Terrel Bernard

Bills, LB Terrel Bernard Agree To Extension

March 7th, 2025 at 8:06am CST by Adam La Rose

Another major piece of business has been taken care of by the Bills in the lead-in to free agency. Terrel Bernard is the latest in-house player on the team to land a lucrative new deal.

The third-year linebacker and the Bills have agreed to terms on a four-year extension, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. The pact – which is now official – is worth $50MM and includes $25.2MM in guarantees. Bernard is now under contract through 2029.

Selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, Bernard was used sparingly on defense during his rookie season while handling a regular role on special teams. Over the past two campaigns, however, he has been a full-time starter and a key figure in Buffalo’s front seven. In 2023, the Baylor product broke out with 143 tackles, 6.5 sacks and three interceptions.

Bernard was unable to match that production this past campaign, one in which he was limited to 13 games. Buffalo was hit hard by injuries at the linebacker spot for much of the season, but when in the lineup the 25-year-old was invaluable. Bernard reached triple digits in tackles once again, adding another pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery along the way. As one of several impactful members of Buffalo’s 2022 draft class, he represented a prime extension candidate this offseason.

Now, an agreement has been reached before the start of free agency. The $12.5MM annual average value of Bernard’s deal places him in a tie for sixth at the position, slightly below the AAV of Matt Milano‘s pact. Questions have been raised about the latter’s future based on the absence of guarantees in the final two years of his contract and his missed time due to injuries in recent seasons. Whereas the Bills have allowed high-end linebackers depart in free agency in the recent past (like Tremaine Edmunds), the team has worked early on this occasion to keep an ascending contributor in place for the foreseeable future.

Buffalo’s 2025 offseason has also, of course, included an extension for wideout Khalil Shakir. Two key members of the team’s 2022 draft class are now on the books for years to come, and more work on that front could be coming. Running back James Cook is angling for a new deal which will move him near the top of the position’s market, while corner Christian Benford is also eligible for a payday.

The Bills entered Friday as one of five teams in the NFL currently over the 2025 cap ceiling. Further cost-shedding moves – like yesterday’s release of punter Sam Martin – will be needed as a result to achieve compliance and free up funds for outside additions. Buffalo’s attention can increasingly turn in that direction now that Bernard’s long-term future has been worked out.

Bills Not Ruling Out Keeping Von Miller; Myles Garrett On Buffalo Radar?

March 2nd, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs’ Joe Thuney-at-left tackle solution looked passable in the team’s latest playoff win over the Bills, the AFC champions’ lone game with more than 30 points this season. Buffalo has seen improvement from Gregory Rousseau, but its pass rush has not seen enough from Von Miller‘s six-year $120MM contract.

Year 4 of that deal brings the first genuine release opportunity, and that is a legitimate consideration for the five-time reigning AFC East champions. Miller’s guarantees have been paid out. Were the Bills to move on from their highest-paid defender via a post-June 1 release designation, they would save $17.44MM. It is not certain that is how the team proceeds.

Miller is not a lock to be cut, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler classifying it as an iffy proposition. Miller could come back as an auxiliary rusher, though a reworked contract — most likely via a pay cut — would be necessary. The future Hall of Fame edge rusher is due to carry a $23.8MM cap number in 2025.

Rousseau and Miller remain under contract, as does former second-rounder A.J. Epenesa. Both Miller and Epenesa tallied six sacks last season; Rousseau led the way with eight. Neither Miller nor Epenesa recorded a postseason sack, while Rousseau notched each of his before the Chiefs rematch.

Rousseau remains one of the players the Bills want to extend, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. Rousseau joins 2022 draftees Christian Benford and Terrel Bernard on Buffalo’s radar. We heard that was the case previously, and all are in contract years. The Bills have already started on their 2025 re-ups, giving Khalil Shakir a four-year extension. James Cook wants in, too, as he joins Rousseau, Benford and Bernard in a contract year.

The Bills also are likely to have an eye on another future Hall of Fame edge defender, one with more left in the tank. As the Browns reiterate they want no part of a Myles Garrett trade, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year keeps coming up. That is understandable, as Cleveland could collect a big trade package for its disgruntled superstar, who is not believed to be interested in a second Browns extension. As Browns brass would be ready to pay Garrett despite two seasons remaining on his contract, he is holding firm on his trade request.

The Eagles have been linked to Garrett at multiple points this offseason, and Graziano adds the Bills should be viewed as an interested party as well. Buffalo took a big swing on Miller in 2022, and it was going well before the two-time Super Bowl winner’s second ACL tear — sustained on Thanksgiving that year. Miller then failed to record a sack in 2023, as he barely resembled his pre-injury version. Miller returned to better form in his age-35 season but obviously pales in comparison to Garrett’s mid-2020s form. Garrett will turn 30 in December.

As the Browns keep fending off Garrett trade calls, Fowler adds they are believed to be dug in and willing to wait him out. It would stand to reason the Browns would hold on both due to Garrett’s importance to the team and his contract. If the Browns deal Garrett before June 1, they would be hit with a $36.2MM dead money bill. That would set the non-QB record. If Cleveland decides to move on after that date, it could split that amount over two years.

That said, the Browns would presumably be making Garrett’s next team better by trading him. Waiting until after the draft to make a trade would leave them with a package fronted by 2026 draft assets, whereas a deal now would arm the Browns with better picks. Though, a Bills or Eagles package now would not exactly do so due to the teams holding the Nos. 30 and 32 first-round picks. A first-rounder would be required to enter any Garrett trade sweepstakes, with other assets likely necessary for the Browns to have serious conversations about relenting on their long-held stance.

Not too many calls have come Cleveland’s way, however, according to Fowler. Teams do believe the Browns are “dug in” here. That remaining the case come training camp would put Garrett to a test in terms of accruing fines for missing camp workouts and then moving on to game checks. Though, the Browns have restructured Garrett’s contract; he would not be missing much in terms of paragraph 5 money, as his salary is $1.26MM.

Some around the league are skeptical the Browns will truly hang on here, per Fowler, even as Andrew Berry continues to insist they will. The prospect of collecting a trade package that could include multiple first-round picks may be too much to turn down. Garrett has themed his trade ask around landing with a Super Bowl contender, and if the Browns hold their ground beyond the draft, camp will be the next stage of this impasse.

Bills See RB James Cook As Core Player; Team Plans To Bolster CB Group In Offseason

February 9th, 2025 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bills see running back James Cook as a “big part” of their future, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported last month (video link). That is hardly surprising, as Cook has posted a robust 4.9 yards-per-carry average over his first three years in the NFL and led the league in rushing touchdowns (16) in 2024.

Because Cook, a 2022 draftee, is now eligible for an extension, it would be fair to expect Buffalo to engage in contract discussions with the two-time Pro Bowler’s camp this offseason (especially since he is a former second-round pick and does not have a fifth-year option included in his rookie deal). The problem, as Rapoport observes, is that Cook is just one of a number of talented young players whose contract situations may need to be addressed in short order.

Like Cook, linebacker Terrel Bernard, center Connor McGovern, cornerback Christian Benford, and edge defender Gregory Rousseau are all entering platform years, and Rapoport identifies that quintet as a group that could be in line for a new deal. GM Brandon Beane could deploy the franchise tag on one of those players next offseason if need be, but he will still have plenty of work to do to keep a championship-caliber core intact.

Indeed, despite the Bills’ inability to get over a Kansas City-sized hump in the AFC playoff field, Beane understandably is not going to overhaul his roster. In his end-of-season presser following another difficult playoff defeat at the hands of the Chiefs several weeks ago, Beane said he and his staff will “reset” and “recalibrate” as the Bills seek to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 campaign (via Alex White and Maddy Glab of the team’s official website, who also name WR Khalil Shakir as a rising fourth-year pro who might be the target of extension talks).

Part of Beane’s offseason plan will almost certainly include negotiations with at least some members of Buffalo’s 2026 free agent class, but Beane naturally indicated he will first attend to the players who are due to hit the open market next month. That list includes players like midseason trade acquisition Amari Cooper – whose disappointing Buffalo stint did not foreclose the possibility of a new contract keeping the high-profile wideout in western New York – and cornerback Rasul Douglas.

Beane said he will not bloat the Bills’ salary cap picture with expensive contracts in an effort to slay their playoff demons, which is perhaps an indication that Buffalo will once again avoid the deep end of the free agent pool. However, he did concede that he will need to address the team’s outside cornerback position in some way.

The Bills’ lack of depth in that regard was on full display when Benford was injured in the first quarter of this year’s AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs and was lost for the remainder of the contest. That depth will become even more of a concern if the team does not re-sign Douglas.

“Whether it’s extending guys, signing a free agent, or draft allocation, [boundary corner] is one of the areas we would look at,” Beane said.

Underlying all of this is the fact that the Bills could look to give quarterback and newly-minted MVP Josh Allen a pay bump. If such a raise comes as part of an extension or restructure, it could allow the team to reduce Allen’s $43MM cap charge for 2025 and improve their salary cap situation (at present, OverTheCap.com estimates that Buffalo is roughly $14MM over the 2025 cap, the third-worst situation in the league).

Bills LB Terrel Bernard Expected To Avoid IR

September 28th, 2024 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 28: Bernard expressed a desire to return to action in time for Week 5 (h/t Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic). He has already been ruled out for tomorrow’s contest, but by not going on IR he is eligible to suit up at any time. Bernard’s status over the coming days will be worth monitoring.

SEPTEMBER 21: Some good news on the Terrel Bernard front. The Bills linebacker isn’t expected to land on injured reserve, according to Sean McDermott (per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic). While the head coach admitted that he can’t say anything definitive, he felt the Bills wouldn’t have “to go in that direction.”

“Don’t know anything else right now,” McDermott said when asked about a potential IR stint for Bernard (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). “I don’t think so, but still I can’t make that statement with 100% certainty right now. But I feel like we won’t have to go that direction.”

Bernard exited Buffalo’s Week 2 win over Miami after getting into only 14 defensive snaps. The linebacker fortunately avoided the worst-case scenario, with his pectoral injury proving to be a strain vs. a full tear. McDermott later confirmed that Bernard would miss multiple weeks. The team was afforded some extra time to determine any IR machinations considering their 11-day break between Week 2 and Week 3. Before today’s encouraging news, Bernard had already been ruled out for Monday night.

The former third-round pick had a breakout campaign in 2023, finishing with 143 tackles and 6.5 sacks. The Bills intended to be especially reliant on the third-year pro in 2024, as Matt Milano is sidelined indefinitely with a biceps tear. A four-week absence for Bernard would stress the team’s LB depth, although it sounds like they’ll only have to temporarily deal with a depleted depth chart.

Former seventh-round pick Baylon Spector stepped in for Bernard last Thursday and ended up playing a position-high 62 snaps while compiling 10 tackles. Dorian Williams will also help to soak up many of the snaps at linebacker, with the likes of Nicholas Morrow and Joe Andreessen representing the team’s depth at the position.

Bills LB Terrel Bernard Suffers Pec Strain

September 14th, 2024 at 7:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 14: When speaking about the injury, head coach Sean McDermott confirmed (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg) Bernard is facing a multi-week absence. A decision has yet to be made regarding an IR stint, however. As expected, McDermott added that Spector will be counted on as Bernard’s replacement moving forward, setting him up for a signficant workload over at least a short-term span.

SEPTEMBER 13: Terrel Bernard exited Buffalo’s win on Thursday night, and he is now set to miss multiple games. The third-year linebacker avoided the worst-case scenario, however.

Bernard’s pectoral injury has proven to be a strain rather than a full tear after further testing, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. As a result, the 25-year-old is facing a recovery timeline of roughly one month. While that represents positive news in one sense, it makes Bernard a candidate for injured reserve and leaves Buffalo’s linebacking corps even thinner for the time being.

Matt Milano suffered a biceps tear one month ago, sidelining him indefinitely. The All-Pro hopes to return at some point during the year, but being without him (especially after he missed much of 2023) constitutes a notable challenge for the Bills’ second level. Bernard was set to remain a key figure on defense after he logged a full-time starting role last year and collected 143 tackles. The former third-rounder will miss a minimum of four weeks if he is placed on IR, though.

2022 seventh-round selection Baylon Spector stepped in for Bernard on Thursday, and he collected 10 tackles. Spector totaled only 15 appearances during his first two seasons in the league, playing primarily on special teams. A major uptick in playing time could be in store for the Clemson product over the coming weeks with Bernard on the mend as the Bills sort out their remaining linebacker options.

The team also has 2023 third-rounder Dorian Williams in place; he started only two games as a rookie but has already matched that total this season. Williams has seen a 77% defensive snap share so far in 2024, a steep increase from his workload last year. With Milano (who was designated for return during roster cutdowns) and now Bernard out of the picture, Buffalo will rely more on Williams, Spector and the likes of Nicholas Morrow, Edefuan Ulofoshio and Joe Andreessen at the LB position.

AFC East Rumors: Patriots OL, Saleh, Milano

May 26th, 2024 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

With veteran left tackle Trent Brown departing in free agency, the Patriots are looking to fill his old role this offseason. As organized team activities have opened, free agent addition Chukwuma Okorafor has been taking first-team snaps at the position, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Okorafor, a former third-round pick for the Steelers, has spent the first six years of his NFL career in Pittsburgh. His first two seasons only saw the Nigerian find starting time as an injury replacement. After Okorafor finished out his rookie contract with two straight seasons as a starter, the Steelers rewarded him with a three-year, $29.25MM extension. After losing his starting job to first-round rookie Broderick Jones last year, though, the Steelers released Okorafor to free agency.

Now in New England, Okorafor will have the opportunity to re-earn a starting job and fill in for the departed Brown. Okorafor’s competition for the job will be Vederian Lowe, who started eight games in injury relief for the Patriots last year, and third-round rookie Caedan Wallace out of Penn State.

In additional offensive line news out of New England OTAs, second-year lineman Atonio Mafi was seen taking snaps at center behind starter David Andrews. Mafi, a former fifth-round pick who converted from defensive line to guard at UCLA, had yet to seen time at center while making five starts at left guard as a rookie. New offensive line coach Scott Peters and assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler seem to have some interest in expanding his role on the line.

Here are some other rumors coming out of the AFC East:

We had reported previously that Jets head coach Robert Saleh had explored the idea of reducing the role of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. This exploration came after the seeing Hackett seemingly lost for options after the loss of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the season. A more recent report from ESPN’s Rich Cimini claims that Saleh is now taking a deeper role in the offense himself. The former defensive coordinator seems to be keeping a close eye over the shoulder of Hackett as their jobs both heat up in 2024.
Long-time Bills starting linebacker Matt Milano missed 12 games after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. The team is looking to pair Milano back up with last year’s emergent starter Terrel Bernard, but that won’t be happening in OTAs. According to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, Milano is on schedule with his recovery, but “it’s probably going to be more closer to training camp until” he sees the field again.

Bills Announce Winners Of Position Battles

September 10th, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bills have been monitoring a number of position battles this preseason and, with tomorrow night’s season-opener approaching, it’s about time we learned who the winners are. Head coach Sean McDermott spoke with the media and let them know just who’s going to be starting against the Jets on Monday Night Football.

The only job that went as was predicted was right guard, where, according to Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News, rookie second-round pick O’Cyrus Torrence has earned the starting nod over incumbent starter Ryan Bates. Bates got his first action as a full-time starter last season, playing in 15 games, and while he’s performed admirably for Buffalo over the years, Bates has never been considered a top option at the position. Now, the rookie out of Florida will get a chance to line up between center Mitch Morse and right tackle Spencer Brown, while Bates will serve as a primary backup at all three interior offensive line spots.

In a huge shock on defense, last year’s sixth-round draft pick Christian Benford has won the starting outside cornerback position opposite veteran Tre’Davious White, per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. Benford did start five games last year for the Bills as a rookie, but the 22-year-old was certainly not a favorite to win the starting job this season.

Buffalo really hoped to see last year’s first-round pick Kaiir Elam take control of the position in 2023. Elam started six games in 13 appearances as a rookie but failed to stake his claim as a permanent starter heading into his sophomore season. Benford also had to beat out incumbent starter Dane Jackson, who started 14 games at the position last year. Everything pointed to one of Jackson or Elam starting with White this season, but Benford beat the odds and will line up with the first-team defense tomorrow.

Finally, on the defensive side of the ball, Terrel Bernard has joined Benford as a surprise winner of a starting gig, earning the honors of starting at middle linebacker next to veteran Matt Milano, according to Skurski. Another draft pick from the 2022 Draft, Bernard beat out presumed favorite Tyrel Dodson for the starting job left vacant by the exit of Tremaine Edmunds in free agency.

Dodson has started five games over his first three seasons in the league but has really only come in on rare occasions on defense or for special teams. Despite not winning the starting job, Dodson should still get plenty of run as he and Tyler Matakevich are the only healthy backup linebackers on the roster. Bernard, though, will be the one to take the field with the first-team defense alongside Milano and third-round rookie Dorian Williams.

There you have it. A couple of surprises join with an expected result to put three young players in the starting lineup for tomorrow night’s game. Torrence will get a chance to start in his NFL debut, while Benford and Bernard will take the step up into starting roles to begin their sophomore seasons.

Bills Have “Open Competition” For QB2 Role

August 13th, 2023 at 11:53am CST by Rory Parks

The Bills have an open competition for the backup quarterback job behind Josh Allen, as head coach Sean McDermott confirmed after the team’s first preseason contest yesterday (Twitter link via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). Matt Barkley, who remained with Buffalo via a reserve/futures deal he signed in January, will battle free agent signee Kyle Allen for the QB2 gig.

Kyle Allen, 27, spent the 2022 season with the Texans and has also seen action with the Panthers and Commanders. Last year, he started two games in relief of the struggling Davis Mills and did not perform particularly well, completing 59% of his passes for two TDs against four interceptions (Houston lost both contests). In his pro career, Kyle Allen has a 7-12 record as a starter to go along with an 82.2 quarterback rating.

Barkley, who will turn 33 next month, has just seven career starts to his name, the last of which came in 2018. He spent the 2018-20 seasons with the Bills and saw some action as a fill-in for Josh Allen during that time, and after stints on the Titans’ and Panthers’ taxi squads in 2021, he rejoined Buffalo last March. However, Case Keenum operated as Josh Allen’s backup in 2022, and Barkley spent the year on the Bills’ p-squad.

Kyle Allen got the starting nod in yesterday’s 23-19 victory over the Colts and largely struggled, completing eight of 15 passes for 122 yards and an interception. Statistically, Barkley had the superior outing, as he completed 14 of 15 attempts for 172 yards and two TDs, though it should be noted that his efforts came against Indianapolis’ third-stringers. While acknowledging that Barkley may have gained a slight advantage over Kyle Allen, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic notes that Barkley did not have much zip on his throws and would not have been as successful against better defenders (subscription required).

Interestingly, Buscaglia believes the player who will ultimately serve as Josh Allen’s clipboard holder may not be on the roster yet. After Kyle Allen’s unimpressive camp and underwhelming preseason performance, and given the lack of speed on Barkley’s passes, GM Brandon Beane may seek a more compelling option to hold the fort in the event of a Josh Allen injury in 2023. Buscaglia names the 49ers’ Sam Darnold as a possible trade target.

There are, of course, other position battles worth monitoring in western New York. Per Buscaglia, Tyrel Dodson appears to be the favorite to win the starting inside linebacker job next to Matt Milano in the wake of Tremaine Edmunds‘ free agent defection to Chicago. Dodson’s primary competition, Terrel Bernard, suffered a hamstring injury in practice last week and did not play against the Colts. And, although second-year pro Baylon Spector got first-team reps in one practice at the end of July, he has not seen another opporunity with the top unit since then. He worked exclusively with the third-string defense in the preseason opener.

Meanwhile, rookie right guard O’Cyrus Torrence played the entire first half against Indianapolis, though Buscaglia suspects incumbent Ryan Bates will get his chance with the first team when the Bills take on the Steelers in their second preseason contest. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey recently dubbed the competition between Torrence and Bates “really close” (h/t NFL.com), and it appears the battle remains too close to call.

AFC East Notes: Pats, Dolphins, Hamlin, Bills

May 25th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots will join the list of teams to lose OTA days due to minor violations. The NFL docked the Pats two OTA sessions, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. New England did not practice Wednesday and will see another of its sessions nixed next week. The violation is believed to stem from the NFLPA expressing concern about the Pats’ meeting schedule. A 15-minute special teams meeting appearing on the team’s internal schedule was deemed mandatory in nature, and not voluntary, by the union, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. Bill Belichick incurred a $50K fine, Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal tweets, noting Joe Judge was involved in the violation as well (Twitter links). Pats players were aware they were being asked to stay longer than allowed, per veteran reporter Mike Giardi (on Twitter), with Reiss adding the team was fully cooperative with the NFL inquiry.

While on-field contact has triggered these penalties at various points in the recent past, the Pats’ violation is believed to pertain to only the meeting issue. This punishment certainly can be interpreted as steep for the reported infraction, though the NFLPA made reduced offseason work a key component during the 2011 and 2020 CBA talks.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

Austin Jackson is back at work for the Dolphins, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, participating in OTA sessions after undergoing reconstructive ankle surgery (Twitter link). Jackson did not undergo surgery upon initially injury his ankle — in Week 1 — as Miami’s starting right tackle attempted to return in Week 12. Jackson played 70 offensive snaps in that December game but did not suit up again last season. The Dolphins said before the draft they are planning to give Jackson another shot as their top right tackle, though they subsequently passed on his fifth-year option.
Miami did not draft a tackle, but the team did add ex-New England starter Isaiah Wynn. The former first-rounder is working at multiple positions during OTAs, Mike McDaniel said (via Jackson). League rules prohibit media from reporting which positions Wynn is playing, but the former Patriots left tackle did play guard for three seasons at Georgia. Wynn has spent most of his NFL time at left tackle and struggled on the right side following a 2022 position switch. The Dolphins have Terron Armstead locked in at left tackle, but the ex-Saints blocker has run into numerous injury issues during his career. He missed four games last season. Wynn’s Dolphins path could feature a starting right tackle role, a spot as the team’s swingman or potentially a guard gig. Left guard Liam Eichenberg has not solidified his position like right guard Robert Hunt has.
Damar Hamlin has made remarkable strides in his recovery and is fully expected to resume his career this season. But the Bills are playing it cautiously. Hamlin received full clearance to return and has worked out with teammates this offseason, but The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes the third-year safety is not yet participating in OTAs (Twitter link). Hamlin’s progress continues to be a situation to monitor in Buffalo, considering the historically rare circumstances he encountered after making a routine tackle in January.
A year after re-signing Matt Milano, the Bills let Tremaine Edmunds walk in free agency. The five-year starting linebacker signed a monster Bears contract and left a hole in the Bills’ lineup. Buffalo is likely to look in-house to replace Edmunds, with WGRZ’s Vic Carucci indicating Tyrel Dodson and 2022 third-round pick Terrel Bernard will compete for the middle ‘backer job. A former UDFA, Dodson made three starts last year. He played 220 defensive snaps. Starting one game as a rookie, Bernard played 110. The Bills also brought back veteran A.J. Klein, who has 82 starts on his resume (16 with Buffalo), in April.

Bills Finalize Draft Pick Signings

May 13th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills have completed the process of signing their entire draft class. The team announced on Friday that each of their eight rookies have inked their initial deal.

That list includes first-round corner Kaiir Elam. The Bills made a small move up the board from 25th to 23rd to make sure they could select him. The former Florida Gator quickly emerged as key piece on the team’s defense, putting up solid production to go along with a pro-ready frame (six-foot-two, 195 pounds). With the secondary identified by many as the position group most in need of assistance, Elam could have a path to significant playing time with the Bills early on.

Another position which Buffalo made considerably stronger was that of running back. The team took Georgia tailback James Cook in the second round, adding competition for touches with Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and Duke Johnson. The younger brother of Vikings Pro Bowler Dalvin, Cook enjoyed a breakout season in his final campaign with the national champions. He topped 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time, scoring 11 total touchdowns.

The rest of the Bills’ class contains depth options on both sides of the ball, as well as a special teams addition. The team drafted so-called ‘Punt God’ Matt Araiza in the sixth round. The San Diego State product averaged over 51 yards per punt during his college career, fielding kickoff and field goal duties as well.

With the entire class under contract, here is the complete list of Bills draftees:

Round 1: No. 23 (from Cardinals through Ravens) Kaiir Elam, CB (Florida)
Round 2: No. 63 (from Bengals) James Cook, RB (Georgia)
Round 3: No. 89 Terrel Bernard, LB (Baylor) (signed)
Round 5: No. 148 (from Bears) Khalil Shakir, WR (Boise State)
Round 6: No. 180 (from Jaguars through Buccaneers) Matt Araiza, P (San Diego State)
Round 6: No. 185 (from Panthers) Christian Benford, CB (Villanova)
Round 6: No. 209 (from Bengals) Luke Tenuta, OT (Virginia Tech)
Round 7: No. 231 (from Falcons) Baylon Spector, LB (Clemson)

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