Archives for July 25, 2017

'The Bills wouldn't have moved up into the second round to draft Dawkins if they didn't think he could challenge for a starting job in short order. Mills was the Bills' lowest-graded offensive lineman in 2016, according to PFF. He allowed seven sacks and was called for four holding penalties.'

'Boldin has 1,076 career receptions for 13,779 yards and 82 touchdowns.'

'Simpson is a narcissistic former football star, actor and con man was found innocent of two murders and later convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping. He's a felon who did his time. That's my two cents. He's not worth a penny more. Ironically, in my attempt to minimize him, he still made the headline.'

'The series of six-week challenges – which started in the fall of 2014 – was designed to help people bring more physical activity and good nutrition into their daily lives. Prizes sweeten the desire for challenge participants, who are asked to meet three daily goals: Do 20 minutes of physical activity; eat five servings of fruits and vegetables; and drink eight glasses of water.'

'Taylor is 15-14 as the Bills’ starter, as mundane as it gets, though he’s actually done better than most Bills quarterbacks throughout their history. However, he still makes more plays with his legs than he does his arm which is not what you want from your quarterback. And there are too many throws that he doesn’t make, or doesn’t make well enough, robbing the Bills of potential big plays. And yet, despite his deficiencies, he guided a Buffalo offense that scored 399 points in 2016, most in a season since 1998, a total that ranked them tied for 10th in the NFL. Their 46 offensive touchdowns were the fourth-most in team history, and the 12 turnovers set a new franchise low. Maybe new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, who Taylor worked with briefly in Baltimore in 2014, can get more out of him this season. If not, his time in Buffalo will likely end.'

'It's unknown why the Bills held a work out with McDade as the team enters training camp with Tyrod Taylor, T.J. Yates, Nathan Peterman and Cardale Jones already on their roster.'

'All three of these veterans play on the interior of the defensive line. The Bills could be assessing their options in the event that second-year defensive tackle Adolphus Washington is suspended or the team decides to move on from him after his recent arrest. He pleaded not guilty to a concealed weapon charge after getting arrested outside of an Ohio water park a few weeks ago.'

'Buffalo currently owns the league's longest playoff drought so it's understandable that Davis and USA Today don't see the team making the playoffs, but 4-12 may be a bit too low in terms of where the Bills fall.'

'Among the offensive veterans listed, T.J. Yates may have the best odds of cracking Buffalo's 53-man roster. Yates enters training camp as the favorite for the Bills' backup job due to his knowledge of the offense, but he's no roster lock. If rookie Nathan Peterman outperforms Yates for the No. 2 job, Buffalo may have to think long and hard about whether they rather have Yates or Cardale Jones as their third quarterback. Jones' upside could prove to be more valuable than Yates' veteran presence.'

'The battle for roster spots at wide receiver should be wide open at training camp, and don't be surprised if fans take a liking to Brandon Reilly. The former hockey player walked on to the Nebraska football team, so he's in a familiar spot as an undrafted free agent in Buffalo. He's a bit undersized and doesn't have the breakaway speed, but he makes a lot of tough catches and could stand out during camp.'

'"It was really a freak injury. Most ACLs, most people do it non-contact when they're running and cutting. Mine came from an actual," Gragg said.'

'Is Tyrod elite?: Just a little shout out to his former teammate Joe Flacco with the section header, but this is a vital year in quarterback Tyrod Taylor's career. As mentioned before, he's in a new offensive system and the team has doubled-up on first-round picks in next year's draft, presumably to grab another quarterback to groom with rookie Nathan Peterman. Additionally, Taylor, 27, is essentially on a one-year contract once again. What must he do to lock up a long-term deal?'

'Peterman probably isn't going anywhere. The Bills could easily keep him as a No. 3 option. The question then is who will be No. 2? Will the Bills go with another young quarterback in Jones? Or will they sign Yates as a veteran option in case Taylor gets hurt? That's a competition worth watch.'

'“Well, it’s always a challenge because of the limited opportunities that we do get. We try to make the most of those opportunities and encourage the players to do the same. Even though they may start off at one position on the depth chart, and may have fewer opportunities than somebody else in the upper part of the depth chart, they can make the most of those opportunities. When they do that, that’s controlling what they can control. And that’ll grab our attention.”'

'A pre-trial hearing for Washington is set for Aug. 1, according to the Hamilton County Municipal Criminal and Traffic Court.'