The Buffalo Bills will move on to the next chapter of their offseason workout when the team gathers for mandatory minicamp beginning on Tuesday, June 9.
Organized Team Activities represented the first real opportunity for head coach Joe Brady, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to see how the Bills will handle themselves in the new systems they’re installing on both sides of the football. And for Buffalo’s rookies, OTAs were the best chance to showcase their skills in 7-on-7, 9-on-9, and 11-on-11 drills.
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Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off with president of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane sharing his observations from OTAs, including how the Bills rookies held their own when thrown into action.
Brandon Beane told “One Bills Live” that he was impressed with how Pete Carmichael and Jim Leonhard displayed an intentionality when describing what will be expected of players while searching for the best fits in Buffalo’s schemes. He added that seeing the rookie class get involved in drills and enjoy success was one of the best parts of OTAs.
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“The coaching staff has just thrown in some of these young guys. Jude Bowry has jumped in at left tackle. Skyler Bell has jumped in there in a decent amount. Kaleb Elarms-Orr has played a lot with the first team defense as we work Terell Bernard back. It’s been fun to kind of just see these guys learn on the fly. Is everything perfect? No, but it’s been cool to see them [on the field],” Beane said.
Like Leonhard, Beane said he’s excited to watch defensive tackle Ed Oliver play more in the three technique position while also deploying him at nose tackle in certain packages.
“Ed’s gonna have more opportunities to have one-on-ones. Obviously, Ed’s got to go win those, and we know he can and excited about what that’ll look like when we get those pads on,” Beane said.
We also hear from cornerback Christian Benford and defensive tackles T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker about what they’re looking forward to from Leonhard’s base 3-4 defense; hear Dawson Knox discuss the potential of Buffalo’s talented tight end room; hear Travis Clayton reflect on his new opportunity to contribute at defensive tackle; and find out what defensive tackle DeWayne Carter has been doing to earn a spot in the middle of Leonhard’s defense.
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Even more Bills news
On the heels of blockbuster deals made by the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots, should Brandon Beane consider pulling off an “all-in” trade? Plus, ESPN runs through thousands of simulations to predict how the 2026 season will play out; the Bills are linked in trade rumors with New Orleans Saints’ running back Alvin Kamara; and we know when the official ribbon cutting ceremony will be for the new Highmark Stadium.
