Archives for February 2017

'"For sure," Listenbee said. "I feel like I bring a lot of things to the field and to the team also. I jsut know I just have to work on small things like route running. Well that's a really big thing, and just confidence. Just knowing the whole entire scheme so I can go out there and make plays."'

'"In many ways," Orr said, "the 2016 draft followed the Rex Ryan playbook closely: defense, defense, defense and a raw, athletic quarterback who entertained Ryan in the lead up to the draft (but one the Bills will never spend the time or effort to develop). In the nicest of possible ways, the Bills could earn a grade of incomplete for their 2016 picks because first-round pick Shaq Lawson made it fewer than 300 snaps with a lingering shoulder issue (he finished with two sacks in 10 games), while second-round pick Reggie Ragland partially tore his ACL and missed the entire season.'

'The more the merrier is the way I roll when it comes to the NFL Draft. I’m also a fan of drafting quarterbacks. Trading back, grabbing a QB at some point and outside play makers for both sides of the ball would make me happy. But that’s in a perfect world, and the NFL Draft is rarely that.'

'Should they opt to take a pass on the 2017 QB draft class — or even draft a quarterback and set about bringing him along slowly — here are some veteran options Buffalo could turn to…'.

'I believe it's best for the Bills to move on from Mills as the starter at right tackle. If they'd like to bring him back to compete to be a depth player on the roster, that isn't out of the question.'

'The coaching staff numbers 26 in all counting the strength and conditioning staff. That’s about a half dozen fewer than the previous staff. Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman is the only coach retained from the previous coaching regime.'

'In fact, there was a push for rookie quarterback Cardale Jones to supplant Taylor as the starter for the final three or four games of the season, even though the Bills had yet to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn were said to have pushed back hard enough for Taylor to remain in the No. 1 role.'

'"The Bills structured Taylor’s contract in such a way that there is a significant financial incentive not to keep him, because they have to hand him over $25 million in cash if he remains with Buffalo for the 2017 season," Monson wrote. "The deal itself still only averages out at around $16 million per year over the first three seasons of his extension – which Taylor is clearly worth in the current market – but the fact that it’s so heavily weighted in cash terms for this coming season means there’s a decent chance they balk and cut him loose.'

'One, the Browns are searching for a long-term answer at quarterback. Two, Lee is known to have been a strong advocate for Taylor dating back to the 2015 offseason, when he was signed as a free agent to be part of a three-way competition with EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel for the Bills' starting job. Three, Browns coach Hue Jackson is considered a quarterbacking guru capable of getting the most out of players at the position. Last season, he had another quarterback, Robert Griffin III, who, like Taylor, is known for his mobility.'

'"Mitch Trubisky or DeShone Kizer could be in play here, depending on what happens with Tyrod Taylor. But the Bills have four WRs hitting free agency and would fill an immediate void with Williams. The Clemson standout has a good size-speed combination and shows the ability to create late separation when the ball is in the air."'

'Cutting McKelvin — who was ranked 71st among cornerbacks by the analytics website Pro Football Focus — will save the Eagles $3.2 million. Philadelphia is tight against the salary cap and is expected to make more cap-related cuts soon.'

'"Mitch Trubisky or DeShone Kizer could be in play here, depending on what happens with Tyrod Taylor. But the Bills have four WRs hitting free agency and would fill an immediate void with Williams. The Clemson standout has a good size-speed combination and shows the ability to create late separation when the ball is in the air."'

'Mahomes isn't like most Texas Tech QBs. Many quarterbacks produce in Texas Tech's Air Raid system, but Mahomes has the arm strength and athleticism to succeed in the NFL. Mahomes is currently projected as a day two pick in the NFL draft.'

'Here’s a second look around predominate NFL mock drafts…'.

'But plenty of impactful and youthful talent, specifically 25 years old and younger, already populates the Bills roster.'