Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott addresses the media ahead of Sunday's practice at training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, N.Y.
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00:00Alright, so here's what we've got. We re-signed Shane, Simon, that's probably out there.
00:06We waived injured David Ogwobu. Unfortunate to see the injury and everything and appreciate
00:14what he was able to do when he was here. He was injured in Friday's practice. I think
00:19you guys are aware of that. So will not practice today. Got a list of them here. So Mike Edwards
00:27still with the hamstring week to week. Cole Bishop, shoulder week to week. Chase Claypool
00:34with the toe day to day. Ty Johnson with the hamstring day to day. Lael Collins with the
00:41knee day to day. Travis Clayton, shoulder, also day to day. Nick Morrow, core, muscle,
00:53also that groin area day to day. Eddie with the rib and then Dawson Knox on a groin slash
01:05veteran rest day. So that's a pretty extensive list for a week and a half in. Is it concerning
01:12at all to you, Sean? Yeah, I mean, you know, it's hard to develop when you're not on the
01:17field. But we'll find a way through it. We've done it before. You know, full confidence
01:22in medical staff to get those guys back as soon as we can. And you know, we develop the
01:28guys that are out on the field. That's what we do. How does Cole keep up when he suffers?
01:35It's hard. I mean, you've got to do as much as you can mentally. I mean, when you look
01:38at Mike's situation as well, Mike missed most of the spring, now missing a lot of the valuable
01:44reps and training camp and now Cole. It's really hard, right? Especially when you don't
01:49have background in the system. We were talking about it as a staff last night and TB missed
01:56a lot of or significant portion of camp last year, but TB had been in the system for, you
02:02know, at least one year prior. So it's a challenge in order to develop those guys and it's going
02:08to take some time. I haven't gotten to watch, I haven't watched that, that footage yet.
02:19Just really was where I thought you were going was watching what we did the other night in
02:23the stadium. So, but I'll get to that. I know Coach Smiley and Emmer are also gathering
02:29information as we go week to week through the preseason.
02:31How about the Friday practice? What did you take from that?
02:37Kickoff return specifically or the whole practice?
02:40Both.
02:41Yeah, kickoff return. We're still, you know, trying new things out there. The players are
02:47trying to get comfortable with some of the timing that goes on with it. And, you know,
02:53it's still time on task as we move forward. And then overall, you know, there was some
02:59really good moments. I thought there was some plays that were made that were, that were
03:05really good. And then overall, we've, we've got a, it's always great to get in the stadium
03:10for the first time, especially with our fans, because they make it, you know, as, as game
03:16like as you can with the excitement, the energy that that's in the air. And that's why we
03:20do it. Having said that, you know, we still have a lot of work to do to get ourselves
03:24to be able to take our fundamentals, our techniques from, from the practice field to the game
03:29field situationally the same, same way. So that's some of what we'll be working on this
03:35week.
03:36Sean, what are you hoping to get out of Kareem Jackson and Trell Burgess?
03:37Say it again.
03:38What are you hoping to get out of the two safety designs last week?
03:43You know, it's hard. So far, it's, we haven't been able to rep them much because we've been
03:47trying to ramp them up, you know, the right way. They'll now kind of the, they'll be able
03:53to open up more today. That's some of why we didn't go live when they were in the game
03:58the other night or some of the practice just to continue to ramp them up the right way.
04:03So I'll know more. I think today will be the first day they're, they're full go and, and
04:09be able to evaluate them accordingly.
04:10With the injuries, DeMar's gotten a lot more first team reps. What have you seen from him
04:11with pads on?
04:12Yeah, I mean, he continues to improve again, like his focus. The rapport that he's building
04:22with T-Rep back there is an important one. But continuing to grow in the system, continue
04:28to grow in understanding what's expected with his position specifically. As much as they're
04:33the same, there's a couple subtle differences between the strong and the free safety position.
04:37The Tigers really come on strong during training camp. It seems like day after day, he's making
04:42plays. If you could identify one thing, maybe a couple things that's spurred his good training
04:48camp, what would you say that is?
04:50Well, I think two things that come to mind. One is, is he continues to work tirelessly
04:57to improve. So credit him for that. And then two is the addition of Jamal and, and, and
05:04starting with a clean slate and the belief in there that with what Bobby and Joe Dana
05:11and now Jamal have added to, I think, you know, that those two things combined, at least
05:16early on here have, I think, been what's, what's helped him.
05:19Watching the reaction from the coaching staff every time a Tiger makes a play, is there
05:20an intentionality to making sure that they celebrate him and give him a better spot than
05:21Kasper?
05:22Well, hopefully Josh, that's a, that's true of any player, right? And sometimes you have
05:37to give belief or give confidence before you get it. And I'm not saying that's the case
05:43in this situation or all situations, but I do believe that our environment and the environment
05:49that we build, I would hope helps give confidence to each and every player so that they can
05:55become the best version of themselves while they're in Buffalo. And I think that's happened
05:59in a lot of, in a lot, in a lot of the players that we've had. And so specific to Kierre,
06:06it is important. I mean, he's been through for sure, let's just say last year alone,
06:11that was a, that was a challenging and trying year. And so there is an element of, or degree
06:17of re re-instilling that belief and that confidence.
06:19Hey Sean, Dequan Hardy was, I think a guy that you also liked the return ability, the
06:20possibility of that. He's at a deep, deep position, trying to win a spot as a DB. Can
06:21you talk a little bit about how he's done, but then also add the return element to that?
06:22Yeah, big time play the other day, the other, the other night in the stadium on the fade
06:23ball in the, in the corner of the end zone there. That was a big time play. The return,
06:24the return element was really why he was able to make that play. He was able to make that
06:25play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make
06:26that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able
06:27to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was
06:38able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play.
06:44He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that
06:45play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make
06:46that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able
06:47to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was
06:48able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play.
06:49He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that
06:50play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make
06:51that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able
06:52to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was
06:53able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play.
06:54He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that
06:55play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make
06:56that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able
06:57to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was
06:58able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play.
06:59He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that
07:00play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make
07:11that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able
07:12to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was
07:13able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play.
07:14He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that
07:15play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make
07:16that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able
07:17to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was
07:18able to make that play. He was able to make that play. He was able to make that play.
07:20We don't play with 10 guys out there when it's a run and 11 when it's a pass. So corners
07:27and our defense are expected to play physical in the run game as well.
07:39I know the snaps has been mentioned and that's real. We've got to continue to work through
07:43that and I'm confident those guys will do that. Both are pros and it means a lot to
07:48both those guys. Connor is a leader on our football team, leader on our offense. I count
07:52on him for a ton. I think more than anything the communication that's unfolded this season,
08:01this offseason and now in the training camp has been impressive. That's important for
08:08an offense. Everyone's on the same page pre-snap that we can execute when the ball snaps.
08:19He's also talked to us throughout OTA's training camp about how he's trying to be more vocal,
08:25trying to step up as a leader. What have you seen from him, not just as a football player
08:29specifically, but those less tangible things?
08:33It's interesting. With Mike and Jordan, Taren was kind of the third or fourth part of that
08:44group with Trey baked into that. Now with those people, with Trey and Mike and Jordan
08:52no longer here, it's interesting to watch now Taren really step up or feel like maybe
09:01it's now his time to become a leader and be that voice that those guys were. They were
09:07so good at it. That's needed on our defense because we have so many young players and
09:13new players to our system that defensive leadership will be an important part of our growth.
09:20In that vein, a lot from the outside looks like Taylor Rapp, a lot's going to be expected of him.
09:26Did you see a lot of growth last year during the year? Was it in the spring? Is it a combination
09:31of those things to put a lot on him for this year?
09:35I would say he was really working hard during the year last season, Mike, to continue to
09:45grow and get comfortable because you've got to remember he was a starter in LA, comes
09:50here, he was not a starter. But then there were games where he was a starter or he was
09:55playing in certain phases of a game plan, third down. Then he goes and makes the big
10:00play in the Miami game to clinch the division on the road. So really impressive journey
10:08if you will in one season. And now through the spring until now, he's really I think
10:15ascended into more of a full-time starter, yes, but also we're counting on him to help
10:24lead our defense and be one of those true signal callers back there orchestrating the
10:30defense along with TB.
10:33And I see that William & Mary t-shirt back there. Go Tribe.
10:42Let's let the William & Mary person here, I love it.
10:45Well, I'm a current senior at William & Mary, but I'm also a current intern for the Buffalo
10:49Bears. And I'm just writing a story about how the Buffalo Bills actually did William & Mary.
10:56And I was just wondering if you have any thoughts on that.
10:59Yeah, I'm honored to be another fellow alum of William & Mary to also wear the colors
11:07of the Buffalo Bills. I mean, it goes way, way back. I'm not sure everyone truly understands
11:12that. That's probably a conversation or press conference for another time. But yeah, there's
11:17a lot to write about there. And I mean, Coach Lee and I talk about it quite a bit and the
11:23connection. Mark Kelso, I remember Mark coming to campus, coming back to campus when I was
11:29playing at William & Mary and sharing some of his knowledge and wisdom. And I mean, the
11:35list goes on, so it runs deep. And I have a great, obviously, love for both places.
11:41Given the impact that Stephon Diggs made on this team for a season, when do you become,
11:49I don't want to use the word comfortable, but when do you become confident that his
11:55numbers are replaceable, he can be replaced in the whole state?
12:00No, you never replace Stephon Diggs. I don't even think you try to. It's a different team.
12:07It's a, you know, each team is shaped a little bit differently. So this team will have to
12:13take on its own identity and no one's going to, I'm not asking anybody out there to try
12:17and be Steph Diggs. They need to be themselves and develop and build our offense this year
12:23around the personnel that we have this year.