Archives for May 2015

'Watching from the sidelines, it’s possible to make some initial observations on the rookie class as well. Here are the top three rookies with a chance to impact the Bills in 2015, and three other rookies to keep an eye on as the team moves through the offseason.'

'“Easley is a special teams phenom,” said Rex Ryan. “He’s as good as it gets on special teams.”'

'“A lot of teams don’t even have a fullback, and we’ve got two of them,” Ryan said Wednesday, after the team announced it had signed Conner as a free agent. “Two of the best fullbacks in the league are on our football team. So I think that may tell you a little bit about the type of style of football that we want to play.”'

'“Your job as a coach is to prepare your team to the best of your ability and that’s what I did,” he said. “I saw the Patriots as obviously a very capable opponent and that was really how I prepared. … Any time you travel to a team, you’re conscious of leaving playbooks, stuff like that around. You’re always conscious of that. So that would be no different than any other team, I think, as far as playing a team.”'

'"When you look at 'What kind of team are the Bills?' Well, a lot of teams don't even have a fullback," Ryan said. "We have two of them, two of the best fullbacks in the league on our football team. So I think that may tell you a little bit about the type of style of football we want to play."'

'"One thing I can tell you is we will be prepared to play against whoever we play. I'm not feeling sorry for anybody. We're going to play. Whoever shows up, we're going to play against them and we're going to be prepared."'

'The Buffalo Bills' offense is going to feature a fullback under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but Conner is still a long shot to make the roster. The Bills signed fullback Jerome Felton in free agency, and he figures to get most of the action with the first-team offense.'

'"No matter who's there, we're playing the Patriots Week 2, they're playing us," Ryan said Wednesday. "(Coach Bill) Belichick's going to bring his team in and he's going to have them prepared. And I'll promise you, I'm going to have our team prepared, as well. So that's really all I think about it. All the particulars and all that stuff, I really haven't given any thought to it."'

'Powell knows nothing is going to be handed to him. The Bills have a total of eight linebackers on the roster, and given Ryan’s hybrid schemes, several of them can be asked to play inside or outside at any given time. It’s also a young position group, with players doing whatever they can to get noticed and win jobs. That means there’s always competition for Powell. “They’re coming in to compete and take your spot. And it’s a long season so anything can happen from now to the beginning of the season.”'

'Tomake room for Conner and keep the Bills at the 90-man roster limit, the team announced the released of FB and Buffalo native Corey Knox.'

'“I do enjoy the coaching staff that we have here,” Goodwin told reporters last week after one of the team’s voluntary workouts in Orchard Park. “I am very confident in everything. The changes that the organization has made, I think they will benefit me a lot. Definitely a fresh start. I am looking forward to this season.”'

I’m happy to see a richly deserved punishment be served, but the amount of whining, crying, nonsensical arguments that permeates things here makes me think another 110” of snow might be a good thing – at least there would be something else to talk about.

'The good thing, and Doug Whaley and I talk about it all the time, is that we’ll keep the best players. If that means two fullbacks, then so be it. Both (Jerome) Felton and John, can they contribute on special teams as well? I think both guys can. Clearly we brought Felton in to be the guy, but it just so happens that John Conner is still sitting out there and you know what, I know John and he’s a heck of a football player. He’s an excellent teammate, so let’s bring him in, let him compete and I would not be surprised if John makes our team.'

'Conner, 27, visited with coaches at One Bills Drive Tuesday and signed Wednesday morning. A five-year veteran, Conner began his NFL career under Bills head coach Rex Ryan with the Jets in 2010, but he was not re-signed by New York after the 2012 campaign. After short stints with the Bengals and Giants, Conner, 27, returned to the Jets in 2014.'

'“I went down and visited my agent and had my girlfriend with me and we really just stayed busy all day,” Steward told Buffalobills.com. “We didn’t even watch the draft and in a fit of perfect timing we went back to his office to check in with one of his assistants and as soon as we sat down is when I got the call from the Bills. We kept ourselves busy, but when it happened it was an awesome moment for me and my girlfriend, my agent and my family."'