Buffalo Bills News & Rumors

Latest On DeAndre Hopkins’ Free Agency

Following their free agency visit, the Patriots were making a push to sign DeAndre Hopkins. The former All-Pro wideout is believed to be intrigued by the idea of joining the Pats, but he remains unsigned.

Visits with both the Patriots and Titans are believed to have gone well, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, and veteran NFL reporter Mike Giardi offers that each team told the high-profile UFA he still offers “elite” capabilities (Twitter link). Like Dalvin Cook, however, Hopkins is taking his time surveying the market. Waiting on a potential injury or a team suddenly growing concerned about its receiving corps — scenarios that could come to pass during training camp — is also factoring into Hopkins’ decision-making, Giardi adds.

Hopkins and Bill Belichick spent time in one-on-one meetings during the Pats summit, per Breer, who adds the 10-year veteran remains close with Titans HC Mike Vrabel. That said, it looks like Hopkins is holding out hope teams with better Super Bowl LVIII odds will re-enter the equation. Absent big money, Hopkins is aiming to join a contender, Breer added during an NBC Sports Boston appearance (video link).

The Ravens’ Odell Beckham Jr. contract blew up Cardinals-Chiefs negotiations for Hopkins, who would have been bound for Kansas City on an adjusted deal. With Beckham securing $15MM fully guaranteed despite missing all of last season and having suffered two ACL tears since October 2020, Hopkins balked at taking a pay cut. Cardinals talks with the Chiefs and Bills ceased, and both Buffalo and Kansas City have drifted a bit compared to their spots on the Hopkins radar when Arizona first released him. But neither Tennessee nor New England appears to have blown Hopkins away with an offer, per Breer, potentially reopening the door for the Chiefs or Bills.

The Bills created some 2023 cap space by extending Ed Oliver but used that savings to add Leonard Floyd. They hold $5.5MM in space. The Chiefs are at just $651K, carrying the league’s lowest figure exiting minicamp. But Kansas City remains at work on a Chris Jones extension. While Jones is likely asking for a contract closer to Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM per year than Jeffery Simmons‘ No. 2 defensive tackle deal ($23.5MM AAV), the Chiefs extending their All-Pro lineman would drop his cap number from its present $28.3MM place. That would create cap room for Kansas City to potentially re-enter the fray, and Hopkins — who has spoken highly of teaming with Patrick Mahomes on multiple occasions this offseason — can afford to be patient.

Regarding the New England fit, Hopkins and Bill O’Brien look to be back on favorable terms despite the 2020 Houston separation. And Belichick likely addressed potential concerns about Hopkins’ recent history of not practicing fully, famed ex-Patriots O-line coach Dante Scarnecchia said (via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian). In-season practice schedules certainly do not present the grind they once did, with the CBA capping the number of padded workouts to 13 over the course of the regular season. But Hopkins has battled multiple injuries since his most recent Pro Bowl season (2020) and has missed nine games for health reasons over the past two years.

Although Hopkins did not begin his visit itinerary looking to take much of a discount from the $19.4MM salary he was due to make with the Cardinals, the first two meetings not producing take-notice money adds intrigue to this situation. The Bills and Chiefs could be back in the mix soon, but for now, the Titans and Pats are still interested.

Bills C Mitch Morse Underwent Elbow, Ankle Surgeries

Mitch Morse is on track to participate in full during the Bills’ training camp next month, but he has been sidelined to date during his recovery from multiple procedures. The veteran center had a pair of ailments addressed after playing through them during the season.

Morse underwent elbow and ankle surgeries this offseason, as detailed by Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News. The former procedure was expected, after he suffered a UCL injury in Week 2. The 31-year-old was able to continue playing without an operation given his position and he managed to suit up for 13 regular season games and both of Buffalo’s postseason contests in 2022.

“They let the UCL heal itself because I’m not throwing anything – I’m just snapping it,” Morse said. “The bone fragments from the actual hit itself – there were chips around, so they just went in there and cleaned it out.”

The former second-rounder added that his ankle injury took place during Week 12, and it did not heal as anticipated. As a result, he followed up the elbow surgery with the ankle one. Like the first procedure, Morse’s comments after the second strike an optimistic tone with respect to its effectiveness.

“I’ve rolled my ankle a thousand times and this one, it just would not go away,” he said. “It got to the point where I could play, but it didn’t go away. They went in there and found a few bone spurs and floating bodies – bone chips and cartilage – they took out and that was very nice.”

The Missouri product was cleared in full for last week’s minicamp, but he did not take part in team drills. Instead, his return to full practices will come in July, where he will look to carry on a successful 2022 campaign with a clean bill of health. Morse earned his first career Pro Bowl nod last season despite missing four games, and will he once again be a key member of the Bills’ offensive front this season.

A two-year extension signed last offseason leaves Morse under contract through 2024. Guranteed salary is only in place for the coming year, though, so a strong campaign could be highly beneficial from a financial perspective. Overall, Buffalo faces the expectation of improved play along the O-line in 2023 after adding free agent Connor McGovern and rookie O’Cyrus Torrence among others as options along the interior. Morse should play a critical role in the unit’s success, something which could be easier to attain given his healthy status heading into training camp.

Bills WR Stefon Diggs Reportedly Frustrated By Role In Offense, Input In Play-Calling

While Bills quarterback Josh Allen recently classified the source of wide receiver Stefon Diggs‘ discontent with the team as “not football related,” Ben Volin of the Boston Globe has heard otherwise. Volin, citing a source “close to the Bills’ locker room,” says that Diggs is frustrated with his role in the club’s offense and his input in play-calling.

Diggs did not participate in April workouts, but since those sessions were voluntary, there was no real reason to think much of his absence, despite plenty of speculation that he was unhappy. Alarm bells did go off in earnest on the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, when Bills head coach Sean McDermott told the media that Diggs was not in attendance and that he was “very concerned” as a result.

Shortly thereafter, Diggs’ agent, Adisa Bakari, pointed out that his client had met with McDermott and GM Brandon Beane over the prior two days, and on Wednesday — when Diggs participated in practice but not in team drills — McDermott definitively declared the matter resolved and said Diggs’ Tuesday absence was excused.

McDermott’s sudden about-face did not do much to quell the rumblings about Diggs’ frustration, especially since we still have not heard from the player himself. Volin’s report, which was published today, has added a little context, but there is still plenty of uncertainty.

Indeed, as Volin notes, Diggs was ranked in the top-five in targets (154), receptions (108), yards (1,429), and touchdowns (11) in 2022. Since coming to Buffalo via trade prior to the 2020 season, Diggs’ 484 targets are second only to Raiders wideout Davante Adams. As such, it is difficult to see how the Bills could increase his role in the offense, though Volin also observes that, over the final six contests of the 2022 campaign (including playoffs), Diggs averaged only 63 yards per game and caught just one TD pass. After the team’s divisional-round loss to the Bengals in January — a game in which he recorded four catches for 35 yards — Diggs stormed out of the locker room before some coaches had arrived and needed to be brought back.

As for Diggs’ reported discontent with his voice in Buffalo’s offensive play-calling, Volin simply said that the Maryland product may not have “connected as well” with OC Ken Dorsey as he had with Brian Daboll, who left the Bills to take the Giants’ HC job last year. Still, even if the Bills were inclined to part ways with their star receiver — which the Super Bowl-ready club is certainly not — it would be difficult to imagine Diggs finding a better situation for himself.

McDermott ultimately cancelled the third and final day of mandatory minicamp on Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Therefore, we will likely need to wait until sometime in training camp to hear Diggs’ take on the situation and where he currently stands.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/15/23

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants

  • Signed: DT Kobe Smith
  • Waived/injured: WR/TE Dre Miller

Greg Mabin is the biggest name on the list, with the cornerback having appeared in 45 career games. The former UDFA has spent the past two seasons with the Titans, collecting 23 tackles in 11 total games. The Panthers have gotten an extended look at their cornerback depth during minicamp with Jaycee Horn (ankle) and Donte Jackson (Achilles) sidelined, so the team has probably decided they needed some veteran reinforcement at the position.

Javon Wims will now be looking for another opportunity after getting cut by the Cardinals. The former seventh-round pick showed a bit of a potential with the Bears, including a 2019 campaign where he had 18 catches for 186 yards and one touchdown. After getting into 13 games with the Bears in 2020, the wideout has only seen time in one game over the past two seasons. He spent most of the 2022 campaign on Arizona’s practice squad.

McDermott: Stefon Diggs Issue Resolved

After beginning their minicamp with Stefon Diggs drama stemming from unknown issues, the Bills look to be on better footing with their top wide receiver.

Diggs practiced during the team’s Wednesday minicamp session, though not during team drills, and Sean McDermott offered a more definitive tone regarding the situation after expressing concern Tuesday. McDermott said the Bills are in a good spot with Diggs and considers the matter resolved, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com tweets.

Diggs left the Bills’ Tuesday minicamp session after not participating, doing so after not attending the team’s voluntary OTAs. McDermott, however, said Diggs’ absence Tuesday qualifies as excused, per the Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald (on Twitter). Although McDermott described he and Diggs’ conversation Tuesday as “great,” the seventh-year Bills HC said the veteran wideout needed a break from said conversation and was dismissed.

Conversations between Diggs and GM Brandon Beane and wide receivers coach Adam Henry, a new hire, also took place, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (video link). Regarding his concern about Diggs’ status Tuesday, McDermott attempted to clarify by indicating he was merely concerned by a missed practice.

There’s a lot things out there that aren’t accurate. Let me be clear — Stef did everything he was asked to do,” McDermott said, via SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter). “He was here Monday, executed his physical on time. … We got to a point yesterday where we felt like we all needed a break and some space.”

Josh Allen classified the Diggs matter as non-football-related, and it presumably does not pertain to his contract, which was signed last year. Diggs, 29, signed a four-year, $96MM deal that included $47.99MM guaranteed. Rapoport confirmed Diggs’ contract is not the issue.

The Bills acquired Diggs in March 2020, doing so after the former Vikings draftee went through a turbulent 2019 season that involved a dustup with the team. The sides mended fences, and Diggs finished the ’19 season by helping the Vikes to the divisional round. But multiple tweets depicting dissatisfaction came out the following March. The Vikings dealt Diggs to the Bills for a package headlined by a first-round pick, and he has become one of the NFL’s best receivers while in Buffalo.

Allen calling Diggs an essential part of the Bills’ blueprint is accurate, given the explosive pass catcher’s production. Diggs led the NFL with 1,535 receiving yards in 2020 and topped 1,200 yards in 2021 and ’22. At the conclusion of the Bills’ divisional-round loss to the Bengals in January, however, Diggs stormed out of the locker room before some coaches had arrived and needed to be brought back. While McDermott expressing confidence the parties will move past this summer disagreement is noteworthy, Diggs’ views on the matter will be needed before this chapter concludes.

AFC East Notes: Floyd, Patriots, Dolphins

Over the past two offseasons, the Bills have added both the Super Bowl LVI-winning Rams’ top edge rushers. Leonard Floyd‘s deal did not move close to the Von Miller ballpark, with the Bills guaranteeing the younger defensive end $7MM. The incentives that could bump Floyd’s deal to $9MM are now known as well. They are each sack-based. Floyd can earn $500K bumps by reaching the eight- and 10-sack plateaus, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. If Floyd registers 12 sacks — which would be a career-high total — he can add $1MM to his base pay. Over the past three seasons, Floyd has hit the first benchmark three times (9.5 sacks in 2021, nine in ’22) and the second threshold once (10.5 sacks in 2020). The Bills tacked on three void years to the deal to keep Floyd’s cap number at $2.6MM.

The Bills began talking to Floyd just before the draft, per GM Brandon Beane, who adds (via the Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald) Miller led the way in recruiting the former top-10 pick. Floyd turned down at least one more lucrative offer to join Miller and Gregory Rousseau in Buffalo. With Miller now aiming to return in Week 1 after rehabbing an ACL tear, the Floyd addition becomes more interesting given the pair’s production together in Los Angeles.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Although Bill O’Brien‘s Patriots past undoubtedly helped him take over as offensive coordinator, but the former Texans HC is using concepts from his most recent gig as he installs his offense. O’Brien is adding pieces from the Alabama offense he ran, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required). This stands to be good news for Mac Jones, who starred at Alabama in 2020. While Tua Tagovailoa‘s Crimson Tide successor did not play for O’Brien in college, he helped the incoming Alabama OC with the playbook on his way out in 2021. Considering Jones’ issues with the Patriots’ Matt Patricia– and Joe Judge-run offense in 2022, O’Brien’s arrival is shaping up as a significant step forward. Jones looks far more comfortable thus far in O’Brien’s offense, Howe adds.
  • A period during the Patriots’ recent OTA sessions may shed some early light on Mike Gesicki‘s New England role. With other tight ends staying on one field to work an inside-run drill, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes Gesicki was working with the Pats’ wide receivers on another field. Gesicki is not known for his run-blocking ability, which became an issue in Mike McDaniel‘s Miami offense last season, but he has long been a proven pass catcher. Lining up as a receiver will not be foreign to Gesicki, though it is still a bit early to determine the five-year Dolphin’s true role with his new team.
  • The Dolphins initially came into the offseason with a goal not to devote much money to their backup quarterback spot, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes they became “smitten” with Mike White. Miami added White early during the legal tampering period, giving the ex-Jets starter a two-year, $8MM deal ($4.5MM guaranteed). It is interesting the Dolphins would have considered skimping at QB2, considering how Tagovailoa’s injury trouble hijacked their promising 2022 season. But White (seven starts from 2021-22) is now in Teddy Bridgewater‘s former role. White, however, has also dealt with multiple injuries over the past two years. Skylar Thompson and rookie UDFA James Blackman are the other Miami QBs.
  • James Robinson‘s Patriots release came after the team included three injury waivers in his contract, Breer tweets. This rare protection measure included waivers on both Robinson’s knees and his left Achilles. This since-scrapped contract — Robinson has cleared waivers — illustrates the ex-Jaguars starter’s lack of options. Robinson, who saw a torn Achilles halt his early-career surge in December 2021, is facing an uncertain NFL future. The 24-year-old back has yet to earn much, either. Robinson totaled a rookie UDFA-record 1,414 scrimmage yards in 2020 but spent his first three seasons attached to league-minimum salaries.

Bills’ Stefon Diggs Returns To Practice

JUNE 14: This unusual situation may be trending in the right direction for the Bills. Diggs is practicing during the team’s Wednesday minicamp workout, Buscaglia tweets. The Bills confirmed this as well (video link). That said, Buscaglia adds Diggs did not participate in team drills (Twitter link). It will be interesting to eventually hear what Diggs has to say regarding this matter. For now, the accomplished wideout is back with the team ahead of what would be a fourth season in Buffalo.

JUNE 13, 9:54pm: Bakari also wants clarity on McDermott’s concern, via 13WHAM’s Mike Catalina (on Twitter), adding to this situation’s strangeness. While the Pro Bowl wideout’s agent indicated Diggs would be back Wednesday, it is not known if he will work out with the team. Josh Allen confirmed the situation is not football-related.

I know, internally, we’re working on some things not football related, but Stef, he’s my guy,” Allen said, via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia. “This does not work, what we’re doing here, without him. “I think there’s the football piece, one, and stuff that happens due to football, and I’ll just kind of keep it at that. I think, for the most part, it has to do with more teamwork than anything.”

12:43pm: Most of the players currently absent from mandatory minicamps are steering clear of their respective teams as part of ongoing contract disputes. That does not appear to be the case for Bills wideout Stefon Diggs, but he is nevertheless missing from practice today.

Diggs is absent from minicamp, as head coach Sean McDermott stated on Tuesday. The latter declined to say whether or not the former was excused, but he added that he is “very concerned” the team’s leading receiver is not in attendance. However, Diggs’ agent Adisa Bakari has stated that the 29-year-old was at the team’s facility on Monday and plans to be present for the full minicamp (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The Bills have since confirmed that Diggs was present Monday and, prior to practice, Tuesday.

Bakari added that Diggs met with both McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane over the past two days, which adds to the confusion surrounding this situation. Speculation has swirled, though, in the past few months with respect to Diggs’ level of satisfaction with the Bills and thus his long-term future in the organization. He has not spoken publicly since the team’s season ended in disappointing fashion with a home loss to the Bengals.

The former fifth-rounder has been as advertised during his three years in Buffalo following the trade which sent him out of Minnesota (something which itself was borne of his frustration with the Vikings). Diggs has posted 4,189 yards and 29 touchdowns since 2020, leading the league in both receptions and yards in his first Buffalo campaign. He earned first-team All-Pro recognition that season, and has been named a Pro Bowler three years in a row.

The Maryland alum put himself in line for a raise with those numbers, and he received it last offseason. Diggs inked a four-year, $96MM extension which moved him into the top five in the NFL in terms of annual compensation at the WR position. With finances not being at the heart of any potential issue he has with the Bills, it will be interesting to monitor how he and the team respond to today’s news.

Von Miller: ACL “All Healed Up”

Von Miller has provided multiple updates this offseason with respect to his progress in rehabbing from a torn ACL, stating that he intends to be available to begin the regular season. His most recent comments are the most encouraging yet on that front.

[RELATED: Miller’s Health Didn’t Affect Bills’ Floyd Pursuit]

“I have good information from my doctor and my knee is all healed up,” Miller said, via Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News“It’s all about me and how confident I can be [over] the next three months.”

The 34-year-old originally said Week 6 was the latest point at which he would return to game action, providing a baseline for expectations in his recovery. Miller has dealt with an ACL tear previously, and is central to the Bills’ pass rush considering the six-year, $120MM deal they signed him to last offseason. A cautious approach – like the one taken with cornerback Tre’Davious White in 2022 – would thus come as little surprise.

However, Miller has since indicated an expectation that he will be ready to suit up in time for Week 1, presuming the team feels comfortable with an accelerated return timeline. Their evaluation in the coming weeks will be critical, since a decision will soon need to be made on whether to place the future Hall of Famer on the physically unable to perform list during next month’s training camp. Electing not to do so would take away that option at the start of the season; a PUP designation sidelines a player for at least six weeks.

Alternatively, the Bills could choose to place Miller on IR after final roster cuts, which would make him ineligible for the first four games of the season. If the future Hall of Famer is able to return to form in practice in the near future, though, that step may not be necessary. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining how confident player and team feel heading into the 2023 season, one in which both face considerable expectations.

“Now I have to start working on my conditioning and position-specific drills and need to start transitioning back into a football player and not just a guy who is rehabbing and getting my leg strong,” Miller added. “Hopefully I can do that for the next two months and I’ll be ready on the third month.”

Bills DE Greg Rousseau Changes Agents

Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau is entering the all-important third season of his NFL career, and he has made a change in representation. Per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (Twitter link), Rousseau, who was previously represented by Drew Rosenhaus, has hired Ness Mugrabi and David Canter of GSE Worldwide.

Once a player accrues three years of service time, he becomes extension-eligible. So while Rousseau obviously needs to complete the 2023 season before he and his new agents can enter into negotiations with Buffalo brass, Mugrabi and Canter will at least have plenty of time to get familiar with their client and prepare for those discussions.

Rousseau, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2021 draft, took a step forward in his second professional campaign in 2022, despite missing time with an ankle injury. The Miami (FL) product posted eight sacks last season after recording four sacks in his rookie year, and he earned a stellar 80.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which placed him 20th out of 119 qualified edge defenders. PFF thought especially highly of his pass rushing ability, which is the most critical trait for his future earning power.

That said, Rousseau accumulated four of his eight sacks in the first four games of the season, so the Bills will be looking for more consistent production if they are going to authorize a contract that will put him anywhere near the top tier of edge players, who are among the biggest earners in the NFL. Indeed, unless he forces the team’s hand with a Pro Bowl-worthy year, Buffalo may be content to play the waiting game, as Rousseau will still be on his rookie deal through 2024 and can be retained via the fifth-year option in 2025 (and via the franchise tag beyond that).

A review of GSE’s NFL clientele suggests that the agency does not represent many high-end pass rushers, with the Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence a notable exception. No reason was given for Rousseau’s decision to part ways with Rosenhaus.

More On The New Contract For Bills DT Ed Oliver

When the Bills extended defensive tackle Ed Oliver last week, we examined how the deal was an accurate reflection of Oliver’s talents, rewarding him for his accomplishments while not placing him with the elite at the position. If anything, the deal seemed a bit heavy for what Oliver had shown on the stat sheet, but some insight, provided by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, was able to help put the deal in perspective.

We already noted that the deal reduced his cap hit in the coming season from $10.75MM down to $5.78MM. We also noted that the big payday only slotted Oliver 11th at his position for average annual value. These points help to explain a bit about how reasonable the deal was financially, but Breer gave some reasoning for why the deal was as high of a payday as it was despite the apparent lack of production.

The Bills reportedly utilized advanced statistics when determining Oliver’s value. They saw that, despite his lack of statistical production, Buffalo’s pass rush excelled significantly more when Oliver was on the field. They found that, while Oliver’s lack of size and length can make it difficult to finish plays, he’s still disruptive enough to move to the ball out of position, allowing his teammates to reap the benefits off of his impact.

The team also expected much more from Oliver in 2022, predicting a breakthrough year after an impressive camp. Unfortunately, a high ankle sprain in the first half of the season opener against the Rams really knocked him off-kilter. Although he was able to return to the field just five weeks later, Oliver told people he didn’t quite feel right again until March. This projected potential helped inflate Oliver’s deal a bit, despite what was considered a bit of a down year.

We were also provided with some details on terms of the deal, thanks to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. We had reported a four-year, $68MM value with $45MM (now, more accurately, $45.28MM) guaranteed. We later added on that part of that guaranteed money was a $14.75MM signing bonus. Now, we know that, of that $45.28MM, $24.53MM is guaranteed at signing and is composed of the signing bonus, Oliver’s 2023 base salary of $2.03MM, and $7.75MM of his 2024 base salary (worth $14.75MM total). The $7MM-remainder of the 2024 salary becomes guaranteed the day following next year’s Super Bowl. $8.25MM of his 2025 base salary (worth $13.75MM total) becomes guaranteed on the fifth league day of the 2024 season, and the remaining $5.5MM becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the roster for the fifth league day of the 2025 season. He’ll have base salaries in 2026 and 2027 of $14.13MM and $14.4MM respectively.

Oliver can earn plenty in bonuses over the course of the deal. He’ll get a 2024 option bonus of $12.5MM, which, if exercised, would reduce his base salary amount for that year to $2.25MM. He can also receive an offseason roster bonus in 2025 of $1.25MM. There are workout bonuses of $500k per year starting in 2024, as well as per game active roster bonuses starting in that season of $25k for a potential additional $425k per season. There are also two undefined incentives worked into the deal for a potential $500k in 2023 and a possible $750k in each of the following years of the deal. The deal also has a built-in out that would allow the team to cut Oliver after the 2025 season for over $40MM of cap savings and only $5.9MM of dead cap.

So, that’s the skinny on how the Bills constructed Oliver’s new deal. They were able to reward the anchor of their defensive line while incentivizing him to continue to improve his performance. They locked Oliver down for a long-term deal and were able to alleviate their cap situation a bit in the process.