Archives for June 2016

'Asked if he feels he can be a "more impactful" player, Clay said, "It depends on what you look at as impactful. Because I feel like, in the run game, I helped a lot in the run game. So I feel like that impacts the game. If you are talking receiving, I mean that is one thing. There (are) other ways you can impact the game as far as not being receiving. So I do feel like I did in that regard."'

'Ryan's scheme doesn't work without his inside linebackers acting as a form of glue and consistently making plays that the defense is designed for them to make. The Bills are counting on Reggie Ragland to be one of them, but he's a rookie and is bound to experience setbacks that go with inexperience. They must have Brown come through in the biggest way, or more failure is likely.'

'“The thing to know is that he’s got an unbelievable amount of respect for Bill Belichick," Rex said. “He obviously learned a great deal from him but like anything else, we want to win and I don’t care who it’s against or whatever. We’re trying to beat them, they’re trying to beat us. … I guess my point is that we’re excited about this football team and we think that we’re going to be pretty good, so we’ll find out when it happens."'

'“I’m very cognizant of the fact this is a second chance, an opportunity to rewrite the narrative, even understanding that some people won’t get past 2013 when it comes to me,” Incognito says while taking in an afternoon Buffalo Bisons minor league baseball game in the Bills’ private box at Coca-Cola Field. “That’ll be in their head forever and there’s nothing I can do to change that. I can only control what I do from here on out, and that is show up each day, work hard, and be a good person and a good teammate. I’m aware of the fact that everything I say and do is being watched and everything I say and do could be a national headline.”'

'"They saw the potential in me, and they knew I had the chance to be someone good," Lewis remarked.'

'Now fully healthy for the 2016 season, Robert Woods will once again be the starting wide receiver opposite Sammy Watkins. One of the biggest storylines of the offseason has been the focus on Tyrod Taylor throwing it over the middle of the field more often than he did in 2015, which would stand to benefit Woods. On plenty of occasions, Woods appeared to be open over the middle of the field, and it just wasn't taken advantage of by the Bills quarterback. If there is an increase in that area, and with all the attention Watkins will command, Woods could have his biggest season this year. And if he does so, he might just make a lot more on the open market as a free agent than you'd expect.'

'There is still a fair amount of uncertainty on Williams, which is why he dropped five spots from last year's Top 20 rankings. The Bills have said they won't know for sure on Williams until he delivers his first hit during training camp and the preseason. Everyone involved is hopeful that he'll be able to take his starting spot and run with it, but it's not a guarantee until that event happens. If his neck reacts well to the physicality of the game, Williams will be the best safety on the roster and has the ability to be a difference maker from the safety position. If that all happens, expect his ranking to go up in 2017.'

'"I've got great people around me — the greatest staff, medical staff, great players, guys that continue to lift me up," he said. "And I'm working out now, so I feel pretty good."'

'“It’s black and white. You either make it through the yellow things or you don’t,” Carpenter said after the Bills wrapped up their fifth practice of the spring. “It doesn’t matter if you hit a good ball or a bad ball. If it goes through the yellow things, everyone’s happy. If it doesn’t, nobody’s happy. There’s no gray area whatsoever.”'

'"I went back to knowing that, you know what, I'm a guy who believes in myself a great deal," Ryan said. "And I believe in the guys around me. But the way that I grew up, my way of playing defense in my opinion is the best way. I think more than ever, it showed me — and I'm not blaming anything else — I'm responsible for what was on the field last year. But I'm also responsible for every team that I've ever coached, 100 percent. I expect to be really good. I think we'll be much improved from last year and time will tell."'

'"The thing is these are voluntary workouts," Ryan said. "So him or other players who aren't here or whatever, it's not that I'm in contact with those players. Some players call me and some don't. That's it. That's why I don't think it's that odd that a player wouldn't contact me or whatever. I don't contact every single player. But guys do call me, whether it's certain things. But I look forward to seeing him. If he's in tomorrow, that's great. These are voluntary workouts. If he's in, that'll be good."'

'For the Bills' passing game to take the next step — Buffalo was 0-5 when Taylor attempted 30-plus passes — it'll need more of this. Clay was underutilized for stretches in 2015.'

'A theater experience two years in the making, "A Game for Life" is described by the Hall as a "spectacular cutting-edge, multi-sensory immersive theater including holographic representations of Hall of Fame legends Joe Namath, George Halas and Vince Lombardi."'

'Here's where I stand on it: Rob Ryan saying the Bills are going to beat the Patriots might be absurd, but it adds to the fun. That's what professional sports is all about. If the Bills aren't going to win, they might as well be interesting. Nobody can say the Ryan brothers are boring.'

'"Last year was kind of a blow to the Ryan name," Ryan said. "I don't think there's any doubt about that. I don't know if I could stomach another year like last year, so I want to return to where I expect to be. Now when you look through the history of this game, I think we rank up there. Just because you have one off year it doesn't knock you all the way to the bottom like it has maybe been reported. I think we're OK. I think the Ryan name's pretty good, but do I want it to be where I think it needs to be, right there at the top when you think of defenses, you think of the Ryans? Absolutely. That's a pride thing. That's a family pride thing. That's certainly a big deal for me."'