‘People stop by on their way to the Bills Store, or on their drive to or from work or some other destination around Orchard Park. Many take photos and post them on social media, noting the progress of the $1.7 billion project. Even those visiting the Buffalo area from out of town make sure to stop by.’
Archives for July 2024
Ryan O’Halloran: NFL should broaden ‘Sunday Ticket’ options to attract new fans
‘Two ideas: 1. Offer residential customers a team-by-team subscription plan or, 2. The option to pay game-to-game.’
Buffalo Bills make big jump in ESPN’s under-25 talent ranking
‘In an article for ESPN Insider, Aaron Schatz ranked every team in the league based on their talent under-25 years old. This year, the Bills came in at No. 16. While that is right in the middle of the pack it is a significant rise from where the team was one year ago.’
32 NFL Teams in 32 Days: Bills Retool Roster to Get Past Chiefs and Bengals
‘Buffalo could struggle early in the season with an inexperienced roster, but perhaps change was needed for a star-studded team that kept falling short in the postseason. Allen often forced targets to Diggs as the relationship on the field began to get stale the past two seasons. Last season, the Bills got a glimpse of life without Diggs as the focal point to the offense when they turned their season around to win the AFC East. Diggs was featured less and the Bills leaned on the running game more with James Cook, allowing Allen to run an efficient offense. They weren’t as explosive, but they won games and gained an opportunity to face the Chiefs at home in the playoffs.’
Bills training camp questions: Which veterans could be on roster bubble?
‘Do the Bills trust him to play safety in a backup role, but more importantly, be a core special-teamer? They didn’t last year. He appeared in only five regular-season/playoff games and played 17 defensive snaps and 94 special-teams snaps. The Bills released Jordan Poyer in March, and Micah Hyde remains unsigned, but they re-signed Taylor Rapp (last year’s third safety), added veteran Mike Edwards from Kansas City and drafted Utah’s Cole Bishop in the second round. Plus, Cam Lewis has the versatility to play safety and nickel. Hamlin is obviously an inspirational story after returning to play after going into cardiac arrest on the field in January 2023, but he needs a good camp to earn a roster spot.’
Erik Brady: Happy Birthday, Booker: Cheers for 85 years
‘In the six decades since, Booker has emerged as one of Buffalo’s foremost citizens. Though he was born in Arkansas, on July 5, 1939, and grew up in Illinois, he is by now Buffalo to the bone. He’s been an administrator of Erie County’s CETA employment program, director of equity and diversity at Erie Community College, and a leader of the Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation while it raised more than $2.7 million for a range of local causes.’
Bills training camp questions: Can Matt Milano return to form?
‘“He’ll continue to build through the break that we’re going to go on,” McDermott said during mandatory minicamp. “And then hopefully in training camp, he’s at a spot where when we open up, he’s available. It’s just a matter of putting it one day at a time and trying to put practices back to back. Don’t know yet on that. And we’ll just have to see.”’
GM Brandon Beane details how the Bills’ constant pursuit of a Super Bowl continues with changing roster
‘“I’ve been on teams that were better than the teams that made it to the Super Bowl,” Beane told the Gazette in an exclusive interview during minicamp. “A lot of things got to line up. Whether it’s health, whether it’s team chemistry, the way the ball bounces a play here or there, I mean, we’ve had games in the playoffs, where a bounce here, play here, play there, and we’re advancing to another game.”’
After going viral, Bills friendship bracelets now benefit Oishei
‘“I originally didn’t think I was going to be putting bracelets together,” said Colin Bittner, Logan’s dad. “But it’s definitely been a bonding experience for us, and it makes it a lot easier knowing these are going to help little kiddos like Logan.”’
Training camp questions: Can a healthy Kaiir Elam flourish under new coach?
‘Elam has not yet lived up to the expectations that come with being a first-round draft pick because he has not nailed down a starting cornerback job the past two seasons. Part of the reason last season was injury. He tore an ankle ligament in a preseason game and appeared in only three games on defense – Weeks 5 and 6 and the Pittsburgh playoff game, when he saw 52 snaps. Part of the reason is he hasn’t played well enough to beat out Christian Benford, who has vastly outplayed his sixth-round draft status.’
Damar Hamlin pauses Cincinnati trivia game to praise Jeff Ruby: ‘He took good care of me’
‘”Jeff Ruby came and sat next to me on my bedside, man, and really put me deep to what was going on in Cincinnati,” Hamlin told The Enquirer on Monday while playing a game of Cincinnati trivia. “So shoutout to the Rubys. Him and his family, I really love and appreciate them, man. They made sure my family and the care team and all my nurses (were) good all week. … He took good care of me that whole week and some change that I was in Cincinnati.”‘
Dawuane Smoot’s Community passions shine through the Elsie Academy
‘“That’s been an important thing in our household, to give back, and especially since we have kids now we have to give back as much as we can so the community they grow up in will be a better place,” Smoot said.’
Which Buffalo Bills players are ready to emerge on defense in 2024?
‘A sixth-round pick in the 2022 draft, Benford was a surprise contributor his rookie season, earning a starting role out of camp. Multiple injuries derailed a promising Year 1 campaign but Benford came out stronger in his second season, solidifying himself as one of the top CBs on Buffalo’s roster.’
Bills training camp questions: What does a healthy DaQuan Jones mean for the defense?
‘Jones was well on his way to doing just that until disaster struck. Four defensive plays into the Bills’ Week 5 game against the Jaguars in London, Jones suffered a torn pectoral muscle. That’s an injury that typically knocks a player out for the rest of the season, but Jones didn’t want to go out like that. He rehabbed the injury and returned by Week 17 of the regular season.’
Bills enter training camp with question marks at wide receiver
‘Perhaps no position group on the roster demonstrates the new faces better than the Bills receiver room, which has undergone an almost complete makeover since the end of the 2023 season. It also remains one of the biggest question marks heading into training camp — with practices commencing on July 24 at St. John Fisher University — and the regular season.’