around than you were the year before. I've got to be better at pass blocking, catching the ball out of the field, making my reads. Whatever it may be, I've got to be better at all of that. ... That's my goal this year is to be better than I was last year and help the team in any way that I can.

“I feel real prepared. We had a great schedule this training camp, trying to help with not having preseason games. I feel great. The game has slowed down a lot for me. My body feels way better than it did around this time last year. I’m ready to see what year two brings, man.”

So is Bills Mafia.

Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has a favorite saying: It’s all about the matchups.

Enter Stefon Diggs. The new No. 1 receiving weapon in the Bills’ offense should give Daboll the ability to dictate matchup advantages all across the field.

“His versatility is one thing that makes him so good,” said former Minnesota linebacker Ben Leber, now a radio analyst for the Vikings. “He can play the X and the Z and the slot. ... He’s a hard guy to grasp because he’s not just an outside receiver. He’s got the quickness to beat the nickel corner, as well.”

In the 26-year-old Diggs, the Bills have a receiver who can win against No. 1 cornerbacks. That’s whether he’s lined up as the X receiver (wide to the weak side of the formation), the Z receiver (off the line of scrimmage to the strength of the formation) or in the slot.

Here’s a look at various ways Diggs should help the Bills’ scheme:

Go deep: Diggs averaged 17.3 yards per catch last season, fourth best in the NFL among starting wideouts. He tied for the NFL lead in 40-plus yard receptions (eight) and tied for sixth in 20-plus yard catches (20).

“He’s been such a big-play guy for them, and that’s what we missed last year,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “We kept having to go down the field 10 plays, 11 plays, 12 plays. We weren’t getting that two-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. Those take some pressure off. It’s hard to go 10, 12 plays every time."

“Again, that’s what happened to us in Houston,” Beane said, referring to the playoff loss. “We had some penalties or a sack or a lost-yardage play, something like that to get us behind the sticks. It’s tough to recover, and we settled for field goals. Hopefully, Stefon will bring that big-play element and also free up John Brown a little bit.”

Diggs scored a 54-yard TD against Denver last year on a deep post when the middle safety hesitated on his assignment. Diggs ranked No. 1 in the NFL on post routes, according to NFL NextGen Stats. He was No. 3 in the NFL on go routes (deep down the sideline) behind Miami’s DeVante Parker and Jacksonville’s D.J. Chark.

He’s also known for making contested catches, important in making plays downfield and in going against top cornerbacks who have tight coverage. Diggs had the No. 1 success rate in the NFL last year (61%) on contested catches, according to Pro Football Focus.

Quarterback Josh Allen should benefit, because last year the Bills did not deploy a receiver who was adept at contested catches. While the speedy Brown is good at getting separation, his slight frame doesn’t allow him to be open when he’s not open.

“Up close, he’s not a big guy,” Leber said of Diggs. “He’s not overly thick. I think even with pads on, people get this idea, ‘Oh, I can chuck him at the line of scrimmage or I can manhandle him through the route,' and they come to find out, no, this guy is fast and he’s quick and he’s strong.”

Man coverage: Diggs excels at getting great releases off the line of scrimmage and getting quick separation with his quickness in and out of his breaks at the top of his routes.

Statistics back it up. He ranked in the top 7% of NFL receivers in success against man coverage each of the past three years, according to Yahoo Sports.

Allen and the Bills’ passing game struggled mightily last season against elite defenses that specialized in man-to-man coverage. New England, Baltimore and Pittsburgh were the biggest examples.

Diggs is a man beater. We should get an early look at how much the Bills have improved against man coverage when they travel in Week 2 to Miami, which has bolstered its defensive backfield.

Three-wide set: The Bills’ offense looked its best last season out of 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three receivers) in the second half of the season. The Bills ranked seventh in use of 11 personnel last season at 70.1%. As long as Daboll is reasonably confident in his pass protection (maybe not in the game at Denver), expect the Bills to be a heavy three-wide team.

Who do defenses want to double cover? Diggs? Fine. Brown and Cole Beasley should see favorable matchups. Do they want to protect deep on both sides of the field in Cover 2? Then the run game should prosper.

“If they play heavy guys outside, then that usually opens up stuff inside,” Daboll said. “If they play heavy inside, that usually opens up stuff outside. You try not to make more of it than it really is. Those guys are good players. They've been good players in the league in terms of Smoke and Diggs, and we’re very confident in Cole with what he can do.”

Slot receiving: Minnesota used 11 personnel the least in the NFL last season (26%), according to Sharp Football. That meant fewer opportunities for Diggs in the slot. He lined up just 15.8% in the slot last season, according to Pro Football Focus, down from about 25% the previous two seasons. He’s not going to be higher than 25% in the slot in Buffalo, because Beasley is elite from the slot and runs 80% of his routes from an inside position.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how much Daboll moves Diggs around. In 11 personnel, the Bills often employ 3-by-1 formations, with three receivers to one side and a lone receiver (sometimes tight end Dawson Knox) to the other. Slot cornerbacks tend to be smaller than outside corners. Some weeks, running Diggs against a slot corner will be a favorable matchup.

Teams may opt to bracket Diggs from the slot with a linebacker and a defensive back. But that should open up someone on the outside.

The Vikings face two 3-4 teams in the NFC North in Green Bay and Detroit, so Diggs has seen a lot of bracket coverage underneath.

“I feel like a lot of the 3-4 defenses gave our passing offense problems,” Leber said. “The passing offense was so predicated on the short passing game. A lot of the 3-4 defenses can manipulate where they are and it is a little like looking at spaghetti on a plate, not knowing who’s rushing and who’s dropping in coverage.

“The Packers in particular did a good job of frustrating him. I think everybody knows he plays with a hot, competitive mentality. He can kind of boil over. There’s some obvious frustration that when he’s double teamed and not getting the opportunity to catch the ball, he gets mad about it. But you can’t bracket everybody.”

Diggs seems sure to put up good numbers in a Daboll offense that likes to control the ball with a precision passing game. How good his numbers will be obviously will depend a lot on Allen.

“It’s going to come down to Allen’s accuracy,” Leber said. “Can he be accurate even in double-cover situations where sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and say 'I’m going to trust my receiver, I’ve got to trust my arm, I’ve got to throw it to a spot and he’s going to make the play?' Diggs is really good at that.”

Watch now: How Bills can exploit matchups with Stefon Diggs as No. 1 WR

Don’t forget about John Brown.

It’s easy to do. He has never been one to seek attention. He’s approachable, but not particularly chatty. If you notice him on a football field, that’s fine, but he doesn’t necessarily go out of his way to be noticed.

Don’t forget about John Brown.

Sure, the Buffalo Bills made that blockbuster trade for Stefon Diggs. Sure, Diggs’ arrival has driven most of the conversation about how much better the Bills will be in the passing game, how much higher his presence will elevate Josh Allen’s performance and that of the entire offense, how much stronger the team will be as a whole because it finally has a true difference-making threat in the No. 1 receiver role.

But don’t forget about John Brown.

The Bills certainly won’t. They can’t. He won’t let them.

“I think he’s in a better place, and a better football player than he was last year,” receivers coach Chad Hall said in a recent phone interview with The Buffalo News.

That’s saying plenty. In 2019, Browns’ first season with the Bills and sixth in the NFL, he had career bests with 72 receptions and 1,060 receiving yards. He ranked ninth in the AFC in receiving yards, and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for only the second time in his career.

It’s fair to say Brown, 30, made an impact after being signed as a free agent to fill one of the Bills’ top two receiving spots along with fellow free-agent signee Cole Beasley. Nevertheless, the team saw a chance to improve by acquiring Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings.

Hall was impressed with what Diggs displayed during training camp. Yet, it hasn’t been enough to blind him to what Brown has shown during the same practices at One Bills Drive.

“He really took this offseason as a time to really work on his conditioning levels, his strength,” Hall said. “He said it was the hardest he had worked in the offseason, out of any offseason, in his career. And it's showing. I mean, he is doing everything right. His routes are even crisper, which I didn't know that could happen. And I think he's faster than he was last year, just because he's taking care of his body and he doesn’t have any ailments or any injuries or anything.”

During a recent video conference with reporters, Brown said Pilates became a new addition to his offseason routine. That’s not to be confused with the kind of exercise activity a non-professional athlete does to help with flexibility and core-muscle development. Pro athletes mainly use Pilates to help with injury prevention by strengthening the limits of the range of motion in each joint.

“I think it’s helped me,” said Brown, who spent 2018 with the Baltimore Ravens after four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. “Also, I’ve been working in the offseason on my yards after catch.”

Pilates can factor into that, as well, because it’s among the methods used to help with the natural alignment of the body and symmetry of left-right motion. Additionally, Brown spent time focusing on his footwork.

“He just looks great,” Hall said. “He looks younger, which is crazy. But he's in a good, good spot mentally, too. We don't have to move him all around the field, because we’ve got another piece of the puzzle on the other side with Stef. So, he's playing faster. He's not thinking, and it’s showing up.”

Pete Bommarito, a renowned strength and conditioning coach in Miami, Fla., trained Brown before the 2014 NFL Draft, during which the Cardinals made him a third-round draft pick from Pittsburgh State. Brown’s draft status received a major boost when he ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine in 4.33 seconds.

Bommarito has continued to work with him for most of the past six years, though he was not directly involved with Brown’s training this offseason.

“Once he got into a solid strength and conditioning program, way back in 2014, he's been just getting better and better,” Bommarito said in a phone interview with the News. “And as elite as his speed was back then, he's able to maintain it. He's just always a guy, whether he's on his own or with different trainers and coaches, who’s going to do the right thing. Even when he played for the Cardinals, he flew me out personally several times just to do basic neuromuscular therapy to keep his body in alignment to continue to play at high levels.”

Bommarito and Brown were last together in June at Bommarito’s Performance Systems, where 20 members of the Bills’ offense gathered for a weekend workout because the coronavirus pandemic prevented NFL teams from staging workouts at their facilities.

“You saw the same John Brown I’ve always seen: first guy through the door, last guy to leave,” Bommarito said. “John is the consummate professional. That's the No. 1 thing that everybody needs to know about him. Being a consummate professional isn't just about working hard and showing up on time and all that. It's all the little things that you do in terms of leadership qualities.

“Not barking orders at people, but leading by example in every conceivable detail, whether it's in a meeting room, film, extra work, strength and conditioning, mobility, regeneration, recovery, nutrition supplements, everything. And when you have solid veterans like that, they're all about leadership and doing everything it takes to win, then everybody wins.”

That’s Brown’s approach to Diggs’ arrival. Brown has seen a boost in the energy of everyone, including himself, because of the energy Diggs brings to the receiver room. Brown also anticipates Diggs’ presence to be mutually beneficial on the field.

“I think it’ll take a lot of pressure off me, and I’ll be able to help him if anyone decides to double cover him,” Brown said.

As for any concerns about having only one football to go around for all of the Bills’ playmakers, Brown said growing up with four sisters and two brothers taught him plenty about sharing.

“So, I’m used to that,” he said. “I’ve been through this before, when I was with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd (in Arizona). We had three of the best receivers. We just made plays when they came to us. And we were close to having three receivers over 1,000 yards. Any time the ball came our way, we took advantage of our opportunities. That’s what it’s going to be. If you want to win, you have to stop being selfish and focus on winning and making plays when they come to you.”

Sean McDermott calls Brown one of his favorite players, largely because of his team-first attitude, a staple of the McDermott Way.

“Love him,” the coach said. “He’s all about the team. A very unselfish approach, again, which is somewhat unique to that position.”

And being unique makes it tough for anyone to forget you.

Buffalo Bills radio play-by-play announcer John Murphy can summarize this season calling games on WGR potentially without fans in Bills Stadium due to the Covid-19 pandemic in one word:

“The word would be challenge,” said Murphy, who will be starting his 17th season on play-by-play and 33rd overall in the booth when the Bills kick off Sunday at home against the New York Jets.

“And I’m kind of embracing it,” added Murphy. “Looking forward to it. Trying to do a good job. Trying to have a good broadcast, which I think we’ve had for a while.”

The primary challenge is calling home games without the energy level provided by 70,000 fans in Orchard Park – no fans will be allowed for at least the first two home games with plans to re-evaluate after that – and doing road games from there, too. 

“It’s a challenge to make it sound like nothing has changed even though everybody is really aware a lot has changed,” said Murphy.

He also will be working with a “new” analyst at least for the early part of the season as Steve Tasker substitutes for Eric Wood. The ability of Wood, who lives in Kentucky, to get to games is compromised by travel and safety restrictions due to the pandemic. Wood will return as analyst if his commute is safe for his family and permissible by New York State restrictions.

Describing Tasker as a “new” analyst is deceiving. He worked Bills preseason games alongside the play-by-play announcer when Murphy was the sports director at WKBW-TV (Channel 7).

Until recently, they also worked together for two years on “One Bills Live” simulcast by WGR and MSG cable.

“Eric is the guy and even Steve acknowledges that, which is amazing,” said Murphy. “We’re pretty fortunate we have a guy filling in who is a Wall of Famer, a high-level performer who has 21 years of experience as an analyst at CBS. He’s a guy who knows this team, lives here, knows the issues.”

Their longtime relationship – Murphy has known Tasker since the analyst was an All-Pro special teams performer for the Bills from 1986-97 – might mean there will be more humor in the broadcast than there was with Wood.

“Probably because I know Steve a little bit better,” said Murphy. “We worked together for two years. I know what makes him laugh and he knows how to make me laugh, too.”

Calling games without fans present in a year when the Bills are considered a serious AFC title contender is no laughing matter.

“It won’t be as fun, quite honestly,” said Murphy. “I love working home and away with the windows open, hearing what fans are saying and interacting with them."

He especially enjoyed doing games against the New England Patriots at Foxborough, Mass., when Mark Kelso was the analyst.

“We had an ongoing dialogue,” recalled Murphy. “Kelso used to talk with the fans in front of the booth during commercials and stuff. It was always pretty funny. We’ll miss that. You get a lot of energy for the broadcast from the fans, and that will be missed.”

Because of Covid-19, the announcers will call road games from Bills Stadium off TV rather than traveling to them. Sal Capaccio will report from the stands rather than the sideline.

Greg Harvey, the executive producer of the broadcast, said the plan is to put two 55-inch monitors in front of the booth for away games.

He added the NFL is working on giving broadcasters a closed-circuit feed for road games that will either be an all-22 player look or an all-29 look that includes officials and might allow a view of the sidelines. Either feed would enable the announcers to see more of the field than they would if they were just using the network TV feed.

Harvey added that WGR may carry artificial crowd noise, including cheers, that will be played through the stadium loudspeakers if the broadcast team  likes how it sounds.

Murphy, who had one practice scrimmage with Tasker, sees advantages in having a closed-circuit feed to augment the network feed.

“I don’t need a closeup of (quarterback) Josh Allen’s face sweating,” Murphy said. “I need a wide-angle view of who is coming in and out and how they are lining up.”

He has an additional concern after watching several Major League Baseball games without fans called by announcers.

“The normal energy of a game is not there, even for baseball,” Murphy said. “I thought that is something to be aware of. Make sure the energy stays up.”

He is saddened that fans won’t initially be at home games when so-called national experts think so highly of the Bills.

“This is one of the most highly anticipated Bills seasons in a long while,” said Murphy. “They are deep. They have a lot of answers even to things that have happened already ... It’s unfortunate that for at least a couple of home games, there won’t be any fans able to see it.”

But there might be an upside – more of the 70,000 fans not at the stadium might listen on the radio network.

“I don’t know,” said Murphy. “Maybe fans will go to small house parties and, if they do, will they listen to the radio? I really don’t know what to expect.”

And what does he expect the Bills' record to be?

“I think they are going to be good,” said Murphy. “I’m hoping 11 or 12 wins, deep into the playoffs. Maybe that’s more hope than prediction.”

email: apergament@buffnews.com

He’s a Buffalo Bills season-ticket holder. On the list of what’s important in his life, attending games in Orchard Park ranks pretty close to the top.

We started talking Sunday morning, where I usually see him while my family gathers for our weekly breakfast. He pulled down the front of his black mask so he could be more clearly understood as he lamented the fact that, in seven days, neither he nor any other fans would be allowed to attend the season-opener against the New York Jets because of the coronavirus pandemic. His heartache was palpable.

And therein is the dilemma that so many who pledge their loyalty to the Bills share.

Of course, they’re happy there will, in fact, be an NFL season and that their favorite team will begin a journey filled with as much optimism as has surrounded this franchise since the Super Bowl run of the 1990s. At the same time, there’s anguish over the inability to have the full experience – the sense of community that comes from roaring in unison to make things difficult for the opponent and to let Josh Allen and the rest of the Bills know they’re supported by one of the most passionate fan bases anywhere.

It will be strange. It will invite all sorts of questions, the biggest of which is how will it feel to sit in front of a television and watch the hometown team play in an empty hometown stadium? We’ve seen it with other sports. We’ve even seen it with a Major League Baseball team playing in a ballpark without fans in downtown Buffalo.

The Bills are different. They’re family. The Toronto Blue Jays are a visiting relative.

This NFL season is different. After many years of pessimism, if not dread, dominating the start of their schedule, the desire to be as close to the Bills as possible has never been greater.

For now, though, that’s going to have to be limited to the mind and the heart. Everything else must remain socially distant.

And you’ll be OK with that, because you’re going to be able to watch the Bills play. For a good portion of the last six months, that was hardly a lock, especially with some big-time collegiate conferences shutting down their football seasons and so many other facets of what we used to know as everyday life being canceled, postponed or altered beyond recognition.

Brandon Beane describes himself as “an eternal optimist,” so the Bills’ general manager insists he has never allowed the thought of the 2020 season being canceled to enter his mind.

“I will say, if I wavered any, it was those first few days of camp when we had a few guys (test positive for Covid-19), then a couple more,” Beane said in a phone conversation last week. “We sent everybody home the one day, because we were worried that some guys had been around enough players that had it and maybe it would spread.

“Was I overly concerned or really didn't think (the season would come off)? No. I think the worst I thought was that, will it start on time? Like, are we going to be able to have a training camp? Or, will there be kind of a rash of these (virus outbreaks) going to different teams to where maybe we, as a league, say ‘Hey, our players aren’t ready yet, come Sept. 13. Maybe we need to back it up to Oct. 1,’ or something like that.’ That was probably the worst I saw.”

Besides his own nature, Beane had other tangible reasons to feel good that the Bills would have a season.

The NFL has seemingly done a good job of managing the pandemic, based on the few positive tests so far. Of course, each club has essentially existed in its own virtual bubble, with extreme caution when it comes to who and how many can be in its facility and the safety measures that players, coaches and all other employees must follow.

“I'm on calls a lot with the league; we've had at least three,” Beane said. “We had one (Tuesday) with coaches, GMs and head trainers, and just checking in with teams on the various rules and protocols. It seems like (NFL chief medical officer) Dr. (Allen) Sills and his team did a nice job of laying out some of these plans, along with the union.”

Once games are played, teams will find themselves dealing with a new set of rules, some dictated by local guidelines. The Washington Post, citing a league memo sent to all teams, reported that players will be required to wear masks while on the sideline at Bills Stadium and Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Elsewhere, masks are recommended, but not required, to be worn on the sideline.

Only one representative from each team, wearing a mask, will be allowed at midfield for the coin toss, per the memo. Home teams must stay at a hotel the night before games, while visiting clubs won’t be allowed to travel the day of the game. After members of the traveling party arrive in the city for a road game, they are not permitted to congregate, visit or mingle with individuals outside of the traveling party.

The memo said that the NFL has retained a charter company to transport team and league personnel home if they test positive for Covid-19 or develop symptoms while on the road. It also instructed traveling teams to hold a minimum of three hotel rooms in the game city until the visiting club has boarded transportation for its return trip and confirmed that no one in its traveling party has tested positive or developed symptoms of Covid-19.

“Where we sit today is probably as good as people could ask for,” Beane said. “Obviously, that can change quickly and so, we all have to remain vigilant. And I think that’s been the resounding message from the league office – and I agree with it – that you can’t relax.

“But I’ve been optimistic all along that we would get a season, plus playoffs, in.”

For now, simply knowing the first week of the NFL schedule is just around the corner is a reason to feel good … even if you can’t be at the stadium.

With the Bills' initial 53-man roster set, here are brief thoughts on each player:

2: Tyler Bass: Great at touchbacks in college and won the place-kicking job outright, leading to the release of Stephen Hauschka.

5: Matt Barkley: Trusted wingman, confidant and second set of eyes for Josh Allen.

9: Corey Bojorquez: Ranked just 30th in net average but tied for second on fair catches, third inside 20.

10: Jake Fromm: Rookie sticks as the third QB; aims to continue to build trust after text message controversy.

11: Cole Beasley: Standout slot receiver switching to number he wore with SMU & Cowboys after career-high six touchdowns in first season in Buffalo.

13: Gabriel Davis: Fourth-round pick brings size element at 6-2 and 210, but how fast can he catch on?

14: Stefon Diggs: How quickly can Josh Allen get in sync with the No. 1 new addition to team?

15: John Brown: Speedy WR enjoyed best season of six-year career in 2019 (72 catches, 1,060 yards).

17: Josh Allen: Let’s face it: We won’t know if he has improved until the real games begin.

18: Andre Roberts: Ranked fourth in KO return average, seventh in punt return average.

19: Isaiah McKenzie: Played 42% of snaps in ’19. Hung on to last WR spot on depth chart.

20: Zack Moss: New No. 2 to Singletary has everything you want at RB except elite speed.

21: Jordan Poyer: Underrated safety earned well-deserved contract extension through 2022.

22: T.J. Yeldon: Caught 55 passes for Jags in 2018. Can he carve out niche this year?

23: Micah Hyde: Snubbed from Pro Bowl last year, could use some INTs for recognition.

24: Taron Johnson: Not counting four missed games, played 63% of snaps last year as slot CB.

25: Taiwan Jones: Was Bills special teams captain in ’18 and is likely to stick in that role.

26: Devin Singletary: Looking to improve ball security, build on good rookie year.

27: Tre'Davious White: Cornerstone of Bills’ coverage scheme had six INTs in Pro Bowl season and just signed lucrative contract extension.

29: Josh Norman: Former Panther counting on a better scheme fit to revive career at age 32. Missed training camp time with left hamstring injury.

31: Dean Marlowe: Seems secure as backup safety and option when Bills go to “Buffalo nickel.”

33: Siran Neal: Brings versatility as outside or slot corner or backup safety.

39: Levi Wallace: Does he have enough ceiling to get a little better, keep starting CB job? The injury to Norman seemed to solidify his spot.

43: Del’Shawn Phillips: Practice-squadder from last year with long wingspan and 4.59 speed who was one of the big roster surprises.

44: Tyler Matakevich: Key free-agent signee from Steelers for special teams coverage units.

46: Jaquan Johnson: Played 43% of special teams snaps and looked good in home finale vs. Jets.

49: Tremaine Edmunds: First player in NFL history to have two 100-plus tackle seasons by age 21.

53: Tyrel Dodson: Another young, practice squad OLB a year ago with speed. Ran 4.60 out of college.

54: A.J. Klein: Will take over as Sam LB. Bills played base defense 22% last year.

55: Jerry Hughes: Looking to finish a little better and should stay fresher in 2020.

57: A.J. Epenesa: Second-round pick should rotate with Trent Murphy at left defensive end.

58: Matt Milano: No-nonsense, budding star linebacker who appears next in line for a contract extension.

60: Mitch Morse: High-character anchor of O-line and huge fan of Spurs’ Tim Duncan.

63: Brian Winters: Veteran signed at start of camp after getting released by the New York Jets. 89 career games are most among Bills’ linemen.

65: Ike Boettger: Enters third camp with Bills, was inactive 14 games last season.

 67: Quinton Spain: Smart, burly veteran signed team-friendly, three-year extension in March.

69: Reid Ferguson: Enters fourth season as Bills’ long-snapper; brother drafted by Miami and made Dolphins’ roster.

70: Cody Ford: Had shoulder surgery in January, looms as key to O-line improvement, but is he a guard or a tackle with Jon Feliciano sidelined?

71: Ryan Bates: His versatility helped him lock up a spot on the roster again.

73: Dion Dawkins: Strong 2019 season led to left tackle signing a contract extension to remain in Buffalo.

75: Daryl Williams: Two years removed from knee injury, Bills hope he can recapture 2017 form.

77: Ty Nsekhe: Played 10 games, 34% of snaps, ready to step in if Ford falters or could share time at tackle if Ford moves to guard.

81: Tyler Kroft: Can he make more of an impact after playing 35% of snaps last 10 games?

85: Lee Smith: Snaps dwindled once Kroft returned, but veteran hung on to roster spot again.

86: Reggie Gilliam: Former walk-on started as developmental fullback and is now considered a tight end. With DiMarco on IR, he could revert to only fullback on roster.  

88: Dawson Knox: Hopes are high talented TE can become difference-maker in Year 2.

90: Quinton Jefferson: Coming back from foot surgery, can he be impact situational rusher?

91: Ed Oliver: After five-sack rookie year, Bills hoping for more from No. 1 pick in Year 2.

92: Darryl Johnson: Prototypical size, length makes him a guy Bills would hate to give up on.

93: Trent Murphy: Despite speculation, Bills banking on stout edge defender.

94: Vernon Butler: New No. 3 DT from Carolina got $9.3 million guaranteed.

97: Mario Addison: Charismatic, productive edge rusher should help pass defense.

99: Harrison Phillips: Coming back from torn ACL, we’ll see how fast he can regain early ’19 form.