HEADLINES

Buffalo Bills News & Rumors

Bills Eyeing Extension For RT Spencer Brown

September 5th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of teams have worked out extensions in recent days with Week 1 looming as an artificial deadline. In the case of Spencer Brown and Buffalo, a deal could be coming in the near future.

The Bills could work out a last-minute extension with their right tackle, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. Brown is currently set to play out the final year of his rookie contract before becoming one of the latest players to benefit from the upward movement in the tackle market (on both the left and right side of the ball). The former third-rounder has started all but three games in his Buffalo tenure.

Questions related to the offensive line have been a constant for much of the Josh Allen era, but that unit is in a strong place entering 2024. The midseason firing of Ken Dorsey led to Joe Brady taking over as offensive coordinator, and that resulted in a new emphasis being placed on the run game. The transition proved helpful for Brown, given his skillset, and the 26-year-old delivered a career-best 70.1 PFF grade in 2023. That figure ranked 32nd amongst qualifying tackles.

Brown’s first two seasons were not nearly as well-regarded in terms of PFF evaluation, although the five sacks he was charged with in 2023 matched the total from his 2021 and ’22 performances. Nevertheless, a second contract would represent a commitment on the Bills’ part in keeping Brown in place now and into the future. Buffalo lost some interior O-line depth by trading away Ryan Bates, but an offseason filled with cap-related departures has the team in line to experience considerable continuity up front.

Buffalo worked out an extension with left tackle Dion Dawkins, and he is on the books through 2029 as a result. David Edwards was retained on a two-year, $6MM pact which yield cost-effective starting play at the left guard spot. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence remains under team control for years to come via his rookie contract, while center Connor McGovern is still attached to a $7.45MM-per-year pact. That mix of big-ticket investments and less expensive contracts will be kept in mind as the Bills consider a Brown extension.

The right tackle spot is led financially by Penei Sewell, who landed a Lions deal averaging $28MM per year this offseason. He is one of three players at that position with an AAV of $20MM or more, while Mike Onwenu‘s new Patriots contract falls just short at $19MM. Brown’s track record has him unlikely to reach that level on a second Bills pact, of course, but a notable raise could nevertheless be in store if contract talks over the next few days were to produce an agreement.

2024 Offseason In Review Series

September 4th, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are PFR’s examinations of the 32 NFL teams’ 2024 offseasons:

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

WR Rumors: Chase, Diggs, Dotson, Steelers

September 4th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ja’Marr Chase spent weeks holding in. Now, the All-Pro Bengals wide receiver continues to vacillate between a hold-in strategy and practicing. Wednesday marked a better sign for the team, as its top weapon suited up for what is considered its first game-week workout of the season. Of course, Chase returned to the sideline after having previously suited up. The extension-seeking player’s Thursday participation may be more indicative, given the inconsistency here, of his Week 1 availability.

Seeking a deal in Justin Jefferson territory, Chase is doing so with an organization that avoids the kind of guarantee structures the Vikings authorized for their top wideout. Mike Brown has said Chase is the team’s top non-Joe Burrow performer, but the longtime owner pointed to a 2025 deal being more likely. That said, a recent report indicated the Bengals intensified efforts to extend Chase late last week. Burrow said Wednesday that Chase is ready to play, via the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway, but stopped short of confirming he would.

The Vikings did proceed this way with Jefferson, with the sides cutting off talks before last season. While the Bengals and Chase continue to negotiate, it will be interesting to see how the team — which has bristled about needing to change its guarantee structure for Chase — goes near the guarantees Jefferson ($110MM) and CeeDee Lamb ($100MM) commanded. Jefferson also did not hold in last year.

The Bengals listed Chase as a limited practice participant. A mysterious injury would be a way for him to avoid playing — absent a new contract — in Week 1, but Cincinnati’s injury report lists the limited capacity as pertaining to rest. Here is the latest from a few NFL wide receiver situations:

  • Jahan Dotson‘s second Commanders season included a clash with then-OC Eric Bieniemy, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Bieniemy’s style, as Ron Rivera pointed out last year, had brought a bit of a culture shock to several Commanders players. The longtime Chiefs OC is now in that position at UCLA. This year, teams began inquiring about Dotson’s availability after reading of Washington’s uncertainty beyond Terry McLaurin at receiver. The Commanders ended up making a rare trade with the Eagles, a pick-swap deal that brought back a 2025 third-rounder, to unload the 2022 first-round pick.
  • Missing out on Brandon Aiyuk, the Steelers have Van Jefferson and third-round pick Roman Wilson as their top George Pickens complementary options. The team also took a look at receiver/returner Jamal Agnew recently, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Agnew, who suffered a broken leg late in the 2023 season, has returned to full strength, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. More than 10 teams have inquired about the converted cornerback’s status. The former All-Pro caught 90 passes during his recent three-year Jaguars tenure.
  • Preparing to being his Texans tenure, Stefon Diggs alluded to an effort to lead the Bills to trade him this offseason. The veteran receiver had said he was not surprised Buffalo did move him this offseason. “None of those teams wanted to get rid of me,” Diggs said, via GQ’s Clay Skipper. “Things had to shake because I kind of wanted them to shake.” The Bills moved on from Diggs, tiring of his antics, despite taking on a non-QB-record $31.1MM in dead money. The Texans then took the unusual step of removing the final three seasons from the wide receiver’s contract, making him a 2025 free agent-to-be. Diggs, who also made noise in an effort to leave Minnesota, has an opportunity to rebound after disappointing during the second half of last season in Buffalo.

Bills Name Damar Hamlin Week 1 Starting S

September 4th, 2024 at 2:17pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Less than two years after going into cardiac arrest during a January 2023 game against the Bengals, Damar Hamlin will start at safety for the Bills in Week 1, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. This will be Hamlin’s first start since the on-field emergency.

Sean McDermott made the announcement Wednesday, praising Hamlin’s “consistency and opportunity” throughout training camp. In a contract year, Hamlin played his way off Buffalo’s roster bubble.

Hamlin’s well-publicized 2023 recovery did not lead to a prominent role last season. He spent the campaign buried on the depth chart, as Buffalo carefully managed his recovery and workload following the on-field scare. Hamlin only played in five games with just 17 total snaps on defense but seized his chance to earn a starting job after the Bills parted ways with its long-running Jordan Poyer–Micah Hyde safety duo this offseason.

“It’s one thing to come back off of an ACL or a broken bone. It’s another thing to come back off of what he came back off of,” McDermott said. “Let alone just to decide to play football, contact football in full pads at the NFL level. I don’t think I need to say anything more. It’s incredible.” 

Hamlin faced plenty of competition for the chance to start alongside Taylor Rapp, who signed a three-year extension in March. The Bills then added Mike Edwards in free agency before drafting Utah’s Cole Bishop with the 60th overall pick of the 2024 draft. Hamlin (hamstring), Edwards (hamstring), and Bishop (shoulder) all struggled with injuries during training camp, limiting their ability to develop chemistry with the rest of the first-team defense. Bishop managed his first full practice since July 30 on Wednesday.

According to McDermott, Hamlin’s ability to build “a certain level of rapport” with Rapp was a crucial factor in earning the starting job. “That’s important as well at the safety position,” McDermott added. Hamlin may not remain the Bills’ starter once their safety room returns to full strength. Both Edwards and Bishop have returned as full participants in practice this week and could eat into Hamlin’s playing time once they are back up to speed. For now, however, Hamlin (14 starts in 2022, counting the game cancelled after his collapse) will make the leap back to first-string duty.

AFC East Notes: Reddick, Jets, Corley, Barmore, Patriots, Godchaux, Farley, Bills

September 3rd, 2024 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers and Cowboys ended their holdouts recently, but the Jets‘ impasse persists. Robert Saleh has not made any recent contact with defensive end Haason Reddick. The fourth-year Jets HC confirmed he has not spoken to the team’s holdout edge rusher since before training camp. As one source informed veteran reporter Josina Anderson, “nothing has changed” in this standoff. Reddick is on the verge of missing out on an $838K came check. The trade acquisition has already cost himself more than $2MM in nonwaivable fines thanks to this holdout.

Having expected the Jets to revisit extension talks only to see the team balk at doing so, Reddick has not been seen in the building since his introductory news conference April 1. Reddick has requested a trade, and rumblings about him extending the holdout into the season have surfaced. The Jets, who have been linked to being open to sweetening Reddick’s Eagles-constructed deal rather than extending him in advance, are certainly short on time to integrate him into their defense before the 49ers opener.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Malachi Corley competed for the Jets’ slot receiver role in training camp, but the rookie third-rounder might be trending toward healthy-scratch status to begin his career. Xavier Gipson is expected to be the Jets’ slot receiver, and the New York Post’s Brian Costello does not see a path for Corley to be on the 48-man gameday roster Monday. Viewing the Western Kentucky alum as a long way away from being an offensive regular, Costello notes the rookie’s lack of a special teams role hurts his chances of suiting up early.
  • The Jets also created some cap space recently, adjusting Quincy Williams and Tyler Conklin‘s deals. The move created $8MM in cap space for the team, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. These moves will inflate the Jets’ cap-space total past $18MM.
  • While Christian Barmore is on the Patriots‘ reserve/NFI list, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms the team will continue to pay him his full salary. Considering Barmore is dealing with a blood clot issue, the Pats not paying him would have generated extensive backlash. Barmore signed a four-year, $84MM extension this offseason and already collected an $18MM signing bonus. Common with extensions, Barmore’s base salary is low ($1.82MM) in Year 1.
  • The Pats giving Barmore the $21MM-per-year extension affected Matt Judon‘s New England outlook, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes it changed the equation for Davon Godchaux as well. Godchaux’s push for a raise intensified after the Pats paid Barmore. The veteran nose tackle held in during minicamp and expressed a desire for a new deal to open training camp. Paying numerous Bill Belichick-era pieces, New England’s Eliot Wolf-led front office agreed to terms with Godchaux on a two-year, $16.5MM deal soon after.
  • Caleb Farley struggled to stay healthy with the Titans and has not seen game action since November 2022. The 2021 first-round pick, whom the Titans waived last week, also missed camp time with a hamstring injury. The malady-prone cornerback auditioned for the Patriots on Tuesday, Yates tweets. Farley, 25, has two ACL tears and three back surgeries on his medical sheet since college.
  • The Bills also completed some minor restructures recently, with Yates noting the team adjusting DaQuan Jones and A.J. Epenesa‘s deals. Both D-linemen re-signed with Buffalo this offseason. The moves created $2.78MM in cap space.
  • After the Vikings cut running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu, the Saints made a waiver claim but also moved on with a failed physical designation, the Jets checked in on him. Nwangwu visited the Jets on Monday, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson. Nwangwu has three career kick-return TDs on his resume, each coming from 2021-22.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/3/24

September 3rd, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills 

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: DE Viliami Fehoko

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks

  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: DL Buddha Jones

Tennessee Titans

  • Waived: LB Luke Gifford
  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: WR Tre’Shaun Harrison

The Eagles waived Tuipulotu to make room for waiver claim Byron Young. Tuipulotu had worked as an Eagles rotational DT, playing 232 snaps in 2022 and 162 last season. A 2021 sixth-round pick, Tuipulotu notched two sacks and three tackles for loss last season.

Early September is a bit earlier than most teams poach a player of another club’s P-squad. The Panthers doing so means they must carry Swinson, a rookie UDFA out of Arizona State, on their 53-man roster for at least three weeks. Panthers tight ends Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas are battling injuries. Swinson joins those two, veteran Jordan Matthews and rookie fourth-rounder Ja’Tavian Sanders on a rare five-TE depth chart.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/2/24

September 2nd, 2024 at 6:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Labor Day’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: CB Dee Delaney

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: WR David Durden

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: TE Trey Knox

New Orleans Saints

  • Removed from IR via injury settlement: TE Kevin Rader

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Stromberg sustained a knee injury that will require surgery. The 2023 third-round pick, one of five 2023 draftees that did not make Washington’s 53-man roster last week, will only need an arthroscopic procedure, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Stromberg is aiming to catch on somewhere else around the midseason point. He only played 26 rookie-year snaps on offense. The Arkansas product would technically have a chance to land back with the Commanders, depending on the terms of the settlement, but the team moving on so early may well point to the Adam Peters regime deeming the Ron Rivera– and Martin Mayhew-overseen move a mistake.

Davis figures to land elsewhere and play this season. The 28-year-old linebacker sustained a foot sprain and will be out for a few weeks, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Davis played in 16 games, split evenly between the Saints and Panthers, last season.

Bills Not Seeking K Addition

August 31st, 2024 at 6:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tyler Bass has served as the Bills’ kicker for the past four years. His missed field goal attempt late in the divisional round of the playoffs contributed to Buffalo’s elimination, and the subsequent months have not produced a rebound in terms of accuracy.

Bass has struggled with consistency during training camp and the preseason. A missed 51-yard field goal during Buffalo’s preseason finale drew public criticism from head coach Sean McDermott and led to increased questions about another kicker being added in advance of the season. The initial wave or roster cuts has come and gone, though, and no such move has been made.

“Not at this point,” general manager Brandon Beane said, via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, when asked if the team is considering adding competition for Bass (subscription required). “I get the question, I do. I understand. If he had a short history here, [we] probably would have. I think we’ve just got to relax and give him a chance and remain confident in him.”

Bass connected on 28 of 34 field goal attempts during his rookie season. That accuracy rate jumped to over 87% during the next two seasons, cementing his status as a player the Bills were interested in keeping on a second contract. The 27-year-old inked a four-year, $20.4MM extension last spring. As a result, he is under contract through 2027.

The former sixth-rounder regressed to an extent in terms of accuracy last year, going 24-for-29 (82.8%) on field goals. During the postseason, Bass’ struggles were highlighted; he connected on only two of five field goals, and all three of his misses came from within 50 yards. A less-than-convincing showing during the summer will lead to expectations for a return to his previous form in 2024, the final year with guaranteed salary on his pact.

In addition to the financial commitment Buffalo has already made in Bass, the fact he has only missed eight extra points (regular and postseason combined) in his career is a factor working in his favor. Still, speculation about other kicking options being brought in will no doubt intensify if the start of the year does not go smoothly. Brandon McManus, Greg Joseph and Randy Bullock are among the veterans on the market at the moment.

Bobby Babich To Call Bills’ Defensive Plays

August 29th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills will have a third defensive play-caller in as many seasons. After debating whether he will keep the play sheet or return to a role as a CEO head coach, Sean McDermott will take the latter route in his eighth Bills season.

New Buffalo DC Bobby Babich will handle the calls, moving the Buffalo defensive play-calling situation back to where it was two years ago. Prior to separating with Leslie Frazier, McDermott let his DC calls the shots.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Buffalo Bills]

“What I like about Bobby is our experience together and the wisdom he has, both as a secondary coach and a linebacker coach,” McDermott said, via the Buffalo News’ Ryan O’Halloran. “I just feel like he’s a growth-minded individual and coach, and that’s the right approach.”

Babich has observed both McDermott and Frazier call the shots in Buffalo, having been on the team’s staff throughout this regime’s run. The second-generation NFL assistant moved up from assistant DBs coach to safeties coach to linebackers coach during his time in Buffalo. Other teams have taken notice. The Dolphins, Giants and Packers submitted interview requests to Babich. Days later, McDermott promoted him.

The son of former Bears and Jaguars defensive coordinator Bob Babich, Bobby worked with the Browns previously under Mike Pettine and was an assistant alongside McDermott early in Ron Rivera‘s Panthers run. The Babiches worked together on McDermott’s Bills staff from 2017-21, with Bobby’s star rising in recent years.

Overseeing the standout Jordan Poyer–Micah Hyde tandem for four seasons, Bobby Babich then was in the LBs role when Matt Milano earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2022. The Bills have finished as a top-five defense in four of the past five seasons. The team’s playoff outings — with both Frazier and then McDermott calling the signals — have not reflected those rankings, though key injuries have impacted this unit in that span.

Babich, 41, will take his turn in charge this season. He will already be dealing with a shorthanded group, with Milano set to miss months with a biceps tear. The Bills are also breaking in a new safety duo, as the team released Poyer and has not re-signed Hyde. Tre’Davious White also became a cap casualty. As the Bills adjust on that side of the ball, McDermott will take a step back and allow an ascending coach to try his hand.

Lewis Cine Backs Out Of Jets Deal; S To Join Bills’ Practice Squad

August 29th, 2024 at 8:09am CST by Adam La Rose

Lewis Cine was available on waivers after the Vikings moved on from him. The third-year safety went unclaimed, but in short order he appeared to line up a Jets agreement. Instead, he will be joining the Bills.

Cine is set to sign with Buffalo, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. As was the case with yesterday’s development, this will be a practice squad deal at first. Cine will attempt to rebuild his value while providing safety depth to the Bills, a team which has seen plenty of turnover in the secondary this offseason.

Buffalo no longer has either member of the Jordan Poyer–Micah Hyde tandem at the safety spot, although the latter could rejoin the team if he elected to avoid retirement. The Bills re-signed Taylor Rapp, added Mike Edwards in free agency and kept special teamer Damar Hamlin on the 53-man roster. Those three offer plenty of experience on the backend, and they are positioned to handle notable roles in 2024.

The Bills also invested in the safety position during this year’s draft, adding Cole Bishop in the second round. The Utah product was unable to remain healthy throughout his first training camp, but he has the upside to take on starting duties relatively early in his career. While the top of the depth chart gets sorted out in the fall, Cine will look to earn a promotion to the Bills’ active roster in short order.

The 24-year-old was unable to live up to expectations during his brief Vikings tenure. Cine, the final pick in the first round of the 2022 draft, has played just 10 regular season games to date. He will join veteran Kareem Jackson on the taxi squad to begin the campaign as he hopes to find a long-term opportunity. If one does not arise, Cine will be free to sign to the active roster of another team during the year if he draws interest.

Load More Posts