Tag: AFC East

PODCAST: Bills 2020 Draft recap; How’d they do?

Buffalo Bills Wire podcast on the Buffalo Bills and 2020 NFL Draft.

For the first time in seemingly forever, the Buffalo Bills entered a NFL Draft without much need for urgency.

Of course, you want to hit at every pick, but it was nice to know that the future of the team didn’t ultimately depend on any selections made in this 2020 draft.

Utilizing their seven draft picks, Beane acquired it’s highest priority, a second running back to complement Devin Singletary. He also grabbed depth at receiver, adding two pieces to aide join the likes of Diggs, Beasley, Brown and others. A quality prospect for the defensive line, and a cornerback were sprinkled in as well.

Perhaps the most surprising choices were quarterback Jake Fromm and kicker Tyler Bass. Those two choices have been quite the discussion topic in the stratosphere of Buffalo social media. Regardless of what side you are on, how long has it’s been since the Bills could get away with something like this? It’s a good feeling.

Billswire Podcast Hosts Matt Johnson and Jeremy Juhasz recap the weekend, and discuss the newest acquisitions:

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Brandon Beane: Bills QB Jake Fromm will earn spot

Buffalo Bills general manager says 2020 NFL Draft QB Jake Fromm will earn spot.

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With a selection that came as a surprise to many, the Buffalo Bills took quarterback Jake Fromm with pick No. 167 in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Adding a relatively known QB to the Bills roster with Josh Allen and recently extended backup Matt Barkley raises some questions. There were several other positions that could have used depth. 

But Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane didn’t bounce around the question, Fromm was the best player available on the Bills’ draft board when they were on the clock. 

“Simple as the [draft] board,” Beane said. “I wouldn’t have told you going into the day that (Fromm) was on our radar. But we had him in a spot that you just can’t ignore.”

“He’s a winner at the highest level of college. He’s got all the intangibles,” Beane added. 

But that doesn’t answer the question everyone is wondering. What will happen with Fromm? Well, he’s going to be treated the same as Allen, Barkley, and everyone else. 

“He’ll have to earn a spot,” Beane said. “I don’t know if he could knock Matt Barkley.”

The biggest knock on Fromm during the pre-draft process was likely some of his work at the combine. His hands measured in under the traditionally wanted nine inches and his arm is not the strongest you’ll find. With that in mind, Fromm is kind of the oppose of Allen. His arm isn’t big and he’s not the mobile type. 

Only time will tell as to how the Bills will approach this situation. Beane didn’t rule out the possibility of using three roster spots on quarterbacks for the upcoming season. The last time the Bills did so, it Joe Webb, a special teamer, was the third guy. Davis Webb is also on Buffalo’s practice squad. 

However the Bills approach it, they have a prospective starter in the backup roll. It’s unlikely that there will be a QB controversy, but, in the case that Josh Allen can not succeed with the plethora of talent around him, Fromm could eventually find himself in a much larger role within the Bills offense. We’ll cross that road when we get there.

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2020 NFL Draft: AFC East Day 1 picks

Here is a rundown of the AFC East’s first-round draft picks from Thursday night.

The Buffalo Bills, without a first-round draft pick Thursday night, were unable to add to bolster their roster during the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. It was a balance to deal their first-round pick, as it brought the team it’s long coveted No. 1 receiver in Stefon Diggs.

Their rivals in the AFC East, however, made some moves to strengthen their squads. The Bills will have to account for a new crop of rookies when they face off against their divisional foes.

Here is a rundown of the AFC East’s first-round draft picks from Round 1:

Miami Dolphins

Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

QB Tua Tagovalioa

Miami had a busy opening day to the draft, holding immense draft capital with three first-round picks.

With the fifth-overall pick in the draft, the Dolphins selected Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa was the second quarterback off the board, following Joe Burrow, the LSU product who was selected with the first pick in this year’s draft. Tagovailoa is already being mentioned in the same class as the best left-handed quarterbacks in league history. His potential is extremely high, making him a fascinating choice for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa is looked to fill Miami’s long-term void at quarterback since the retirement of Hall of Famer Dan Marino in 2000.

There’s little that Tagovailoa does wrong on the field. He’s an accurate thrower coming out of Alabama. In addition, he is mobile and can easily throw on the run. Scouts have lauded his processing and football IQ. The only downfall to his game is the injury history that followed him throughout college. When healthy, though, he was among the best in all of college football. He will easily push Ryan Fitzpatrick (and Josh Rosen) for Miami’s starting job (if healthy, of course).

Southern California Trojans offensive tackle Austin Jackson. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

OL Austin Jackson

The Dolphins’ second pick further strengthen the team’s offense, as Miami picked offensive tackle Austin Jackson. The 6-foot-4, 322-pound tackle is athletic and mobile. Even at his young age (only 20 years old), his technique is solid. There is tremendous room for growth with Jackson. He had some issues with speed rushers, but overall, he won more battles than he lost in college. If he starts this year, there will be a bit of a learning curve for him. Still, it appears that Jackson will be linked as the long-term blind side protection for Tagovailoa.

 

Auburn Tigers defensive back Noah Igbinoghene. Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

CB Noah Igbinoghene

The Dolphins finished out their busy night by selecting corner Noah Igbinoghene from Auburn after trading back. While Igbinoghene is a very good cornerback, the selection is a bit interesting by the Dolphins. The team spent massive money on cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. Igbinoghene is an athletic corner who can keep up with any wide receiver. He’s also a physical player, which bodes well for Miami’s penchant to play man-to-man coverage. There are some wrinkles to work out in his game. However, he will not be required to shadow top receivers immediately, and this will give him time to develop at the pro level.

 

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AFC East offseason: Patriots lose Rob Gronkowski to Bucs too

The New England Patriots already lost quarterback Tom Brady this offseason and even though tight end Rob Gronkowski retired, he decided to make a comeback, but not with the Pats. 

The New England Patriots already lost quarterback Tom Brady this offseason and even though tight end Rob Gronkowski retired, he decided to make a comeback, but not with the Pats.

The Patriots did get something for Gronkowski unlike Brady, but Gronk requested a trade to the Buccaneers to reunite with the QB and that exact roster move went down on Tuesday.

Per various reports, the Gronkowski was dealt to the Bucs for a fourth rounder and seventh rounder at the upcoming NFL Draft. Gronkowski already even passed a physical with the Bucs, so the move is close to be already official. Patriots Wire reports that Gronk had been putting on weight to make return to football.

At this point, Brady has already paid dividends for the Bucs as he’s helped them fetch Gronkowski. The Bucs have a superior offense growing, with the likes of receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard, but Howard might be on the trading block now. Regardless, Brady has much better help around him next season as opposed to what the Patriots had in 2019.

Gronkowski spent the 2019 season in retirement, but had 47 catches, 682 yards and three touchdowns in his final season in New England.

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AFC East offseason: Patriots unveil new uniforms

If Buffalo does knock off New England next season, they’ll do so with their rival looking a bit different.

Folks around Bills Mafia are feeling good about their team’s chances in the AFC East next season. But their hometown Bills will have to dethrone the New England Patriots still, with or without quarterback Tom Brady.

If Buffalo does knock off New England next season, they’ll do so with their rival looking a bit different. The Patriots have released new uniforms, kind of. Previously the kit set was their color rush alternate, now promoted to primary, with just a slight tweak or two to them.

Here’s a view of them:

And here’s a bit of a 360 degree peak via a video the Patriots put out:

 

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VIDEO: PFF on how Stefon Diggs changes Bills’ shot at AFC East title

Pro Football Focus breaks down Buffalo Bills’ acquisition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Of course, quarterback Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots will have a huge affect on the outlook of the AFC East next season. In terms of ranking roster moves made across the division this offseason that will do just that, the Buffalo Bills acquiring wide receiver Stefon Diggs is a close second.

Buffalo’s defense was status quo last season as one of the NFL’s best. Their offense made some smaller steps forward. Quarterback Josh Allen improved and the quality of the players around him did as well. But the Bills still had a big hole to fill in terms of having a true game-breaking playmaker on offense.

Enter Diggs.

But exactly how big of an impact could Diggs have on Buffalo’s future? The football analytics folks at Pro Football Focus complied all their data on the Bills’ new No. 1 wide receiver and put into… focus… exactly how much of a difference Diggs could make in Orchard Park.

Check out their full video breakdown here:

 

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NFL Draft Tinder: Analyzing Jonathan Taylor’s Fit With the Buffalo Bills as the Draft Inches Closer

A lot goes into whether a college football player finds success in the National Football League. Skill, size, speed, technique and experience all play a role in their transition to the new level of football, but an often-overlooked factor is their …

A lot goes into whether a college football player finds success in the National Football League. Skill, size, speed, technique and experience all play a role in their transition to the new level of football, but an often-overlooked factor is their fit with the team that drafts them.

This fit is based on many things. The skill level of the players around them, the culture of the organization, and the coaching/planned role for the player in his rookie year with the team.

Two clear examples of the squad that drafted a player playing a massive role in whether they found success, the examples each showing the opposite ends of the spectrum, are seen in the early careers of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Miami Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen.

Nobody will deny that Mahomes is by far the better talent and better player. What is overlooked, however, is how different the early career situations affected each quarterback as they transitioned to the NFL.

Mahomes was drafted by the Chiefs–an extremely well-run organization with a great coach and a great roster–and was given a year to sit behind the current quarterback, veteran Alex Smith, in order to learn about what it takes to succeed in the league. He then was well prepared to take over the team in his second year and the rest is history.

Rosen, on the other hand, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals–an organization without a history of success, with a first year head coach in Steve Wilks and a bad roster–and was thrust into the starting role in week four. The UCLA product struggled mightily throughout his rookie year due in large part to an abysmal offensive line and below average weapons on the outside. Then, that offseason Rosen was traded to the Dolphins, a similarly tough situation for a young quarterback to succeed, and he hasn’t found footing since.

While not nearly the only reason for each players’ early career success or lack thereof, the team that drafted the two and the situation they put the young quarterbacks in had an undoubted effect on the level of success they experienced early in their careers.

So, with all this said, I looked through countless mock drafts and saw where former Badger running back Jonathan Taylor was being projected to land. One of the constant teams I saw was the Buffalo Bills.

So I thought about, if I was Taylor, whether or not I would be attracted to the fit presented by the Bills based on their culture, coach, offensive line and overall track record of success. 

Here’s NFL Draft Tinder: Jonathan Taylor edition, volume one.

 

The Buffalo Bills

Swipe up (super like).

While the Bills aren’t the first organization that comes to mind when you think of the elite organizations in the NFL, Head Coach Sean McDermott has built an impressive culture there over the last few years and has his team in great position to take over the AFC East with Tom Brady now in Tampa Bay. 

The team’s run scheme–a cold weather, north-south attack–would fit Taylor’s skill set perfectly and help to counteract the team having the league’s 21st rated offensive line in 2019 according to ProFootballFocus. Furthermore, a key element in someone like Taylor finding NFL success is the presence of another back on the roster, preferably a change-of-pace back, to take pressure off of him and help to manage his workload. The Bills have exactly that in Devin Singletary, a guy who carried the ball 151 times for 775 yards and caught 29 balls for 194 yards in only 12 games last season as a rookie. The fit of the offense is then wrapped up by the Bills’ impressive young quarterback Josh Allen, a guy who is improving each year and isn’t afraid to use his legs to move the ball. In total, adding Taylor to this team would make them a force to be reckoned with on the ground.

So, the current culture of the organization together with trajectory of the team, their talented young quarterback, their coach and the presence of a change-of-pace back in Devin Singletary outweigh the team having a slightly below average offensive line and represent a great situation for Taylor to find himself in.

 

Stay tuned for Taylor’s fit with the Miami Dolphins tomorrow and more to follow.

AFC East offseason recap: What have Jets’ rivals done in free agency?

After the first wave of free agency, the Jets Wire takes a look at AFC East offseason recap.

With Tom Brady no longer quarterbacking the New England Patriots, the window of opportunity is now wide open in the AFC East.

The Patriots, who are strapped for cap space, haven’t exactly done enough to ensure that they’ll be back in the playoffs in 2020. On the other side of the equation, the Bills, Dolphins and Jets have all upgraded their rosters.

While the Jets can’t erase years of bad drafting and contracts in one offseason, Joe Douglas is attempting to turn things around. Buffalo and Miami have improved as well, though. Josh Allen and the Bills are set for another playoff run, while the next rookie quarterback that comes to South Beach will be on a competitive roster that is well-coached.

With that said, let’s take a look at the AFC East and recap what the four teams have done through the first wave of free agency.

New York Jets

(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Joe Douglas has made savvy deals based on value in order to set the Jets up for success in 2020 and beyond. While the Jets have missed out on high-end free agents and even allowed their No. 1 WR, Robby Anderson, to walk in free agency, they still have made moves to improve the roster.

Still, Sam Darnold is not set up for more success than he was in 2019 and that needs to change between now and when the Jets officially take the field. Whether it’s trading for Trent Williams and adding a first-round wide receiver or finding the rest of Darnold’s help in the draft, there’s more work to do. New York has made strides to cut the gap in the AFC East, but Gang Green needs to do a better job of setting up its young quarterback for success like Buffalo and Miami.

Re-Signed

  • CB Brian Poole (1-year deal)
  • CB Arthur Maulet (1-year deal)
  • OG Alex Lewis (3-year deal)
  • LB Neville Hewitt (1-year deal)
  • LB James Burgess (1-year deal)
  • LB Jordan Jenkins (1-year deal)
  • S Bennett Jackson (1-year deal)

Key Departures

  • WR Robby Anderson: Signed by Carolina Panthers (2-year deal)
  • OT Brandon Shell: Signed by Seattle Seahawks (2-year deal)
  • OG Tom Compton: Signed by San Francisco 49ers (1-year deal)
  • OL Brent Qvale: Signed by Houston Texans (1-year deal)
  • LB Brandon Copeland: Signed by New England Patriots (1-year deal)
  • CB Maurice Canady: Signed by Dallas Cowboys (1-year deal)
  • CB Darryl Roberts: Released
  • CB Trumaine Johnson: Released

Key Additions

  • OT George Fant (3-year deal)
  • OG Greg Van Roten (3-year deal)
  • OC Connor McGovern (3-year deal)
  • OG Josh Andrews (1-year deal)
  • WR Breshad Perriman (1-year deal)
  • CB Pierre Desir (1-year deal)
  • LB Patrick Onuwasor (1-year deal)
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AFC East offseason: Jets replace Robby Anderson with Breshad Perriman

Like the Bills, the Jets will have a new No. 1 wide receiver when the 2020 NFL season rolls around. 

Like the Bills, the Jets will have a new No. 1 wide receiver when the 2020 NFL season rolls around.

Unlike the Bills, the Jets are rolling the dice a bit on their move.

The Jets lost wide receiver Robby Anderson to Buffalo South, the Carolina Panthers, this week. Per Panthers Wire, Anderson landed a two-year deal worth $20 million with $12 million in Year 1.

To replace him, the players the Jets are trying out is receiver Breshad Perriman. Jets Wire reports it’s a one-year deal worth up to $8 million. He will get $6 million guaranteed. A prove-it deal.

In 62 games, Anderson totaled 207 catches, 3,059 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns with the Jets. He was searching for No. 1 wideout money and got close to it, but will play in a role many predict he’s better suited for, being a good No. 2 option. DJ Moore will remain the Panthers’ top-target.

On the AFC rival Jets, Perriman was a potential target the Bills could’ve went for, but Buffalo opted for Stefon Diggs, and more proven player. For most of his career, Perriman, a former first-round pick, has struggled.

Perriman is a big-bodied and fast target, but he had a career-best season with the Bucs last year. Perriman, 26, had 36 catches for 645 yards and six scores last year. But when in a pinch, he had some big games late in the year while filling in as a starter. Over their final four games, Perriman had 20 catches, 419 yards and four touchdowns.

Which Perriman will the Bills have to deal with next season? That final four games Perriman or the one from the first four years of his underwhelming career?

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5 reasons why the Bills should avoid Cam Newton

Those are just a few of the places rumored to be Newton’s next destination, but Buffalo is surprisingly amongst those teams.

It was a move that many saw coming for the Carolina Panthers. The 2015 NFL MVP, and 2011 first-round pick, quarterback Cam Newton, was released on Tuesday by the team after a few years of declining health, leading to declining play.

With that news came the connections. Where would Newton end up? There’s some QB needy teams still out there, but with the madness of free agency last week, as well as the upcoming NFL Draft, who would want to take a chance with Newton? Could teams such as the Patriots or Chargers?

Those are just a few of the places rumored to be Newton’s next destination, but Buffalo is surprisingly amongst those teams.

Surprising, because of the Josh Allen experiment. But also unsurprising, because Carolina has essentially been a feeder program for the Bills since the arrival of head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane.

Here are five reasons why the Bills should avoid adding Newton:

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Newton isn’t ready to be a backup

Newton isn’t going to sign just anywhere. He wants to play. He wants to be a QB1 somewhere and prove the Carolina Panthers franchise, that he gave blood, sweat, a shoulder and foot for, wrong.

He wants to make another run, whether we believe in him or not. Well, quite frankly, Buffalo isn’t going to be that place.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, this organization and a good majority of it’s fan base are firmly behind it’s first round draft pick from 2018, Josh Allen. While there most certainly has been some growing pains with Allen behind center, this front office is ready to throw it all away, unless the Bills have a meltdown and find themselves on the “outside looking in” of the playoff picture by the middle of the season.

While Newton and Allen have a similar playing ability, and if Newton were up for it, he could serve as a tremendous mentor for a young QB who hasn’t hit his ceiling just yet. That’s not Newton’s “modus operandi” at 30 years old.

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