Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - As the Buffalo Bills go through their preparations for Sunday night's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, offensive coordinator Joe Brady continues to get his unit ready to face, what he calls, an improved Ravens defense.
During the preseason, many of the Bills' starters saw little-to-no action in three games. For the first time in his career, quarterback Josh Allen didn’t take a snap in the preseason.
Despite that, Brady has liked the chemistry he’s seen throughout the spring and summer.
"I feel good about where their chemistry is," said Brady on Thursday in Orchard Park. "But anytime until you get the game action, the live bullets and being able to see, I think the chemistry will naturally grow throughout the season. Josh [Palmer] and Elijah [Moore] are the two new pieces, but everybody else, Josh [Allen] has a good feel on how they work, how they move, how to throw to them. I feel really good about that group going into the season."
Just because it’s a new season doesn’t mean Brady isn’t confident with what his group can accomplish.
"I felt confident going into last season. I feel confident because of the guys that we have," Brady said. "We have a great coaching staff. The players we get to work with, I believe in what we do here and how [Brandon] Beane evaluates in bringing guys in to fit what we’re looking for. But you’re always trying to find ways to get better. I’ve got to get better, our offense has to get better, but my approach and my mindset, I feel the exact same way going into this season."
The Bills took Jackson Hawes with their fifth-round selection during the 2025 NFL Draft this past April. The tight end from Georgia Tech made the Bills' 53-man roster, and Brady knows exactly why.
"I know the tight end position, especially coming out of college, is a lot of receiving tight ends. It was so exciting watching Jackson Hawes, because he’s the best blocking tight end that we’ve evaluated," Brady explained. "It makes life a little easier for us, in terms of game planning, knowing we don’t have to put a jumbo out on the field. He’s been everything we’ve wanted."
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The Ravens are usually good defensively, and the Bills found that out last September in a 35-10 loss in Baltimore. Brady thinks they’re even better heading into this season.
"They’ve been a great defense for such a long time, and at all levels of their defense, they don’t have a lot of weaknesses. And they’ve improved their unit," he said.
"They drafted d-line, they drafted in the secondary. There’s not really a weakness to the defense."
Bills head coach Sean McDermott has spoken many times about playing tough, physical football. He wants to see that on offense, defense and special teams, and Brady thinks his offense puts that on display.
"A lot of people put physicality as a defense. There’s no reason why your offense can’t have a defensive philosophy," he noted.
"People are always saying, 'Offense has to be this, you want to be explosive, you want to be fast.' But you don’t always have to have that approach. We want to put the ball down and have a physical game, and we know the outfit we’re going up against this weekend feels the exact same way."
Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman was a bit of a surprise entry to the injury report on Wednesday, but he was on the field Thursday, participating in early practice.
Meanwhile, cornerback Tre White and Moore were not on the field Thursday. Kicker Tyler Bass was on the field, but did not kick and was without his helmet.
Newly signed practice squad kicker Matt Prater did do the kicking for Buffalo.