Archives for August 21, 2017

'"We respect Anquan's decision to retire from the NFL. We appreciate the time he gave us over the past two weeks. He is one of the best receivers to play this game and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward," Bills General Manager Brandon Beane said in a statement issued by the team Sunday night.'

'Few expected it to be Boldin's one and only game with the Bills, though. If he was thinking about retirement – which ESPN's Jim Trotter reported Sunday night – he gave no hints about those plans Friday in brief comments made to The Buffalo News.'

'Naturally, Buffalo sports Twitter has strong reactions to anything that happens, especially negative news. Here are some of the top responses we've noticed…'.

'"It’s extremely frustrating because I’ve been consistent in my career – with being at practice, being there for my team, not missing games and everything," he said. "I was in disbelief. That’s why I finished the whole practice because I was like ‘there’s no way I just hurt myself my first day as a Bill, just not possible.’ When I got done with practice I realized my chest and arms started stiffening up a little bit. At that point I kind of knew."'

'"He understood and he just wanted to make sure it wasn't a distraction to the team," he said. "Make sure that he was on board, make sure he knows what I'm doing and what I'm about not really trying to be a distraction to anybody, not be a distraction to him because as a head coach, he's the head coach over everybody — not just one individual."'

'We’re just looking at things. Like I mentioned, to have a plan in place and to continue to look at things. We’re going to go, and move in that direction a little bit more today, just so we’re ready. Again, we’re cautiously optimistic about Cordy [Glenn]; Having said that, we want to make sure we’re moving in a direction that if we need to [put] Dion on the left side, we’re ready to do that as well.'

'Boldin's departure raises further questions about an already thin Buffalo Bills receiving corps. Leading receiver Sammy Watkins was traded to the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 11, though the team acquired Jordan Matthews from the Philadelphia Eagles that same day. Matthews is recovering from a chipped bone in his sternum.'

'Buffalo planned to use Boldin primarily in the slot this season. Although his veteran presence will be missed in the wide receivers room, Boldin's retirement will allow the Bills to move Jordan Matthews into the slot. Matthews has recorded 2,389 receiving yards out of the slot from 2014-2016.'

'Boldin's retirement is just the latest story in a hectic two weeks for the Bills. Days after signing Boldin, Buffalo would send Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby away in separate trades to the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. The Bills gained cornerback E.J. Gaines and wide receiver Jordan Matthews in exchange for the players as well as a second and third round pick in the 2018 draft.'

'"As far as this type of injury, it's kind of up in the air," Matthews said. "Most injuries, most broken bones you already know the timetable. You can even Google that stuff and find it. With a chest injury like this, it's kind of more up in the air. They have to gauge it. It's more pain management than anything. When they feel like I'm at a good place where I can go out there and perform but also not put myself at risk of hurting anything else or have the same injury, then they'll feel comfortable throwing me back out there."

'"Just talking through a lot of things," Taylor said after the Bills' preseason game against the Eagles. "It's funny you say that, because even the first practice where he got hurt, I was able to talk him through a couple of things that happened and he was able to get a practice rep and we were able to connect on that. As long as we continue to keep talking through schemes. Last week was a short week. This week is more of a game-like week, so we can actually talk through things and get on the same page."'

'"I did a lot of listening yesterday. That was very healthy. We had a good conversation this morning as a team about it. I thought it was a healthy meeting and conversation. I think that again the key word in all of this is respect. Respect the situation, respect the communication end of things moving forward and respect the process of what's going on in this country and this world."'

'Anderson was a former seventh round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2015 NFL draft. The tight end played for South Carolina in college and recorded 61 receptions for 954 yards and nine touchdowns with the Gamecocks. He spent one season with the 49ers before joining the Chicago Bears' practice squad in 2016. He was placed on the Bears' practice squad/injured list last October.'

'In his Bills career, Boldin had one catch for five yards from Tyrod Taylor during last Thursday's preseason game in Philadelphia.'

'"Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work," Boldin. "At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority. My life's purpose is bigger than football."'