Archives for February 2017

'Still, two weeks to go, so here’s something else to think about: If the Bills decide to bring Taylor back and absorb his $15.9 million salary cap hit for 2017, where should they look to gain some much-needed cap space? I’ll offer up five players as cap casualties.'

'Buffalo was not expected to receive any compensatory picks this year. Compensatory picks are issued based on the amount of free agents you lose compared to the number you gain, as well as the type of deals departing free agents sign. Buffalo opted to sign many free agents to one-year, low-cost deals which outnumbered the free agents they lost last offseason.'

'"Usually these spots would be reserved for lesser-known players," Williamson said. "But because he has missed so much time with injury, the general public doesn't fully appreciate what a difference maker Watkins is when he is not only on the field, but at 100 percent, something we just haven't seen nearly enough of thus far. The Bills need Watkins … badly."'

'Last year, the Bills received two picks where they selected quarterback Cardale Jones in the fourth round and cornerback Kevon Seymour in the sixth round.'

'Miller was recently named the NFL’s most-improved second-year guard by Pro Football Focus after his solid 2016 campaign. He was much improved as both a pass and run blocker from his rookie year and was 29th among all guards in the league. Miller was drafted by the Bills in the third round of the 2015 draft from Louisville and has started 28 games with the team, including all 16 and 98 percent of the offensive snaps in 2016.'

'“We have to be prepared to go,” Woods said. “Hopefully it’s with Buffalo, just because we’ve been there, we’ve been throwing together and we are ready to be a complete unit with Sammy Watkins coming back, as well. It’s hard because we’re training and working out, but we haven’t heard anything as of yet. Who knows what’s going on upstairs in the offices, but we’re preparing and working and I know Tyrod is as well to have a better season than he did even over the last two years.”'

'The NFL Draft could and probably should be one avenue, but it would also make sense for the Bills to utilize the free-agent market as well.'

'Admittedly, the decision on what to do isn’t an easy one, which is why it’s been so polarizing for fans. The Bills are at a crossroads. Do they part with Taylor, which would signify the beginning of a rebuild? Or do they retain him and try, again, to make things work with a roster that has some talent, but has fallen short of its goals?'

'The Bills’ have taken several black eyes in the public-relations department recently, including a widely mocked media policy that was rolled out before the 2016 season and viewed as overly restrictive. The season-ending press conference of General Manager Doug Whaley in January also was looked at as a disaster from a public-relations standpoint.'

'Coming off a serious injury, Gragg won't command a big salary. Maybe it says more about the players he was competing against, but before he got hurt in training camp, it was clear he should be the No. 2 tight end. If the Bills want to bring him back to compete for a reserve role, they shouldn't have any trouble getting him re-signed. It would not be a huge loss if he were to sign elsewhere, though. Given the lack of draft picks to add depth, keeping Gragg around isn't a bad idea.'

'That's because there's ample reason to believe Taylor has no desire to go that route. Consider the following…'.

'"A player that started the 2016 on fire, Brown struggled down the stretch as he graded positively in just two of his final eight games after doing so in all of his first eight games. Brown has posted back to back above-average-graded seasons in coverage and graded well against the run for the first time in his career in 2016. Fourth amongst all ILBs with 38 run stops, Brown showed potential for becoming a complete LB but considering his late-season decline and never doing so in any other season, there will be concern, which could lower his market value."'

'Former Buffalo Bills defensive backs coach Tim McDonald tells the Daily Mail that he said the catchphrase that appeared in the 1996 movie "Jerry Maguire" when writer-director Cameron Crowe was following him. At the time, McDonald was a defensive back for the Phoenix (now Arizona) Cardinals, the same NFL team that Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character Rod Tidwell plays for in the film.'

'Tyrod Taylor isn’t certain to be back as the Bills may choose to decline his option and free up cap space for an outside quarterback, considering they only have an estimated $26 million in cap room for 2017. That will be enough to bring in a handful of free agents, and possibly a big name to help a defense that has struggled in recent years.'

'Rapoport also believes the relationship between the Bills and Taylor has improved, "The fact that the relationship between him and the team seems to be good… New coach, new coordinator who he's very familiar with."'