Why the new players fit and why Beane wanted to re-sign important pieces
There's plenty of new faces on the roster after Buffalo's first week of free agency--five new additions on defense and four on offense. Here's what Beane had to say about his a handful of the team's newest players and those he re-signed to new deals.
DE Michael Hoecht: "He's (Michael Hoecht) a guy we were tracking to see what the Rams did, really thought he was our type of player. Knows how to rush, can play multiple spots, versatile, motor, understands the game."
DT Larry Ogunjobi: "We've actually followed him before but either couldn't financially make it work or whatever. I think he's a guy we look at as can provide some interior depth rush. Pittsburgh was using him a little bit different than Cincinnati did. I think he had a seven-sack season (in Cincinnati). Not as many sacks the last few years with Pittsburgh's D, what he was asked to do, maybe a little bit more two-gapping than penetrating."
WR Joshua Palmer: "Love Josh's game. I would say the first thing, excellent route runner…he's around 4.5, but I'd say his play speed's faster. Build speed when he's up and running. He can play inside. He can play out. He's a smart player. We look for that in this offense so that Joe (Brady) can move these guys around."
WR/KR Laviska Shenault: "He's been dynamic with the ball in his hands. As a former second round pick, we had some love for him when he came out, I think that was the COVID draft… however Joe (Brady) would want to use him at receiver. He's a guy you want to get the ball in his hands in various ways. He's good with it, which most kick returners kind of are in that way, but very dynamic and he can hit a home run."
Re-signing their own (WR Khalil Shakir, LB Terrel Bernard, DE Greg Rousseau): "All these guys that are kind of homegrown, that's the perfect way to do it. But we know for whatever reasons as guys leave or certain things don't work out, you got to fill in in different pockets with free agency or trades…I commend all these guys for really wanting to be here in Buffalo…they're just really telling their agents, 'Hey, I'd love to be here. Let's see if we can get something done,' and put our heads together and found terms that we were all comfortable with."