PALM BEACH, Fla. 鈥 The Breakers resort became the center of the NFL universe late Sunday morning as owners, general managers and coaches strolled through the halls and courtyards before the league鈥檚 annual meeting kicked off.
But that doesn鈥檛 mean non-football people are staying on the property.
鈥淐an you take a picture of us? We鈥檙e having a birthday party,鈥 the woman asked.
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott discussed the team's new defensive additions with The Buffalo News on Sunday.
And with that, Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott became Amateur Photographer Sean, snapping pictures from multiple angles for the family.
Back in his chair, McDermott provided a snapshot of the Bills during an interview with The Buffalo News.
What was crystal clear?
鈥淭here鈥檚 a chance we鈥檙e going to be pretty young (on defense) with some pieces we鈥檙e going to have to add through the draft,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淭hat will be a challenge.鈥
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And 鈥
鈥淲e have to make sure we鈥檙e adding key pieces and they can come in and start or play a big role for us early,鈥 McDermott said.
The strategy is based on multiple levels of necessity, both immediate and long-term.
Level 1: The Bills must find a starting cornerback to play opposite Christian Benford because they have so far been uninterested in re-signing Rasul Douglas and they gave up on Kaiir Elam, trading him to the Dallas Cowboys.
Level 2: The Bills are short a pass rusher even with the additions of Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht.
Level 3: The Bills need to start planning for life without defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, who is entering his 12th season. Larry Ogunjobi is on a one-year deal.
Level 4: The Bills need a contingency plan at outside linebacker because of Matt Milano鈥檚 health (he missed 25 of a possible 34 regular-season games in 2023-24) and contract status (free agent after the season).
Level 5: The Bills have to consider their depth at the safety position. Taylor Rapp is in the final year of his deal and the long-term strategy should be to draft a player they can pair with Cole Bishop.
Add it all up and this should prove to be a defense-heavy draft for the Bills, who have picks Nos. 30, 56 and 62 in the first two rounds.
Three chances to find difference-makers.
Three chances to find immediate and long-term contributors.
Three chances to find affordable labor for at least four years.
The times-are-a-changing for this Bills defense, a unit that started the 2022 season with Von Miller, Tremaine Edmunds, Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer as stalwarts and later returned Tre鈥橠avious White from injury.
Edmunds left for Chicago in March 2023, Poyer was cut/Hyde wasn鈥檛 retained in March 2024 and Miller was cut this month.
The Bills鈥 offseason plan semi-crystalized in the opening days of free agency
Aside from receiver Joshua Palmer, the Bills focused on the defensive line earlier, signing Bosa, Hoecht and Ogunjobi.
But 鈥 and it鈥檚 a significant 鈥渂ut鈥 鈥 came down when general manager Brandon Beane discussed the additions. Hoecht and Ogunjobi will start the season with six-game suspensions for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Those suspensions are already top-of-mind for McDermott. It鈥檚 not just the six games, it鈥檚 four weeks off the practice field and the entire facility. To think Hoecht and Ogunjobi will hit their stride instantly is misguided. They will need to treat Games 7-8 as a reacclimation of sorts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit interesting,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited about the players we added. The key is going to be availability and durability. You talk about the suspensions for Hoecht and (Ogunjobi) 鈥 we have to find a way to get through six games; you can get behind the eight ball rather quickly. (After Game 6), then we鈥檒l get to use them and have them add to what we do and how we do it. That will be good.鈥
And then there鈥檚 Bosa. It is convenient to say the goal should be to get Bosa to the regular-season finish line, but he has to provide something from September-December.
鈥淭his is a place people have experienced the best version of themselves, so we鈥檙e excited for Joey,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淎 key is going to be the durability piece. How can he stay healthy and how can we keep him healthy to get through the season and get the value that is so capable of adding?鈥
How McDermott and coordinator Bobby Babich put the defensive puzzle pieces together during the offseason program and training camp will be plenty interesting. Only on Week 1 will we see the complete picture of this Bills鈥 defense.
鈥淲e have a lot of work to do,鈥 McDermott said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to make sure we鈥檙e hitting on this draft.鈥
