Category: Analysis

ESPN NFL insider: Will the Bills extend WR Amari Cooper?

ESPN NFL insider: Will the Bills extend WR Amari Cooper?

The Buffalo Bills were in need of a wide receiver and landed Amari Cooper.

In a deal with the Cleveland Browns, Cooper headed to Buffalo in a 2024 NFL trade deadline move.

However, the 30-year-old is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. Could he be back with the Bills again?

ESPN NFL analyst Jeremy Fowler has weighed in… but like Cooper, Fowler needs time as well.

Fowler noted that the team probably needs more time to decide if they like Cooper enough. However, Fowler mentioned that Buffalo does a good job in keeping players in town if the Bills want them.

In just three games played so far, Cooper has seven catches, 124 yards and a touchdown.

Fowler’s full breakdown can be found below:

As is the case with most newly acquired players via trade, Cooper and the Bills need to see how the relationship develops on the field before making major decisions about the future. Cooper has the high-end offense — and quarterback — to catalyze his market for March. Buffalo is one of the more proactive teams in extending key players, so it wouldn’t surprise to see the Bills make a contract offer if Cooper is thriving.

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Jameis Winston auditioning to be 2025 starter and potential bridge for rookie

Can Jameis Winston be a part of the future?

The Cleveland Browns once again have uncertainty at the quarterback position, but Jameis Winston has a chance to prove he can be a part of the future in some regard.

NFL insider Albert Breer hinted that the future of Deshaun Watson was cloudy and that the Browns were no longer interested in building around him, rather adding competition to the quarterback room. That’s code for “he gone” whether he is on the roster for salary cap purposes or not.

So what do the Browns do at the quarterback position heading into the future?

The 2025 NFL draft crop of quarterbacks is slim pickings. If the Browns cannot fancy themselves into landing Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, then it is well worth punting on the class. Even if they do land Sanders, bringing back Winston as the starter for 2025 to give the rookie time would be profitable in the long haul.

The same could even be said about the promising 2026 class as well. This begs the question: could Winston even see a potential two-year deal?

In the Week 12 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a snow globe, Winston managed a massive 54 percent success rate and a positive Expected Points Added per play (EPA/play). His four-game sample size is not big enough to make a huge judgement on, however, but the rest of the season will be.

Browns Jameis Winston

Now 2-2 as the starting quarterback, we have three positive showings from Winston with limited turnovers and one classic Winston game in the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Can Winston prove he can be enough for another short-term deal to hang around in Northeast Ohio as a bridge quarterback?

5 key takeaways from the Bucs lopsided 30-7 win over the Giants

The Bucs came to East Rutherford, New Jersey, desperate for a win, as they had lost their previous four games before last week’s bye.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to East Rutherford, New Jersey, desperate for a win, as they had lost their previous four games before last week’s bye.

Not only did the Todd Bowles team come out of the bye week looking refreshed, they made a statement on all sides of the ball, improving to 5-6 on the year and keeping their playoff hopes alive. Here are five key takeaways from today’s 30-7 win over the Giants.

Bucky Irving is RB1

The Buccaneers are known around the league as a team that struggles to run the football. Part of the issue is the running back by committee approach that Liam Coen runs. It’s impossible for any of the Bucs RBs to become “the hot hand” and get something going on the ground when they are constantly being rotated out (this is also covered later on the defensive side). Bucky Irving has been the clear-cut RB1 for the Buccaneers for the last handful of games, and it seems like the only ones that cannot see that are on the Bucs sideline. Totaling only 12 of the team’s 28 designed carries, Irving led the backfield with 87 yards- an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Irving tied Mike Evans with six receptions for the team lead, not only effective on the ground, netting 64 receiving yards. It was understood how dangerous Rachaad White was catching passes out the back. However, Irving has proven to be just as, if not better, at being a pass-catching back than White.

Keep your best players on the field

Throughout the season, namely the four-game losing streak, Bowles was rarely keeping his best defensive line players on the field at the same time. All too often, Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, and Yaya Diaby were around the mid-60 % of defensive snaps played, which is unacceptable for your star players, who are healthy, to see snap counts that low. This game proved to be different, and while the official snap counts are not out, it was a noticeable effort to keep their best players on the field, and it made a distinct difference, registering four sacks of Tommy DeVito.

Mike Evans opens up the offense

Needless to say, one of the best Buccaneers players in the history of the franchise is a good player. However, it was extremely apparent as Mayfield was able to effectively spread the ball around. Mayfield connected with 11 different players, completing 24 of 30 for 294 yards on the day. The Giants have the best-passing defense that they have faced in the last five games in terms of yards allowed, which begs the question, was it a mistake not to try and trade for another well-established wide receiver when Evans went down?

Playing with urgency

The Buccaneers never let up off the gas throughout the game, no matter what the score was, which is proving to be the recipe for success. Against the Falcons in their Week 5 OT loss, it was a winnable game had the playcalling been more urgent rather than designed screen passes. The controversy of not going for two and not attempting to win against the Kansas City Chiefs in regulation. Not having anyone to catch passes that were not a running back or Cade Otton over that four-game stretch showed that this team has the talent to play with and beat the best that the NFL has to offer. However, they just seem to go on cruise control at the wrong time. Today was not the case and should be the blueprint for the Bucs for the remainder of the season, as they are on the bubble of making the playoffs.

Outcoaching bad coaches

Bowles is not a bad coach. He may be too conservative and make calls that those of us who are not on the sidelines question, but he is not a bad coach. Brian Daboll is not a good coach, and Bowles stepped up and outcoached the Giants. Mistakes are going to happen, as no team, player, or coach is perfect, but continuing to play with urgency and Bowles stepping up and outcoaching the remaining six coaches that the team plays against to close out the regular season is something that needs to happen.

GMFB’s Peter Schrager: No one made ‘louder statement’ last week than Bills (video)

GMFB’s Peter Schrager: No one made ‘louder statement’ last week than Bills (video)

NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” roundtable conversation on Monday following the Week 11 slate of games around the league included a take on which club among them made the “loudest statement”.

Analyst Peter Schrager chose the Bills following their 30-21 win over the Chiefs. He was complimentary of head coach Sean McDermott and pointed out that this regular season win over Kansas City felt different than past ones.

“I don’t think anyone made a louder statement made in the league than what the Bills did yesterday against the Chiefs,” Schrager said the morning after the matchup.

The segment can be found in the clip below:

How good was Seahawks C Olu Oluwatimi in 2023 as a rookie?

How good was Seahawks C Olu Oluwatimi in 2023 as a rookie?

The Seattle Seahawks and the 12th Man were shocked by some major news this week. Starting center Connor Williams, who was signed in early August and had played in all nine games this year, announced his retirement on Friday. The reasons have not been made clear as of right now, but it was for personal reasons. Of course, we at Seahawks Wire wish him the best as he begins this new chapter in his life after football.

But time stops for no man in the NFL, and the Seahawks must move forward. And they will do so with second-year center Olu Oluwatimi to anchor the interior of this offensive line. Originally a fifth round pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of Michigan, Oluwatimi has not seen much of any action this year. Now he is thrust into a starting role. Next man up, I suppose.

With his limited play time this year, we need to take a look back at how he performed as a rookie. During his debut season, Oluwatimi actually played rather well… again, with limited reps.

Oluwatimi started only one game last year, which was a 20-10 home win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Of course, given how pathetic the Seahawks offensive line has played, there are surely those who might be wondering “if Oluwatimi was so good, why wasn’t he starting in the first place? Why else would Seattle sign Connor Williams?” While these questions are fair, it is also understandable why the Seahawks would want to sign Williams – who had been one of the best centers in all of football the last few years. Regardless of how well Oluwatimi may or could be, Williams was (theoretically) an upgrade over just about anyone else in the league.

Additionally, given Oluwatimi’s lack of experience, it made sense for a new coaching staff to perhaps want him to develop more behind an established veteran. As for the charge of “why couldn’t he beat out Williams?” it is important to remember how Williams was playing well, up until the last two games the Seahawks competed in.

Whatever the reason may be for Oluwatimi not starting, we’ll get to see how he fares on Sunday… for better or worse.

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Causes for concern as the Bills face the Chiefs in Week 11

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Chiefs in Week 11

The Buffalo Bills will host the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in Week 11.

The Bills (8-2) and Chiefs (9-0) are the top two seeds in the AFC currently. The second-place Bills are riding a five-game win streak while the top-seeded Chiefs haven’t lost since Christmas Day in 2023.

Even though Buffalo is favored to win the game, there are always a few things that make winning difficult each week. The Bills will need to be wary of them.

Here are three causes for concern for the Bills in Week 11:

Chris Jones is a disrupter

USA Today Sports

Chris Jones continues to be a menace on the defensive line for the Chiefs in his ninth season. His specialty is getting after the passer. Pro Football Focus grades him as the best pass rusher of all interior defenders in the NFL, with a pass rush grade of 90.8.

They don’t just use him in the interior, either. He bounces around the defensive line and can take advantage of mismatches wherever they see fit. If the Bills are without right tackle Spencer Brown, Jones could be even more of a problem for quarterback Josh Allen and the offense.

Time of possession

Getty Images

The Chiefs average the most time of possession per game in the NFL. Their average of just over 33 minutes of possession per game means they possess the ball about six minutes longer then their opponent. Allen is right up there with Patrick Mahomes as far as quarterback talent, but if Allen has the ball six minutes less than Mahomes, it will make it hard to bring down the undefeated, reigning champs.

If the Bills defense can’t get the Chiefs off the field, then it will play into exactly how the Chiefs have been winning games this year. They’ve had long drives on offense and on defense they have held their opponents to 17.9 points per game (T-5th in the NFL).

Babich’s first go-round with KC

USA Today Sports

This will be a big game for first-year defensive play caller Bobby Babich. It will be his first time calling plays against Andy Reid and the Chiefs offense. Babich has had an excellent first year as defensive coordinator, but he has struggled against some of the league’s better offenses like the Baltimore Ravens.

This will be a big stepping stone in his young career. If his defense is flying around and making plays against Mahomes, then it is a huge win for the Bills going forward. If the Bills struggle with some of the creativity that is usually seen from a Reid offense, then it could be a long day for Buffalo.

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It is time to worry about Sam Darnold if you are a Vikings fan

Despite all their success, the Vikings have a growing problem and it is happening at an important position. 

The Minnesota Vikings are currently 7-2 and are among the best teams in the NFC. They are just one game from the top of the division and have their eyes on more with each passing week.

Despite all their success, the Vikings have a growing problem and it is happening at an important position.

Sam Darnold started the year out with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions heading into their Bye Week after the Jets win in London. Since that game, a game where he looked human again, Darnold has had six touchdowns and six interceptions. Something has finally cracked in Darnold, resulting in him either being figured out by opposing defenses or falling back into who he once was.

When you add in the three lost fumbles to his credit and the 14 turnover-worthy throws PFF has charted, you realize Sam Darnold is still a problem.

Brian Flores and his defense have saved the day the last two weeks, and Kevin O’Connell and his play-calling have kept some stability. Eventually, though, the ground is going to give out on Darnold, and the Vikings season will fall out along with it.

Where is Sean Tucker and where has his usage gone?

In recent weeks, Liam Coen and the offense abandoned the run game and have since lost three straight games. 

Early on in the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a run-heavy team that controlled time of possession and helped out the passing game. In recent weeks, Liam Coen and the offense abandoned the run game and have since lost three straight games.

Although two of the three losses came to the teams in the Super Bowl last year, that is where the moral victories start and stop.

One major question in the abandoning of the run game is where Sean Tucker has gone. Tucker was the NFC Player of the Week after his performance against the Saints, where he ran for 136 rushing yards, had three receptions for 56 yards, and had two total touchdowns. It seems insane that a player could do that and have just ten carries since then.

In week 10 against the 49ers, Tucker had no snaps played at all, let alone touches. It will be interesting to see how things stand coming out of the Bye Week if he can work his way back into the fold.

5 key takeways from the Bucs 23-20 loss to the 49ers

In a game that was not nearly as close as the scoreboard would indicate, here are 5 key takeaways as the Bucs continue to look for answers.

In what was sort of a midseason battle of attrition of under-performing teams between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, the Buccaneers once again fell short, this time in regulation as Jake Moody hit a game-winning FG as the clock expired.

In a game that was not nearly as close as the scoreboard would indicate, here are 5 key takeaways as the Buccaneers continue to look for answers following their fourth-straight loss.

The Buccaneers are not built for close games

Close games are traditionally won by out-coaching your opposition. Todd Bowles is unable to do that and has proven it time and time again. Whether it is poor clock management or just simply playing without a killer instinct and playing to win, Bowles is overstaying his welcome among fans. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who would be the front-runner to take over the team should the Buccaneers make the unlikely midseason move at head coach, has continued to show flashes of great calling, followed by headscratchers. On the season, the Buccaneers

Bucky Irvin should be RB1 from now on

Of that headscratcher, as mentioned above, decisions would be why the Buccaneers have not named rookie RB Bucky Irving the clear-cut RB1 after routinely out-gaining Rachaad White on running plays. White is dynamic in the passing game; however, splitting nearly 50% of carries every week is less than ideal as Irving is not only the team leader in rushing yards but out-gains White by over a yard per carry, which is a lot considering how close the Buccaneers games have been as of late.

Defense is poorly indescribable

Injuries be damned. Players get hurt weekly, and there is no excuse for how poor this Buccaneers defense is, especially with the number of self-inflicted wounds we see weekly. That falls back on coaching. Bowles continued odd-man substitutions rarely allow for his best players to be on the field at the same time, namely on the defensive line. In last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Yaya Diaby, Vita Vea, and Calijah Kancey all saw more than 55% of defensive snaps, which was the highest for all three players all season. Antoine Winfield Jr. has to put 120% effort into every play, not to account for a lack of talent but for a lack of effort from his teammates, which is a recipe for disaster as the season progresses.

The lack of depth at WR should’ve been addressed

The NFL trade deadline came and went, and all the while, the Buccaneers were missing superstar WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. This left Mayfield solely to rely on a young and unproven wide receiver corps, as Jason Licht and the Bucs front office chose to stand pat and not make a move. TE Cade Otton has emerged as Mayfield’s favorite–and most reliable– target over the last several weeks; outside of Otton and the Bucs running backs being utilized in the passing game, it’s become a total crapshoot if and when someone else will step up. Luckily for the Buccaneers, Mayfield continues to toe the line as an outlier in the MVP conversation. Evans will likely return following the bye, which should help open up the offense more.

Bucs playoff hopes dwindling

Per The Athletic, the Buccaneers entered Week 10 with only a 21% chance of making the playoffs, and with another NFC loss to a team in the Wild Card picture, that only makes things harder. Five of the remaining seven games are against fellow NFC teams, making each a must-win bout. As the Bucs enter the bye week, they will look to address some of the problems in hopes of shoring up the defense. In Week 12, the Buccaneers will play against the New York Giants, who have been a mess all season, with the caveat that Bowles has never won a game following a Bye Week.

Bucs face uphill battle against 49ers due to unique circumstances

Going against the reigning NFC champions isn’t an easy matchup to get a win, but it may be even more challenging than fans realize. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to get a win in Week 10, as they are now on a two-game skid. The NFC South remains a fluid situation at the top between themselves and the Falcons, but being down two games means they have to win as much as possible.

Going against the reigning NFC champions isn’t an easy matchup to get a win, but it may be even more challenging than fans realize.

The Bucs will come off a short week following their game on the road on Monday Night. Meanwhile, the 49ers are coming off their Bye Week, which means they will not only be more rested but also more prepared given the extra time.

Like the Bucs, the 49ers are currently 4-4 and looking to stay involved within their own division. If you are on either team, something has to give, but as of right now, the scale favors San Francisco.