‘“It’s weird,” Beane said. “This year we’re in the top ten and we don’t need to be. It’s funny how it all works out, but it’s nice to be able to focus a little more of our energy all the positions.”’
WGR
A welcomed change: Josh Allen and the air raid offense
‘Most folks, whom I’d probably tend to agree with, have beaten the anti-Allen drum since he was drafted last April. One of the things they say is that a quarterback who struggled in college likely won’t all-of-the-sudden be good in the NFL. That is probably spot on, but saying that without context can get messy. If he was set up to fail as a passer at one level but given the proper tools at the next, wouldn’t it be possible to see growth considering the tools he possesses? Some food for thought.’
Early mock drafts have similar themes for the Bills
‘Here are some of the early projections, several of which include the Bills taking the same player and a majority that have them going with the same position.’
Capaccio: How the Bills should approach free agency with all that cap space
‘Let’s not forget how the team got in the situation they were in in the first place when Beane arrived. He said from the day he was hired that it would take two years to fix the cap mess. That resulted in having to eat close to $70 million of dead money this past season. Now, in his own words, “that’s fixed,” but that doesn’t mean Beane is, nor should, just start writing blank checks to average players just because they play wide receiver or offensive line.’
Bills re-sign Alexander to one-year deal
‘One of the biggest impacts Alexander has had with this Bills team is his role as a leader in the locker room and on the field.’
Bills re-sign Jeremiah Sirles
‘Sirles’ most attractive attribute is his versatility. After being signed during the season after his release from the Carolina Panthers, he played mostly tackle, but some guard, and often lined up as an extra offensive lineman in heavy sets. That’s a nice thing to have on any roster, so it’s no surprise the Bills were interested in retaining him.’
Bills hire Bobby Johnson as new offensive line coach
‘Colts head coach Frank Reich let go of DeGuglielmo, as DeGuglielmo was a coach that was not brought in by Reich. Josh McDaniels, who famously backed out after accepting the Colts head coaching position last offseason, was the coach who brought in DeGuglielmo and Johnson. With the offensive line coaches dismissed in Indianapolis, Buffalo made the move to bring in Johnson to the staff.’
Report: Bills hiring Heath Farwell as new special teams coordinator
‘Farwell was a coaching assistant for the Seattle Seahawks in 2016, promoted to special teams assistant in 2017, then moved on to Carolina where he served in the same capacity last year.’
Bills not repeating quarterback mistakes of 2018 offseason
‘That means, provided Barkley, Anderson, and Josh Allen all go to training camp as expected, the team will head to St. John Fisher with a combined 18 years and 71 starts of experience in the NFL among their quarterbacks. That’s a far cry from the trio of Allen, Nathan Peterman, and A.J. McCarron, who had just five years and five starts among them when they opened camp six months ago.’
Bills send out survey asking fans about stadium
‘In the survey emailed to Bills fans on Wednesday, respondents were asked questions regarding preferable seat locations, how much they’d be willing to spend on certain seats, including luxury boxes and club seats, how important certain amenities such as Wi-Fi and in-seat concession service is, and many more. All responses are confidential.’
Bills had transition season we all expected
‘I think 2019 will be an overall different story. The Bills will have higher expectations — and moreover, it really won’t matter what theirs are. All that’s left is to contend and win. Whether you got on board with the built-in excuses about the need to fix the cap and the “culture”, none of that holds up going forward from now. Two years is about as long as pro sports ever gives anyone to prep a roster. Allen, in Year 2, isn’t going to be “too young” in a league where young quarterbacks are shining. Time’s up.’
Kyle Williams named to sixth and final career Pro Bowl
‘This will mark Williams’ first Pro Bowl selection since the 2016 season, and sixth overall (2010, 2012-14, 2016, 2018). His final season in the National Football League ended with five sacks, 35 tackles and 14 hits of the quarterback.
Capaccio: A look at each of the Bills’ 2019 UFAs
‘That last sentence I just wrote about Miller also applies to Mills, who has been with the Bills for the better part of four seasons after two years with the Bears, as well as the Cowboys and Lions practice squads. Like Miller, Mills’ tenure on the right side of the Bills’ line was uneven. The organization felt he played well enough in 2015 and 2016 to receive a two-year contract extension, but the last two years have been too inconsistent for the team to feel they need to bring him back. They should look to upgrade at the spot, but not close the door on Mills returning on a veteran-minimum type of deal for depth purposes.’
Report: Bills sign receiver Duke Williams
‘The Bills had reportedly worked out Williams back on December 18 along with several other players.’
Dolphins’ Alonso fined for late hit on Allen
‘Alonso hit a sliding Allen, that included a kick to the head, as he followed through on the late hit. A fight broke out between both teams immediately after, which resulted in ejections to Alonso, Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn, and Bills right tackle Jordan Mills.’