Tag: bills

Instant analysis: Bills add their complementary RB in Zack Moss

It will likely be Devin Singletary and Zack Moss as the one-two punch in Buffalo’s backfield next season. 

It will likely be Devin Singletary and Zack Moss as the one-two punch in the Bills’ backfield next season. With their slotted pick in the third round, No. 86 overall, Buffalo pulled the trigger on Utes RB Zack Moss.

At 5-foot-10 and 222 pounds Moss packs a punch. A physical runner with his best work coming between the tackles, his best attributes include vision, contact balance, power, competitive toughness and footwork. Moss had nearly 800 carries in college with three consecutive seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards, at least 5.5 yards per carry and double-digit touchdowns.

As a receiver, he improved in that area during his senior season and projects well in pass protection. He is fiercely competitive and plenty shifty and elusive given his size. Moss had a poor 40 time at the recent scouting combine, a 4.65-second clip, the fourth-worst among backs there, but you might not think that after watching his tape.

One item of concern is Moss’ injury history. The most severe was a torn meniscus in 2018, but the physical back also banged up his hand and shoulder throughout his collegiate career. Moss stayed healthy in 2019, showing a lot of promise and proving to teams that the injuries were behind him.

Running back was a position of need after Frank Gore is presumably not a candidate being brought back in the fold. Buffalo still has T.J. Yeldon on the roster and signed special teams ace and familiar face, Taiwan Jones, in free agency. Throughout the pre-draft process, the Bills produced what was a very obvious smokescreen, continually saying that the team should be fine with TJ Yeldon in the backfield next season. Yeldon was inactive in numerous games last season, so it’s not surprising that the Bills landed a running back on Day 2.

Moss’s selection in the third round indicates the Bills were serious about supporting Singletary and adding depth to the position. In a league where monitoring carries has been a theme, Moss should provide the short-yardage, goal-line and welcome change of pace for the offensive attack.

The acquisition of Moss likely takes Buffalo out of any trade discussions for Leonard Fournette, who Jacksonville is rumored to be shopping. But that could be a good thing considering the salary cap. Fournette, the former No. 1 overall pick, has a hit near $8 million next season, and the Bills don’t need to trade assets for a guy like him. Instead they used their own to take Moss.

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Instant analysis: Bills select AJ Epenesa in second round of 2020 NFL Draft

With their first selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills chose to bolster its pass rush selecting, Iowa Hawkeye DE AJ Epenesa with the No. 54 overall pick in the second round.

With their first selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills chose to bolster its pass rush selecting Iowa Hawkeye DE AJ Epenesa with the No. 54 overall pick in the second round.

Epenesa is player many considered as a late first-round talent that slipped into Day 2 and made it all the way to Buffalo. Had it not been for a poor scouting combine performance, the Bills likely don’t see Epenesa’s name fall to them.

Defending the selection is easy considering Shaq Lawson and Jordan Phillips departed in free agency. In addition, Epenesa immediately invokes youth in an aging defensive end position group and offers the type of versatility Sean McDermott covets in his defensive personnel. In 2020 as a rookie, the Bills will play him in McDermott’s rotation he runs along the defensive line. But Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison will see the bulk of those snaps, at least to start. With that in mind, both are 30-plus, and there’s Trent Murphy to consider. He’s 29 and entering the final year of a three-year deal.

In his last two seasons playing at Iowa, Epenesa tallied 30.5 tackles for loss, 22 sacks, eight forced fumbles and seven pass deflections. He lined up and down the Hawkeyes’ defensive front and while he lacks elite athleticism and bend of a pure pass rusher, Epenesa is technically sound with plenty of power at the point of attack.

The selection of Epenesa could spell trouble for Murphy as well, who is slated to count $9.775 million against the salary cap. Cutting him would only cost the team a $1.750 dead cap hit. Depending on where the Bills end up sitting with their salary cap later this offseason, that’s a situation to now monitor.

Epenesa joins a youthful core along the middle of Buffalo’s defensive line for the foreseeable future. That group includes Harrison Phillips and Ed Oliver. Others throughout the Bills defense include linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, cornerback Tre’Davious White, and linebacker Matt Milano, all of whom will be playing on their rookie contracts still when the 2020 season begins.

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Tight End Woody Brandom Talks NFL Draft Preparation, Why He Aspires To Play Like George Kittle

Former Sam Houston State University tight end and 2020 NFL Draft prospect Woody Brandom shares how he’s preparing for the NFL, what he does in his down time, and how his dad (also his high school football coach) has helped him to get ready for the pros.

Former Sam Houston State University tight end and 2020 NFL Draft prospect Woody Brandom shares how he’s preparing for the NFL, what he does in his down time, and how his dad (also his high school football coach) has helped him to get ready for the pros.

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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Best moments from Stefon Diggs’ 2019-20 season

The Bills acquired former Vikings’ WR Stefon Diggs in the offseason via trade. Here are some of his best moments from last season.

The Buffalo Bills traded with the Minnesota Vikings for wide receiver Stefon Diggs during the offseason. Despite having 39 fewer catches in 2019 than in 2018, Diggs still had phenomenal production with 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns. That yard total improved his 2018 season yard total of 1,021, despite what often looked like a tumultuous season for Diggs.

Under his new team, in a new environment and a near-guarantee of being the primary receiver, Diggs looks ready to rejuvenate his image as an unhappy negative locker room player.

Here are some of the best moments from Stefon Diggs’ 2019-20 season:

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2020 NFL Draft: 7 WRs for Bills to consider in second round

Here are 7 WRs for the Bills to consider with their 2nd round draft pick in the upcoming draft.
Laviska Shenault | Colorado.
Chase Claypool | Notre Dame.
Brandon Aiyuk | Arizona State.
KJ Hamler | Penn State.
Michael Pittman Jr. | USC.
Donovan Peoples-Jones | Michigan.
Bryan Edwards | South Carolina

Here are 7 WRs for the Bills to consider with their 2nd round draft pick in the upcoming draft.
Laviska Shenault | Colorado.
Chase Claypool | Notre Dame.
Brandon Aiyuk | Arizona State.
KJ Hamler | Penn State.
Michael Pittman Jr. | USC.
Donovan Peoples-Jones | Michigan.
Bryan Edwards | South Carolina

2020 NFL Draft: 7 WRs for Bills to consider in second round

Here are 7 WRs for the Bills to consider with their 2nd round draft pick in the upcoming draft.
Laviska Shenault | Colorado.
Chase Claypool | Notre Dame.
Brandon Aiyuk | Arizona State.
KJ Hamler | Penn State.
Michael Pittman Jr. | USC.
Donovan Peoples-Jones | Michigan.
Bryan Edwards | South Carolina

Here are 7 WRs for the Bills to consider with their 2nd round draft pick in the upcoming draft.
Laviska Shenault | Colorado.
Chase Claypool | Notre Dame.
Brandon Aiyuk | Arizona State.
KJ Hamler | Penn State.
Michael Pittman Jr. | USC.
Donovan Peoples-Jones | Michigan.
Bryan Edwards | South Carolina