Tag: damien harris

LOOK: Bills offense hangs out on West Coast ahead of training camp

Some members of the #Bills offense got some bonding in:

The Buffalo Bills are right around the corner from training camp. It’s slated for a Wednesday, July 26 start, just next week.

Prior to that, member of the Bills offense were spotted hanging out on the West Coast recently via social media. A group of players from the offense got together for a what looked like a good time. The group included Damien Harris, Josh Allen, Gabe Davis, Kyle Allen, Matt Barkley, Trent Sherfield, Khalil Shakir.

Check out the photo of the gang hanging out together via Barkley’s Instagram page below:

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5 under-the-radar Bills players to watch on offense at training camp

5 under-the-radar #Bills players to watch on offense at training camp:

The Buffalo Bills offseason program is gaining steam as the team’s rookies have reported early to training camp, and the team is gearing up for the 2023 NFL regular season.

As more players on the roster join them, competition will heat up and position group battles will take place.

Here are five under-the-radar Bills players to watch on offense at training camp:

CBS Sports: Bills’ Damien Harris ‘under-the-radar’ player to watch in 2023

CBS Sports: #Bills’ Damien Harris ‘under-the-radar’ player to watch in 2023:

The Buffalo Bills have question marks in their running back room heading into 2023 training camp.

Among those is the status of Damien Harris. After signing a one-year deal in Buffalo this offseason, it’s unclear exactly what role he will have. Could it be a significant one?

CBS Sports made the case that Harris should have a spot in the Bills offense in 2023. The outlet named 50 “under-the-radar” players that could impact next season. Harris was one.

Here’s how CBS Sports sees Harris and his role with the Bills:

Damien Harris Bills: Over the past two seasons, Harris scored 12 touchdowns in goal-to-go situations, 10th in the NFL. If Harris can add physicality to Buffalo’s rushing attack, that will take allow Josh Allen to rush less often in short-yardage situations and, in turn, be a huge plus to Buffalo’s offensive versatility overall.

Taking wear and tear off Allen will be key. Harris and his ability at the goal line might be important, but he could use that on early downs, too.

James Cook will get his looks in Buffalo this year after the team used a second-round pick on him in 2022. However, Harris has the better build for an early-down rusher. Could he factor in there as well?

As of now, it’s a toss-up for who will have the most carries in the Bills offense in 2023 between Cook and Harris.

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Madden 24 ratings for every Buffalo Bills running back

Madden 24’s top #Bills RB might not be who you think:

EA Sports is going position-by-position and releasing player ratings for their upcoming NFL video game, Madden 24.

This year’s game will feature Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the cover and we now know how the game rates running backs in the league.

Here are the Madden 24 ratings for every Bills rusher set to feature in the game:

1 takeaway from each Bills position group on offense after offseason workouts

1 takeaway from each #Bills position group on offense after offseason workouts:

Following free agency, the 2023 NFL draft, and offseason practices for the Buffalo Bills, here is one takeaway for each position group on the team’s offense:

6 underrated Bills players heading into the 2023 season

6 underrated #Bills players heading into the 2023 season:

The Buffalo Bills have their superstars… but that’s a double-edged sword. Others fly under-the-radar because of the likes of Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Von Miller, and so on.

With that, here are the six most underrated Bills players heading into 2023:

PFF makes case for the Bills to add another running back

Another RB for the #Bills?

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On one hand, the Buffalo Bills do not have their running back room settled ahead of the 2023 season.

But it’s hard to imagine the Bills adding anyone else to the fold.

Even so, Pro Football Focus thinks that should happen.

In naming one more addition each NFL team should make before the start of training camp, the football analytics outlet thinks former Los Angeles Rams rusher Darrell Henderson should be signed by Buffalo.

First, here’s how PFF makes the case for Henderson to the Bills:

The former Los Angeles Rams third-round pick was waived last season and landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he was productive as an early-down runner in 2020, earning an 83.8 rushing grade that ranked 14th among running backs. His 40 explosive rushes over the span also placed in the top 20.

2022 second-round pick James Cook looks to be the leader of this backfield going forward, but the Bills still need an early-down bruiser who can lower his shoulder and fall forward behind a good push from the offensive line. Buffalo is now one of two teams in the NFL with more than $300 million in cash spending for 2023, so while adding James Cook’s brother Dalvin or another wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins would be flashier, a more under-the-radar move could be more prudent.

Henderson is still currently looking for a team. He’s had some sniffing around him, most recently he had a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Henderson could be a solid early-down rusher in Buffalo, but so could Damien Harris… who signed a one-year deal with the Bills this spring… as could Latavius Murray, a veteran who was a late free agent addition by the Bills.

It’s true, Cook does not profile as an early-down running back, but Buffalo has a few other options and should not be in rush to sign Henderson at this time. If Harris or Murray go down, then it could be under more serious consideration.

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PFF: Damien Harris, not James Cook, is Bills’ top running back

PFF: Damien Harris, not James Cook, is #Bills’ top running back:

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Pro Football Focus has made the case that Damien Harris could be the best running back in the Buffalo Bills locker room.

The football analytics outlet ranked the top-32 rushers in the NFL. Only one from the Bills appears on the list and it’s Harris at the No. 24 position.

Here’s how PFF breaks down Harris’ game:

When healthy, Harris has been a productive and efficient player. He earned 86.1 and 86.8 rushing grades in 2020 and 2021, respectively. He also averaged more than 4.5 yards per carry during that time. He wasn’t able to hold off Rhamondre Stevenson on the Patriots’ depth chart (Harris’ hamstring injury in Week 5 didn’t help that), but Harris is still a top 32 back.

Harris signed a one-year deal in Buffalo this offseason. But because of James Cook’s status as a former second-round pick by the Bills, he’s going to get a clear look at being Buffalo’s top running back in 2023.

However, the team could very well go back to their tried-and-test method of splitting carries once again. Last season, Cook split time with Devin Singletary, who has since signed with the Houston Texans. In a situation with Harris, his build makes him a different type of running back than the smaller Singletary and Cook. Harris and Cook could complement each other well.

Splitting time with Harris and Cook could be a storyline to watch once the Bills take the field for training camp at the end of July.

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Bills RB Damien Harris tabbed ‘comeback candidate’ in 2023

#Bills RB Damien Harris tabbed ‘comeback candidate’ in 2023:

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James Cook is the perceived top running back for the Buffalo Bills heading into the 2023 season.

Maybe not so fast?

CBS Sports made a case that Damien Harris, who signed in Buffalo as a free agent, could make a claim to that role. The outlet named NFL veterans who could see a comeback season en route in 2023 and Harris is mentioned.

Helping Cook over Harris is his status as a second-round pick of the Bills in 2022. What could more-likely happen is Cook and Harris splitting touches, leading to positive seasons from both players.

Bare minimum, Harris, 26, could turn out to be a positive short-yardage or early-down rusher for Buffalo. He has the better size for that, while Cook has an elusive and pass-catching mold.

A potential strong duo could be in the making… so at least Buffalo could might consider giving Harris a look, too.

The CBS Sports breakdown on Harris can be found below:

In Harris’ second and third seasons in the NFL, he averaged a meaty 4.8 yards per tote on 339 carries. He was jumped by the younger Rhamondre Stevenson on the running back depth chart in New England and only logged 106 rushes in 2022. While never an ultra-elusive or super-powerful back, Harris’ yards-after-contact figure in 2023 was 3.05 yards, nearly identical to his 2020 average when he set a career-high in total yards per carry (5.0). He joins a Bills team that’s emphasized the fortification of its offensive line by signing Connor McGovern, David Edwards, and Brandon Shell in free agency along with the selection of mauling second-round pick O’Cyrus Torrence out of Florida.

Harris will be a welcomed addition to a club that’s needed a thicker, North-South runner with some pop through the hole. He’ll return to his 2020-2021 form and, remember, in that 2021 campaign, he scored 15 touchdowns during the regular season. The former Alabama star won’t reach that total again, but nearing double-digit scores is not out of the question. I’m serious.

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Reading the room: Evaluating running backs on Patriots’ roster

Not having Damien Harris on the roster opens the door for a new star to emerge at the Patriots’ running back position.

After the departure of Damien Harris, the New England Patriots have a wide open running backs room behind budding star Rhamondre Stevenson.

Some teams like similar scheme fit running backs, and some like having situational backs who have different roles. Meanwhile, other teams like clones of their top guy so the game plan stays the same.

It’ll be hard to predict just exactly what the Patriots do, but one thing is for sure: They like to have variety and flexibility. This is why we started this series. It was so we could look at the position group with a wider lens, rather than just wanting four running backs on the roster.

Today, we’re diving into what roles the running backs play and why the Patriots philosophically have them on the roster in 2023.