Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Buffalo Bills 2020 roster breakdown and look ahead to 2021 at the cornerback position.
The Buffalo Bills had an excellent 2020 season as a team, but position-by-position is a different story. Some were better than others and as the offseason is now in full swing, Bills Wire will give a quick analysis of the team’s current roster by reflecting on the season that was and looking ahead to 2021.
Next up, here is our breakdown on the team’s cornerback unit:
Buffalo Bills injury updates for Matt Milano, Cody Ford, Jon Feliciano, Quinton Spain, John Brown, Cam Lewis, Tyrel Dodson, via Sean McDermott.
The Buffalo Bills suffered at least one key injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in their 26-17 Week 7 loss. Offensive lineman Cody Ford went down with a leg injury.
Ford appeared to grab his knee area when injured. He did not return to the game. Here’s what happened:
Thoughts on the Cody Ford injury, @BangedUpBills? pic.twitter.com/HWDGbq96g4
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) October 19, 2020
On Tuesday, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott did update Ford’s status via video conference. In typical McDermott fashion, he gave very little detail, calling Ford’s status “week-to-week.” Usually that means a guy will miss at least a game in McDermott language.
Along with Ford, the other two players on the Bills who were banged up against the Chiefs, cornerback Cam Lewis (wrist) and linebacker Tyrel Dodson (hamstring). McDermott also considered them week-to-week. Lewis appeared to be in line to have a bigger role on defense before suffering his injury only a few plays into the game.
On Ford, the clear-cut replacement would be former starter Quinton Spain. However, Spain’s injured and did miss Buffalo’s loss to the Chiefs with a foot injury. McDermott provided little update on Spain also, saying he’s still out and will be “re-evaluated” this week. If neither Ford or Spain can play in Week 8, Ike Boettger would step in, as he did against KC.
But adding to the “can’t give them a thing” mayhem, McDermott actually once did reference he’s not trying to give Buffalo’s upcoming opponent too much intel on player health… even if that opponent is the New York Jets. McDermott made such a comment when updating the statuses of offensive lineman Jon Feliciano and linebacker Matt Milano.
Feliciano is still on injured reserve but has had some recent limited practice recently suggesting he could be good to go soon. The coach did at least admit there’s been some discussion on having Feliciano back in the lineup.
“We’ll talk more about [Feliciano returning] today. (General manager) Brandon (Beane) and I have to revisit that this afternoon,” McDermott said.
Milano also has missed extensive time, on and off. Last week Milano did get practice time in as well, even in a full capacity, but still missed Buffalo’s recent outing. Both are “trending in the right direction,” per McDermott. Because of Milano’s full practices, one could speculate he could return against the Jets.
Both Feliciano and Milano are recovering from pectoral injuries. The pair would also help their respective struggling position groups once they return as well.
Finally, wide receiver John Brown is not fully health even though he play in all but one of Buffalo’s snaps on offense in Week 6.
Yeah, I think he’s a little sore. Still not 100 percent. Still working through it,” McDermott said on Brown, who has a knee injury.
Brown failed to record a catch in Week 6.
[lawrence-related id=71765,71797,71796,71786]
Takeaways from Buffalo Bills’ 26-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6.
The Buffalo Bills hoped to bounce back after their first loss of the year last week against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Instead, anything but that happened as the Chiefs handed a 26-17 loss to the Bills in Week 6.
The Bills offense didn’t put enough up on the scoreboard again, but most fingers will still point toward the defense, and deservedly so. Earlier this season, one could feel confident that this side of the ball would turn it around. Not so much anymore. What happened to this elite unit?
With that, here are five takeaways from the Bills’ loss to the Chiefs:
There’s not really a nicer way to say it: Buffalo’s run defense… stinks.
In the early portions of the season, the Bills offense was so strong that opposing offenses had to quit running the ball early in games. Because of that, Buffalo’s defense was technically a top-10 unit against the run this season through the first four games. But actually looking at it, in terms of yards per carry, the Bills haven’t been good stopping the run at all this year.
Against the Chiefs, it might’ve hit rock bottom. It’s a good thing that Le’Veon Bell wasn’t allowed to play in this one… not that he was even needed, though. Rookie rusher Clyde Edwards-Helaire started the game with 60 yards on his first six carries alone. By halftime, Edwards-Helaire was up to 94 yards rushing. Overall, Edwards-Helaire had a massive 161 rushing yards.
But it wasn’t just Edwards-Helaire. Darrell Williams had just as strong of a game, which included a rushing touchdown on fourth and inches from 13 yards out. He wasn’t even touched on the play. It ended up being just the fourth time an Andy Reid coached team had 200-plus yards rushing in a game, as the Chiefs put up 245 yards, in total, on the ground. So much for Patrick Mahomes throwing the ball all over the place?
Buffalo Bills CB Levi Wallace placed on Buffalo Bills injured reserv list.
The Buffalo Bills have placed cornerback Levi Wallace on the team’s injured reserve list.
The team announced the move on Wednesday, adding that cornerback Cam Lewis was signed off the team’s practice to replace him on their roster.
Wallace was injured on the sixth snap of their Week 4 game against the Raiders. He was adjusting to attempt an interception on a pass from quarterback Derek Carr and landed awkwardly on his foot, injuring his ankle.
Wallace now must spend at least three weeks on the injured reserve list. Just last week, the Bills had cornerback Josh Norman removed from the IR list after landing on it due to a hamstring injury.
Also worth noting, linebacker Matt Milano, who was injured later on in Buffalo’s meeting vs. the Raiders, was not placed on IR at this time. He stuffed a pectoral injury and on Monday, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott called both Wallace and Milano “week-to-week” injuries.
[lawrence-related id=71177,71165,71173,71112]
Cam Lewis is signed to the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad.
After likely releasing him to make room for cornerback Josh Norman on the team’s 53-man roster heading into Week 4’s meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, the Buffalo Bills have re-signed cornerback Cam Lewis to their practice squad.
The team announced the signing on Friday. In a corresponding move, the Bills have released running back Antonio Williams from their practice squad. Williams has been released and re-signed to Buffalo’s practice squad multiple times already this season.
Lewis, a former UDFA signing of the Bills out of the University at Buffalo, has either been called up to or on the Bills’ game day roster each outing this season, but has only contributed on 15 special teams snaps.
If Norman’s future holds true, he’ll make his debut in Week 4 after suffering a hamstring injury during training camp. Check back at Bills Wire over the weekend to see if that speculation becomes true.
[lawrence-related id=70885,70736,70734,70863]
Buffalo Bills have waived cornerback Cam Lewis, likely meaning Josh Norman will return soon.
The Bills have made a cornerback move on Thursday, likely signaling that Josh Norman could be making his debut with the team soon. According to the NFL’s transaction wire, the team waived cornerback Cam Lewis.
Earlier this week, the Bills moved Norman, 32, to the designated to return section of their injured reserve list. That did not mean Norman would immediately return, it means the Bills then had 21 days to official activate him. Moving Lewis signals that Norman will move to the 53-man roster soon.
If Lewis clears waivers by 4 p.m. on Friday, the Bills can still bring him back on their practice squad. A University at Buffalo product, Lewis has played in 15 special teams snaps for the Bills this season.
During training camp, Norman had injured his hamstring while covering wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Norman signed a one-year deal with the Bills.
Buffalo visits the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in their fourth game of the season.
[lawrence-related id=70846,70732,70730,70840]
Buffalo Bills sign CB Cam Lewis to roster, add Deon Lacey to practice squad.
The Bills announced on Thursday that cornerback Cam Lewis, a University at Buffalo product, was signed to the team’s 53-man roster off their practice squad. Buffalo had an open roster spot for some time now after placing cornerback Josh Norman on the injured reserve list prior to their season opener against the Jets.
Lewis being elevated to the 53-man roster comes just hours after a report surfaced on Wednesday that the Bills had shown interest in veteran free agent cornerback Prince Amukamara.
What’s important to note about Lewis being signed to the roster is that it did not come this weekend. Under new, COVID-19 related rules for the NFL this season. Four players can be designated to potentially moved up from the team’s practice squad to their active game day roster each week. Those players are then immediately get placed back on the practice squad following a game. Lewis being brought up on Thursday indicates he potentially would be placed on waivers if cut in the future to make room for another player such as Norman.
In addition to Lewis being signed, the Bills made some practice squad movement as well. Defensive tackle Brandin Bryant and Linebacker Deon Lacey, who was previously with the Bills in 2017 and 2018, were signed to the practice squad.
In a corresponding move, defensive tackle Chris Slayton was released from the practice squad.
Lacey’s signature could be noteworthy with the Bills’ ability to call up players from the practice squad due to those new NFL rules. Both starting linebackers, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano, are currently injured. Their status to play in Week 2 against the Dolphins is in question. But if extra depth is needed, Lacey does have that prior mentioned experience working in Buffalo’s defensive scheme.
[lawrence-related id=69991,69984,69512,69939]
Buffalo Bills make two changes to Week 2 practice squad protection slots prior to facing the Miami Dolphins.
The Bills announced their Week 2 players the team has placed on the protected portion of their practice squad via the NFL’s transaction wire on Tuesday.
Those four players are:
Week 1’s list included:
Prior to Week 1, the Bills had some injury questions at cornerback, which is why both Lewis and Jackson appeared on that week’s list.
While Josh Norman is still going to spend at least the next two games on the injured reserve list, adding Andre Swift into the equation makes sense, also in regard to injury concerns. Both Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano left Buffalo’s season-opening win against the Jets due to shoulder and hamstring injuries, respectively.
Zimmer remaining on the protected area comes as little surprise as he actually saw playing time when he was called up to Buffalo’s active roster last weekend. Against the Jets, he did apply some pressure on quarterback Sam Darnold en route to four tackles, including 1.5 for loss.
Here’s our previous explanation on the “protected” practice squad situation, a new addition to the NFL this season, from last week:
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the NFL’s owners and players came to an offseason agreement that we’ve seen the first installment of on Tuesday evening. Each team in the league can “protect” four players on their practice squad each week.
The idea is to provide some extra depth for teams in case of a COVID-19 outbreak in a locker room late in the week prior to a Sunday or Monday game. Those four can be called up to the active roster up until Sunday morning prior to kickoff every week.
[lawrence-related id=69776,69908,69901,69823]
Stock report following the start of Buffalo Bills training camp 2020.
The Bills are pretty much fully underway into their 2020 training camp slate. The Bills can hold a maximum of 14 padded practices during the 21-day contact integration period ahead of the start of the 2020 regular season. Just a few of the several curve balls the COVID-19 pandemic has sent us this offseason.
Of those 14 practices, we’re about halfway through them. With still a nice chunk of work left to do before the Bills meet the Jets for their season opener on Sept. 13, let’s check in with the roster’s stock report.
Here’s the latest stock up, stock down for the Bills from training camp:
Let’s start with the star of training camp. For years the Bills have coveted two things, a No. 1 wide receiver that’s going to knock your socks off and a big-bodied target that can’t be stopped. Nobody just really expected to get both of those via two players in Stefon Diggs and rookie wide receiver Gabriel Davis.
Diggs has impressed in camp in his own right, yes, but could his stock get any higher? Probably not. As the season unfolds, Davis might be getting more and more reps in the Bills offense as he’s already flashing an ability to box out defenders all throughout training camp.
Isn’t it nice to see all the eyes on a depth wide receiver for once who… actually seems legit?
The defensive side of the ball has their Gabriel Davis as well and it’s Bryan Cox Jr. He’s more of your typical “depth wide receiver” type of guys who’s definitely on the bubble at this time, but he’s certainly making things interesting on the edge. Cox has notched several “sacks” on multiple days of training camp (they don’t actually tackle QBs at camp), even seeing some time against quarterback Josh Allen and the first-team offense. Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison and AJ Epenesa are your roster locks at defensive end, but if the Bills see Trent Murphy as an expendable player, could Cox be the team’s No. 4 defensive end? Or could the team even keep five?
Takeaways from Day 8 of Buffalo Bills training camp 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.
On Tuesday, the Bills saw a friendly reminder of what they traded for this offseason. With that, here are three takeaways from Day 8 of Bills training camp practices:
Recent headlines out of Bills training camp bode well for former undrafted rookie free agent Cam Lewis. On Tuesday, he showed he’s taking that seriously. WGR-550 radio specifically mentioned two big plays out of the depth corner on the day. The unfortunate victim of his good play was wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie. Lewis recorded a pass breakup on McKenzie, who could certainly find his way on the Bills final 53-man roster himself. But then there was another play against McKenzie, potentially a damming one for the wideout, as Lewis forced a fumble.
As mentioned, there might be a route for Lewis onto the final roster if he continues such strong play. First, we’re unsure how long cornerback Josh Norman will be out. From the sounds of it, his hamstring could be healed by the season opener against the Jets on Sept. 13. Still, there’s a need of depth just in case with a hamstring injury to a 32-year-old player early in the year. Furthermore, depth cornerback Ike Brown surprisingly decided to retire from football on Monday. Brown was a guy that Lewis was directly battling for a roster or practice squad spot, but the former Bull doesn’t have to worry about him now.
