Tag: Gregory Rousseau

Saints decline to pick up Payton Turner’s fifth year option

The New Orleans Saints declined to pick up Payton Turner’s fifth year option, meaning he’ll become a free agent in 2025 — if he lasts that long:

The NFL deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year options for 2025 on their first round picks in the 2021 draft came and went on Thursday, without any movement from the New Orleans Saints. This means that defensive end Payton Turner is entering a contract year in 2024, and that he’ll be a free agent in 2025 unless he earns an extension.

It would have cost the Saints more than $13 million in 2025 to exercise Turner’s option, so it’s easy to understand why they declined to do so. Just 18 of the 32 first-round picks in 2021 had those options picked up by their teams, suggesting a hit rate of about 56% — with the Saints among 14 teams on the wrong side of that percentage.

What’s frustrating is that all three of the players at Turner’s position, who were picked immediately after him in Round 1, have outplayed him:

  • Payton Turner: 3 sacks, 8 hits, 8 tackles for loss in 15 games
  • Gregory Rousseau: 17 sacks, 42 hits, 30 TFL in 46 games
  • Odafe Oweh: 13 sacks, 38 hits, 16 TFL in 45 games
  • Joe Tryon-Shoyinka: 13 sacks, 31 hits, 18 TFL in 51 games

Of that group, only Turner and Tryon-Shoyinka did not have their options picked up for 2025, which goes to show how each team feels about those players. There’s still time for Turner to change the narrative surrounding his career, but that time is running out.

Injuries and inconsistent play have been the story of his career so far. Last season it was just bad luck — Turner enjoyed the best summer of his career and didn’t miss a single practice during training camp, only to go down with a serious turf toe injury early in the season opener. He underwent surgery and didn’t return until the regular season finale. With everyone on last year’s depth chart returning and Chase Young added to the mix, Turner needs to step up and earn his roster spot. There’s a real possibility he gets let go during cuts in September.

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Our biggest questions about the Bills defense in 2023

Our biggest questions about the #Bills defense in 2023:

The Bills defense has undergone some shakeups since Buffalo’s 2022 campaign came to an end in the second round of the playoffs.

The two former primary defensive play-callers, coordinator Leslie Frazier and middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds both left during the offseason.

Plus there’s some new talent joining the group via free agency and the 2023 NFL draft.

With those changes, here are our biggest questions about the Bills defense ahead of the start of 2023 training camp:

NFL draft history: Every player selected with the 30th overall pick since 2000

We’re looking at every No. 30 overall pick selected since the 2000 NFL Draft and the Philadelphia Eagles’ chances of landing an impact player.

The Eagles need impact players on both sides of the ball, and with two first-round picks in this month’s draft, Howie Roseman will have another opportunity to add depth to a Super Bowl-caliber roster.

First-round picks are expected to be critical contributors.

The list of No. 30 overall selections has several misses, hits, and a few Hall of Fame-worthy performers.

With the NFL draft fast approaching, we’re looking at every player selected with the 30th pick since 2000.

Secret Superstars for Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season

From Geno Smith to Jamaree Salyer to Talanoa Hufanga, here are the Secret Superstars for Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season.

There are all kinds of reasons that NFL players are underrated and unsung.

Perhaps they’re in systems that don’t best show their skills. Maybe they’re buried on a depth chart. Or, they’re in somebody’s doghouse, and their coaches can’t see their potential. Or, their efforts are relatively unnoticed among their more celebrated teammates. Sometimes, young players haven’t quite put it all together, but there are enough flashes to make you sit up and take notice, and when it does work, it’s all good.

Week 4 of the 2022 regular season featured players at just about every position who showed up and showed out despite their underrated statuses, and here at Touchdown Wire, it’s our job to point them out.

Here are the Secret Superstars for Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season.

The Bills’ top-five grades from PFF against the Chiefs

The #Bills’ top-five grades from PFF against the #Chiefs:

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Okay, pencils down.

It’s time to see which Buffalo Bills players Pro Football Focus graded the highest on their final performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in their 42-36 overtime loss.

The two at the top of the class should be no surprise.

Gabriel Davis is in the No. 1 spot after putting together one of the all-time great playoff performances. Eight catches, 201 yards, and four touchdowns. There’s no way to take away from his game on Sunday, it was record setting.

Davis had the longest play of the Bills season against the Chiefs, a 75-yard touchdown reception where the cornerback just threw his arms up hoping the ball would strike him before Davis’ hands.

Following Davis is the man who made it possible. Josh Allen went toe-to-toe (arm-to-arm?) with Patrick Mahomes. Allen completed 27 passes for 329 yards and four touchdowns. Allen had the most rushing yards on the Bills with 68 and led the team with 11 carries.

It’s an A-plus performance for Allen. Across 17 games, Allen threw for 4,407 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also rushed for 763 yards on 6.3 yards per carry:

 

There’s a steep drop off to the third-highest grade on the Bills. Cole Beasley received a 76.2 grade. He caught six passes on eight targets for 60 yards. He had a long reception of 24 yards. Beasley saw his usage drop off this season but had a solid performance with the Chiefs doubling Stefon Diggs all night.

The rookie Gregory Rousseau is fourth. His stats don’t scream fourth-best player on the Bills Sunday with only one tackle but PFF thought he did a solid enough job on the edge to earn the nod.

Ed Oliver finishes the list. A breakout year for Oliver finished with a dominating performance against the Chiefs’ offensive line. Oliver had three tackles, one sack, and two tackles for a loss. Oliver was one of the few Bills players to get a hand on Mahomes with two quarterback hits as well.

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The Bills’ top-five grades from PFF against the Falcons

The #Bills’ top-five grades from PFF against the #Falcons:

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It was a big week for the Buffalo Bills offensive linemen.

The Bills (10-6) finally had a 100-yard rushing day from a player not named Josh Allen and the hog mollies up front were rewarded with some positive grades from Pro Football Focus for their efforts.

Of the Bills’ top-five player grades from the football analytics outlet from their win over the Atlanta Falcons, two were blocking for running back Devin Singletary:

Left tackle Dion Dawkins blew away his teammates and Falcons defensive linemen on Sunday, finishing with a grade of 92.6. That’s Dawkins’ highest this season.

He led the way for Singletary on the edge and protected Allen’s blindside. Allen wasn’t sacked and he was only hit three total times.

On the opposite side of Dawkins and coming in fifth is right tackle Spencer Brown. Brown has struggled in recent weeks as his position shifted from right to left depending on Dawkins’ health but the developing lineman put together a noteworthy performance versus Atlanta.

Another rookie takes a spot on the top-five list with pass rusher Gregory Rousseau at second with a 79.6 grade. Rousseau had three tackles, one sack, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit.

It’s his fourth sack of the year and first since Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Linebacker Matt Milano was fourth with a 77.6 grade. He finished the game with six total tackles – four solo – and a pass defended.

It’s the 10th time he’s had five or more tackles this season. He ranks third on the Bills with 84 total tackles, only behind Tremaine Edmunds (104) and Jordan Poyer (89).

Finally, wideout Stefon Diggs had a five-catch, 52-yard performance. He was targeted nine times. Diggs has gone over 50 yards in all but three games this season.

He became the first receiver in Buffalo Bills history to record 90-plus catches in consecutive seasons.

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The Bills’ top-five grades from PFF against the Jaguars

To little surprise, it was mostly players on the #Bills defense (via @NateMendelson):

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There are some different names for the top Pro Football Focus grades for the Buffalo Bills against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

To no surprise, the list includes nobody on the offensive line after the Bills’ (5-3) 9-6 loss.

Instead, it includes three members of a defensive line that helped keep Jacksonville under three yards per carry.

PFF’s list includes four defensive players with wideout Stefon Diggs as the lone offensive representative:

Cornerback Levi Wallace finished atop the Bills box score with seven total tackles and one solo tackle in Week 10. Wallace wrapped up receivers making six solo tackles.

The Jaguars only threw for 139 yards against Buffalo’s secondary despite their victory.

The next two of Gregory Rousseau and Jerry Hughes shouldn’t be much of a surprise. The Bills’ best run defenders on the edge only had three combined tackles but held their own allowing teammates to clean up the runner.

Diggs is the one offensive player after leading the Bills in catches (8), yards (8), and was responsible for the longest play of the day at 28 yards.

Diggs was quiet the opening three quarters with three catches for 25 yards but exploded in the fourth with an additional three catches for 60 yards. Josh Allen targeted him eight times.

Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips filled in well for Justin Zimmer and eventually Ed Oliver when he was injured later in the game. Phillips finished the game with five tackles, the most of any Buffalo defensive lineman.

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Instant analysis: Bills shift power in AFC with win over Chiefs

Instant analysis: #Bills shift power in AFC with win over #Chiefs (via @jdiloro):

The landscape of the AFC took a seismic change into early Monday morning, as the Buffalo Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 38-20 in Week 5 action.

The Bills defense made a concerted effort to keep the Chiefs from completing big plans. For most of the game, safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer positioned themselves deeper on the field, forcing Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes to look underneath for passing options.

In addition, the additions that Buffalo made to their defensive line paid off today, as the Bills kept their front four fresh throughout the evening. Greg Rousseau recorded a sack and an interception during the game. Rousseau batted a Mahomes pass into the air and made the pick. Boogie Basham and Jerry Hughes split a sack as well.

Micah Hyde also picked off Mahomes in the third quarter. Hyde returned the takeaway back to the house, giving the Bills a three-score lead.

Buffalo’s defense held strong late in the first half, as the Chiefs elected to attempt a fourth-down conversion just after the two-minute warning. In a crazy sequence, Mahomes moved around and bought time to the tune of eight seconds, when he finally ended up releasing the pass. The Bills defense kept him pinned in the backfield, and Mahomes could not scramble for the first down, as he did multiple times earlier in the game. The secondary kept all receivers covered, and the pass was deflected away.

Buffalo’s special teams unit joined the party, as Siran Neal forced a fumble on a kickoff. Andre Smith recovered the fumble. Unfortunately for Buffalo, this was one time that the offense did not take advantage of this opportunity and the drive ended with a punt.

Whereas the Bills limited the Chiefs big plays, Buffalo’s offense was connecting on deep passages. Allen extended plays all night, giving his receivers a bit more time to find space. This turned out well for the Bills, as Stefon Diggs was the recipient of a 61-yard pass. Dawson Knox added a 53-yard touchdown score, while Emmanuel Sanders snagged a 35-yard throw from Allen for a touchdown.

After Kansas City clawed its way back into the game 31-20 early in the fourth quarter, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo applied the head on Allen and the Bills offensive line.

It didn’t work.

Allen picked up the pace with his passes and through the driving rain, moved the Bills offense on a 12-play, 85-yard drive culminating with another Sanders touchdown reception.

Allen ended the night 15 of 26 for 316 passing yards and three touchdowns. Allen was effective on the ground as well, rushing nine times for 61 yards and one score before the victory formation kneel-downs.  Sanders and Knox were the big winners from Allens throws. Knox caught three passes for 117 receiving yards and a score. Sanders added three receptions for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

For a game matching up two of the top teams in the league, there was quite a bit of sloppy play. The refs were busy, as Buffalo ended up with 10 penalties for 103 yards. Meanwhile, Kansas City ended up with seven penalties for 55 yards.

Buffalo is in the driver’s seat toward a No.1 seed AFC with this victory. Next week, they travel to Tennessee for a Monday night matchup against the Titans.

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Bills pick off Patrick Mahomes twice in the third quarter

The Bills picked off Patrick Mahomes twice in the third quarter Sunday night at Arrowhead

Patrick Mahomes threw 5 interceptions in 2019. He threw 6 in 2020.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ marvelous quarterback has already thrown 6 in 2021 and the season was not through 5 games when he hit that number.

The Buffalo Bills picked off Mahomes twice in the third quarter Sunday night at Arrowhead.

The first turned into a pick-six by Micah Hyde, who showed a fancy move en route to a 26-yard interception return that gave Buffalo a 31-13 lead in the third quarter.

Mahomes had the Chiefs on the move when Bills defensive lineman Gregory Rousseau showed some of the moves that made him a 6-foot-6 receiver in high school.

Watch as the first-round pick tips the ball into the air and comes down with the pick.

Game balls: 6 standouts from the Bills’ win over the Dolphins

Game balls: 6 standouts from the #Bills’ win over the #Dolphins (via @jdiloro):

The Buffalo Bills dominated the Miami Dolphins once again, this time to the tune of 35-0 in Week 2 action. The Bills shot out to a two-score lead early in the first quarter and never looked back.

With that, here’s who earned Week 2 game ball honors for Buffalo against the Dolphins: