Rex Ryan

Bills Notes: Cap, M. Williams, Staff, Harvin

January 22nd, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bills prepare for the offseason, GM Doug Whaley cautioned today in an appearance on WGR 550 that re-signing potential free agents won’t be easy, since the team is already over the cap for 2016 (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News). VP Jim Overdorf, who handles the cap and player contracts, wlil have to “work his magic” this spring, Whaley added (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).

The NFL has yet to set its cap number for 2016, and the Bills will certainly lower the number currently on their books by releasing or trading players in the coming weeks and months, but according to Over the Cap’s data, based on a $150MM projected cap for ’16, Buffalo is indeed more than $3MM over the cap, with the second-most cap commitments in the NFL. So the team will have some work ahead of it.

Here’s more out of Buffalo:

One player who is expected to be cut, and whose release would create some breathing room under the cap, is defensive end Mario Williams. As Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News notes (via Twitter), a Rex Ryan quote today about his defense being built for “all 11” players rather than just for one is another sign that Williams is likely on his way out.
Ryan clarified today that, after this month’s staff changes, Dennis Thurman will continue to be the team’s defensive coordinator, while the head coach will still call defensive plays on game day (Twitter links via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW).
Following up on a comment he made earlier this week, Ryan said his brother Rob Ryan turned down an NFL defensive coordinator job and a college DC job to join the Bills’ staff (Twitter link via Rodak).
The Bills will “seriously look into” drafting a wide receiver this spring, Whaley said today, though he did acknowledge that’s probably true of every position (Twitter link via Rodak).
Whaley also said that the Bills would love to have Percy Harvin back in 2016 (Twitter link via WGR 550). Harvin’s contract with the team voids during the offseason, so he’ll become a free agent.

Bills Hire Ed Reed As Asst DB Coach

January 13th, 2016 at 9:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they have hired Ed Reed as an assistant defensive backs coach. Reed, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time First Team All-Pro, will be making his first foray into NFL coaching.

“Ed Reed is going to be such a great asset to our team,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “Obviously he’s played in this system and been an MVP caliber guy in this system. He’s going to be such a great asset for players. He’s a real student of the game as well and he’s going to be a phenomenal coach.”

Reed, 37, played under Ryan for two different teams. The former free safety first played under Ryan in Baltimore where Ryan served as the defensive coordinator from 2005-2008. Ryan and Reed then reunited in New York in 2013 when the Jets signed Reed in his final NFL season appearing in their last seven games.

Reed has not played in the NFL since 2013. The veteran signed on with the Texans for that season after playing his first eleven years in Baltimore but he didn’t look like the No. 20 of old. After losing his starting job in Houston, he was released in November, and signed by the Jets. He finished the season with 38 tackles and four interceptions, grading as the league’s 30th-best safety per Pro Football Focus. Despite how things turned out for him that year, Reed made it known that he was still hoping to play in 2014. That opportunity, however, never materialized.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Hire Rob Ryan As Defensive Assistant

January 10th, 2016 at 9:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

9:34pm: The Bills announced the hiring that will put Rex and Rob Ryan on the same staff. Rob Ryan’s official title is assistant head coach/defense, per a team press release (via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW, on Twitter).

This move will give Rob Ryan a fair amount of power and not officially come as a career step backward for the veteran coordinator.

“I’m excited to have Rob join our staff, and I think he will be a great asset for our defense,” Rex Ryan said in the release. “He has a tremendous working knowledge of our schemes, and I look forward to his input. On a personal note, it’s been a number of years since we worked together, so we are both really excited about this opportunity.”

8:11pm: Rex Ryan and Rob Ryan will reportedly be reunited on the sidelines next season, according to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez (on Twitter).

The former Saints defensive coordinator will work under his brother with the Bills in 2016 as a defensive assistant, per Marvez, who doesn’t note in what capacity.

Dennis Thurman is currently the Bills’ DC, being hired on last January.

Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News confirms Marvez’s report (Twitter link).

The gregarious 53-year-old twin brothers haven’t worked as full-time coaches alongside one another since doing so under their father, Buddy Ryan, with the Cardinals in 1994-95. Rob Ryan coached the defensive backs on those teams, with Rex Ryan having front-seven responsibilities. Those jobs represented the Ryan twins’ first NFL positions.

Fired from the Saints this season, Rob Ryan’s served as defensive coordinator for the Browns, Raiders, Cowboys and Saints since 2004. Rob Ryan’s defense was giving up 424.7 yards per game when the Saints fired Ryan and replaced him with Dennis Allen in mid-November, and that total would rank second-worst all-time in terms of per-game yardage.

The Saints ranked 31st in DVOA in 2014 and ranked last in Football Outsiders’ top metric prior to Rob Ryan’s dismissal this season.

Under Rex Ryan and Thurman, the Bills boasted the 14th-ranked defense in 2015.

Rob Ryan hasn’t been a position coach since serving as the 2003 Patriots’ linebackers coach.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Bills Extend GM Doug Whaley

January 10th, 2016 at 4:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

4:01pm: The extension will align Whaley’s contract with that of Ryan’s, meaning both men are now locked up though 2019, according to Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).

3:25pm: It’s a multi-year extension for Whaley, not a one-year “band-aid,” reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

3:03pm: The Bills have agreed to an extension with general manager Doug Whaley, team owner Kim Pegula announced today (via Twitter). Reports indicated last week that the two sides were working on a deal that would keep Whaley in Buffalo beyond 2016, and it appears that a contract did ultimately come together.

Whaley had just one year left on his contract before today’s agreement, and a report last week that owner Terry Pegula had issued an ultimatum to both Whaley and head coach Rex Ryan — win in 2016, or find new employment. That report was later refuted by other scribes and sources, but there’s no doubting that both the front office and coaching staff is under pressure to succeed next season. As PFR’s Luke Adams noted in the post linked above, the Pegulas spent $1.4 billion to purchase the franchise in 2014, so they probably wouldn’t worry about eating a few million dollars to replace a GM and/or head coach.

Whaley, who has been Buffalo’s GM since 2013, will certainly have his hands full during the upcoming offseason. He’ll need to consider extensions for offensive lineman Cordy Glenn and Richie Incognito, and perhaps most importantly, decide if his club will go forward with Tyrod Taylor as its starting quarterback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Notes: Whaley, Ryan, Backup QB

January 6th, 2016 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Two somewhat conflicting reports on the Bills surfaced on Tuesday from The Buffalo News, with Vic Carucci suggesting owner Terry Pegula had issued a playoffs-or-else ultimatum to head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley when he decided to bring them back for the 2016 season. However, Tyler Dunne suggested no such ultimatum had been issued, reporting that the Bills were actually nearing a contract extension for Whaley.

We attempted to make sense of those reports at the time, but Dunne and Carucci have since added more details, so let’s dive in and round up the latest from them, as well as the rest of the day’s notes out of Buffalo…

Whaley’s extension could get finalized this weekend, with the GM and the rest of the Bills’ brass planning to meet to recap the 2015 season and make plans for 2016, writes Dunne.
Within the same piece, Dunne notes that Pegula sent a text message calling the alleged ultimatum “BS,” and those close to the team’s owner indicate that it’s not in his nature to do something like that. However, Dunne also points out that there have been multiple instances in recent years where Pegula extended a coach or GM for his Buffalo Sabres, then fired him less than a year later. In other words, with or without an extension or an ultimatum, Whaley and Ryan will likely have to show improvement next year to keep their jobs.
It sounds like Carucci is sticking to his report on Pegula’s ultimatum, suggesting that Pegula and other sources who are denying it are simply unhappy that it leaked in the first place. Within the same piece, Carucci also discusses the future of Bills defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman.
Tyrod Taylor will enter the 2016 season as the starting quarterback for the Bills, but who will back him up? Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines the team’s options.
Earlier today, we passed along word of the Bills signing former Packers wide receiver Jarrett Boykin to a reserve/futures contract.

Bills, GM Doug Whaley Working On Extension

January 5th, 2016 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

1:20pm: Dunne has published his full story on the Whaley extension talks, citing a source who says Pegula did not give a one-year ultimatum to the GM and head coach.

12:51pm: General manager Doug Whaley and the Bills are working on a new contract that would lock up Whaley beyond 2016, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). Jeremy White of WGR and Adam Benigni of WGRZ (Twitter links) each reported today that the two sides were working out the final details of the new deal, though Dunne says it hasn’t yet been presented to ownership.

On the heels of a morning report from Dunne’s Buffalo News colleague Vic Carucci, who suggested that owner Terry Pegula was giving Whaley and Rex Ryan one more year to make the playoffs and secure their jobs, news of a possible extension for Whaley comes as a surprise — particularly since Benigni indicates Whaley’s new deal would coincide with Ryan’s, meaning it would run through 2019.

It’s possible that Carucci’s report was inaccurate, though it’s hard to believe the Bills would stand pat again if the team has a sub-.500 season in 2016. It’s also possible that Pegula would consider making changes a year from now even after extending Whaley. For someone who spent $1.4 billion to buy the franchise in 2014, eating a few extra million dollars to replace a GM is probably viable.

Still, if that’s the case, extending Whaley seems somewhat unnecessary, unless the team simply doesn’t want its GM entering the year as a lame duck. Even if Pegula wants to express confidence and optimism heading into 2016, there’s likely a less expensive way to do it.

As we try to sort out what’s happening in Buffalo, here a few more Bills-related updates:

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Ryan was unwilling to say definitively that defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman would return in 2016, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
Veteran defensive tackle Kyle Williams has told the Bills he wants to continue playing next year, so as his long as his medical information checks out, he’ll likely be back, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.
Whaley downplayed the importance of signings outside free agents this offseason, joking that reporters covering the team can probably go on vacation during the first week of free agency. However, he referred to re-signing tackle Cordy Glenn and guard Richie Incognito as a “major point of emphasis” (Twitter links via Dunne and Buscaglia).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

No Ultimatum For Rex Ryan, Doug Whaley?

January 5th, 2016 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

1:19pm: Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News has contradicted his colleague’s report, citing a source who says Pegula did not issue a one-year ultimatum to Ryan and Whaley. The Bills and Whaley are reportedly working on an extension.

As I noted below, even if the Bills eventually do consider making changes a year from now, it would be unusual for such an ultimatum to be issued and reported at this point.

10:08am: Bills owner Terry Pegula announced last week that head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley would be returning to the team for the 2016 season. However, the duo shouldn’t get too comfortable in Buffalo just yet.

According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, Pegula has issued an ultimatum of sorts to Ryan and Whaley: If they can’t make the necessary improvements to the Bills to get the club into the postseason, they’ll be let go after the 2016 season.

The fact that Ryan and Whaley will enter the 2016 season in playoffs-or-bust mode perhaps doesn’t come as a real surprise, especially since Whaley has just one year left on his contract. The club had expected to make it into the postseason this year, and neither the head coach nor the GM was considered safe until Pegula’s announcement last week, so it makes sense that the Bills would explore other options if the team underachieves again in 2016. Still, it’s rare that this sort of ultimatum is reported so early, and so definitively.

While Ryan, who has four years remaining on the contract he signed last January with the Bills, will get at least one more season in Buffalo, the same can’t be said for all of his assistant coaches. A source tells Carucci that at least two changes will be made to Ryan’s coaching staff, though there are “strong indications” that defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman is safe.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Owner: Ryan, Whaley To Return In 2016

December 30th, 2015 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Bills owner Terry Pegula has released a statement in which he essentially confirms that head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley will remain with the team for the 2016 season. While Ryan’s job had been considered fairly safe after just one year, there have been rumors that neither he nor Whaley was totally safe, but Pegula issued a strong vote of confidence for the duo today.

“Kim [Pegula], Russ [Brandon], and I look forward to working and collaborating with Doug Whaley and Rex Ryan in forming a winning future for the organization,” Pegula said (Twitter link). “Our management team and coaching staff are very capable and work well together. This stable foundation is necessary to achieve long-term success in the NFL.”

Pegula prefaced that statement by acknowledging that the Bills feel their expectations for the 2015 season were not met, so Ryan and Whaley will likely be under pressure to field a playoff team in 2016. For now though, it doesn’t appear there will be major changes in Buffalo.

Pegula’s statement comes on the heels of Bill Polian indicating that he’s not interested in leaving ESPN to take on a formal role within the Bills’ front office, despite informally offering suggestions and feedback to Pegula. It’s not clear whether or not the Bills owner had interest in officially adding Polian to his team’s front office.

Bills GM Doug Whaley On Rex Ryan, Offseason

December 29th, 2015 at 1:45pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WGR 550, Bills GM Doug Whaley touched on a wide range of topics, including his offseason plans and his relationship with coach Rex Ryan. Here’s a look at some of the highlights, courtesy of The Buffalo News’ Tyler Dunne.

On his relationship with team ownership and Ryan:

Ownership is great. My relationship with Rex Ryan is something I cherish. I wake up every day happy to come into work with him. With my future, it’s one of those things where the ownership doesn’t have to tell me anything. I’ve always attacked my job as, ‘Let me do my job, not to lose it. But to keep it and keep getting better.’ So until the ownership tells me my keys don’t work, I’m here for the long haul and I’m here to get this team where we need to go.

On whether the Bills could draft a QB:

I look at it this way, I have to give credit to our scouting staff because the philosophy into this draft is we’ll draft the best player available. That’s why we think we were so successful. We didn’t see a perceived need or push somebody up and draft on need. Going into this draft, there is no position you can’t argue that we should or shouldn’t draft. So it opens up the board for us and let’s us scout with what we call ‘clear eyes’ instead of ‘needy eyes.’ And that helps us be a lot more successful. So to answer your question, there is nothing that would preclude us from taking any position on the board. That could be quarterback, that could be tight end, wide receiver, all across the board we could use an [influx] of young, talented depth.

On what this QB draft class looks like:

Right now, with the seniors, it’s not particularly top heavy but it is particularly deep. I think there’s a lot of quarterbacks you can get rounds two through six that have a chance to grow and progress into a solid No. 2 and possibly a No. 1 with time and seasoning.

On the areas he’ll be targeting this offseason:

With the injuries in the secondary, especially at the safety position, I’m not going to give you a total blueprint because I know people listen and it’d put us at a competitive disadvantage. But we have to get some depth in the secondary. We have to get some depth at the linebacker position. And some of the injuries like Powell, Ty Powell was out, that hurt us. A little more depth at the outside position with Jarius Wynn coming back.

And I just think an impact player on defense, like we brought in impact players on offense last year. So I think that’s what we’re going to look for, is just the best players available that’ll help us get to where we need to go on the defensive side of the ball.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Deflategate, Bills, Beckham, Cowboys

December 21st, 2015 at 6:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL filed its final salvo in the Deflategate saga, countering the NFLPA’s 73-page appeal earlier this month with a 38-page response that centers on how the Patriots‘ alleged manipulation of footballs does not compare with uniform or equipment violations as the Players’ Association previously stated.

The case that resulted in Tom Brady being suspended for four games, then being permitted to play during that period by Judge Richard Berman, will reach the appeal stage March 3, 2016.

Let’s look at some more news coming out of the Eastern division as Week 15 wraps up.

Rex Ryan said today he’s “pretty sure” Tyrod Taylor will be the Bills‘ starting quarterback next season, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports. After winning a three-man quarterback race as a newly signed free agent this offseason, Taylor will be able to further develop with an entire offseason shaped around him being atop the depth chart, Ryan said. After beating out the since-traded Matt Cassel and ex-first-rounder EJ Manuel, Taylor has completed 63.2% of his passes — although the ex-Ravens backup’s failed to surpass the 60% plateau in each of his past five games — and thrown 20 touchdown passes compared to just five interceptions.
Mario Williams continued his recent path out of Buffalo on Sunday in criticizing Ryan’s defensive scheme, and Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News said the 30-year-old defensive end’s team-high $19.9MM cap number next year makes that an easier decision. Dunne also sees Kyle Williams ($7MM 2016 cap figure) having a potential uphill battle to remaining on the roster.
Odell Beckham took issue with Panthers practice squad players allegedly lobbing homophobic slurs at him before Sunday’s eventful Giants-Panthers game, sources inform Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. Jones also notes Beckham was, per sources, intimidated by Panthers defensive backs swinging a baseball bat during pregame warmups, a ritual that’s spawned this season for the unbeaten Panthers. Carolina sources obviously don’t believe the bat routine could have necessitated Beckham’s rampage.
In its letter communicating Beckham’s suspension, the NFL found six violations committed by the Giants second-year wideout, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Two of the three transgressions for which Beckham wasn’t penalized involved punches being thrown. “Your actions adversely reflected on the NFL and have no place in the game because incidents like this erode public confidence in the orderly conduct of our game as well as the good character of our participants,” NFL V.P. of operations Merton Hanks told Beckham in the suspension letter.
Kellen Moore‘s late-season audition for the Cowboys will be for the No. 2 job and won’t influence what the team does this coming offseason in pursuing Tony Romo‘s potential heir apparent, Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). The 26-year-old Moore, a UDFA who the Lions cut this year, completed 15-of-25 passes and threw three interceptions against the Jets.
Eagles high-priced corner Byron Maxwell sprained his SC joint in Sunday night’s loss to the Cardinals and may miss Saturday’s pivotal tilt with Washington, Les Bowen of Philly.com reports.

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