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Cody Ford On Bills’ Roster Bubble?

August 8th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Adam La Rose

Expectations were high for offensive lineman Cody Ford when he was drafted in the second round in 2019. After three seasons in Buffalo, however, his level of play has made this year’s training camp one of great importance for his future either with the Bills or elsewhere in the league. 

The Oklahoma product started 15 games at right tackle as a rookie – the position he was widely expected to play throughout his NFL tenure. He surrendered seven sacks en route to a poor PFF grade, though, and was moved inside to guard the following year. In a campaign cut short by injury, he didn’t show the level of improvement many hoped to see.

In 2021, Ford registered a career-low snap percentage of 47%, and only started seven of the 15 contests he appeared in. He ended the season with his lowest PFF grade to date (46.7), and is now strictly viewed as an interior lineman. With one year remaining on his contract, the 25-year-old thus entered the summer with plenty to prove.

However, Ford “has not had a good camp,” per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required). The six-foot-three, 329-pounder’s struggles in practice have reached the point where Buscaglia writes that it “wouldn’t be a surprise” if Ford found himself being traded or cut at the end of August. Other lineman such as David Quessenberry, Greg Mancz and Bobby Hart have outperformed him so far, so preseason performances could go a long way to determining his future.

Moving on from a high draft pick so early in his career would be a disappointing development for the Bills, but the possibility of doing so will be a key storyline to watch through the remainder of the offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/22

August 7th, 2022 at 8:05pm CST by Rory Parks

We will keep track of today’s minor moves right here:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

Saffold landed on the NFI list after injuring his ribs in a car accident. Getting their starting left guard back sooner rather than later is an important development for the Bills.

Colburn will take the place of Cottrell in the Jags’ RB room. The Wake Forest product played in four games for the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars this year, garnering 102 rushes for 457 yards (just under 4.5 YPC) and eight scores.

Cottrell has seen action in each of the past two years for Jacksonville, returning seven kicks in 2020 and handling one carry in 2021.

Wolf and Parker get preseason roster positions after successful workouts yesterday. The Commanders are looking for depth at both positions as they work towards a 53-man roster.

Bills, FB Reggie Gilliam Agree To Extension

August 7th, 2022 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

The Bills have signed FB Reggie Gilliam to a two-year extension worth up to $5.2MM, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network was first to report (via Twitter). The team subsequently announced the move.

A 2020 UDFA, Gilliam has seen most of his action on special teams, appearing in 504 third-unit snaps in his first two years in the league (as opposed to just 236 offensive snaps). However, he received high marks for his blocking prowess in his limited time on the offensive side of the ball, with Pro Football Focus assigning him a strong 76.3 grade for run-blocking and a stellar 84.7 pass-blocking grade in 2021.

Although he has lined up in the backfield and as a tight end, Gilliam hasn’t gotten many touches. In his career, he has five catches for 39 yards and a TD, to go along with three carries for three yards.

Still, the Bills clearly value his contributions. We do not yet know how much of the above-referenced $5.2MM payout is guaranteed, but as a former UDFA who plays a position that many NFL teams no longer utilize and who does not see nearly as much burn as better-compensated fullbacks like Kyle Juszczyk and Patrick Ricard, Gilliam appears to have done well for himself.

The soon-to-be 25-year-old was eligible for free agency at season’s end but is now under club control through 2024.

Injury Updates: Patriots, Burrow, Poyer, Giants, Falcons

August 3rd, 2022 at 9:35pm CST by Ben Levine

James White remains without a return timetable. The veteran is still sidelined following hip surgery, and Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that it’s uncertain when the long-time Patriots RB will return to the field.

The longest-tenured member of the Patriots offense could ultimately land on PUP, but Howe notes that the organization will wait a few more weeks to evaluate White’s progress. The RB suffered a hip subluxation injury last September, limiting him to only three games during the 2021 season. White had 496 yards from scrimmage during his first non-Tom Brady season in 2020, but he topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage in both 2019 and 2018.

Fortunately for the Patriots, the organization still has Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson atop their depth chart, but it’s tough to replace the pass-catching prowess of White. The organization also used a pair of draft picks on RBs Pierre Strong Jr. (fourth round) and Kevin Harris (sixth round).

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had an appendectomy last week, and it’s unlikely we see him until the regular season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Burrow likely won’t play during the preseason. Rapoport estimates that the QB could return two to four weeks after his initially surgery, and he’ll likely participate in throwing sessions while limiting his hits during practice.
  • Bills All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer hyperextended his elbow yesterday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). While the injury will keep Poyer off the field for a few weeks, he’s expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. The veteran defensive back has only missed a pair of regular season games since joining the Bills in 2017.
  • Giants fourth-round safety Dane Belton suffered a broken collarbone, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). While the rookie will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, the organization is holding out hope that he’ll be good to go for the start of the season. There’s a better chance he lands on IR following final cuts and will then be activated at some point in October. The Iowa product had already made a strong impression at training camp, according to Raanan.
  • Falcons defensive tackle Vincent Taylor ruptured his Achilles, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein (on Twitter). The injury will force Taylor to miss the 2022 season. The 28-year-old joined the Falcons back in April. The journeyman has appeared in 40 career games, including a single start with the Texans in 2021.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/22

July 30th, 2022 at 5:55pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ll keep track of today’s minor transactions here:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

  • Activated from non-football illness list: OT Dan Skipper

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

 

Dawson Knox Seeking Bills Extension

July 28th, 2022 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

After breaking through in his third season — a 587-yard, nine-touchdown campaign — Dawson Knox is looking to stay in Buffalo for a while.

Rather than indicating intrigue about a 2023 free agency bid, the contract-year tight end has communicated to the Bills he would like to sign an extension that keeps him in western New York long-term.

“First and foremost, I want to be here. I mean, I bought a house here a few months ago, not because I want to be gone in a year,” Knox said, via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required). “So I want to be here as long as I can.

“I know a lot of that stuff is out of my hands with salary cap. I try not to read into all that too much, but I’ve definitely communicated that I want to be here for an extended amount of time, so whether that’s getting the extension now or later, I definitely hope it happens.”

While the Bills could strike early here, the former third-round pick could drive up his market with another quality season. The Ole Miss alum did not top 400 receiving yards in either of his first two seasons but became a key Josh Allen target in Year 3.

Knox rounds out a deep Buffalo pass-catching stable, one that will attempt to collectively fill the voids created by the exits of Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders. The Bills signed Jamison Crowder and have Gabriel Davis poised to be Stefon Diggs‘ top complement, but Knox could see a target uptick as well.

A big Knox season could also put him on the franchise tag radar in 2023. The Bills have not used the tag since cuffing left tackle Cordy Glenn in 2016, and Knox’s potential to be kept off the market is complicated by Tremaine Edmunds and Jordan Poyer being in walk years as well. Three tight ends — David Njoku, Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki — were hit with the $10.9MM tag this year. That marked a big rase for each. Njoku’s $13.7MM-per-year extension almost certainly impacted the Cowboys and Dolphins’ talks with their tight ends. Each could benefit in 2023, with next year’s tight end market suddenly looking crowded.

NFL Workouts: 7/25/22

July 25th, 2022 at 9:25pm CST by Ely Allen

As players are moved to the PUP and NFI lists and rosters are starting to take shape for the start of training camps, many players are searching for opportunities to make a team.

Here’s the list of players who have received workouts or taken visits today and this past weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New England

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

 

Bills S Jordan Poyer Reports To Training Camp

July 25th, 2022 at 2:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Expectations are justifiably high for the Bills heading into this season, but for months the contract status of one of their top defenders has remained a key talking point. Amidst his stated desire for a new contract, safety Jordan Poyer reported to training camp yesterday, as noted by NFL Network’s Mike Giardi (on Twitter). 

That news alone doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given that players often try to leverage their financial situations via ‘hold-ins’ now. On that point, though, Giardi adds that Poyer “is expected to practice” with the team. The 31-year-old has one year remaining on his current contract.

The fact that he is scheduled to make $6.7MM this season – a figure far lower than the compensation most other top safeties are in line for – has led the All-Pro to approach the team about an extension. In his fifth season with the Bills, Poyer matched his career high with five interceptions, adding nine pass deflections and three sacks. That kind of production has many expecting that the Bills would prefer to keep his partnership with Micah Hyde intact for at least the short-term future.

Further incentive for an new deal is the fact that Poyer’s scheduled cap hit ($10.78MM) could be lowered through an extension, which has always been viewed as being most likely to take place around training camp. Even if Poyer is on the field during practices, his lack of security beyond 2022 will loom large.

Quelling potential doubts about his desire to remain with the team, the Oregon State alum recently said “I can’t really think of a better situation for me to be in than Buffalo right now.” Progress made between the two sides on finalizing a new deal will be a storyline worth watching for a team looking to remain a Super Bowl contender now and for the foreseeable future.

Bills Sign OL Jordan Simmons

July 25th, 2022 at 8:41am CST by Adam La Rose

Jordan Simmons is on the move in free agency once again. The veteran lineman is signing a one-year deal with the Bills, per a team announcement. 

Simmons, 28, began his career with the Raiders, signing with them as a UDFA in 2017. It was with the Seahawks the following year that he made his debut, however, starting three of the six games he appeared in. The USC product missed all of 2019 due to injury, but Seattle kept him in the fold for the 2020 season, in which he played in 14 contests (six starts).

Last season, the six-foot-four, 339-pounder returned to the Raiders, eyeing a 53-man roster spot while on the Seahawks’ practice squad. He ended playing just 40 total snaps across five games, though, so it comes as little surprise that Vegas has moved on from him. Simmons’ career-best PFF grade is 58.7, which he set in 2018.

In Buffalo, he will provide insurance along the interior of the line, something the Bills now need after projected starting left guard Rodger Saffold was placed on the NFI list as a result of injuries suffered in a car crash. The team worked out Jamil Demby yesterday (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network), but is now turning its attention to Simmons. It is unclear at this point how long Saffold will be sidelined for, so at this point Simmons simply represents a depth addition for training camp.

Bills CB Tre’Davious White To Open Camp On PUP List; G Rodger Saffold On NFI List

July 24th, 2022 at 9:19am CST by Rory Parks

Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White will start training camp on the PUP list, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That does not come as much of a surprise given that White sustained a torn ACL in November.

Rapoport does note that White is “in a good place” in his recovery. It is still unclear when the two-time Pro Bowler will be able to return to the field, and he is a candidate to open the season on IR. If he is not ready to go for Week 1, Buffalo will likely deploy first-round rookie Kaiir Elam and Dane Jackson — who acquitted himself well when filling in for White last year — as its starting boundary corners.

White, who had signed a four-year, $70MM extension a little more than a year before suffering the ACL tear, was in the midst of a terrific 2021 campaign. His yards-per-completion (9.9) and yards-per-target (5.2) figures represented career-best marks, and he was surrendering a meager 60.8 QB rating on passes thrown in his direction. He had also posted 41 tackles, one forced fumble, six passes defensed, and one interception. The Bills have legitimate championship aspirations, and White’s healthy return will be instrumental to the club’s push for its first Lombardi Trophy.

Meanwhile, offseason acquisition Rodger Saffold will open camp on the NFI list after injuring his ribs in a recent car accident, per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (via Twitter). Head coach Sean McDermott did not put a timeline on Saffold’s return, saying only that the 34-year-old will return “in due time.”

Saffold spent the last three seasons with the Titans and earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career in 2021. Tennessee released him in a cost-cutting move in March, and he signed with the Bills several days later. He projects as Buffalo’s starting left guard.

Fellow guard Ike Boettger, who started 10 games for the Bills last season, finds himself on the PUP list after sustaining an Achilles tear towards the end of the 2021 season. DT Eli Ankou, a reserve/futures player who notched one sack and nine tackles in five games for Buffalo last year, joins him and White on that list.

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