Tag: david Edwards

Ray Davis earned himself a new nickname from Bills teammates

Ray Davis earned himself a new nickname from Bills teammates

Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis has burst onto the scene over the past few weeks.

He far exceeded expectations in Week 6 while filling in for an injured James Cook, and with a healthy Cook in the lineup in Week 7 Davis still impacted the game.

His play has not only impressed NFL media and fans, but more importantly he has impressed his coworkers at 1 Bills Drive. His teammates have enjoyed his running over the past few weeks so much that they coined a new nickname for the rookie: “The Stallion.”

Bills center Connor McGovern was quoted as saying, “We love when he gets in [the game].” And how could the offensive line not love him? He finishes runs with power and he squeezes the most yardage out of every run. He has maximized his opportunity thus far.

Davis’ coming out party was Week 6 against the New York Jets when he ran the ball 20 times for 97 yards and added three catches for 55 yards. 152 yards from scrimmage in your first extended action in the NFL… not too shabby.

When Cook came back in Week 7, Davis reverted to his supporting role. On just five carries against the Tennessee Titans, he still posted 41 rushing yards and an impressive touchdown:

Davis’ play through seven weeks has the football analytics world taking notice. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis is the highest-graded rookie running back in the NFL with a grade of 76.4. That grade is good enough for 17th among all NFL running backs.

The fourth-rounder out of Kentucky will look to build on his recent play during Week 8’s road trip to face the Seattle Seahawks.

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PFF: Bills offensive line ranked as top-three in NFL

PFF: Bills offensive line ranked as top-three in NFL

The Buffalo Bills have gotten off to a hot start offensively in 2024, and their offensive line is being recognized for their part in the success.

Pro Football Focus ranked every offensive line in the NFL ahead of Week 4, and the Bills (3-0) found themselves ranked third in the league.

Last week, the Bills ranked tenth in PFF’s ranking. This week they moved up seven spots after Allen was kept clean on ‘Monday Night Football’ against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3.

The Bills have scored the most points in the league (37.3 ppg) and quarterback Josh Allen has taken the least amount of sacks (2) for QBs who have started all three games.

Currently, PFF grades the Bills’ starting offensive line as follows:

  • Dion Dawkins: 69.4
  • David Edwards: 62.5
  • Connor McGovern: 65.8
  • O’Cyrus Torrence: 44.3
  • Spencer Brown: 63.6

PFF’s full breakdown of the Bills offensive line can be found below:

The Buffalo offensive line did not allow a single sack or quarterback hit in the team’s win over Jacksonville. As a result, the unit placed eighth in PFF pass-blocking efficiency score in Week 3. They have yet to give up either a sack or a quarterback hit this season and rank fifth in PFF pass-blocking efficiency after three games.

Spencer Brown’s breakout season continued with another strong outing in Week 3. The right tackle’s 81.0 PFF pass-blocking grade ranks third at the position.

Best player: Dion Dawkins

Dawkins has allowed pressure on 2.2% of pass plays this season, which is the fourth-best rate among all offensive tackles.

NFL.com predicts who could be new starters for the Bills in 2024

NFL.com predicts who could be new starters for the #Bills in 2024:

Roster turnover has highlighted the 2024 offseason for the Buffalo Bills and we’re not even close to training camp yet.

Once that rolls around, we’ll get our answers as to who will not only get a chance start, but actually start for the Bills during the upcoming season.

For now, all we can do is speculate and NFL.com has done that. The league’s website took a stab at guessing the upcoming 2024 Bills starters.

With all the noted change, there were several new starters projected on both sides of the ball by NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal.

Here’s how the Bills’ projected starting lineup changes were projected:

NFL.com: The Bills view Keon Coleman as an outside “X” receiver. Many draft analysts saw him as a big option in the slot. Can he get open enough against outside cornerbacks? One confusing aspect of the offense is that most of Buffalo’s pass catchers (Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Kincaid) do their best work on the inside.

NFL.com: The Bills hope for Von Miller to be a starter again, but even quality snaps as a sub-package player would be a bonus. Despite his guaranteed money ($8.5 million in 2024, per Over The Cap), he’s not a lock to make the team if he doesn’t show progress in training camp. Miller’s presence is part of a defensive line that is not as deep as it once was, although the Bills added third- and fifth-round picks (DT DeWayne Carter and DE Javon Solomon) to the mix.

NFL.com: The Bills hope for Von Miller to be a starter again, but even quality snaps as a sub-package player would be a bonus. Despite his guaranteed money ($8.5 million in 2024, per Over The Cap), he’s not a lock to make the team if he doesn’t show progress in training camp. Miller’s presence is part of a defensive line that is not as deep as it once was, although the Bills added third- and fifth-round picks (DT DeWayne Carter and DE Javon Solomon) to the mix.

Wisconsin football ranks second in most players at significant NFL position group

Wisconsin football ranks second in most players at significant NFL position group

Wisconsin football is second among NCAA Division I college football programs with the most active offensive lineman in the NFL.

With 11 active linemen in the pros, the Badgers are tied for second in the nation with Oklahoma, LSU and Notre Dame. Only Michigan produced more active athletes with 14.

Following the Indianapolis Colts’ decision to draft former Badger Tanor Bortolini with the No. 117 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, Wisconsin further solidified itself as one of the nation’s best in molding collegiate offensive linemen into future professionals.

In addition to Bortolini, Buffalo Bills’ offensive guard David Edwards, Jacksonville Jaguars’ tackle Cole Van Lanen, New York Jets’ center Joe Tippman and Pittsburgh Steelers’ lineman Tyler Beach represent the Badgers in the NFL’s AFC. 

Detroit Lions offensive guard Kevin Zeitler and New Orleans’ Saints tackle Ryan Ramczyk are representatives for the NFC. The Los Angeles Rams’ duo of Rob Havenstein and Logan Bruss, alongside Washington Commanders’ center Tyler Biadasz and guard Michael Deiter, are UW’s final four OL alumni in the NFC. 

2023 Hall of Fame inductee Joe Thomas, former Dallas Cowboy Travis Frederick and Super Bowl champion Mark Tauscher are some of the most famous offensive lineman to play at UW.

Buffalo Bills sign former Wisconsin offensive lineman to contract extension

Buffalo Bills sign former Wisconsin offensive lineman to contract extension

The first day of NFL free agency wasn’t all about reported deals with stars from around the sport. There were contract extensions as well.

One of them: former Wisconsin offensive lineman David Edwards signed a 2-year $6 million extension with the Buffalo Bills.

Edwards is entering his sixth NFL season, the first four coming with the Los Angeles Rams where he was a member of their 2021 Super Bowl-winning team. He signed a one-year deal with the Bills entering the 2023 season, and now is re-upped after a strong season.

The former Wisconsin lineman committed to the Badgers as a tight end in 2014. He then converted to offensive line and spent 2015-2018 in the program, starting in 2017 and 2018. He was a big piece of the program’s stellar 2017 team, led by the nation’s best offensive line. 2018 was a step back, but Edwards was still selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft.

He projects as Buffalo’s starting left guard for the second consecutive season.

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Two former Rams land extensions with Bills amid Buffalo’s roster teardown

The Bills tore down their roster on Wednesday, but two players they signed to extensions are former Rams

The Buffalo Bills came into the week about $40 million over the salary cap, needing to get under the limit by the start of the new league year on March 13. So on Wednesday, they began moving around pieces to help them get under the cap.

They went through a full roster teardown, releasing five players, including All-Pro defensive backs Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer. It was a rapid-fire day of moves for Buffalo, with seemingly few players being safe from getting axed.

Two players who managed to secure extensions from Buffalo amid all the releases, and they just happen to be former Rams. Guard David Edwards landed a two-year deal with the Bills, while safety Taylor Rapp earned a three-year deal worth up to $14.5 million.

They were both pending free agents so it’s not as if the Bills could’ve cut them, but it seems they’ve made enough of a positive impact in Buffalo since leaving the Rams that they earned multi-year extensions to stay with the Bills.

Last season, Rapp played 16 games and made four starts, picking off one pass and recording 50 tackles. Edwards was a backup last year, making zero starts, but he’s expected to be a starter in 2024.

Bills, David Edwards agree to two-year extension

#Bills sign two-year extension with OL David Edwards:

The Buffalo Bills have signed offensive lineman David Edwards to an extension.

According to KPRC2 news in Houston, Edwards sticks around for two more years:

The 26-year-old was set to become a free agent. Edwards played 148 total snaps last season and Pro Football Focus graded him a strong 82.7 overall mark. Buffalo originally signed Edwards as a free agent last offseason.

On certain game days, Edwards was deployed as an extra blocker in certain packages. Edwards re-signing comes right after the Bills traded one of their other top backup offensive line in Ryan Bates. 

Edwards entered the league with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 as a fifth-round draft pick.

Bills Wire will continue to bring roster updates throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Watch: Relive crazy hole-in-one celebrations on par-3 16th at WM Phoenix Open

Doesn’t get much better than No. 16.

The WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is the PGA Tour’s annual party in the desert.

The fan-favorite event is known for many things, none bigger, however, than the stadium-like stands surrounding the par-3 16th.

It’s madness year in and year out, with fans hoping for the opportunity to throw their beers on the green in celebration of a hole-in-one. The latest to do so was Carlos Ortiz — who has since moved to LIV Golf — in 2022.

Relive some of the iconic moments below.

(Mike Sposa (2002), Steve Stricker (1997), Jay Delsing (1991), Brad Bryant (1990), David Edwards (1990) and Hal Sutton (1988) also made holes-in-one at the 16th at the Phoenix Open, but we were unable to find video footage.)

Phoenix Open: Picks to win, odds | Best merch

Full list of Bills players who will be free agents this offseason

Who will stay and who will go?

As another season of Buffalo Bills football has come to an end, so have another series of contracts that have been signed.

Whether it be grizzled veterans or players seeing the end of their rookie contracts, there are plenty of faces who will not long be under contract in Buffalo in March when free agency opens.

The Bills have plenty of time until then to sign players to extensions, but it’s never so cut-and-dry. According to Over The Cap, Buffalo is estimated to be $49 million over the 2024 NFL salary cap.

Moves must be made and general manager Brandon Beane will earn his own salary with the decisions ahead.

But what you’re here for: The full list of Bills free agents following the 2023 season is below:

PFF: 5 highest-graded Bills players on offense in Wild Card

Great outings by these #Bills players:

The Buffalo Bills won their Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31-17 final.

The Bills (11-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest. On offense, the Bills were led by quarterback Josh Allen and his dual-threat skillset.

In terms of the players who helped Allen pull out the win, Buffalo will hope such efforts continue from some players throughout the rest of the 2023 playoffs as they aim for the Super Bowl.

According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to keep it up.

Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on offense Steelers in the Wild Card round: