Archives for April 2017

'Bills fans must be shuddering at the notion of Gillislee playing against them twice a year, knowing the Pats rarely make mistakes in evaluation and don't compound them when they do. Bill Belichick has a specific role waiting for Gillislee. It's only a matter of time before the Bills' loss becomes the Patriots' gain.'

'Jones' college stats jump off the page – he set the NCAA record for most receptions in a career (399) and the single-season record with 158 catches in 2016, which went for 1,746 yards and eight touchdowns. A first- or second-team All-American by most media outlets, he was also a first-team American Athletic Conference selection.'

'Jim Kelly received the "Leadership in Health Award" for his for his courageous battles with cancer and his work with his two foundations, Hunter’s Hope, which aims to raise awareness of Krabbe Leukodystrophy and search for a cure, and Kelly for Kids, which serves disadvantaged and disabled youth in Buffalo, New York.'

'“I certainly understand where you’re coming from on that, but we’re going to look at every position to improve this football team,” said coach Sean McDermott, honoring the long-standing NFL tradition of being as vanilla as possible, especially at this time of the year.'

'"I think if you go out into the parking lot and you look at my car and the type of car I drive, I think you'd see that I'm not into flash. I drive a pickup truck," McDermott said. "We're going to do the right thing for this organization. If it's a flashy guy, it's a flashy guy for the right reasons. If it's not, so be it."'

'Two quarterbacks and two running backs go in the first nine picks. Then within the other four there is one surprise (a player not listed above). That would leave four picks before the Bills selection and Garrett, Thomas, Adams, Hooker, Lattimore, and Howard all still available.'

'When it comes to the boundary cornerbacks, it’s clear what McDermott looks for in his cornerbacks. They need the height, they need the weight, they need to be able to tackle well, they don’t have to necessarily run all that fast in the 40-yard dash, and they have to be long-limbed.'

'Out of 25 defensive backs over the last 18 years, how many were a first round pick? One.'

'To prove his best friend wrong, Richie demonstrated on Facebook that he can bend down and not only touch his toes while keeping his legs straight, but also place his entire palms flat on the turf. (watch around the 6:50 mark to see for yourself) He credits his high school football coach, who was also the school’s track coach, for inspiring his passion for staying flexible.'

'“It’s not going to change my preparation just because he’s not here,” said Williams. “My preparation already had being the best I can be in mind. I’m just excited for the opportunity.”'

'Last season was Gillislee's best in the NFL since the Miami Dolphins made him a fifth-round choice from Florida in 2013. He rushed for 577 yards and eight touchdowns while backing up LeSean McCoy.'

'Garcia played basketball in high school, and scouting reports suggest his footwork is strong as a result. His quickness helps him get to the outside to prevent rushers from getting around the edge. He also has the desired arm length for NFL offensive tackles at 33 3/8-inches.'

'But for a moment, with three NFL teams relocating over the past 14 months, consider the job Brandon did to keep the Bills in Western New York. Brandon maintained the Bills while Ralph Wilson was an absentee owner.'

'It’s true that Gillislee has been a solid player in Buffalo since he joined the team late in the 2015 season. That season he broke touchdown runs of 50 yards and 60 yards and averaged 5.68 yards per carry. Last season, Gillislee was the premier backup running back in the NFL. He gained 577 yards and scored nine total touchdowns, while his 5.7-yard per carry average led the league.'

'These days, you simply can’t screw up a draft like the Bills did with this one. At a time when at least a few of those players should be furthering their careers in Buffalo and playing key roles for new coach Sean McDermott, instead, the Bills have nothing. It’s as if they skipped the 2013 draft altogether.'