Tag: aj epensa

WATCH: Bills’ AJ Epenesa strip-sacks Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence

WATCH: #Bills’ AJ Epenesa strip-sacks #Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence:

A huge play from AJ Epenesa has kept the Bills in their Week 5 game against the Jaguars.

The Bills scored with less than two minutes left in the first half after playing poorly for most of the contest to that point. But the Stefon Diggs touchdown put the game within reach at an 11-7 score.

Right after, the Jaguars were driving and looking to add to their lead just before half. Down in Bills territory, Epenesa had a different idea.

He sacked Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence and forced a fumble that he went on to recover.

Drive over.

Check out Epenesa’s play in the clip below:

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Bills activate 4 from COVID list, including WR Gabriel Davis, Cole Beasley

#Bills activate 4 from COVID list, including WR Gabriel Davis, Cole Beasley:

The Buffalo Bills received a large chunk of important pieces back from the team’s Reserve/COVID-19 list.

In total, the Bills (9-6) will now have these four players back in their lineup from the designation when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17:

  • WR Cole Beasley
  • WR Gabriel Davis
  • OL Jon Feliciano
  • DE AJ Epenesa

The team announced their removal from the COVID list on Wednesday.

All four players were originally placed on the designation at different times.

Feliciano spent the longest period there, beginning on Dec. 19. The following day, Epenesa was sent there.

As last week rolled on, Beasley was placed in the COVID protocol on Dec. 21. As a bit expected, he was very unhappy about it and voiced that.

Finally, on Friday Davis was the final player placed there.

Thanks to the NFL following new CDC protocols for quarantine time, which drops it from 10 days to potentially five depending on circumstances, Davis was able to be activated earlier than expected.

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Important notes from photos, videos of Bills scrimmage

Notes and observations from Buffalo Bills scrimmage held during 2020 training camp.

Bills running back Devin Singletary. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News via AP, Pool)

So far at Bills training camp, we’ve had a different vibe.

OK, considering the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing in the United States, the differences from what we’re accustom to is pretty evident. However, we’ve seen a media side effect from this. There’s no in-depth reporting coming out of training camp. Where are guys lining up? What’s the depth chart? Who could be on the roster bubble? We don’t know.

However, the Bills did have a scrimmage on Thursday. From that, a little bit of content was released by the team. There was video of two Josh Allen touchdown passes, along with a photo collage posted to the team’s website. We’re certainly not going to get much information out of them, but why not try anyway? Let’s dig a little deeper… or at least as deep as we can.

We’ll start by showing the touchdown passes here:

Allen to Roberts: 

Allen to Singletary: 

And now some position-by-position notes:

Receivers

  • Not really much digging here, but Roberts catches this pass. Yes, he’s an All-Pro returner, but the Bills entered the offseason very deep at wide receiver, so Roberts was not a lock to make the team. More recently, he’s starting to look like one and playing receiver with the starters is a good sign (Stefon Diggs missed practice). WROC-TV reported following the scrimmage that Roberts had three catches on this touchdown drive as well, so he was out there quite a bit.
  • The second video, OK… Singletary catches the touchdown, we knew he was their starter. Singletary is also coming out of the backfield on Roberts’ TD catch. In the same light as Singletary, Cole Beasley and John Brown pop up in the backgrounds of both videos and we also know those guys are starters, so no changes there.
  • Also spotted, Tyler Kroft in the background. He’s expected to be the Bills’ No. 2 tight end behind Dawson Know, so him out there with the starters fits but it’s still worth noting. No surprise depth guys jumping over him for the final roster just yet.
  • The most fun note: We’ve heard a lot about rookie Gabriel Davis so far in camp, but we finally have a visual sighting of him with the first-team offense. When Singletary scores, Davis throws his arms up to cheer. He could be a sneaky pick for a guy that’s going to get involved with the starters this season.
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3 takeaways from Day 4 of Bills training camp practices

Takeaways from Day 4 of Buffalo Bills training camp in 2020.

After a delay to their offseason schedule due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bills players finally have started to get on the field and hit each other. With preseason games still canceled, each day of practice held in Orchard Park is that much more important before the team’s season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13.

After a slow Day 3 of practice, things really got going on the fourth day of work as the team took to Bills Stadium and had full, live sessions with hitting going on. The overlying headline was Josh Norman’s injury. We’re still waiting for an update from that, but there was plenty more to observe from Thursday’s action, too.

With that, here are three main takeaways from Day 4 of Bills training camp practices:

Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News, Pool)

We understand AJ now

So it was a bit of a surprise to hear something on Wednesday. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott revealed via video conference that the team is putting a lot of stock into rookie second-round pick AJ Epenesa. Most figured he’d be a rotational piece along the Bills’ defensive line. But no one really thought he’d play multiple positions along it, especially as a rookie… but he is.

Epenesa said he’s learning all of this on the go, but he’s not opposed to taking all the reps he can, where ever he can.

“I mean, every position on the line you can think of, that’s where I’ve been playing. I’m trying to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” he said on Wednesday. “That’s really what’s trying to happen. I’m being put in situations where I haven’t really been put in before and trying to learn and improve on those to make me a more versatile player across the line.”

But it appears we know why the Bills are confident in Epenesa in every spot, which includes potentially the 3-tech spot where Ed Oliver is the expected starter, and the 1-tech location where Star Lotulelei will be missed due to his opt out. Epenesa, taking this rep and heading toward the interior of the offensive line, completely blows a play up.

Just wow:

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Bills’ AJ Epenesa predicted to make rookie impact despite modified offseason

Despite the 2020 offseason due to coronavirus, Buffalo Bills’ AJ Epenesa expected to make an impact says CBS Sports.

Being a rookie in the NFL would be pretty cool, but you probably shouldn’t envy them this season.

The jump from college to professional football, or any professional sport, is huge. The NFL is insisting the 2020 regular season will go on despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Because of this, rookies across the league are really up against it this year.

No minicamps, no preseason games, no “normal.”

Despite that, CBS Sports predicted six rookie players that could make an instant-impact. Among that half-dozen was Buffalo’s second-round pick, AJ Epenesa.

Here’s part of the breakdown on Epenesa:

Epenesa enters a loaded Bills defensive line group, one of the deepest in the entire league, which, right out of the gate, won’t place him in a high-pressure situation as a rookie.

But, as an individual, Epenesa has the game to immediately acclimate to the NFL. Despite not being a great athlete for the defensive end spot, the former Iowa standout is a studly athlete if he’s moved inside. Seriously, check those links for the differences on MockDraftable when I switched his position from “defensive end” to “defensive tackle.”

And at 6-5 and 275 pounds with 34 1/2-inch arms on a defense with Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison and Trent Murphy in front of him at the end spot, Epenesa is bound to see time on the interior in Buffalo as a rookie.

In Sean McDermott’s defense, a unit that had six defensive linemen who played between 40% and 65% of the snaps in 2019, expect Epenesa to stay fresh throughout each game and play efficiently from a variety of positions but particularly thrive inside.

Buffalo’s next game is slated for early September against the Jets. That’s Week 1. It’s going to count. There’s a chance, with the rotation on McDermott’s defensive line in mind, that the Bills will throw Epenesa right into the fire that game. But also, there’s a chance that they don’t. Perhaps he only plays around 20 percent of snaps.

But gradually, Epenesa is bound to get more and more looks. Especially if the Bills decide to move on from the likes of Murphy since he’s a potential cap casualty. Not mentioned in the breakdown is Quinton Jefferson. The Bills could use him on the inside and outside like Epenesa, even if Murphy sticks around. This versatility across the defensive line for the Bills has the potential to create mismatches all over the place, which could lead to successes, even for a rookie like Epenesa.

 

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PFF: Bills have AFC East’s best defensive line, at least

Pro Football Focus says the Buffalo Bills have the best defensive line in the AFC East.

From the end of last season to whenever the 2020 NFL regular season begins, the Buffalo Bills have changed up a lot of things on their defensive line.

On both the inside and edge of it, the Bills lost their top pass rushers in Jordan Phillips (9.5 sacks) and Shaq Lawson, (6.5), respectively. Then the Bills jolted the group with several new faces.

Mario Addison was the team’s big signing along the edge, while that same spot saw the team’s first pick at the 2020 draft, second rounder AJ Epenesa, also join the defensive end group. Plus there’s Vernon Butler and Quinton Jefferson, two other versatile free agents, who also signed on the dotted line with Buffalo this offseason.

All of those guys joined the likes of returners Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy, Star Lotulelei, Ed Oliver and Harrison Phillips.

But despite all that potential talent, the folks at Pro Football Focus think this newly-formed unit will have to prove it has what it takes in 2020. In PFF’s defensive line ranking ahead of next season, the Bills only landed at No. 20 overall.

Here’s part of PFF’s breakdown on Buffalo’s defensive line:

Jerry Hughes led the Bills in pressures, finishing with 54. He produced a 73.7 pass-rush grade that ranked 28th in the league, and he’ll be counted on to lead the pass rush once again in 2020.

However, the Bills have added plenty of pieces around Hughes, including veteran Mario Addison and second-rounder A.J. Epenesa. Addison has had at least 45 pressures in each of the last five seasons, while Epenesa is a powerful hands-winner who ranked in the top 32 on the PFF draft board. Trent Murphy also returns after his 74.9 grade against the run led all front-7 players for Buffalo last season.

On the interior, the Bills are hoping for a Year 2 breakout from 2019 first-rounder Ed Oliver, who graded at 65.1 overall as a rookie — tied for 72nd at the position. He has the quickness and college production to make a bigger impact, but development is still needed. Harrison Phillips’ strong run defense is back in the equation after being limited to just 77 snaps last season, and Vernon Butler has been added to the mix after the former Panthers first-rounder peaked with a 68.7 overall grade in 2017.

Another former Panther, Star Lotulelei, also returns, but he’s graded above 60.0 just one time since 2014.

Hughes has been a favorite of PFF’s for some time now. He doesn’t always get the sack numbers, but he’s led the Bills in QB pressure via PFF’s count for the past seven-straight seasons. Another similarity for PFF: Lotulelei’s lowly ranking via the football analytics outlet once again.

Still, even with all these fresh faces, we’re again stuck at No. 20 overall. There’s a lot of moving pieces here for the Bills, who also have to replace Lorenzo Alexander. The do-it-all defender was a big part of the team’s pass rush in the past, and we’re not sure who’s going to fill those shoes just yet. This overall area in the trenches has a lot of question to be answered even before the 2020 season. This group is very deep and we’re going to have to keep an eye on how things pan out in training camp.

But hey, the positive you’ve been waiting for: The Bills have the best defensive line in the AFC East, at least. The Patriots (25), Dolphins (30) and Jets (31) all manage to still land several spots behind Buffalo’s spot.

 

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8 NFL draft prospects 49ers could target in trade back

The 49ers need to get creative with their use of picks in the 2020 draft.

The 2020 draft will be a new experience for 49ers general manager John Lynch. For the first time since he took over in 2017, the team won’t have a top 10 pick. They pick No. 31, and then they’re off the clock until early in the fifth round. Lynch and the 49ers are slated to go another 108 picks without a selection.

While Lynch has been aggressive moving up in drafts, including a trade up into the back end of the first round to select linebacker Reuben Foster in 2017, it stands to reason they’ll be aggressive in the opposite direction this year.

Scooping up additional draft capital is going to be essential, which likely means a move backward instead of picking 31st overall.

Moving back in the draft doesn’t necessarily mean the 49ers won’t find a quality player with their first selection, especially if their first pick is in the second round. Here are eight players who may be available early on Day 2 of the draft that San Francisco might target.

RB JK Dobbins, Ohio State

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers under head coach Kyle Shanahan have had a lot of success finding running backs late in free agency and in the undrafted free agent pool. With other needs lingering, it’s easy to see them passing on a running back until later in the draft, but a trade back into the middle of the second round where Dobbins falls to them might be too good of a value to pass up. Dobbins was a monster for all three years with the Buckeyes. He racked up 4,459 yards and 38 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 645 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He also has the athleticism, vision and versatility to be effective in Shanahan’s scheme. Running backs are losing value in the NFL, and the 49ers could take advantage with a very good player falling to them.

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