Category: Bills News

Micah Hyde makes first comments about potential return to Bills

Micah Hyde makes first comments about potential return to #Bills:

The Buffalo Bills are in the middle of an offseason that has seen them make some franchise-altering moves over the past few months. One of the unresolved matters of this summer for Buffalo has been whether they will have back one of the players who has been the mainstay of their defense since the 2017 season.

While safety Jordan Poyer was released by the Bills in a salary cap move and eventually signed by the Miami Dolphins, the case is different for Micah Hyde. The 33-year-old Hyde was a pending free agent and was contemplating retiring. He remains unsigned.

Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane noted last week that he was not going to press Hyde for any answer relating to if he will return.

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But Hyde then went on to make his first comment about his thought process anyway. However, Hyde did admit he’s still deciding.

Hyde said that he’s “still not sure” about his plans for next season via WGR-550 radio. At the moment, Buffalo is preparing for the 2024 NFL draft that begins on Thursday as they look to add some youth to a team that has been offloading some of their veteran players this offseason.

Hyde said he is still working out on a daily basis just in case he commits to playing in the NFL next season, but is taking his time to make sure that he’s making the “most informed decision” that he can make. Hyde has been thinking hard about retirement given that he has suffered several neck injuries in recent years that could have been more detrimental to his health.

One good thing that should make Bills fans more optimistic is that Hyde mentioned that if he did decide to play in the NFL next season that he only “imagines” playing for the Bills. For context, Hyde played just two games during the 2022 season after being placed on injured reserve following a neck injury that sent him to the hospital:

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Report: Pegula family exploring selling minority-stake ownership of the Bills

Report: Pegula family exploring selling minority-stake ownership of the #Bills:

Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula is reportedly looking to sell a minority stake in the team.

According to The Athletic, the Pegulas could end up selling up to 25 percent of the club and the Bills have since gone on to confirm the report:

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The team released a statement, saying the following:

“The Pegula family has retained Allen & Company to explore the potential sale of a non-controlling, minority interest in the Bills,’ the team said Friday in a statement. ‘These discussions only involve the Bills and no other team. No investment would be possible without Terry Pegula and the Pegula family maintaining a controlling interest in the team. Their continued commitment to Western New York, the new Highmark Stadium, our fans and the other teams in their portfolio remains unchanged.’

‘Neither the team nor the Pegula family are able to comment further at this point.’

In any sale, the Pegulas would still maintain a controlling interest in the club. The exact percentage that could be sold is not yet set in stone.

According to Forbes, the estimated value of the Bills is $3.7 billion.

Bills Wire will provide future updates as information is made available.

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Former Bills RB O.J. Simpson dies at 76 after battle with cancer

Former #Bills RB O.J. Simpson dies at 76 after battle with cancer:

Former Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson, whose trial for the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman captivated the nation, has died.

Simpson, 76, passed away following a battle with cancer. Simpson’s family announced his death on Thursday:

Simpson won the 1968 Heisman Trophy at USC, earning the most first-place votes (855) in history.

In 1969, the Bills selected Simpson with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. He earned five first-team All-Pro honors, including in 1973. Simpson was named NFL MVP that year after he became the first player ever to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season and will likely go down as the only one to do so in only 14 games.

Simpson spent nine years in Buffalo. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. In 2019, USA TODAY named him one of the NFL’s 100 best players of all time.

Simpson worked after retirement as a broadcaster for “The NFL on NBC” and  “Monday Night Football.” He also starred in numerous commercials and films such as “The Naked Gun” franchise.

Simpson’s legacy forever changed in 1994. Simpson became the focal point of the “trial of the century.” He was acquitted of the murders of Brown and Goldman but was found liable for their deaths in a civil trial in 1995 and was ordered to pay $33.5 million.

In more recent years, Simpson had shown up at Highmark Stadium during Bills games, where he would pose for photos with fans in his suite.

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Report: Signs point toward Bills training camp returning to St. John Fisher

Report: Signs point toward #Bills training camp returning to St. John Fisher:

There is good news for those in the Rochester area.

According to 13WHAM-TV, the Buffalo Bills are likely to return to St. John Fisher University in Pittsburgh for their upcoming 2024 training camp this summer:

As has been the case in recent years, it could be a one-year commitment from the team to return to the school’s campus for training camp. The Bills have straddled the line on what their long-term desires are in this area.

Since Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane have taken over their respective positions in Buffalo’s front office, the club has cut back appearances out in Rochester during the summer. They’ve appeared to prefer having it held in Orchard Park, but never outwardly say that.

Most years, Buffalo will take at least a workout or two back to their home at Highmark Stadium in recent years.

The team itself has not yet confirmed it will return to St. John Fisher. If and when they do, Bills Wire will provide that information when it is made available.

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3 Bills players land on top-25 performance-based pay list for 2023

Money is nice:

Three players on the Buffalo Bills have earned three top-25 performanced-based pay distribution bonuses from the NFL for their efforts during the 2023 NFL season.

The NFL included offensive linemen Spencer Brown and O’Cyrus Torrence, along with linebacker Terrel Bernard  on their list of players getting a pay boost following last season.

All of the bonuses handed out to players is based on their snap counts and salaries. In many cases, the bump in cash goes to players still on their lower rookie contract salaries which is the case with the Bills trio.

The full breakdown of bonuses for each of the Bills players is as follows:

  • OL Spencer Brown: $912,723
  • OL O’Cyrus Torrence: $847,180
  • LB Terrel Bernard: $777,092

The full league-wide list can be found via ESPN’s Adam Schefter below:

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Chris Simms: Bills did not want to trade Stefon Diggs to Chiefs

PFT’s Chris Simms says he heard #Bills did not want to trade Stefon Diggs to #Chiefs:

Stefon Diggs is now a member of the Houston Texans.

The Bills and Diggs had been in discussions about trading him. The transaction did not just happen out of nowhere.

However, there might have been just one team they were not willing to send Diggs to.

“From what I do know, is he was allowed to seek a trade from anybody in the league except the Kansas City Chiefs,” Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk said on Thursday’s episode of “PFT Live.”

The 30-year-old wide receiver fetched the Bills a second-round pick in the trade, which also involved two draft picks going from Buffalo to Houston. However, Diggs is now only under contract for one year in Houston after he agreed to shorten his deal. That makes the trade look a little better for Buffalo … but could Diggs end up in KC after that?

Time will tell what happens after Diggs’ upcoming campaign with the Texans.

The full breakdown from Simms can be found in the clip below:

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Stefon Diggs’ contract: A new twist to the Bills-Texans trade

An interesting new situation:

There was a new layer added to the Stefon Diggs trade.

The Buffalo Bills sent their top receiver to the Houston Texans in a move that shocked the NFL.

It was immediately viewed as a move that didn’t make the Bills look great. Buffalo had to eat more than $30 million of dead cap space to move him out only to land a second-round pick in next year’s draft.

Now for the twist.

Upon joining the Texans, Diggs has a new contract he’s playing on. It makes the Bills’ side of the deal look a bit nicer now.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 30-year-old wideout is now on a one-year deal. Previously he had multiple years left on his contract. Houston could now lose him after one season:

For Diggs, he’s betting on himself. He led the NFL in receiving yards from 2020-2023. That could mean a big pay day after next year.

While Buffalo did also lose a pair of late-round selections in the deal (2024 sixth-rounder (No. 189) and 2025 fifth-rounder), this trade looks better from their perspective. From Buffalo’s vantage point it originally was giving up three years of Diggs for one pick… now that’s not the case.

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Bills sign OL La’el Collins to one-year deal

#Bills sign OL La’el Collins to one-year deal:

The Buffalo Bills have signed offensive lineman La’el Collins, adding interesting depth and possible competition to their trenches.

According to his representatives via ESPN, the free agent inks a one-year deal with the Bills:

After going undrafted in 2015 due to off-field concerns, Collins immediately became a starter with the Dallas Cowboys as a UDFA. In six years in Dallas, Collins established himself as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen at right tackle.

He signed a five-year, $50 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 but has not played since tearing his ACL and MCL. Collins was out of football in 2023.

Pro Football Focus only graded Collins a 57.9 overall in 15 games with the Bengals prior to injury. However, in previously years with the Dallas Cowboys his marks include an 82.0 (2021), 86.4 (2019) and 72.5 (2018).

In December, Collins was in Buffalo and had a free-agent workout.

Collins has mostly played at right tackle in the NFL. His experience could put him into a competition with Spencer Brown for playing time or he could provide veteran depth.

In addition, it’s worth noting that Collins has played 897 career snaps at left guard and could factor into that discussion as well. Following Connor McGovern’s move to center, it was expected David Edwards was the front runner for playing time there.

Bills Wire will continue to update all roster transactions throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Bills are trading Stefon Diggs to Texans in swap of draft picks

The Bills are finalizing a trade that will send Stefon Diggs to the Texans for a 2025 second-round pick

The Buffalo Bills are making a huge trade ahead of the 2024 NFL draft. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, they’re finalizing a trade that will send Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in exchange for draft-pick compensation.

Schefter reports that in addition to Diggs, the Bills will send the Texans a 2025 fifth-round pick and 2024 sixth-round pick. In return, the Bills will receive a second-rounder in the 2025 draft.

Diggs, 30, has been with the Bills since 2020 and has been selected as a Pro Bowler in each of his four seasons in Buffalo – including a first-team All-Pro nod in 2020, when he led the NFL with 127 catches and 1,535 yards.

The Bills’ wide receiver room is looking much different now than it did in 2023. Diggs is being traded to the Texans and Gabe Davis signed with the Jaguars in free agency, leaving Josh Allen without his top two receivers.

Buffalo did add Curtis Samuel this offseason, but this trade makes wideout a much higher priority in the upcoming draft. It will also thrust tight end Dalton Kincaid into a more prominent role after a solid rookie season in 2023.

Contract details for extension Taron Johnson signed with the Bills

Contract details for extension Taron Johnson signed with the #Bills:

The Buffalo Bills signed cornerback Taron Johnson to a contract extension. Some details were already known.

At the time of reporting, it was said Johnson will now be the NFL’s highest-paid slot cornerback. He’s now inked to a deal with the Bills through the 2027 season.

Now we have the full details of the contract.

As the offseason has gone for the Bills, the salary cap played a big part.

Originally slated for a $12.4 million salary cap hit, it’s been lowered by almost $4M to $8.448M according to Over The Cap. Helping there is base salary that dropped down to $1.125M. In addition, there are two void years at the end of Johnson’s deal to spread out the cap hits.

Overall, Johnson signed a three-year, $31M extension.

That $8.44M cap hit is accompanied by a $22.5M dead cap. If the Bills were to release Johnson, it would cost them $22.5M against the cap as opposed to his actual cap hit. That same circumstance can be found in Year 2 of his deal, a $8.16M cap hit is next to a $15.25M dead cap hit.

Following that year, there is a potential out in his contract and Buffalo could release him and save against the cap.

Here’s how those salary cap hits break down (dead cap):

  • 2024: $8.44M ($22.5M)
  • 2025: $8.16M ($15.25M)
  • 2026: $11.06M ($4.35M)
  • 2027: $12.34M ($2.9M)

Bills Wire will continue to bring all roster updates throughout the 2024 offseason.

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