‘Born in Nigeria, Jonathan moved to the United States near the end of 2014. At that point, even as a teenager, he had never played football before, or even seen a game in person.’
Archives for July 19, 2023
Bills position preview: Defense ends look to increase impact while waiting on Miller
‘Basham, Epenesa and Lawson are vying to prove themselves worthy, at minimum, of a larger role in Miller’s absence. Beane’s allusion to some decisions that could “cause us a little heartache” indicates they could be competing simply for spots.’
Bills training camp questions: Will Terrel Bernard or Tyrel Dodson win the MLB job?
‘Tyrel Dodson has been a backup for three years with five career starts; Terrel Bernard was a 2022 third-round pick who saw very little playing time as a rookie; A.J. Klein will be 32 next week and he’s better suited to being a backup. In all likelihood, one of those three will start on opening night in New York, and your guess is as good as mine.’
Labatt Blue Light introduces Throwback Tea: A nostalgic tribute to Buffalo Bills glory days
‘Throwback Tea, which is an official sponsor of Bills Mafia, is a non-carbonated, red raspberry hard iced tea. Besides the red raspberries, what will have Bills fans thinking back to Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith and the rest of the 1990s Super Bowl era squad is the iconic red helmet on its packaging.’
Could TE Dalton Kincaid make history as rookie? 23 Buffalo Bills questions for ‘23 season
‘Buffalo spent a first round pick on Dalton Kincaid in the 2023 NFL Draft and I expect him to get onto the field early and often. Whether he’s lined up as a traditional tight end or in the slot, look for Kincaid to have plenty of targets go his way. So much in fact that Kincaid ends up breaking the franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end in his first season.’
Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen part of ESPN’s ‘My Wish’ Series
‘Allen and the Bills grant a wish to teenager Caleb Foarde of Winter Garden, Fla., who is engaged in a three-year battle with brain cancer that requires him to undergo chemotherapy treatments regularly, Caleb has regularly mentored other kids going through similar cancer treatments. For his wish, he wanted to spend the day as an official member of the Buffalo Bills.’
How a stranded Bills fan and Sean McDermott ended up on a road trip together
‘Traveling is always challenging, and it can become stressful when your travel plans get canceled. But it becomes more enjoyable if you go through it with an NFL coach.’
Buffalo Bills playoff legend snubbed by NFL
‘Imagine putting together a video of the greatest backup quarterback moments in league history and leaving off the QB who authored the greatest comeback in NFL playoff history.’
Camp Questions: Bills looking for answers at RB, MLB, CB and beyond with training camp set to open
‘There were a few factors that weighed heavily upon the Bills’ inefficiency in Weeks 8-18, including the team’s receiving corps’ ability to create yards after the catch experiencing a steep dropoff and the offensive line failing to protect Allen as well as it had early in the year. Per Pro Football Focus, Buffalo recorded the ninth-best pressure-allowed rate (29.2%) in the league prior to Week 7, but after that time, recorded the 10th-worst rate in the NFL at 37%. As the pressure within the pocket increased, so did Allen’s tendency to turn the ball over. He finished the season tied for the third-most interceptions in the league with 14.’
53-Man Roster Projection: A few surprises expected as Bills make tough decisions over next several weeks
‘Boettger has proven to be a steady option in the past but has yet to be put to the test since injuring his Achilles late during the 2021 season. It will be interesting to follow his progress throughout camp.’
Bills legend Tasker to receive another crack at Hall of Fame
‘Along with Tasker, several others will be up for nomination, including Ken Anderson, Ottis Anderson, Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Larry Brown, Mark Clayton, Charlie Conerly, Roger Craig, Henry Ellard, Randy Gradishar, Lester Hayes, Chris Hinton, Cecil Isbell, Joe Jacoby, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, George Kunz, Albert Lewis, Jim Marshall, Clay Matthews Jr., Steve McMichael, Eddie Meador, Stanley Morgan, Tommy Nobis, Art Powell, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor, Everson Walls and Al Wistert.’
Mid-season acquisition Nyheim Hines is poised for consistent role in Bills offense
‘Hines averaged less than 10 offensive snaps per game and he lined up as a receiver in 51 of the 79. A player who had at least 40 receptions and 55 targets during his first four NFL seasons was suddenly invisible.’
Bills camp questions: Healthy Micah Hyde-Jordan Poyer combo necessary for secondary success
‘More than Tre’Davious White’s slow recovery from an ACL tear or the Bills’ revolving door at the cornerback spot opposite him, it was clear that losing Hyde was the biggest blow to the secondary last season.’
Bills enter camp with questions revolving around Diggs’ frame of mind and Hamlin’s comeback bid
‘Though quarterback Josh Allen blames reporters for making too much of Stefon Diggs’ absence for the start of mandatory minicamp last month, the team’s premier receiver has yet to publicly shed light on the lingering issues he had carrying over from last season.’
Bills rookies report to training camp
‘Until then, veterans and “first-year players” will take part in strength and conditioning, as well as meetings at the team’s facility at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park. First-year players are defined in the collective bargaining agreement as any player who has not yet accrued one year of credited service.’