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Sean McDermott: Concern Exists With Wide Receiver Group

October 8th, 2024 at 11:46am CST by Sam Robinson

Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs‘ departures brought scrutiny on the Bills’ wide receiver group this offseason. While some of the players the perennial AFC East champions have turned to have enjoyed moments, the passing game has regressed against stiffer competition over the past two weeks.

Down his most reliable target (Khalil Shakir) in Week 5, Josh Allen completed 9 of 30 passes for 131 yards. Allen’s 4.37 yards per attempt marked the third-lowest figure of his career, with the only two showings south of that place coming during the passer’s developmental 2010s seasons. The Bills might be running into a problem, though Shakir and second-round pick Keon Coleman have shown they will be regular contributors this season as long as they are healthy.

[RELATED: Texans Initiated Diggs Talks At Combine]

That said, Sean McDermott indicated (via the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski) concern exists with the team’s wide receiver group. While the eighth-year Buffalo HC otherwise expressed confidence in the recently assembled WR cadre, the Bills may well be a player short here. They have been mentioned as a Davante Adams suitor, but they are among the teams who are believed to view the Raiders’ asking price — at least a second-round pick — as too high for an expensive, soon-to-be 32-year-old standout.

Buffalo threw a few darts at this group in free agency, signing Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool. While Samuel, Hollins and Valdes-Scantling remain on Buffalo’s roster, none has moved the needle. Samuel has been the biggest disappointment, given where the Bills went to reunite him with OC Joe Brady (three years, $24MM); he has nine receptions for 48 yards in five games. Of this group, only Shakir (230 yards) and Coleman (175) have posted more than 75 yards.

If Adams is not a true Bills target, the team — if it, in fact, does attempt to belatedly equip Allen with a starter-level option — should have some other available WRs to target. DeAndre Hopkins, whom the Bills discussed with the Cardinals last year, may be available. Christian Kirk has been brought up as a trade chip, and despite acquiring Diontae Johnson via trade in March, the Panthers have not engaged in extension talks. The ex-Steeler has come up as a player teams are monitoring as well, and The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia mentions Johnson as a name to watch in connection with the Bills’ need (subscription required).

While the Bills have been no stranger to hiring ex-Panthers, this would not exactly qualify for the McDermott-Brandon Beane pipeline since Johnson only arrived in Carolina this offseason. Johnson carries $4.91MM in prorated base salary, were a team to acquire him this week. That number will drop as we head toward the Nov. 5 deadline. The Bills filled a need at last year’s deadline, acquiring Rasul Douglas from the Packers. Douglas remains a Buffalo starting cornerback.

Johnson’s skillset would somewhat overlap with Shakir’s, but the sixth-year veteran obviously brings more experience. He is among the NFL’s top separators, having finished in the top four in ESPN’s Open Score metric from 2019-22, ranking first in multiple seasons during that span. Regardless of any overlap with Shakir, Johnson would give the Bills a borderline No. 1 target and upgrade their passing attack. If the team is not keen on paying up for Adams, who still looks to be eyeing a reunion with either Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr, a player like Johnson would make sense.

As mentioned in an offseason Trade Rumors Front Office piece, the Bills seemed a man down if only due to this being the age-28 season of a quarterback who has absorbed more punishment compared to some of his top-tier contemporaries. Allen runs the risk of his prime being shorter than the likes of Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow due to his run-game workload, and the Bills maximizing these years would seem prudent. For now, the team is going with its Shakir- and Coleman-fronted group. After two straight losses, however, the heat may be on this contingent. Otherwise, noise about a Douglas-style pre-deadline swap will become louder.

Texans Approached Bills About Stefon Diggs At Combine; Other Teams Inquired About WR

October 7th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Allen faced the Texans without his most reliable receiver, as Khalil Shakir was down due to an ankle injury sustained in Baltimore. This helped lead to a woeful performance, accuracy-wise, from the Bills‘ franchise quarterback.

Buffalo’s superstar quarterback went 9-for-30 for just 131 yards in the loss to Houston. The player who previously held the role of Allen’s top weapon, Stefon Diggs, contributed to the Texans’ win. Diggs’ six-catch, 82-yard day helped Houston withstand a Buffalo rally, and he still counts $31.1MM toward on his former team’s cap sheet this year. The Diggs trade brought a wide receiver-record dead money number, one that trails only Russell Wilson‘s Broncos albatross this year. The Bills moved on anyway, with a Texans offer changing their plan at wide receiver.

The Bills moved on in early April, but Nick Caserio began this process by approaching Brandon Beane about Diggs’ availability at the Combine a month earlier, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes. The eighth-year Bills GM did not shut down the Texans, though he did not sound overly interested at that point, either. While the Bills did end up moving Diggs to Houston — for a 2025 second-round pick in a trade that also sent 2024 and 2025 fifth-rounders to the Texans — Russini adds other teams inquired about the receiver’s availability this offseason.

By the time the Texans finalized the trade (April 3), it was unclear who they were negotiating against — as several teams had made their WR moves in March or were planning to do so in the draft. Diggs dialogue had persisted for a bit, however. Both Russini and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicate teams had asked the Bills about Diggs before last season.

As Buffalo constructed a run-heavier approach in OC Joe Brady‘s first weeks on the job in an interim capacity, the Bills began to view their offense as less Diggs-reliant, a team source told Fowler. As the Bills leaned on James Cook more than they had during the season’s first half, Diggs’ role lessened. Diggs also dropped a well-placed deep pass that could have changed the outcome of the Bills’ divisional-round matchup with the Chiefs. Although Beane called Diggs “a No. 1 receiver” at season’s end, the team moved on around players who do not yet fit that description.

The Texans were in on Keenan Allen in mid-March, joining the Jets in pursuing the longtime Chargers standout. The Bears ended up acquiring Allen for a fourth-round pick, but Fowler adds the Texans were close to adding him. That effort falling through led Houston back to Diggs, who has 31 catches for 315 yards and three total touchdowns through five games.

Shakir’s 230 yards (through four contests) lead the Bills, and though second-round rookie Keon Coleman is progressing, Allen does not have a Diggs-level presence yet. Partially as a result, the Bills are among the teams in the Davante Adams mix. Though, the Jets and Saints may be bigger players in that market, with the Bills — despite holding two 2025 second-round picks — believed to view the Raiders’ price as too high.

Diggs and Allen remained cordial during the former’s second-half usage decline last season, per Fowler, but the team’s decision to part with wide receivers coach Chad Hall after the 2022 campaign affected its relationship with Diggs. The team’s previous No. 1 target was close with Hall, whose contract had expired; Hall left to be the Jaguars’ pass-game coordinator last year. Diggs also may have offered unsuccessful input about helping to repair the Bills’ offense late in the 2022 season, as Allen battled an elbow injury.

This may not be a widely supported account, though it backs up one report from 2023. Diggs had later denied he tried to influence Bills play-calling. But this timeline also involved an animated sideline scene during the Bengals’ 27-10 divisional-round win and Sean McDermott later indicating — at the following minicamp, which featured an abrupt Diggs exit — he was “very concerned” with the wide receiver’s situation.

While the Bills moved past that June blip and Diggs played out the 2023 season, more cryptic tweets — which reminded of his 2020 Vikings exit to the point some with the NFC North franchise saw a similar pattern play out — emerged in the wake of Buffalo’s 11-6 campaign. Diggs did not request a Bills trade, nor were the Bills shopping him. But he made a comment to GQ this offseason pointing to a desire to leave.

The Bills gave Diggs’ camp permission to speak with the Texans before the trade happened. This helps explain why Houston made the strange decision to remove the final three years from the 30-year-old wideout’s contract, making him a 2025 free agent. This looks to have been a central part of the Texans’ negotiations with Diggs’ camp, pointing to the receiver angling for such terms, as it would be otherwise unusual for a team to give up three years of player control at what was a team-friendly rate; Diggs left Buffalo with four seasons left on his four-year, $96MM extension.

The Texans will have a Diggs decision to make in the near future, as he is playing out a contract year for the first time, while the Bills may need to shop for a veteran receiver before the November 5 deadline. If the Adams sweepstakes ends with the All-Pro not Buffalo-bound, it will be interesting to see if the AFC East powerhouse tries to add a piece at a lower cost.

Raiders’ Davante Adams Likely To Recover In Time For Week 6; Latest On Trade Market

October 6th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 6: Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Press-Gazette confirms the Steelers are among the teams which have called about Adams’ availability. As he notes, though, it remains to be seen how much interest Adams would have in heading to Pittsburgh and committing to the necessary contract adjustments for a deal to become feasible. Adams does not have a no-trade clause or other official leverage in determining his destination, meaning the Steelers remain in play as a suitor; whether they become a serious contender to swing a trade remains to be seen, though.

OCTOBER 5: Davante Adams will not play on Sunday as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. That process has doubled as the intensification of his trade market, with several suitors being linked to an agreement with the Raiders.

Vegas is insisting on a trade price of a second-round pick and more to move on from the All-Pro wideout. Retaining some of his salary could take place to make that possible, but Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson writes multiple league executives view that price as “exorbitant.” Even with a lesser financial acquisition cost, teams could be hard-pressed to part with signficant draft capital for player whose non-guaranteed salaries in 2025 and ’26 would essentially make him a rental, something a number of suitors view him as.

A long-term commitment in Adams would, on the other hand, especially make sense if it were to come from the Jets or Saints. Those teams have long been at the top of the list of teams mentioned as landing spots for the 31-year-old, whose preference would be to reunite with Aaron Rodgers. A deal sending him to New Orleans and thus reconnecting him with Derek Carr and receivers coach Keith Williams is also on the radar, though, and Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports Adams has “concerns” about Rodgers’ willingness to remain with New York beyond 2024 (subscription required).

While several reports still tap the Jets as the frontrunner in this case, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds the Saints have been the most aggressive suitor to date. New Orleans does not have the necessary cap space to swing an Adams acquisition, and the team is (as per usual) on track to require several cuts and restructures to attain compliance next offseason. Taking on Adams’ contract now and in the future would be a challenge, though bringing him into the fold could prove to be highly impactful in the NFC South race.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, to little surprise, the Raiders’ preference would be to avoid retaining any portion of Adams’ outstanding base salary (roughly $13.5MM at this point). That could limit the number of suitors unless the asking price in terms of draft compensation were to come down, but many are still in contention as things stand. The Commanders may be among them, but even if not the Steelers, Ravens and Bills have made inquiries as well. Russini adds Pittsburgh – connected to non-Adams trade targets as well – is making an “aggressive” offer, although no deal with any team is considered imminent.

As for Baltimore and Buffalo, Robinson notes a second-rounder is too high of an asking price for a deal to receive serious consideration. The Ravens, per Schefter, have not been in contact with the Raiders for several days. The Cowboys will be without Brandin Cooks for at least four games, but the team has made it clear fitting Adams into its financial planning would be a tall order. 49ers general manager John Lynch‘s latest comments on a potential pursuit of the six-time Pro Bowler, meanwhile, suggested San Francisco is an unlikely destination. The same may well be true of the Chiefs, but they are positioned to test the Raiders’ stance on taking the best offer given their need for a receiver.

Rapoport’s piece notes Adams is likely to be healed in time for Week 6. Trade talks should heat up in the coming days, he and Schefter add, so further developments on this ever-evolving front can be expected. November 5 looms as the trade deadline, and as such the Raiders can still afford to be patient while attempting to cultivate the best market possible over the near future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24

October 5th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.

Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.

Hall Of Fame G Billy Shaw Dies At 85

October 4th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Billy Shaw, a member of both Bills American Football League-winning teams in the mid-1960s, died Friday. He was 85. Shaw holds the distinction of being the only player enshrined in the Hall of Fame whose career occurred entirely in the AFL.

Helping Buffalo to back-to-back AFL titles in 1964 and ’65, Shaw was a starting guard throughout a nine-year career spent only with the Bills. He earned first-team All-AFL honors in five consecutive seasons, with that stretch overlapping with Buffalo dominance in the upstart league.

“Billy Shaw holds the distinction of being the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to play his entire career in the American Football League, but while that fact is worthy of noting and nice to recite, it comes nowhere near providing the reason he was elected as a member of the Class of 1999,” Hall President Jim Porter said. “Billy’s all-around athleticism brought a new dimension to the guard position and made the 1960s Buffalo Bills a formidable opponent capable of bruising opponents with a punishing rushing attack.”

A 1961 second-round Bills pick, Shaw went ninth overall; the AFL began as an eight-team league. The Georgia Tech alum was also a 14th-round Cowboys choice — during the six-year period in which the leagues held separate drafts. He joined the Bills for $11K, with a $5K signing bonus and a new car included in the deal. Shaw soon became a fixture at left guard for a Bills line tasked with protecting quarterback Jack Kemp or paving lanes for fullback Cookie Gilchrist during the team’s 1960s heyday.

Although the Bills franchise is best known for its four straight AFC crowns and Super Bowl losses in the early 1990s, the franchise prevailed on the biggest stage decades earlier. As Kemp powered Lou Saban‘s team to a 22-5-1 record from 1964-65, Shaw was the only Bills offensive player to earn first-team All-AFL honors in both seasons.

The Bills, who halted a potential Chargers AFL dynasty by beating them for both the 1964 and ’65 championships, lost to the Chiefs for the right to trek to the first Super Bowl. Shaw kept rolling, collecting first-team All-AFL honors in 1966 and second-team acclaim in ’68. Shaw started 116 career games, not missing a contest until his seventh season. By decade’s end, the Natchez, Miss., native was the only Bills offensive player to land on the AFL’s All-Decade first team.

AFC East Notes: Rodgers, Saleh, Pats, Bills

October 4th, 2024 at 2:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Rodgers‘ first season as a healthy quarterback, for all intents and purposes, under Robert Saleh has not started off on a smooth track. The incident in which the future Hall of Fame quarterback appeared to push the fourth-year Jets HC away following a Week 3 touchdown preceded a sequence in which Saleh’s views on the team’s Week 4 false-start penalties did not align with Rodgers’. Saleh entered the season on probably the AFC’s hottest seat, and Rodgers’ return represented the only reason ownership left the current power structure in play. So far, Rodgers is downplaying a rift exists.

“I think there’s some driving force to try and put a wedge [from] outside the facility between Robert and I,” Rodgers said, via the New York Post’s Brian Costello. “But, you know, we’re really good friends. We enjoy each other and we spend time [together]. Almost every day, I’m in his office talking about things and talking about the energy of the team, the focus of the team, what we need to get done, how I can help him out, how he can help me out. So we’ve got a great relationship.”

Rumblings about Rodgers-Saleh friction trace back to the embattled New York HC fining the QB for his trip to Egypt, which occurred during Gang Green’s minicamp. How not fining Rodgers would look to the locker room was at the root of that minor penalty, but the instances of perceived friction between coach and player are piling up. Rodgers’ denial probably will not do too much to cool down this plot, especially as the Jets struggle for consistency.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Jerod Mayo warned of consequences for Rhamondre Stevenson, who has fumbled in each game this season. The recently extended Patriots back has received both public and private warnings about his RB1 status if this fumbling persists. “That’s definitely under consideration,” Mayo said of a demotion. “I’ve had multiple conversations with Rhamondre. But look, we can’t preach that ball security is job security and still have him out there the majority of the time.” Bill Belichick‘s leash was memorably shorter for fumble-prone RBs, but Mayo’s patience is now running thin. The 1-3 Pats gave Stevenson a four-year, $38MM extension this offseason, with $17.12MM fully guaranteed.
  • Mayo cited the Patriots’ offensive line issues when discussing Drake Maye‘s limited participation to open the preseason, and the team has suffered additional blows up front since. Starting four left tackles in four games, the Pats have missed guard starter Sidy Sow for part of this season and been without Cole Strange throughout. They have since placed third-round rookie Caedan Wallace on IR and are set to play without 10th-year center David Andrews the rest of the way. Pushing back on the notion New England’s O-line issues factor into why Maye is still behind Jacoby Brissett, OC Alex Van Pelt said (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) that is not part of the team’s consideration. Maye began seeing first-team practice reps early this season, but the team is starting Brissett for a fifth game. The No. 3 overall pick almost definitely will play this season, though the Pats do not exactly have a good situation for a rookie QB.
  • Von Miller likely received his four-game suspension for the arrest on a charge of assaulting a pregnant person, despite the Bills edge rusher and his girlfriend — the alleged victim — denying any crime occurred. That said, The Athletic’s Tim Graham notes the Bills are not entirely sure why Miller was suspended. The team received word a suspension was coming days before it was official, Sean McDermott said. (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg). Nearly two years removed from his second ACL tear, Miller (three sacks) is playing much better than he did last year. The subject of a suspension voiding guarantees is now moot, as Miller’s 2024 salary is locked in (as a vested veteran); no guarantees remain for 2025 or 2026.
  • Kyle Dugger sustained an ankle injury, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the recently extended Patriots safety avoided a major issue. Dugger still could miss time for a reeling Pats team, though an IR stint may not be necessary.

Davante Adams Aiming For Jets Trade; Raiders To Accept Highest Offer

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davante Adams is unlikely to play in Week 5, but the matter of his hamstring injury is a minor element to his ongoing storyline. The Raiders continue to have discussions tied to dealing the All-Pro wideout to a new team, although an expected suitor is in place as his target.

Adams wants to play with the Jets, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That update comes as no surprise considering the mutual interest showed by both Adams and Aaron Rodgers to reunite in New York. The Jets are among the numerous teams which have inquired about a deal, and reporting from yesterday tapped them as the favorites to pull off a trade. Other suitors remain in the running, though.

Rapoport notes Adams has not insisted to the Raiders he will only go to New York, adding other teams appeal to him as well. The Saints, Steelers, Bills and Cowboys are teams which have had conversations about a deal, although Dallas is no longer believed to be interested in adding the 31-year-old. Rapoport lists the Ravens and 49ers as destinations Adams could be amenable to. San Francisco currently leads the league in cap space ($56.74MM), while Baltimore has just $4.31MM and would need to execute a number of maneuvers to made an Adams deal feasible.

Any acquiring team would take on a prorated portion of the Fresno State product’s $16.89MM base salary (along with $30K in weekly roster bonuses) to fit him into their 2024 cap structure. Two more years remain on Adams’ deal, but a restructure resulting in guaranteed money for 2025 and beyond along with a drop in cap hits is expected regardless of where he winds up. The Raiders could increase the value of draft pick compensation coming back in a trade by retaining some salary. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini names the Bills and Chiefs as suitors monitoring the market which could make a more notable push in the event Vegas were to absorb some of the outstanding compensation.

While it would certainly be notable if Kansas City – a team which could use an addition at the receiver spot – were to emerge as a legitimate contender for an intra-divisional deal, Rapoport reports the Raiders are prepared to take the highest offer they receive. That may still come from the Jets (who currently have $16.81MM in cap space), but stronger bids from Derek Carr‘s Saints or another team would complicate efforts on New York’s part to work out an agreement. The Raiders’ asking price reportedly starts with a second-round pick, but that would change if salary retention were to be brought into the equation.

Adams was sidelined for Week 4, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports he is not expected to play this week against the Broncos. Russini adds Adams could be back to full health in time for Week 6 if he does not encounter any setbacks. If the former second-rounder is at full strength before a trade is worked out, Rapoport notes Adams could continue playing for Vegas, something which appeared to be in store for the rest of the campaign until earlier this week.

Rapoport adds nothing is imminent on the trade front at this time. Given Adams’ openness to moving on and the Raiders’ willingness to seek out his market amongst interested parties, though, the possibility remains this situation will see a resolution before the November 5 trade deadline which results in a change of scenery. If the Raiders remain committed to taking the best offer on the table, it will be interesting to see how urgently the Jets pursue a deal.

Jets, Cowboys Inquire On Raiders’ Davante Adams; Bills, Saints, Steelers In Mix

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Early in the Davante Adams market, the obvious trade suitor does look to be readying a pursuit. Linked to the wide receiver since acquiring Aaron Rodgers, the Jets are in on the disgruntled Raiders wide receiver.

They have reached out to the Raiders on Adams, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who adds the Cowboys have done the same in what may be a drawn-out sweepstakes. Adams also would be interested in joining the Jets, as veteran NFL reporter Jordan Schultz indicates they are one of his preferred destinations.

Rodgers has been lobbying the Jets to make the move, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, who indicates teams beyond New York and Dallas are expected to be part of this derby. It is not known how interested other teams are just yet, but Pauline notes the Bills, Saints and Steelers join the Jets in being the most interested parties presently.

Seeking a package worth a second-round pick and change, the Raiders are prepared to wait. While Adams wants out now and has been frustrated about his situation dating back to the Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo signing, the team has more than a month until this year’s trade deadline, which was moved back one week — to November 5 — via an offseason vote. It appears unlikely Adams will suit up before that point.

As the Raiders seek a second-rounder-headlined package, Pauline floats that a first-round choice being put on the table would move the deal across the goal line. Though, Adams is a high-priced player who will turn 32 before season’s end. Still, he probably will be the top wide receiver available ahead of this year’s deadline.

Despite looming as an obvious trade candidate dating back to last season, Adams had repeatedly indicated he did not want to be moved. That has since changed, with the situation escalating. Antonio Pierce liking an Instagram post about a potential Adams trade has apparently catalyzed these proceedings. Adams officially requested a trade Monday, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. Pierce is set to address this situation later today, but Schultz adds Adams’ camp approached the Raiders about a potential trade last season but stopped short of an official request. Adams played out the season, but the Raiders have drifted further away from the championship radar, which Pauline notes is a lead factor in the WR wanting out.

Adams has appeared out of place in Las Vegas, with the team’s decision to jettison Derek Carr one season into the wide receiver’s tenure planting seeds for this relationship’s deterioration. After spending his entire Green Bay career with Rodgers, Adams has seen the Raiders cycle through a few QBs. The Garoppolo fit, as Netflix’s Receiver showed, proved the most problematic. But the Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew stopgaps — as a Pierce-driven effort to trade up for Jayden Daniels did not come close to fruition — leave the 11th-year wideout in limbo. Teams have undoubtedly observed this as well, and this trade request will ignite one of the most interesting trade races in recent memory.

As the Bills, Saints, Steelers and Cowboys loom as well, the obvious issue that would impede a fit with the Chiefs will make such a move a nonstarter. Kansas City is not expected be an option for Vegas re: Adams, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While the Chiefs are suddenly in need of a difference-making receiver after losing Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown, the Raiders being division rivals will not lead to any traction with Adams.

The Saints would appeal to Adams, Schefter adds. This would again reunite Adams with Carr, his longtime friend and former Fresno State teammate. New Orleans is 2-2, thanks to two impressive wins and two narrow losses, and a need for a wideout presence alongside Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed has existed dating back to the offseason. New Orleans only holds $2.8MM in cap space, but GM Mickey Loomis has proven adept at working around such hindrances. Adams also counts Saints wide receivers coach Keith Williams, who has been the receiver’s personal coach in the offseason, as a mentor, Schefter adds.

The Bills are also near the bottom in cap space, at $3.7MM. The Raiders can also pick up some of Adams’ base salary (a prorated $16.9MM) to improve trade compensation. Buffalo has attempted to play four weeks without a No. 1-level wide receiver, though Khalil Shakir has been effective and second-rounder Keon Coleman has shown promise. The Bills were in on DeAndre Hopkins before trading Stefon Diggs in 2023, however, and should be expected to kick the tires on receivers before the deadline. The Steelers memorably missed out on Brandon Aiyuk, despite agreeing to trade parameters with the 49ers. Adams would fit on an offense that features only one eight-figure-per-year contract (Pat Freiermuth‘s recent extension). While the Steelers are not known for splashy WR acquisitions, the Aiyuk pursuit shows they were ready to change that reputation.

Dallas has been lacking in CeeDee Lamb support since trading Amari Cooper, with its long-running Odell Beckham Jr. pursuit in 2022 and subsequent Brandin Cooks trade highlighting interest in augmenting its WR situation. Cooks and Adams were 2014 draft classmates, though the latter has proven to be a higher-tier receiver. He would certainly help a team that, thanks to the Lamb and Dak Prescott extensions, carries $23.8MM in cap space. The Cowboys have not shown interest in acquiring high-profile vets at other positions this season, but they appear willing to consider making an exception for Adams.

Circling back to the Jets, their HC-GM combo being on a hot seat — along with the perception this is currently a Rodgers-centric operation — makes them an obvious suitor. It would surprise if the team did not make an aggressive move here, even after signing Mike Williams in March. Rodgers said this summer he was eager to play with his former No. 1 target again, and the QB has not formed strong chemistry with Garrett Wilson just yet. The Jets carry $16.8MM in cap space.

This quintet each making an offer would strengthen the Raiders’ position, and 2025 draft capital would help the franchise’s 2025 QB pursuit. Adams will become $970K cheaper for a team to acquire as the weeks pass — on a contract featuring two high nonguaranteed 2025 and ’26 salaries ($35.6MM, $36.6MM) — and this may well be the top trade sweepstakes to monitor over the next month.

Bills’ Von Miller Issued Four-Game Ban

October 1st, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Von Miller has remained healthy this season, but he will be absent from the Bills for a notable stretch. The All-Pro edge rusher has been an issued a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, per a league announcement.

Miller was arrested last December on a domestic violence charge. The 35-year-old – who faced a third-degree felony charge – denied the allegations during his first public remarks on the matter, calling them “100% false.” A league investigation into the matter took place, and in March commissioner Roger Goodell said a suspension “was not appropriate based on the facts.” The incident remained under league review after that point, however.

It is possible further investigation has now led to a ban, although the NFL did not specify which incident led to today’s suspension. Miller was not placed on the commissioner’s exempt list ahead of the campaign, something which is common in cases of domestic violence. The three-time All-Pro appeared in all four of Buffalo’s games this season, albeit in a rotational capacity. Miller has logged a snap share of 35%, which is roughly in line with his usage from a 2023 campaign in which his effectiveness was hindered by his ACL recovery.

Miller was one of many Bills whose contracts was restructured this offseason. As a result of that move, no guaranteed salary remains on his pact beyond 2024. The two-time Super Bowl champion’s value took a nosedive in 2023 when he was held without a sack. His debut Buffalo campaign included eight sacks in 11 games, though, so expectations were high for a rebound provided he remained healthy. Miller has notched three sacks this season.

In his absence, the Bills will move forward with the likes of Gregory Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Dawuane Smoot and Javon Solomon along the edge. The team sits at 3-1 on the year but a defense which has been dealing with several impactful injuries has now lost another contributor for one month.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/24

October 1st, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s minor NFL transactions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): DT Zion Logue

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed (off Commanders’ practice squad): LB Jalen Graham

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Robbins’ release today marks the end of what was supposed to be the continuation of the battle for the punter position in Cincinnati, setting the table for Ryan Rehkow to continue his job as the primary punter for the Bengals. Robbins was activated from injured reserve yesterday, but his stint on the active roster ends after only one day. It’s an interesting move after the team dedicated one of their eight IR activations for the season on Robbins before the season began.

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