Bills S Cole Bishop On Track To Start?
Expectations were high for Cole Bishop upon arrival in Buffalo during his rookie campaign in 2024. Things did not go entirely according to plan, but a starting safety spot is available to him this offseason. 
Bishop has operated with Buffalo’s first-team defense during the outset of OTAs, as noted by Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required). That comes as little surprise given his status as a second-round pick from last year’s draft. The Bills’ other moves at the safety position this spring have pointed to a starting tandem alongside Taylor Rapp taking shape.
Rapp started each of his appearances last season, but Bishop missing most of training camp due to injury opened the door to Damar Hamlin handling first-team duties. The latter was retained on a one-year contract in March, a move which ensured continuity in the secondary but did not guarantee him a starting gig for 2025. Buffalo made an outside addition in the form of Darrick Forrest, but that veteran minimum investment will not impact the team’s defense.
During the 2025 draft, the Bills added three defensive backs. One of them – fifth-rounder Jordan Hancock – could see time at safety during his NFL tenure. The Ohio State product can be expected to primarily handle special teams work especially as a rookie, though. His presence should not impact Bishop’s ability to earn a starting spot in 2025.
Upon recovering in time for Week 2, Bishop managed to appear in each of Buffalo’s remaining regular and postseason games. The 22-year-old logged a 34% defensive snap share, and that figure will increase significantly this season if he can indeed land a starter’s role. Plenty of time remains before training camp even begins, but Bishop is off to a good start in his efforts to become a mainstay on defense for 2025 and beyond.
Bills Announce Front Office Changes
Today, the Bills announced a number of promotions to their personnel and analytics staffs. While we’ve already covered a few of them, let’s go over the new information provided this morning.
So, we noted a week ago that the Bills had hired Mk Collins as player personnel coordinator, a role previously held by Andrea Gosper, because Gosper had reportedly been promoted, but at the time, we didn’t have any additional information on Gosper’s new role. Now, we know that Gosper has been promoted to assistant to the general manager.
Gosper got her start with the Bills after meeting general manager Brandon Beane and then-assistant general manager Joe Schoen at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. Thinking about going to grad school for sports nutrition at the time, she informed the two that she was interested in interning for them, if possible, and she later received a call from Schoen for a full-year role in the scouting department. Schoen’s leap of faith worked out as Gosper continues to climb the ladder in Buffalo.
Last year, R.J. Webb filled Keith Jennings‘ role as BLESTO college scout after Jennings was promoted to college area scout. A year later, Webb follows Jennings once again as he’s earned a promotion to a role as a college area scout covering the west coast. Webb started with the Bills in a scouting fellowship in 2018. His first full-time job was as player personnel coordinator before being elevated to pro scout. He held that role for four years before last year’s promotion. This time, Webb will be followed in the role of BLESTO college scout by Jay Hill. Hill formerly served in the role of scouting coordinator.
In the analytics department, Dennis Lock was promoted to vice president of football research, Luis Guilamo was promoted to senior director of application development, Warren Zorilla was promoted to assistant director of application development, and Santino Parlato was promoted to football analyst.
Lock has been with Buffalo for six years — three as director of football research & strategy and three as senior director of football research — after working for the division rival Dolphins for almost five years. Guilamo was part of the team’s initial push into analytics, joining the franchise in 2018 as director of analytics and application development. Zorilla was added shortly after Guilamo as senior developer. Parlato joined the team as a football research analyst last July.
The operations department saw a promotion, too, as Ryan Moore was named manager of football administration and operations. Moore started in Buffalo as a community relations graduate assistant for the team in 2017, serving time as community relations youth programs coordinator and COVID protocol coordinator on his way to joining the operations department as football administration & operations coordinator. He served in that role for the last three years.
Bills Promote Terrance Gray To Assistant GM
Terrance Gray has landed a promotion in the Bills’ front office. He now holds the title of assistant general manager, the team announced on Friday.
Gray spent the past three years as Buffalo’s vice president of player personnel. He has been with the organization since 2017, the beginning of the Sean McDermott-Brandon Beane era. Over that span, Gray has established himself as a key front office contributor with the franchise; as a result, today’s news comes as little surprise.
In recent years, Gray has generated general manager interest around the league. He turned down the opportunity to interview with the Patriots shortly before they tapped Eliot Wolf for the gig, but he did meet with both the Raiders and Chargers for their respective openings. Gray remained on the GM radar during this year’s hiring cycle.
The Jaguars met with Gray once during their general manager search. The Titans, meanwhile, made him a finalist for their opening before ultimately hiring Mike Borgonzi. It can certainly be expected that future general manager vacancies will include Gray in the interview process, and another strong season on the part of the Bills would do nothing to hurt his stock. As Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News notes, Brian Gaine will remain in place, meaning Buffalo will have two AGMs in 2025.
In addition to the Gray news, Friday’s announcement confirmed the recent report that Andrea Gosper was also promoted; she now officially holds the title of assistant to the general manager. In the wake of that move, MK Collins has been named the Bills’ new player personnel coordinator. That department will have a new leader as Gray departs it in advance of at least one more season in Buffalo’s front office.
Bills’ Joey Bosa Suffers Calf Injury
Injuries were an issue during much of Joey Bosa‘s Chargers tenure. The high-profile edge rusher has already run into trouble on that front with the Bills. 
Bosa pulled a calf while working out with the team, head coach Sean McDermott said on Tuesday (h/t Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News). McDermott added (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero) Bosa is not expected to be back until training camp. This obviously marks an unwanted development for team and player as the five-time Pro Bowler looks to begin a successful second chapter of his career.
After nine seasons with the Chargers, Bosa was released in a move which came as little surprise. The 29-year-old was retained on a pay cut agreement in 2024 in the wake of his missed time. Bosa played just 14 games across the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, although he managed to match that figure this past year. Los Angeles’ decision to move on resulted in multiple teams showing interest. A 49ers pact allowing for Bosa to play with his younger brother was explored, and his hometown Dolphins were among the suitors as well.
In the end, though, the Bills won out with a one-year deal. That $12.61MM pact contains $12MM in guarantees, so expectations will be high for Bosa in 2025. Buffalo moved on from Von Miller this offseason, and replacing his production as a veteran sack artist will be key along a defensive front which will feature plenty of new faces. Continuity will be found along the edge in particular, however, with Gregory Rousseau – one of several ascending players who received a long-term extension this spring – and A.J. Epenesa set to return in 2025.
Bosa has posted double-digit sacks four times in his career, but the most recent season in which that was the case was 2021. Since then, the Ohio State product has totaled 14 sacks; improvement in that department will be key if he is to operate as an effective starter with Buffalo. A critical factor in Bosa’s success will of course be his health, but things have not gone according to plan during the early stages of his Bills tenure.
James Cook Absent From Bills OTAs
Agreeing to four extensions that produced team-friendly numbers this offseason, the Bills still have a James Cook issue to sort out. The Pro Bowl running back has angled for a second contract placing him near the top of the running back market, and Brandon Beane‘s comments on the situation did not exactly indicate a desire on the Bills’ part to placate him.
Beane pointed toward the possibility of Cook needing to prove himself once again in Buffalo’s offense. The former second-round pick is under contract for one more season, but he is stopping the Bills from reaching perfect attendance at OTAs. Cook is indeed absent to start the final round of voluntary work for the perennial AFC East champions, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. Cook has skipped Bills offseason work thus far.
Given the developments that have shaped this stalemate, it would almost be surprising if Cook did show for OTAs. The two-year Buffalo starter floated a $15MM-per-year deal as a price point before the Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry extensions. The latter came in with a $15MM-AAV extension this month, and even though the Ravens standout’s deal became notable due to the likely Hall of Famer’s age (31), Cook matching Henry may be a tough ask for the Bills, who have not paid a running back in a bit.
Buffalo’s current regime has shown some reluctance to reward RBs. While previous Bills front offices passed on second contracts for Marshawn Lynch or C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson and LeSean McCoy were ultimately rewarded. McCoy received an extension upon being traded to Buffalo in 2015, but that deal occurred on Doug Whaley‘s watch. McCoy’s Buffalo separation transpired early in the Beane-Sean McDermott era. The Bills released McCoy months after drafting Devin Singletary in the second round. Singletary then played out his rookie contract, doing so as the team traded Zack Moss midway through his. Cook had arrived as a potential starter just before the Moss trade, but the time is near for the Bills to decide on his future.
Beane has said he does not expect a holdout from Cook, who would face roughly $100K in fines by skipping minicamp next month. A true holdout would not begin until training camp, and the language in the CBA pertaining to holdouts makes them difficult to wage — especially for fourth-year players. While teams can waive fines levied upon players holding out on fifth-year options, a complication emerges for non-first-round holdouts. With Cook needing to report by early August to ensure he accrues a fourth season toward free agency, a holdout will indeed be unlikely (and is not anticipated). A hold-in, however, will be something to monitor if he and the Bills cannot come to terms by then.
Leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns (16) despite Josh Allen‘s imposing goal-line presence, Cook posted a second 1,000-yard season in 2024. He served as an integral part of the Bills’ success, as the team has leaned into its run game following Joe Brady‘s climb to OC. It would be interesting, then, for the team to play hardball with the 25-year-old back. But that is nonetheless transpiring, even after the Bills paid Khalil Shakir, Gregory Rousseau, Terrel Bernard and Christian Benford this offseason.
AFC Front Office Updates: Bengals, Bills, Jets, Dolphins
Last week, we noted that former Patriots southeast area scout Josh Hinch would not be returning to New England in 2025. Now we know why as Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com reports that Hinch will be joining the Bengals in 2025.
It’s assumed that Hinch will be stepping into the role vacated when Christian Sarkisian departed to serve as the general manager at Northwestern University. Hinch spent some time with the XFL and AAF alternative football leagues before working with the Buccaneers in the NFL. He’s spent the last four years in New England’s scouting department.
Cincinnati will also add Tyler Ramsey as a scout, per Stratton. A Seattle native, Ramsey spent 12 seasons in the Seahawks’ scouting department, starting as a personnel intern and working his way through promotions to scouting assistant and area scout. He spent three years after with the Panthers, starting as a national scout before getting promoted to assistant director of pro personnel. Ramsey was let go by Carolina a little over a year ago.
Here are a few other front office updates, all coming out of the AFC East:
- Stratton also noted that the Bills have hired Mk Collins as their new player personnel coordinator, citing the updated position on her LinkedIn page. After completing a training camp internship with the Rams in 2023, Collins served four months as the assistant director of recruiting and personnel at Cornell before joining North Carolina as a player personnel analyst and, eventually, a scouting assistant. Stratton tells us that the position was open because former player personnel coordinator Andrea Gosper has been promoted.
- The Jets are bringing Bird Sherrill back to the NFL for a front office role, according to Graham Hall of 247Sports. Sherrill had previously spent six years with the Lions, starting as a scouting assistant before being promoted to a scout. Sherrill arrived in Gainesville alongside Billy Napier in 2022 and served as the Gators director of college personnel.
- Lastly, the Dolphins have hired Rachael Kaplan as the team’s new football analytics staff assistant, per ESPN’s Seth Walder. Kaplan previously worked an internship with the Buccaneers. She entered a submission into this year’s NFL Big Data Bowl and earned an honorable mention in the competition.
The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History
The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job.
The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.
Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jordan Hicks; March 12, 2019: Four years, $34MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Atlanta Falcons
- Deion Jones; July 17, 2019: Four years, $54MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Roquan Smith; January 10, 2023: Five years, $100MM ($60MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- Matt Milano; March 12, 2023: Two years, $28.33MM ($27.15MM guaranteed)
Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees
Carolina Panthers
- Luke Kuechly; September 10, 2015: Five years, $61.8MM ($33.36MM guaranteed)
Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees
Chicago Bears
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 13, 2023: Four years, $72MM ($50MM guaranteed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Logan Wilson; August 4, 2023: Four years, $36MM ($10MM guaranteed)
Cleveland Browns
- Jamie Collins; January 23, 2017: Four years, $50MM ($26.4MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Jaylon Smith; August 20, 2019: Five years, $63.75MM ($35.41MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Brandon Marshall; June 14, 2016: Four years, $32MM ($20.1MM guaranteed)
Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee
Detroit Lions
- DeAndre Levy; August 5, 2015: Three years, $33.74MM ($24MM guaranteed)
Green Bay Packers
- De’Vondre Campbell; March 14, 2022: Five years, $50MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Houston Texans
- Benardrick McKinney; June 14, 2018: Five years, $50MM ($22.16MM guaranteed)
Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees
Indianapolis Colts
- Shaquille Leonard; August 8, 2021: Five years, $98.5MM ($52.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Foye Oluokun; March 14, 2022: Three years, $45MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Nick Bolton; March 9, 2025: Three years, $45MM ($30MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Cory Littleton; March 17, 2020: Three years, $35.25MM ($22MM guaranteed)
Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Donald Butler; February 28, 2014: Seven years, $51.8MM ($11.15MM guaranteed)
Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal
Los Angeles Rams
- James Laurinaitis; September 8, 2012: Five years, $41.5MM ($23.62MM guaranteed)
Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee
Miami Dolphins
- Jerome Baker; June 13, 2021: Three years, $37.5MM ($28.41MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Anthony Barr; March 12, 2019: Five years, $67.5MM ($33MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)
Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money
New Orleans Saints
- Demario Davis; September 13, 2020: Three years, $27MM ($18.35MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Bobby Okereke; March 13, 2023: Four years, $40MM ($21.8MM guaranteed)
Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee
New York Jets
- C.J. Mosley; March 12, 2019: Five years, $85MM ($51MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Zack Baun; March 5, 2025: Three years, $51MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Patrick Queen; March 12, 2024: Three years, $41MM ($20.51MM guaranteed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Fred Warner; May 19, 2025: Three years, $63MM ($56MM guaranteed)
Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Wagner; July 26, 2019: Three years, $54MM ($40.25MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Lavonte David; August 9, 2015: Five years, $50.25MM ($25.56MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Cody Barton; March 10, 2025: Three years, $21MM ($13.33MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- London Fletcher; March 3, 2007: Five years, $25MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/25
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: WR Hal Presley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR T.J. Luther
- Waived/injured: WR Moose Muhammad III
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Keydrain Calligan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: G Lecitus Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Nate McCollum
- Waived: G Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu
Moose Muhammad III was a notable UDFA signing by the Panthers considering his connection to the organization. The wide receiver’s father is Muhsin Muhammad, who is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the younger Muhammad suffered an undisclosed injury that cost him his roster spot, although he’ll likely pass through waivers and land on the team’s IR.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/19/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Kristian Wilkerson
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DL Alex Barrett
Buccaneers Make Changes In Front Office
The immediate few weeks following the NFL draft is usually an active time for staffing changes in the front offices of NFL organizations. The Buccaneers are the latest example of this as they announced some promotions and departures earlier this week.
The team already announced a new assistant general manager and director of football research in the days after the draft. The biggest changes we saw more recently involved the promotions of Mike Biehl, Shane Scannell, Tony Hardie, and Shelton Quarles.
Biehl was elevated from director to vice president of player personnel. He has been with Tampa Bay for 11 years after a 13-year stint in San Diego and three years with the Bills before that. Biehl has been a key figure in the team’s draft process for a decade now and will direct both of the college and pro personnel departments in his new role.
Scannell was promoted from director of pro scouting to director of player personnel. He started out as a scouting assistant in 2015, spent five years as a pro scout, two as assistant director of pro scouting, and two as director. Hardie has been with the Bucs for 14 years, starting as a combine scout for NFS and covering several different areas of the country for the team and company. He eventually became an area scout and a national scout before being promoted to his current role. Quarles joined the team’s front office after a decade of service as a linebacker for the team, eventually ascending up the pro scouting department to director. His focus has shifted a bit more to the ops side of things as he’s been named senior director of football operations.
The Bucs also promoted Jeremiah Bogan and Korey Finnie to college scouts. Finnie had been serving in Hardie’s old combine/NFS scout job before the promotion, while Bogan had been a scouting assistant. To cover the NFS scout role, another scouting assistant, Jordan Morrow, has also been promoted.
Lastly, while one national scout, Hardie, was given a promotion, another national scout departed. According to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com, Antwon Murray has made the decision to part ways with the team. Murray had been with Tampa Bay for nine years and will seek new opportunities in scouting.