Archives for May 2016

'With Watkins undergoing foot surgery a few weeks ago, the Bills need all the insurance they can get at wide receiver. Roberts won't necessarily be easy to reel in given the interest in him.'

'The team will have a total of 16 practices in Pittsford, including five night practices which will require a ticket for entry. All practices are free for fans to attend. This will be the 17th consecutive year the Bills hold training camp at St. John Fisher College.'

'That leaves Lawson as the next one, and he’s not off to a great start, and the front office’s ability to nab a player in the first round in a “comfortable” way, is still up for discussion.'

'Roberts was released by Washington after making just 11 catches in nine games last season. In 2012, he managed 64 catches in Arizona. Rapaport reports he has other visits scheduled.'

'"Buffalo is also a lot closer to having an elite passing attack than it might seem. Last season, Tyrod Taylor had eight games with a Total QBR of 70 or higher. He tied for fourth in that measurement, sharing the ranking with Cam Newton, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins and Andy Dalton, some very strong company."'

'Roberts, 28, played through his rookie contract with the Arizona Cardinals for four years, and then spent the last two seasons with Washington after signing there as a free agent in 2014. Washington released him earlier in the week, which made him an unrestricted free agent.'

'The Bills pursuit of improving their roster is a never ending process. That was made evident on Thursday evening when they hosted free agent WR Andre Roberts and LB Jamari Lattimore in Buffalo.'

'The Bills will host five public night practices during Bills Training Camp presented by Connors & Ferris at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY. The first night practice will be on August 2, followed by August 6, 11, 18 and 22.'

'Now, the search for a consistently strong returner continues.'

'Consistently effective running is the Bills' offensive identity. And they clearly devoted a large part of their offseason to making sure that remains the case in 2016 — especially when it currently stands as the best thing they do on either side of the ball.'

'Ryan certainly has to take a large share of the blame for this one. He’s the driving force in the organization. Rex needed an infusion of defensive help to shore up his reputation and help him get back to the playoffs. He wore a Clemson helmet to a news conference last year. His son, Seth, is the holder for the national runner-up. On draft night, Lawson talked about his close relationship with Seth Ryan.'

'The questions don't end with the medical staff, however. Scouting is as much about gathering information as it is about the ability to assess talent and project whether it belongs in the NFL. Millions of dollars are spent by each team, including the Bills, to go through this intensely detail-oriented process to find out, with as much certainty as humanly possible, what you're getting: especially with your first-round pick. That's because millions of more dollars will be spent on that player.'

'Archer was also expected to be in the mix to compete for the Bills' return specialist gig. Buffalo is not without options at that spot, though. Gillislee, Robert Woods, Walt Powell, Marquise Goodwin and rookies Kolby Listenbee and Kevon Seymour could all be in the mix for that job.'

'Joyner also notes that quarterback Tyrod Taylor could be poised to take another step forward in 2016. If that happens, the Bills could become the type of balanced offense every coach dreams about. Taylor already put together an impressive 2015 season, so if he continues to develop, the Bills have room to improve on offense.'

'Remember, the Bills nabbed Watkins in a draft that featured Odell Beckham, Jr. (who went 12th overall to the New York Giants), Mike Evans (seventh overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Brandin Cooks (20th overall to the New Orleans Saints) and Kelvin Benjamin (28th overall to the Carolina Panthers). Beckham, Jr. is already a two-time Pro Bowler and a former first-team All-Pro.'