Archives for January 2016

'There must have been a good reason for Ryan to be sipping mai tais in Honolulu, instead of evaluating players in Alabama. Maybe he was there to cheer for Tyrod Taylor, or to convince guard Richie Incognito to give the Bills a hometown discount in free agency.'

'Woods' frustration was evident during the season when he referred to himself as a "blocking receiver," but even in a down year, his numbers were comparable to his first two seasons in the league. It's understandable that the Bills would want more out of their No. 2 receiver opposite Sammy Watkins, but as it stands, Woods is their best option in that role. Until they find a better one, it doesn't make much sense why they're so public about their desire to do so.'

'Lingner lived in Buffalo for many years after his career was over but now works for Whole Foods in Minneapolis. He had a heart-related scare of his own about four years ago when he was discovered to have an 80-percent blockage in an artery. He has since adopted a vegan diet and lost 45 to 50 pounds, getting down to his old Alleman playing weight of 205 pounds.'

'There isn’t much to dislike about Laremy Tunsil, who appears to be as good of a college prospect as you’ll find in this year’s draft.'

'Sure, Kaufusi’s size makes him stand out. The long-limbed end had 64 tackles (20 for loss) with 11 sacks and four blocked kicks last season and he played on BYU’s basketball team in the 2012-13 season, too. But it’s his intellect that’ll appeal most to Buffalo. In Bronco Mendenhall’s defense, Kaufusi was used up, down, on the three technique, the five technique. He blitzed from middle linebacker; he rushed off the edge.'

'Technically, Mario Williams is still a member of the team, but it's only a matter of time until he's sent on his way. That will open a big hole on Buffalo's defensive line. Ideally, the player who replaces Williams will be able to both provide a pass rush and be stout against the run. Those types of players are valuable commodities, which is why it would make sense if the Bills were to use their first-round draft pick, No. 19 overall, on the position.'

'The idea of Wentz to the Bills is intriguing. I’ve maintained for years Buffalo has to keep taking swings at the position until they hit a home run, but with Tyrod Taylor giving them a good season in his first year as a starter, spending their most valuable offseason commodity on a quarterback would be a gamble. It’s clear the defense needs several new parts to operate Rex Ryan’s scheme successfully, so it would be a surprise if the player the Bills picked didn’t line up on that side of the ball. During Ryan’s five seasons with the New York Jets, only once did they take an offensive player in the first round – quarterback Mark Sanchez in 2009. Even last year with the Bills, cornerback Ronald Darby was the team’s first selection in the second round.'

'"No doubt in my mind," Williams said. "There's never been a question. The thing was do I feel comfortable enough to come back? I told myself we'll figure it out after next year's training camp. After that first hit, if you feel like you can sustain those hits week in and week out, then continue to keep playing. But if it's one of those where I hit it and it's just like, 'Man, this doesn't look good,' then I'll have to reconsider."'

'A lot of times NFL teams are looking for players with loads of potential, and that’s exactly what Jason Spriggs is.'

'“I was just talking to one of our video coordinators,” said North Dakota State quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg by phone Thursday, “and I said, ‘What teams would you think?’ And one of the teams that was here the most was the Bills. They’ve been in our building quite a bit and in our practices."'

'Phillips isn't the only member of the Broncos' coaching staff with ties to the Bills. Defensive line coach Bill Kollar was with Buffalo in the same role from 2006-08, while assistant defensive backs coach Samson Brown had the same role from 2013- 14 on the staff of former Bills coach Doug Marrone. Outside linebackers coach Fred Pagac also was with the Bills in 2014 as a linebackers coach.'

'“It needs to make sense for our community and it has to have a macro appeal to our fan base,” he said. “We also have to be practical as we move forward.”'

'Florida’s Antonio Morrison, 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, could be one potential fit. Known for playing through a whistle – having an edgy temperament – Morrison had 96 tackles (11 for loss) on a very stingy Gators defense last season. In a rout against Chad Kelly’s prolific Ole Miss offense, he had 16 tackles (3.5 for loss).'

'Duke Williams struggled mightily in Rex Ryan’s scheme and will have to fight for a roster spot next season, while Jonathan Meeks provides the team some special teams value and serviceable depth, but isn’t considered a viable option to start.'

'The Bills are in no position to feel pressure here. If Taylor wants to ride it out, fine. They’ll have another 16 games to judge, another year in Greg Roman’s system (who knows if he’d be around for a 3rd year), and a franchise tag to use at their discretion. The tag on a QB is approximately 19 million dollars for one season. Is that crazy for Taylor? Probably not. If you’re going to ride it out, and he plays well enough, 19 isn’t tough to justify. Sam Bradford is currently asking for 25 million per season.'