Buffalo Bills camp opens Wednesday. Photo Credit: X/Buffalo Bills
It’s estimated the Buffalo Bills boast over 8,000 Canadian season ticket holders.
I think it’s fair to say at least three thousand hail from the Niagara Region.
Bills fans usually have three days circled on their calendars, or marked in their smartphones.
Opening day of the regular season.
Week 1 of the playoffs
Opening day of training camp.
Buffalo Training Camp officially begins Wednesday from St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, NY.
The Bills are one of just seven National Football League (NFL) teams that travel out of town for training camp.
This year 10 of the team’s practices will be open to the public,
Here’s the locks at each position for Buffalo entering training camp:
Quarterback: Josh Allen.
Allen has led the Bills to four straight AFC East titles, and has started 98 consecutive games counting the playoffs – which is the longest active streak among QBs.
Mitch Trubisky leaves Pittsburgh to serve as Allen’s backup.
Running Back: James Cook
Ty Johnson and 4th Round Draft Pick, from this year, Ray Davis will get carries as well.
Wide Receiver: Big question mark(s) here
Buffalo lost 152 receptions from last season in trading Stefon Diggs and losing Gabe Davis to free-agency.
Enter veteran Curtis Samuel, 2nd Round Pick from this season Keon Coleman, and free-agent signing – Canadian – Chase Claypool
Returnee Khalil Shakir will also see an increase in touches here in 2024
Tight End: The Bills feature possibly the best duo tight ends in the league in Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox
Kincaid is coming off the best season of any tight end in Bills history as a rookie, and some feel he could become Allen’s number one target this season.
Offensive Line: Connor McGovern (C), David Edwards (LG), O’Cyrus Torrence (RG). Dion Dawkins (LT), Spencer Brown (RT).
Buffalo started the same five players up front last season which is a rare occurrence in the NFL, They cut centre Mitch Morse in the spring which McGovern will most likely start the season as the team’s new centre.
Defensive Line: Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones. A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau.
Oliver is coming off his best season as a Bill with 9.5 sacks
Linebacker: Matt Milano, Terrel Bernard
Bernard produced six turnovers last season, while Buffalo brass is hoping Milano can return to his pre-broken leg form in which he suffered last season
Secondary: Rasul Douglas, Christian Benford, Taron Johnson (NCB) Taylor Rapp, Mike Edwards.
Much like the wide-receiver position on offense, the safety position will see a huge transition in 2024 with Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde gone, Edwards was signed away from Kansas City to take over for Poyer.
Special Teams: Tyler Bass (K), Sam Martin (P), Reid Ferguson (LS).
Status quo here, unless someone steps up during training camp.
Buffalo opens its preseason schedule August 10 at home against Chicago.
The Bills regular season opener is September 8, home to Arizona.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
