Archives for August 2017

'Not only did Peterman take No. 2 quarterback reps, he also had a very good practice. He made good decisions and mostly good throws, even threading the needle to Corey "Philly" Brown on a deep out right at the sidelines, just before the defender could get there. That’s a throw Peterman hasn’t connected on enough of throughout OTAs, minicamp, and this training camp. Hopefully he continues to be able to do that. He also led the second offense to a TD on a 2-minute drill, taking what the defense gave him, for the most part, but hitting Brandon Tate on a 22-yard TD strike for the score.'

'Year after year, new general managers and head coaches alike have attempted to build a suitable home on a flawed foundation. They tried and tried, and every time they were seemingly presented with the same disappointing result. This regime has prioritized rebuilding the flawed foundation that’s been ignored for the better part of two decades, so why not be open to a new process?'

'One of the biggest takeaways from the first preseason game of the year for the Bills was that the performance by backup quarterback T.J. Yates fell woefully short of what fans had been hoping for. His poor day, combined with a solid debut by rookie Nathan Peterman made the Bills take a longer look at their backup job, it would appear. Peterman, not Yates, took the vast majority of reps with the second-team offense on Sunday — only the second time he’s even taken a rep with that unit since the beginning of training camp, and that was in the first few days.'

'“Dion (Dawkins) would potentially move over if we got that far,” said McDermott. “At this point in time we’re not going to do that. We’re going to get him comfortable at the right tackle position. But we do have to have a contingency plan in place and we feel the reps Dion built up on the left side over the spring should serve him well if needed.”'

'“It was good. I’ve been taking reps with Ryan Groy and those linemen a little bit,” said Peterman. “It was a good transition and I was thankful for it.”'

'For Barnwell, the Bills were winners because of these picks. The Bills will be able to compete this season, as general manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott have espoused many times this offseason. But, they will also have flexibility next offseason, as they look to continue to build the Bills into a contender.'

'"I'm still trying to dissect what's real and what's true as I move forward."'

'“When you see a guy of that caliber get traded, it kind of makes you think about your job security, especially younger guys that are new to this business,” veteran center Eric Wood said. “There’s a lot of turnover in this business. They’re making decisions that they feel is best for this team.”'

'Beane might have taken a harder line on Watkins when he became GM. He admitted on Friday that Sammy's injury history was a factor in the trade. Watkins was a diminished asset, and Beane was obviously open to moving him.'

'Thanks to his dynamite camp so far, Streater also gets a spot on my projection. After that, I'm going with Andre Holmes and Brandon Tate, for now. Holmes is on shaky ground because of drops. I'm also interested in acquiring a compensatory third-round draft pick for the loss of Stephon Gilmore, and to do that the team would have to release Holmes, defensive end Ryan Davis and guard Vlad Ducasse. Those three players figured into the compensatory formula and would be the easiest to move on from.'

'“It’s been great having them at practice and around campus,’’ McDermott said. “The players appreciate it, I appreciate it, it adds a bit of motivation each and every day which is great.’’'

'Buffalo's top four receivers from 2016 are gone and the only receivers who recorded a reception in Buffalo last season are Walter Powell and Brandon Tate. The two combined to catch 22 passes for 259 yards. Buffalo will look to replace their former top four with Zay Jones, Jordan Matthews, Anquan Boldin and Andre Holmes.'

'Rolle was originally signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of Catawba in 2013. He was released in late August by the team. The cornerback would spend time on the practice squads of the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers as a rookie before being promoted to Green Bay's 53-man roster. He'd return to the Packers' practice squad in 2014 before the Texans signed him to their main roster.'

'"I just thought I was catching it hot," Watkins told the Los Angeles media. "I mean, they was targeting me pretty quick, and after the game, I was… 'Oh, I probably was out there auditioning.'"'

'“Being in the league for almost seven years, you know that every day that you step into a building, it could be your last day. Things happen around the league. It’s definitely, like I said, just surprised. I wish Sammy the best. I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to him. I will call him today. It’s been a fast day, but definitely surprised.”'