10 Players to Watch this Training Camp for the Buffalo Bills

First video episode of 2026. New studio. Testing 1 2 1 2. 

Kicking it off this year with 5 players to watch on defense and 5 players to watch on offense this training camp. 

I also give insight into what I think you need to watch for if you're in person for camp or practice. 

Who's going to be a difference maker? Who's going to have good energy? Who's going to be a fuckin dud?

Lets Go!

Go Bills 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Well, well, well. If it ain't your old pal Jared with another episode of Blue Mafia. If it's your old pal, we're here shooting live in the garage, dude. New home garage videos, dude. Thanks for sticking around. If it's your first time or if it's your last time, thank you for listening. Well, we're getting even closer to camp, and if you listen to my first Quiet Boy episode last week, it was because I was downstairs because little Ken was upstairs sleeping. We can't be waking him up. So it's the first video episode. We get some clips out, you know. Maybe you like to watch, maybe you like to listen. But we like to practice here at Blue Mafia, and we like to get better, and we love football. So what are we doing today, kids? Alright. We usually do a little five and five action, but today I got five and five offensive defensive players to watch as camp enters. Part of the best part of the football season. You get out there, you see the football players getting their pads on for the first time. It's not the same as it used to be. It's not the same. They're not doing doubles, they're not hitting, they're in shorts, but it's still an opportunity to get to see some guys that you maybe don't get to see in the regular season. You get a chance to see some guys get a chance, do some things, and that's what this episode is all about today. We're gonna go over five offensive players, five defensive players that we feel are worth a watch. So let's get right into it. Alright, well, we're gonna be warming up with the black shirts here. Defense. Defense wins championships, and obviously we know Josh Allen has had a handle on just about everything here in Buffalo on the offensive side of the ball. So, new blood, new looks, new culture. As we talked about, Jim Leonard's defense will be trotting out for the first time. It is identity-less. Uh, this is completely new, it's a completely new stadium, completely new, technically new head coach, but a lot of new coaches, a lot of new leadership in the locker room and on the field. So, leading off our list here, number one, D. Alford. I don't know a lot about him. I feel like I remember the name. Coming from Atlanta, a little bit of research says, you know, last year was his best year. Should play slash start at nickel slot. But number 23, D. Alford. We're gonna keep an eye on him. We want to see what he's got. Taron Johnson, obviously, leaving that staple position that he played in and contributed at a great level repetitively. But as we know, this defense will look different this year, but schematically, it will look different. There's a lot of new there's a new lot of new bodies on this defense, and D. Alford is one I'll be looking at. Another one, Geno Stone. So the rap on this guy is inconsistent missing tackles, but is that not something that we can fix? Is that not something that we can take care of? I don't know. It seems like something as an adult man you could get better at tackling if you've reached this level. Um gotta want it. But we'll see. We'll see. Number three, coming back from the dead. Hopefully, well. Michael Hesh, uh, Hoyt, as you might say. Hesh Hoyt, the psycho from last year that played on a blown tire, Achilles. Gotta be excited to see him coming back. Uh, will he come with the same nastiness and tenacity? Probably, but will his physicality be able to match? We will see. We will see. Uh, and then sort of rounding it out. Uh up front, looking at two players, seeing if they can be a contributor, DJ Parker, the rookie, obviously. Uh two rookies, really. DJ Parker, the two top ones, and then Davison Igbunson, I believe is his name. Uh, but these two young guys, we have to see will they be contributors? And these are some of the things I think you should look for while watching a young player or just a new player in an environment like Buffalo. Do they want to be here? Do they feel a part of the process? Do they show body language that they have a friend on the team yet? Do they seem like they like what's going on? Do they feel like they might be able to make this a home for a little bit? Do they trust what's going on? Do they trust, I mean, the quarterback hard to not trust, but do they vibe with the quarterback? Do they synthesize with their other guys in their position group? Do you see them talking? They don't need to talk. They can be a shark, they can be sitting there silently focused, but are they engaged? Are they engaged with themselves? Are they engaged with the coaches, with the plan, with the just overall mantra of practice? These are things you want to see. Young guys especially need to be tuned in, and they especially need to be showing some explosion because that's what they're there for. The veterans, they've been there, done that. This is not their first time. Uh, but when looking at rookies, you want to see them going the extra mile, you want to see them showing a little extra respect, even maybe, or maybe a little disrespect. Depends on who you ask. You just want to see something. You want to see some kind of a difference maker. You want to see some kind of an impact on practice, players, coaches, fans, the spirit. Do they bring the spirit or are they a fucking dud? That's what we're looking at. So lastly, we'll give you one. Maxwell Hairston. Is he gonna be the big difference maker? We really like to see Christian Benford do what he does over and over, which is hold his side down from a run standpoint. I just saw a statistic that he was, I believe, the top-rated run cornerback in the NFL last year. So, do we know if he is going to continue to play at a high level, or will injuries impede his progress? Hopefully, he comes back and he is explosive and making plays. But those are a couple guys that I think are worth a watch. Obviously, there's gonna be guys that you're interested in, guys that the other talking heads say are interesting. But these are people that we feel are interesting, we feel could be contributors, and make a difference. So let's see it, D. Now flip it over to the offense. Alright, leading right off, Keon Coleman. We're gonna start there. Number zero. What side is Jeremy from Blue Mafia on? I'm on Team Zero. I never had a problem with Keon on the field, I never had a problem with his production, I never had a problem with his attitude, but I did not see him in practice or in the building. I don't work there. But as far as a player, he might might have been a little bit of a goofball, but I want him out there. And from everything I'm hearing in terms of reading, seeing, not much different from what you're reading or seeing, probably, but I believe it. I saw a lot of people coming after a new reporter. This is Lance. Lance L. Don't want to mess up his name, but uh I believe a new Buffalo News reporter can't read his stories because it's behind a paywall, but seems like he's doing some interesting reporting, and he had quoted the wide receivers coach I saw saying Keon Coleman is the smartest player he's coached. Maybe he is. Maybe he's been working on it. I don't know. I saw just a couple of slow-motion sideline videos, but he looked strapped up, he looked focused, and he looked like a professional number one receiver to me. Uh hopefully he can show why Brandon Bean drafted him. Never really liked all that shit off the field with him and Sean McDermott last year personally, so I'm looking to see him with a fresh start and and if and probably most of the people who believed in him. Next one, a lot of receivers here at Blue Mafia, as you know, we like to fucking throw the pig skin. So next one, Skylar Bell. I was joking with my boy Maddie. This name sounds a little bit like a porn star, but will he be a star? I don't know. He's a little small, but this football game is different. This football game is speed and space, and with a guy like Allen who can get it out quick, fast, anywhere, or deep, one-on-one over the top, this kid seems like he can do it all. And with a lot of possession guys on this field, Keon Coleman, DJ Moore, both tight ends, Skylar Bell could have a lot of opportunities. I see a little bit, obviously, Zay Flowers is she. Uh, but we'll see. Gotta admit, there's not a number one receiver on this field. But it's a sexy receiver's room. DJ Moore, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir. Possible Skylar Bell outbreak, Siz. And then I will be watching DJ Moore. I do want to see what he looks like. I want to see him up close and personal. I want to see once again, is he engaged with the quarterback? Is he looking like they're gonna have a vibe? Do they look like they're excited? Do they look like they bring confidence out in each other? You wanna see that. And bye-bye, Stefan Diggs. No thanks. Bye. Next one, I want to see how number 86 is doing, feeling moving, practicing, or is he standing on the side with a fucking stretchy thing or some tennis ball on his leg because Mr. Kincaid did not get surgery last I heard? Listen, I'm not on the field. I don't know anybody on the field right now, I don't think. But is Dalton Kincaid ready to play? Is his knee threaded together with dental floss? Is it just a matter of time before he needs the surgery? What's going on, Dalton? Dalton Dalton What's going on, Dalton? Next one. Ray Davis, number seven after Taron Johnson departs. Ray Davis, some interesting words leading into this season. Almost basically writing his ticket out of here, but it seems like he's ready to perform to get out of here, maybe, or maybe he's ready to just show what he's got and get a Super Bowl ring. Hopefully everybody on this team is ready to get a Super Bowl ring because they're ripe and ready. Brand new stadium, probably some NFL backing. But ultimately, what are you gonna bring to the table? Are you going to bring a good attitude or are you just gonna become a hotshot because you got your single digit? Because you got it figured out. Now you can get all hot shot. We got two great running backs, Thunder and Lightning. It could be historic, Ray. Could be historic, Ray. James Cook, Ray Davis, four and seven. Hasn't been a four and seven like this in Buffalo since Matt Moore and Jeremy Mountain and Cheek DeWaga in 2006. Just kidding. Seriously though, Ray. This could be historic, Ray. Come on, Ray. And lastly, we have a tie because you just love to see these scrappy little battles for who's gonna get home, who's gonna get sent home, who's gonna do enough to just catch someone's eye on NFL Network on a Wednesday morning after a weird preseason game to get another meal ticket for a couple weeks on another squad. The last one I got Trent Shurfield. What? He's back. He's back in a Bills uniform, at least for now. And then this mystery, mystery man, mystery meat of the week. Max Tomzak. Who dat, Max? Who dat, Max? Who the fuck is this little guy? Little guy, small college. What's he got? I wanna fucking see it. Let's go. Thanks for listening. We at least got the audio. Hopefully, we hit record on the video because it's our first time back. Hopefully, you like the new student. And thank you, Go Bills.