Archives for March 2017

'Alexander was also named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month in October of 2016, and is the first Bill to win that honor since Sam Cowart back in 2000.'

'"If I finish out this deal, I will have played 14 years in the NFL," he said. "Hopefully I can win a championship in the next two years. Obviously, I say that and looking at what we did the last 17 years, nobody sees that in the cards but obviously nobody saw me getting 12 and a half sacks last year, either."'

'Alexander, who turns 34 at the end of May, led the Bills in sacks with a career-high 12.5 and was second on the team in tackles for loss with 10 last season. He also tied for the team lead in special teams tackles (12) with Ramon Humber, who also re-signed with Buffalo last month.'

'A 6-5, 316-pound Louisiana Tech product, Mills spent the last two seasons with the Bills—starting all 16 games at right tackle for the team in 2016 and starting five of his 10 games played in 2015. Mills originally entered the NFL in 2013 as a fifth round pick (163rd overall) of the Chicago Bears.'

'Taylor is far from the perfect quarterback, but given the tough quarterback market right now, he’ll work in Buffalo.'

'"It has some similarities, but also being in the system one year in Baltimore, (there will) definitely (be) some changes in it as far as the play-action pass and getting on the edge," Taylor said. "Just a very player-friendly system. Definitely a system that LeSean (McCoy) is going to like. Get a chance to move Sammy (Watkins) around into different places.'

'Groy received the lowest restricted free agent tender from the Bills, which would pay him $1.797 million on a one-year contract. Another team can offer Groy a contract, which the Bills would have the right to match. Because he was undrafted, the Bills wouldn't be entitled to any compensation if they elected not to do so.'

'Hunter, 25, appeared in 12 games and made five starts for the Bills in 2016, catching 10 passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 203-pounder is a former second-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2013. He had 68 catches for 1,116 yards and eight touchdowns in Tennessee before eventually landing in Buffalo after a one-game stop in Miami.'

'"This is going on my 10th season, and the fullback has slowly been dying out," Tolbert said during a news conference Friday. "You get a guy like Coach McDermott, who believes in us. He not only brings in myself, but also Patrick DiMarco.'

'Graham, who turns 32 in July, has been a remarkably durable player throughout his 10-year career. He missed three games as a rookie in 2007, but since then has played in all 16 games nine years in a row.'

'Graham had one year remaining on the four-year, $16 million contract he signed with the Bills back in 2014. The Bills will save $4.05 million on the salary cap by cutting Graham.'

'"Versatility, smarts, intangibles, toughness is where you start, McDermott said. "And then you look at the skill set on the field – ball skills, the ability to take the football away and score on defense or set up our offense in scoring position will be big for us moving forward, and just the ability to run the defense and be that quarterback in the secondary was big for us."'

'"Just being around each other we got to know each other a good deal," Tolbert said Thursday after getting signed by the Bills. "He called me and he's like, 'I need you. I want you.' And I'm like, 'I got you.'"'

'Ok, so no video games. But what about the fullbacks? The Bills signed Patrick DiMarco and Mike Tolbert, two players who have been Pro Bowlers at the fullback position. What's up with loading up at that position?'

'"Could the Bills be all in on O.J. Howard? Yes, according to a scouting contact with the team," said Miller. "Now that Tyrod Taylor is locked up, the team won't be forced to go quarterback early. Howard, according to the scout, is a player the Bills love."'