Most Bills Newcomers Feel They Belong Even Before Arriving
From veteran free agents to undrafted rookies, all Buffalo Bills newcomers this year seem to have one thing in common: A strong sense that they belong — even before most arrived.
Von Miller tops the list. The free-agent edge rusher had his choice of suitors after winning the Super Bowl for the second time in his career.
Yes, the money was the deal maker. But deep down, Miller always dreamed of being a made member of the Bills Mafia.
"I've been a big fan of the bills for a long time," he admitted in his introductory press conference. "You know, I thought I was going to be a Buffalo Bill when I first got drafted. Denver came out of nowhere the day before the draft and, you know, I got wind that I was going to be a Denver Bronco. But that whole offseason, I thought I was going to be a Buffalo Bill. I had already bought into the Buffalo Bills, I had Buffalo Bills gear, I knew about the Bills Mafia, I knew how much this team meant to this community.
And I [would have been] OK with it back then and I'm definitely OK with it now. I'm excited ... to go win a Super Bowl in the city. I'm excited to see the Bills Mafia go crazy. I'm excited for all the things that this special place brings."
Guard Rodger Saffold, who entered the league in 2010, a year before Miller, felt a similar tug.
"I just know I'm going to be able to jell with these guys," he said. "I mean, what better friend than an enemy from the past? So, you know, especially when it comes to those defensive guys, I know we're going to have some laughs and it's going to be fun to be around all these guys when we have a chance to be together."
Reserve quarterback Matt Barkley never wanted to leave in the first place, which explains why he lobbied to return, even if it meant possibly being the No. 3 behind Josh Allen and Case Keenum. He was ecstatic to get his wish.
- RELATED: Bills undrafted free agent tracker
Punter Matt Haack accepted a pay cut even after general manager Brandon Beane told him the Bills were going to bring in real competition for him during training camp.
Tim Settle had multiple choices as a free agent. But in reality, there was only one.
"The atmosphere, you know, this team, the energy they bring, the family, the welcoming," Settle said. "I feel like when it came down to picking, the decision was kind of real easy.
"... It looks like they want to win. And everybody looks like they want to win. They play like they want to win. Every detail, every week, they want to win. It's a winning culture, so that's what we want to be a part of."
Most recently came the rookies. Here's what some of them had to say:
Wide receiver Khalil Shakir: "I talked to the bills a lot throughout the pre-draft process. ... In the back of my head, I just couldn't stop thinking about the talks that I had with the Bills. So I guess this is a match made in heaven. I'm truly excited to get to work. I'm just excited for this opportunity. God blessed me to be in the spot that I am right now, and I'm just truly thankful."
Running back James Cook: "I ain't going to lie. During this whole draft process, I fell in love with the Bills because they give me a chance to be me. I get to be me when I'm around Coach Skip [Kelly Skipper], and that reminds me of my coach at the University of Georgia. So that's why I fell in love them."
Cornerback Kaiir Elam: "[Tre'Davious White] just told me [during a pre-draft visit] how much he watched my game and how he liked the way I played, so I just tried to pick his brain and sort of learn as much as I can from him in the short amount of time that we had. But I'm super happy I got to meet him because he seemed like a super laid-back guy, super knowledgeable, and a guy who I feel like I can just go and try to learn from."
The bonds and the connections have been strong from the start.
Punter Matt Araiza needed just five words to endear himself to the fan base: "Someone get me a table!!"
Finally, there was undrafted rookie offensive lineman Alec Anderson, who was so jacked up at the prospect of joining the Bills that he slammed a presumed friend through a table.
Of course, Anderson had a built-in connection. His uncle, Cory Harkey, is an assistant special teams coach for the Bills.
Wouldn't have mattered, though. Buffalo has become a city where everyone wants in and nobody wants out.
Now the Bills just need to ride this wave as long as they can.
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Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
