Tag: buffalo bills free agency

Bills find themselves in familiar place after free agency

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane, head coach Sean McDermott put team in good spot once again following 2020 free agency opening in NFL.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a front office that has attacked free agency with a more aggressive mindset than the Buffalo Bills in recent years.

Following his most recent wave of free agency leading the franchise, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane is now 2-for-2 in attacking his offseasons in the way he likes to do it.

Beane didn’t say it much this winter, but in years past he has. He wants his franchise to head into the draft with one goal: put the club in a position to draft for talent, not need.

“Drafting for need is a mistake that can set franchises back. I’m not going to do that as long as I’m in charge,” Beane said in January 2019.

“Well sometimes that’s not always the most popular decision and maybe not even in the building, and obviously with the fans, but you know, coaches, they want good players to help them execute and do their job better. But again, my job is to bring the best players that I can to the Buffalo Bills to give Sean (McDermott) and his staff.” Beane added. “And if you start reaching, it may not hurt you immediately, but over time, you’re taking less talented players, your team is going to suffer a little bit.”

In order to do so, that means the Bills have to fill as many holes as they can in free agency. The Bills did it a year ago, and pulled it off again a week ago.

Looking ahead to the 2020 NFL Draft, where are the needs?

Of course, this team can still be improved, don’t mistake that. But the Stefon Diggs acquisition addressed the Bills’ biggest need at wide receiver. Sure, there’s no first-round pick and the draft won’t be as fun, but so what?

Mario Addison replaces Shaq Lawson and then some, potentially improving Buffalo’s pass rush, even.

Jordan Phillips departed as well, perhaps the Bills’ biggest free agency loss, but Quinton Jefferson and Vernon Butler, a former first-round pick himself of Beane and McDermott with the Panthers, add to a loaded defensive line group now in Buffalo. The Bills might have the best defensive line depth in the entire league now, considering Jerry Hughes and Trent Murphy on the edge and Harrison Phillips, Star Lotuleli and Ed Oliver on the interior. There’s no Khalil Mack here, but that’s a deep group.

That same revamping of the defensive line was even larger last offseason along Buffalo’s offensive line, and while he might be a roll of the dice, we still haven’t mentioned the addition of former All-Pro Josh Norman to what might be the NFL’s best secondary.

Buffalo’s had that ability to do all this because of the roster makeover Beane and McDermott conducted in the summer of 2017. The team bit the bullet that year for the greater good, somehow still making the playoffs. Those moves also have given the team the flexibility to fill holes during free agency. That’s easier said than done though, specifically with that “weather” knock against Buffalo. So credit where it’s due, the Bills’ front office has gotten it done once again.

Again, this is not a Super Bowl winning roster… not yet, at least. A lot of that depends on quarterback Josh Allen in the modern day NFL. But how long ago do the days of training up for Sammy Watkins and overpaying for guys like Derrick Docery feel? Heck, you don’t have much about that weather thing anymore, do we? We’re not far removed from all of those, but they now feel like a generation ago with the turnaround the Bills have undergone.

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B/R pegs Bills as one of NFL teams that have improved most in free agency

With the dust settling on that, Bleacher Report tabbed the Bills as one of six teams in the NFL that have improved the most with all their moves combined, including their massive trade for receiver Stefon Diggs. Here’s why: 

The first wave of free agency is over in the NFL and the next wind will come slowly with signings here and there leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft at the end of April.

With the dust settling on that, Bleacher Report tabbed the Bills as one of six teams in the NFL that have improved the most with all their moves combined, including their massive trade for receiver Stefon Diggs. Here’s why:

(The Bills) biggest move was trading for former Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs. While they had to give up the No. 22 pick and a few others to acquire Diggs, a No. 1 receiver was the team’s biggest need. Diggs is just 26 and has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He’s widely regarded as one of the NFL’s best route-runners and should be a perfect fit with quarterback Josh Allen. His presence should also help free up receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley.

After acquiring Diggs, the Bills continued to add to their elite defense, signing three defensive linemen. Their best move might have been inking versatile defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (two years, $13.5 million), who recorded 6.5 sacks for the Seahawks over the last two seasons. Look for him to back up 2019 first-round pick Ed Oliver and give them even more interior pass-rushing pressure.

With the Bills’ additions in free agency, there’s one thing that’s startling. Do they actually have any “needs” left as the club heads into the 2020 NFL Draft? There’s few to be found and that’s a very good thing.

Buffalo’s top need was answered by Diggs, and then they addressed their main free agency losses in Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson, who signed with the Cardinals and Dolphins, respectively. In fact, the additions of Jefferson, Vernon Butler and Mario Addison might be considered an upgrade there. B/R also discussed those moves:

Defensive tackle Vernon Butler and end Mario Addison are two former Carolina Panthers linemen who have ties to head coach Sean McDermott (former Panthers defensive coordinator). Both will add depth to an already stout line. Cornerback Josh Norman and linebacker A.J. Klein both have Carolina ties as well and will add depth.

All and all, the Bills have covered most of their holes and are in a position now that’s been all-too-familiar under general manager Brandon Beane. Buffalo is now in a place to draft for the best player available whenever they select at the upcoming draft. A good place to be.

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Bills restructure FB Patrick DiMarco’s contract

The Bills have restructured the contract of fullback Patrick DiMarco. The move was announced on the NFL’s transaction wire and was followed by details from The Buffalo News.

The Bills have restructured the contract of fullback Patrick DiMarco. The move was announced on the NFL’s transaction wire and was followed by details from The Buffalo News.

Per the report, there’s a $450,000 pay cut for DiMarco and his cap hit goes from $2.35 million to $1.9 million. His base salary also drops from $1.8 million to $1.1 million next season. He’s entering the final year of his four-year contract.

DiMarco now has per-game roster bonuses in his deal, which could total up to $250,000. What those could exactly end up being is in question, but will be interesting to see since DiMarco was sparsely part of Buffalo’s game plan on offense in recent seasons.

While playing in a minimal role, DiMarco has played in every game possible with the Bills since signing with the team. He also serves in a leadership role for the team and does play a special teams role as well.

“What he does for us Monday through Saturday, leadership wise, in the huddle leadership wise, in addition to the things you see on tape,” Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott previously mentioned on DiMarco.

Also included on DiMarco’s deal is his pro-rated signing bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus plus his salary.

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Ranking the Bills’ needs after first wave of free agency

With all those moves in mind and as the second week of free agency gets underway, here’s an updated ranking of the Bills’ needs and the offseason rolls on:

The Buffalo Bills attacked the first wave of free agency harder than a lot of teams in the NFL. Not only did the Bills sign unrestricted free agents, but the club retained a few of their own players and traded for wide receiver Stefon Diggs as well.

Among the Bills’ actual free agent additions were defensive end Mario Addison, linebacker AJ Klein and defensive tackle Vernon Butler.

With all those moves in mind and as the second week of free agency gets underway, here’s an updated ranking of the Bills’ needs and the offseason rolls on:

Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

1. Defensive end

We’ll start here: A big plus is the Bills really don’t have any glaring needs left on their roster at this point, but let’s start at edge defender.

As mentioned, Addison was added to the Bills’ rotation along their defensive line. Addison is a fantastic story, going from UDFA 10 years ago to a player who had 9.5 sacks last season and at least nine, in total, each of the last four seasons. But what makes this need still high for the Bills is his age.

It’s just a number and there’s reason for optimism that Addison will help Buffalo’s pass rush in 2020, but he’s 32. He joins a group of players who also aren’t exactly youthful either in Jerry Hughes (31) and Trent Murphy (29). Behind those very raw prospects in Mike Love (26), Jonathan Woodard (26) and Darryl Johnson (22).

While the NFL is still in the thick of free agency, the Bills likely won’t address this need until the NFL draft. If you find a “youthful” prospect in free agency, that player is usually 24 or 25. Such players, like Yannick Ngakoue or Jadeveon Clowney, are young, but also entering the prime of their careers and will cost the Bills a lot more than say, a second or third round rookie that can play a rotational role and learn behind Hughes and Addison.

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MMQB says Stefon Diggs tweet fueled Bills-Vikings trade

Whether it was because of the advice of his representatives or just a decision made by Stefon Diggs himself, it worked. 

The Bills’ biggest move of free agency had more to do with everything but the open market. According to the MMQB’s Albert Breer, it even had more to do with Twitter than anything else.

We’re now a week removed from the trade which went down on the evening of March 16. Whether it was because of the advice of his representatives or just a decision made by Stefon Diggs himself, it worked.

Earlier in the day on March 16, the Minnesota Vikings gave quarterback Kirk Cousins an extension. Diggs’ issues with the Vikings off the field were known, and much speculation insists it involved a bad vibe with Cousins. After that deal with the QB was announced, Diggs took to his social media page on Twitter and sent a message stating: “it’s time for a new beginning”:

Per Breer’s report, after that tweet was sent, the phone of Rick Spielman, the Vikings general manager, started ringing:

Diggs’s tweet on Monday, believe it or not, actually did spark talks. The receiver posted at 2:46 p.m. ET, in the wake of the Kirk Cousins extension: “It’s time for a new beginning.” The cryptic message led to a handful of teams calling Minnesota.

The report also says the Bills were very much interested in previously adding Diggs at the 2019 trade deadline, but the asking price was too high, two first-round picks even. The Bills eventually did part with a first, but only one, along with a fifth, sixth and future fourth rounder. Perhaps because it was now the offseason, the Vikings lowered the asking price, and with the help of a tweet, evidently, Bills general manager Brandon Beane pulled off the deal.

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SI names Bills’ Josh Allen ‘winner’ & ‘loser’ in free agency

Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr named Allen a winner from the Diggs acquisition.

The Buffalo Bills made a splash at the start of the league’s new year by trading four draft picks for wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The move gives quarterback Josh Allen the closest thing to a No.1 wide receiver during the signal caller’s time in the NFL.

It’s easy to see how Allen will be a winner from this move. The Bills starting receiving corps of Diggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasley will present matchup options for defenses that will benefit Allen. Add in the athleticism of Dawson Knox at tight and Devin Singletary out of the backfield, and the collection of skill position players give the Bills a great chance at seeing the postseason once again. But one outlet, while calling Allen a winner, also called him a loser in this deal.

Sports Illustrated named Allen a winner from the Diggs acquisition because:

This is part of a two-sided point, but Allen now has a legitimate No. 1 playmaker on offense—Stefon Diggs—at which to direct his cannon. Last year was a victory for scheme design in Buffalo, which allowed Allen to take a statistical leap forward. Just take a look at his 2018 and 2019 ratios in intended air yards per pass and actual air yards. This past year, the offense broke in a way that allowed him to find the target with a much higher upside without the risk. The completion percentage goes up, the interceptions go down and the quarterback rating rises to “OK we can win with this.”

In his third season, it seems that Allen is primed to take off with this offense. Buffalo has removed any barriers for him to succeed.

However, there’s the flip side. SI tabbed Allen the “losers” in free agency. Even with the upgrade at wide receiver, the outlet suggests the marriage of Allen and Diggs could backfire:

Here’s the other side of the coin for Allen, listed as both a winner and loser. Should he flounder this season, it may be an indication that his time is coming to an end in Buffalo. I know that sounds drastic, but coaches are becoming less and less patient with draft picks. The stigma associated with moving on from high draft choices has largely dissipated thanks to the Cardinals and Josh Rosen. Allen now has a legitimately good coordinator and legitimately good surrounding pieces. The leap from year two to year three must be more significant than year one to year two.

Another downside to the Diggs trade: Are we sure it is a good idea to pair Diggs, a receiver who has been vocal about his target share in the past, with a quarterback who has the fifth-worst completion percentage above expectation rating? Could anything go wrong there?

Now, it’s a bit hyperbolic thinking that the Bills will grow impatient with Allen. When they drafted him, the team knew that Allen would be a bit of a project. After being thrust into the starting role during his rookie season, Allen took some lumps and continued to show promise. His sophomore season was better, as he made progress with limiting mistakes. It wasn’t the ideal season, though. However, Allen’s second year was not the performance for which the Bills drafted him seventh overall in the 2018 draft.

Buffalo expects Allen to make a major step forward in Year 3. They have found additional pieces to upgrade the defense, offering a strong complementary unit to work with Allen’s offense.

It would be more surprising to see Allen regress this season, as he enters his third year working with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. The Diggs transaction elevates the Bills offense into a more productive and explosive unit.

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Bills land ‘A’ grade for free agency thus far

The Bills, via signings and trade, made some of the biggest headlines across the NFL this week. 

NFL free agency got going this past week, a much needed distraction from everyday life. As the week expires, the first wave of roster moves relating to free agency are over.

The Bills, via signings and trade, made some of the biggest headlines across the NFL this week.

There’s still signings to come, but the Bills thus far have received strong marks for the work they’ve done. Touchdown Wire handed out grades for every NFL team’s moves in free agency this week, and the Bills earned a mark of A-minus.

Here’s how the Bills managed that grade:

The big piece here is the acquisition of Stefon Diggs. By adding a dangerous, vertical playmaker the Bills put quarterback Josh Allen in a position to be successful next season. The downfield portion of their passing game was a big disappointment a season ago, and Diggs can give that a boost. Adding Quinton Jefferson and Vernon Butler to the defensive line, and keeping talented safety Jordan Poyer in the fold, are also smart moves.

Diggs is naturally the big piece here. The Bills were primed to take a No. 1 receiver with the No. 22 overall pick at the upcoming draft, but instead traded their first-round pick to grab Diggs. Even if a potential rookie the Bills could have selected turns out to be a stud, the Bills opted to trade that pick for a wideout they already know is one.

Through actual signings, the Bills have fortified their defensive line. The Bills lost tackle Jordan Phillips and edge defender Shaq Lawson through the free agency market, but have added the likes of Jefferson, Butler and Mario Addison as well.

Certainly in the next wave of free agency, the Bills can continue to add. Plus there’s the 2020 NFL Draft to consider. But with those in mind… and it might be hard to consider… the Bills currently don’t have many, if any, holes in their roster. A good place to be.

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Report: Bills bring back S Dean Marlowe

According to the Buffalo News, the Bills are bringing back safety Dean Marlowe. He first joined the Bills in December of 2017. 

The Bills have signed another Carolina Panthers connection, but this one we’ve seen around.

According to the Buffalo News, the Bills are bringing back safety Dean Marlowe. He first joined the Bills in December of 2017.

Last season, Marlowe appeared in nine games for the Bills. Since joining the Bills, Marlowe has served mostly as a special teamer and that unit improved under Heath Farwell in his first year as the team’s coordinator in 2019.

Marlowe had 11 tackles and one pass defended last year. The 27-year-old played in 108 snaps on defense, making two starts, in a depth role in 2019. He played in 22 percent of Buffalo’s special teams snaps as well. Marlowe will likely battle for a roster spot later this summer in training camp.

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P.J. Walker, 4 other XFL players Bills should pursue

Now that XFL players are free to sign with NFL rosters, here are five players the Buffalo Bills should pursue.

As NFL free agency begins to heat up, players who hoped to better their stock by playing in the XFL are now looking to cash in on their risk.

The league, which prematurely concluded its season last week due to the COVID-19 outbreak, has informed players that they are free to sign with NFL teams if they so choose, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

As first-and-second-tier free agents begin to ink deals with new franchises this week, teams may start to look to XFL alumni to add competition to their roster.

Though the Buffalo Bills have wasted no time in adding elite talent to its roster this offseason, there are a few XFL veterans who could prove to be interesting and valuable additions.

Here are five former XFL players that the Bills should pursue.

QB P.J. Walker

Former Houston Roughnecks QB P.J. Walker. (Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

When put up against fellow NFL rejects and cast outs, P.J. Walker shined.

He was dubbed ‘the Patrick Mahomes of the XFL’ by many, finishing the inaugural XFL season with a 65 percent completion percentage and a 15-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Walker dominated the XFL news cycle throughout the entirety of the season, leading the Houston Roughnecks to a 5-0 start. Had the league been able to conclude its campaign, Walker likely would have been named MVP at year’s end.

He was the reason why many people tuned into the XFL each and every week. Despite this, don’t expect the 25-year-old to continue his stretch of dominance should he ultimately land on an NFL roster. Walker is a talented quarterback who showed exceptional athleticism and intelligence throughout his short stint in the XFL.

He did so, however, when facing off against teams made up of NFL camp bodies and those looking to prolong their professional football careers. Walker, himself, was once an NFL camp body, spending the 2017, 2018, and 2019 preseasons with the Indianapolis Colts, never making the team’s 53-man roster.

Walker undoubtedly showed upside in the XFL, but it’s important to note the context in which he showed this upside. Though he was the best player in the spring league by a longshot, don’t expect an NFL team to bring him in and allow him to compete for its starting quarterback job.

Though it’s unrealistic to expect the uncrowned XFL MVP to win a starting job in the NFL anytime soon, he’s still an incredibly intriguing option for teams looking to improve their quarterback room.

This is why Buffalo should have some interest.

The Bills currently have just three quarterbacks on their roster – Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, and Davis Webb, a now fourth-year signal-caller who spent the 2019 season on Buffalo’s practice squad. Though one could argue that Walker would not be an upgrade at the bottom of the depth chart, his play-style makes the idea of his addition intriguing,

Walker is an instinctive quarterback. Throughout the XFL season, he consistently showed confidence in the face of pressure and wasn’t afraid to improvise when plays broke down, often using his athleticism to buy time for a receiver to get open or to simply pick up yardage with his legs.

Though one would never physically mistake the 5-foot-11 Walker for the 6-foot-5 Allen, the impromptu nature of both of their games is what makes Walker a potential fit in the Bills’ offense.

Walker is at least more instinctive and athletic than Barkley, a relatively immobile passer who failed to impress in limited action last season. Though Webb is far from a poor athlete, he lacks the on-the-fly decision-making ability that made Walker the player that he was in the XFL.

Given his instinctive nature and underrated arm strength, Walker is perhaps more similar to Allen than either Barkley or Webb, something that would allow Buffalo’s offense to continue in rhythm should Allen ever be forced to leave the field for an extended period of time.

The Bills’ offense, at times, benefits from Allen’s improvisation. Having a backup quarterback who is capable of an at-least similar level of impromptu play certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea.

There’s no risk in allowing Walker to compete for the Bills’ backup quarterback job. If he’s unable to supplant Barkley and Webb on the depth chart, Buffalo can release him at the end of the preseason – no harm, no foul.

If he ultimately wins the team’s backup role, however, he’d be a high-upside safety net that would allow the team’s offense to semi-normally operate in the event of an Allen injury.

 

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AJ Klein contract details with Bills

Klein, 28, still will have to solidify his role on Buffalo’s defense. One thing he won’t have to do is solidify a good chunk of change from the Bills. 

The Bills added to their linebacker corps early in free agency after losing Lorenzo Alexander to retirement this offseason. AJ Klein, a former Panthers prospect, joins the Bills after three years with the Saints.

Klein, 28, still will have to solidify his role on Buffalo’s defense. One thing he won’t have to do is solidify a good chunk of change from the Bills.

Klein reportedly signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Bills. The Houston Chronicle has now broken down the exact numbers from his contract. Over half of it is guaranteed.

Off the bat, Klein gets a $1.2 million signing bonus. Then his $2.2 million base salary for next season is guaranteed as well. In addition, he’s slated to get a $3.1 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year next week, which is basically another guarantee. Very much a front-loaded deal.

But the guarantees don’t stop there. Of Klein’s $4.1 million base salary in 2021, $3.2 is also guaranteed. That’s a sum of $9.7 million all guaranteed of his $18 million total. The second year of the deal also lands him a $1.6 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year, if he’s still on the Bills then which seems likely with that $3.2 million attachment.

In 2022, plenty of those numbers go down, though. He’ll be on a base salary of $4.2 million with none guaranteed and his fifth-day bonus drops to $700K as well.

Finally, he has an annual per game incentive situation attached to his deal, worth up to $200K.

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