Power rankings: SI puts Bills at No. 9, post-draft

Sports Illustrated power rankings and the Buffalo Bills.

Sports Illustrated pegged the Buffalo Bills as their No. 9 overall team is their power rankings released following the 2020 NFL Draft.

A solid standing for the Bills, but some outlets do have the team pushing the top-five in their rankings. The ‘what-ifs’ on Buffalo’s offense do them in here.

Nonetheless, here’s how SI explains Buffalo’s placement:

We know they have the defense, but it’ll be critical for Stefon Diggs to help Josh Allen take a big step forward like the Bills’ front office thinks he can.

While perhaps disheartening, it’s a realistic assessment. Until we see Diggs and the other additions in the Bills offensive with Allen, it’s a big-time question mark. But at least the defense is getting their well-deserved due as one of the best in the business.

Even at No. 9, the Bills are at least the best of the bunch in the AFC East, at least. The Patriots slide into second at No. 15, while the Jets and Dolphins are near the bottom at No. 27 and 27, respectively.

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Mel Kiper Jr. calls Bills’ Zack Moss an ‘instant impact’ rookie

Buffalo Bills RB Zack Moss gets praise from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. pegged just 15 players of the many college prospects that have new homes as “instant impact players.”

Of those 15 is one new Buffalo Bills player, running back Zack Moss.

Here’s how Kiper broke it down:

I was surprised to see Moss still on the board in the third round, and the Bills picked up my fifth-ranked running back to play the Frank Gore role next to Devin Singletary who was picked in the third round a year ago. Moss had eight games with 100 rushing yards last season but also showed some receiving skills, catching 28 passes and averaging 13.9 yards per reception. For as good as Singletary was as a rookie, he had only two rushing touchdowns, so it could be Moss who gets the carries inside the 10-yard line. This is a really strong tandem to help Josh Allen, who enters a critical Year 3.

Moss certainly will get his fair share of touches. Singletary will hopefully stay healthy in front of him, but he did miss some early season games with a hamstring injury. Hopefully that won’t be the case in 2020. Regardless, the rock will be shared in Buffalo’s backfield.

Moss might actually be the Bills’ only “instant impact” rookie in their 2020 NFL Draft class. Second rounder AJ Epenesa will be stuck behind Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison in the pecking order early in his career, and just about all of Buffalo’s other selections also won’t see big playing time in their first seasons.

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John Brown reached out to Bills rookies like Larry Fitzgerald did for him

Buffalo Bills WR John Brown on Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Early in his career with the Cardinals, now-Bills wide receiver John Brown got to play with one of the best in the business in Larry Fitzgerald.

Now Brown is trying to pay it forward.

Brown himself was a third-round pick out of Division II Pittsburgh State. The now 30-year-old, seven-year vet recalls that he was the 17th receiver to be drafted in 2014. Sounds like he has plenty of motivation right there alone. But he also got some Fitzgerald and his old quarterback Carson Palmer he revealed, and evidently, Brown passed that along to some of his new teammates recently.

“I had like, a little flashback,” Brown told KSN-TV while discussing the recent 2020 NFL Draft. “Once the players were getting drafted, I was able to reach out to some of those guys.

“I sat back and thought about it, once I got drafted, Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer was the first people to text me before any other coaches did or anything. That’s something that really stuck out to me, so I hit the guys with the same thing he hit me with.”

Brown also mentioned how grateful he was for Fitzgerald in regard to things he showed him on the field as well.

“He always taught me to practice like it was my last and also give everything that you have,” Brown said.

At the 2020 draft, the Bills took plenty of new teammates Brown will get to know well. First there’s Gabriel Davis and Isaiah Hodgins, the two big wideouts Buffalo selected. Then there’s running back Zack Brown and quarterback Jake Fromm. At some point on draft night, it sounds like a few of these guys got some words of wisdom from Brown, which maybe one day they themselves will pass along to rookie teammates. The full Fitzgerald-effect coming full circle in Buffalo.

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PFF: Bills had NFL’s third-best draft

Pro Football Focus says the Bills’ 2020 NFL Draft class was the league’s third-best.

Pro Football Focus created a “pick valuation method” and applied it to their pre-2020 NFL Draft big board. In doing so, the analytics outlet determined which team’s in the league got the best value in their selections.

Via this formula of sorts, the Bills had the third-best draft class the outlet said:

Not many are talking about the Bills as “winners” because they didn’t have a ton of picks. But for the most part, we saw the guys they did take as great value adds. Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa was the 20th-ranked player on PFF’s draft board, and they nabbed him at 54th overall (0.25 WAR over expectation). They also had one of the biggest late-round steals of the draft when they found our 69th-ranked player, Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, all the way down at pick 167 (0.18 WAR over expectation).

Well, by “not many picks,” PFF certainly is referring to the Bills lacking a first-round pick. But with their selections, the Bills addressed some key spots on their roster and didn’t appear to reach in doing so.

Not just PFF, but many draft anaylsts had Epenesa ranked as a first-round pick. Running back Zack Moss was also considered one of the draft’s best rushers and the Bills stood pat in Round 3 and landed him.

The only two teams to edge out the Bills in PFF’s ranks were the Browns and Cowboys, who sit in the top spot. PFF’s list only includes 10 draft classes and unforutnately the Bills are the only AFC East team to appear.

Shame.

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10 takeaways from Bills’ Sean McDermott, post-draft

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott interview following the 2020 NFL Draft.

For the first time in a long time, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott discussed all-things Bills on Thursday.

The 2020 NFL Draft is in the books and general manager Brandon Beane touched on a lot of those topics. McDermott did as well, but we also haven’t heard from the coach since free agency, either. So he certainly touched on a wide-range of topics with all that has happened since then.

With that, here are 10 takeaways from McDermott’s post-draft conference call/ presser:

Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Welcoming Diggs

This week was the first time McDermott chatted with the media since the draft, and since his team got hold of wide receiver Stefon Diggs. So how does he feel about the new No. 1 wide receiver on his roster? McDermott, like general manager Brandon Beane, let’s the tape do the talking.

“At the end of the day, I think when you look at the production that Stefon has experienced over the course of his career, that speaks for itself, right? He’s had big roles in games and then we’ve faced him at least once during the regular season in the most recent past here,” McDermott said. “He’s certainly been awfully good to this point. It’s an opportunity for him to continue to grow. It’s an opportunity for us to get a good football player that will help us win.”

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Former Georgia QB Jake Fromm receives new jersey number from Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have announced the new number for former Georgia football QB Jake Fromm.

Living in the bitter cold of Buffalo, New York, just on the border of Canada will definitely take some getting used to for the fishing, hunting country kid that is Jake Fromm.

Fromm was selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills with the 167th pick.

The Bills announced the jersey numbers for their new incoming rookies on Thursday.

Fromm will wear #10 for Buffalo next season, saying goodbye to the #11 that’s been with him throughout his Houston County and UGA days.

#11 currently isn’t taken by anyone on the Bills. It will be fun to see Fromm in a new uniform with a new number, starting a new chapter of his career in Buffalo.

Numbers for the new guys. 💯#BillsMafia | #GoBills pic.twitter.com/CEnkeN9Y1w

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 30, 2020

Jake Fromm is ‘no message at all’ to Josh Allen says Brandon Beane

When appearing on ESPN this week, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane made sure that the big picture reflected the reality.

There’s usually a difference in national narrative and a local one.

Let’s explain:

Example A:

At the draft, the Bills selected a threat to starting quarterback Josh Allen in Jake Fromm.

Example B:

Matt Barkley better be on his toes, the Bills now have Jake Fromm.

It’s easy to see that one of these comes from a national perspective while the other is from a more localized one.

While discussing his reasoning for why he decided to select Fromm with Buffalo’s fifth-round pick at the 2020 NFL Draft with ESPN, Beane set the record straight.

The GM was asked about the “message” he’s sending to Allen via picking Fromm.

“No, there’s no message at all,” Beane said. “We believe in Josh.

“That’s been the whole goal, to add weapons. We didn’t score enough points last year and that starts with me. Giving him and [offensive coordinator] Brian Daboll as much, as many weapons as we can. Adding Fromm was just… a guy that we had on our board that we really thought had a great college career and he’s very smart. He’ll add to the competition to backup Josh, but Josh is our entrenched starter.”

Locally there was no thought of Allen being dethroned by Fromm in the short term. Beane sent a message to the rest of the NFL that the Bills do trust Allen, making sure both narratives reflect one another. But Beane can’t be totally shy to the thought of Fromm.

If Allen struggles, even if Fromm is a fifth-round pick, eventually there will be clamor for him to start. It might not be in 2020, but there’s a chance that Fromm and Allen are connected for at least another year or two beyond next season.

With the additions the Bills made this offseason, such as Stefon Diggs and Zack Moss, there’s plenty of talent around Allen now. No reason for him to take any sort of step back in Year 3. So the foundation is set for Allen to improve… but now there’s also one for Fromm.

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Bills approach top-5 in TD Wire’s post-draft power rankings

Buffalo Bills in Touchdown Wire’s post-NFL Draft power rankings.

No first-round pick doesn’t mean the Buffalo Bills can’t become more powerful, it appears.

Following the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bills moved up in Touchdown Wire‘s post-draft power rankings. The Bills are getting very close to the top of the mountain, approaching top-five status.

Overall, the Bills landed at No. 6 in the standings, after slotting in No. 7 following the start of free agency.

Here’s part of TD Wire’s breakdown:

The Buffalo Bills waited until the second day of the draft to make their first pick, but they cashed in on night two. First they added Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa. The pass rusher had a bit of a draft week fall, perhaps due to less than inspiring testing at the Combine that moved him from a true EDGE to more of a 3-4 defensive end type of player in the NFL. That might make his scheme fit in Buffalo a question mark, but adding him to a defensive front along with Ed Oliver, Jerry Hughes, Vernon Butler and Trent Murphy is going to give offensive coordinators headaches. Zack Moss is a perfect addition to this offense and along with Devin Singletary is going to make an almost ideal one-two punch behind Josh Allen.

TD Wire adds that Day 3 additions of Gabriel Davis and Isaiah Hodgins could become legit downfield threats while Dane Jackson could be a solid cornerback in due time for the Bills, despite his seventh-round status.

And then there’s Jake Fromm, as TD Wire begins it. Their breakdown of his pick was particular interesting, dubbing Buffalo’s quarterbacks a “potential storyline” that’s worth watching:

Then there is Jake Fromm. Now, I am certainly not one to fan the flames of a quarterback controversy. However, last season, Josh Allen made strides in the timing and rhythm part of the quarterback game. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s offense, due to his time in both New England and Alabama, has a certain Erhardt-Perkins/West Coast feel to it. Allen was good in that part of the playbook, but struggled in the downfield part of the game, odd considering his strengths coming out of Wyoming.

Should those struggles continue…and Bills fans are convinced they will not…but if Allen struggles Fromm is a good fit for the timing and rhythm game.

Gotta love the ranking, gotta hate the potential thought of a QB competition. At first, that won’t be a thing, though. Allen will start the season as Buffalo’s signal caller, but let’s see how things play out. In the past, he had the excuse that those around him weren’t good enough. That’s not the case anymore.

But breaking down the power rankings, the Bills are No. 6 overall, and No. 4 in the AFC. The top-five starts with the Chiefs, followed by the Ravens, 49ers, Saints and Titans as the only teams out-ranking Buffalo. Which of course means the Bills are the top-ranked team in the AFC East. And it’s by about a mile. The Patriots slot in at No. 16, with the Jets at No. 25 and Dolphins up to No. 27.

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TD Wire grades Bills 2020 draft haul an ‘A’

Buffalo Bills earn grade of A from Touchdown Wire following the 2020 NFL Draft.

Touchdown Wire liked what they saw out of the Buffalo Bills at the 2020 NFL Draft.

Considering Stefon Diggs their first-round pick thanks to the trade the Bills pulled off with the Vikings prior to the selection event, Buffalo earned high-praise for their overall body of work.

The Bills landed a grade of ‘A’ from TD Wire. Here’s why:

The Bills gave up their 2020 first-round pick to the Vikings for receiver Stefon Diggs, which may have made their receiver group the NFL’s best. And in the fourth round, they took UCF wideout Gabe Davis, who projects well as a DK Metcalf/end-of-career Anquan Boldin type as a physical deep target. It’s certainly time for quarterback Josh Allen to take the proverbial next step. In case Allen can’t, the Bills also took Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm in the fifth round. Fromm’s physical limitations are well-known, but he has upside as a Kellen Moore-style backup with a big football brain.

But the two big names in Buffalo’s draft are unquestionably second-round pass-rusher A.J. Epenesa from Iowa, and third-round running back Zack Moss from Utah. Epenesa isn’t a speed rusher, but he has power, great technique, and the ability to move inside in certain packages. And Moss brings another Bills draft pick to mind — Marshawn Lynch — with his frenzied, tackle-breaking running style and surprising agility.

The main thing to remember is that Epenesa and Moss won’t have to do all the work themselves heading into their rookie seasons. That’s not the case elsewhere, but it could help the two develop. Less pressure could mean better results since the Bills will have the likes of Jerry Hughes and Devin Singletary to lean on at their respective position groups. Perhaps when we really see who struck gold at the draft in a few years, that factor will help the Bills.

While TD Wire loved the Bills’ draft, it loved the Jets’ haul just a bit more. Gang Green landed an overall grade of A-plus, just edging out Buffalo for the best in the division. However, the Bills did easily beat out the Dolphins and Patriots, who earned grades of B and C, respectively.

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Re-visiting the Bills’ question marks following 2020 NFL Draft

What are the Buffalo Bills’ question marks on their roster following the 2020 NFL Draft?

Entering the 2020 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills didn’t have many, if any, needs to address on their roster.

But there were certainly some underlying things that Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane addressed.

AJ Epenesa brings some youth to their pass-rushing group, while Zack Moss is a perfect complement to Devin Singletary in the backfield. Gabriel Davis and Isaiah Hodgins bring some size to the receiver room. Heck, even Jake Fromm brings some quarterback competition.

But following the draft, there’s still some early things for the Bills to consider keeping an eye on as the offseason churns on. Let’s breakdown exactly what those areas on their roster could be here:

Cornerback

This one comes from the mouth of Bills general manager Brandon Beane himself. When going over his seven picks at the recent draft, the discussion rounded out with his final pick, Pittsburgh cornerback Dane Jackson. Jackson has potential despite his seventh-round status. Pre-draft, NFL.com labeled him a fifth-round pick and clearly he took a fall from there.

But Beane referred to this pick as a “need.” Typically you’ll see Beane much more often say “best player available.” That simply wasn’t the case here and even with Jackson’s potential fall, he was a seventh rounder. It’s not surprising to see a seventh-round pick not make it out of training camp.

Having said that, another cornerback still could be used by the Bills, or could’ve been. Specifically the Bills require a long-term option at the position, opposite Tre’Davious White. Levi Wallace will still get a chance to prove as exactly that in training camp, but it’s a three-way battle with EJ Gaines and Josh Norman there. Regardless, the Bills have a good shot at being set at cornerback in 2020. Beyond that? Things are bleak behind Tre.

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