Pro Football Focus has the Bills receiving corps ranked as the fifth best in the NFL, which is a pretty big jump from where the unit was even just a season ago. The Bills are just days away from breaking down their roster to 53 players. Cut-down day …
Pro Football Focus has the Bills receiving corps ranked as the fifth best in the NFL, which is a pretty big jump from where the unit was even just a season ago. The Bills are just days away from breaking down their roster to 53 players. Cut-down day in the league is slated for Saturday at 4 p.m. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has some tough decisions ahead of him.
With a position group built through free agency, trades and the draft, here’s a breakdown of the position, player-by-player:
Duke Williams
Duke Williams caught the Bills attention thanks to a strong showing in the Canadian Football league. He demonstrated big-play potential during the 2019 preseason after signing with Buffalo and is a big target at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, who may work his way into a role on offense.
Entering his second year with the team, the 27-year-old Auburn product had the two biggest catches during camp so far, muscling one in coverage on a pass from quarterback Matt Barkley and making an even more impressive one-handed haul in amidst multiple defenders on a throw from rookie QB Jake Fromm. The biggest problem with Williams is his lack of production on special teams, something several other depth options have.
Growing up around the Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald seems to have made an impression on Hodgins. The 6-foot-4 rookie out of Oregon State dubbed the Bills’ ‘biggest draft steal’ by Draft Wire had 86 catches for 1,171 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns last season for the Beavers. Like Diggs, he’s known for his route running and was described by The Draft Network as having “the most natural hands in the class.” It will be interesting to see if he can make his way into the receiver group in his first year as a Bill, but could another team claim him of Buffalo’s practice squad if he ends up there?
Buffalo Bills 53-man roster projection for second time in 2020 training camp.
As far as onlookers are considered, Buffalo Bills training camp has come to a close. On Sunday, the team had their final offseason practice which allowed reporters to be in attendance. Now we’re back to regular season standards where there’s… pretty much next to nothing seen.
But behind closed doors for the next few days, the team will still hit the practice field. Many players who are on the roster bubble are still battling for those spots prior to Saturday’s 4 p.m. cut down deadline.
But as our eyes have now exited the Bills’ practice field before we see them slash players off their roster, let’s take another swing at the team’s final roster. Here’s a 53-man roster projection for the Bills after that first week of practice:
Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News via AP, Pool)
QUARTERBACK (3)
Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, Jake Fromm
Cuts: Davis Webb
Over the past few roster projections we’ve released… we haven’t seen much movement in the slightest at the quarterback position. Those circumstances will remain the same once again (sorry).
Under a normal offseason, this move could have gone very differently. Earlier this offseason the Bills were in a position to potentially keep two quarterbacks… and in two different scenarios. Davis Webb was probably always going to be cut. Then there’s two other situations where one can envision Matt Barkley being cut and the other where Jake Fromm is released.
In terms of Barkley, he’s no longer really a “veteran” mentor to Allen, games played wise. Allen has 27 starts to Barkley’s seven. Cutting Barkley could also save the Bills $1.5M against the salary cap. But with COVID-19’s entrance into the offseason, this idea exited. There’s no way the Bills could run with Fromm as their backup when there’s no preseason games under his belt… aka having a No. 2 without any experience, period. But coronavirus also should make the Bills think twice about a strategy they’ve done the past few seasons: Keeping only two quarterbacks.
The 2018 season was one which saw the Bills start four quarterbacks. That year also didn’t involve a pandemic. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott should refrain from getting cute here and trying to sneak Fromm on their practice squad. Just keep three, Bills, especially since you stuck by Fromm after his racially-charged texts from his past surfaced.
Buffalo Bills injury report sees wide receiver Stefon Diggs return to practice.
Another day of movement in both directions for the Buffalo Bills’ injury report on Monday… but a huge bump in the arrow up category in terms of one player.
After missing a few days of practice, wide receiver Stefon Diggs returned to the field. He first missed the team’s scrimmage late last week then sat out again on Sunday. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott previously indicated that Diggs had some lower back “soreness” keeping him sidelined.
But on Monday, Diggs returned to practice. He was spotted during warmups as well:
Aside from Diggs, there was plenty of moment in the opposite direction, as referenced. Wide receiver John Brown and Quinton Jefferson are both out due to illness, however, McDermott said as of now, those are not connected to COVID-19. In terms of physical aliments, Vernon Butler (hamstring), Tyler Kroft (foot), Victor Salako (back), and Quinton Spain (foot) are new additions to the list. Per McDermott via video conference prior to practice, Kroft had his foot stepped on in practice causing his injury, the same thing that occurred to him last season.
Here’s the Bills full injury list for Monday’s practice, including carryovers from the injury report late last week which have remained the same:
Notes and observations from Buffalo Bills scrimmage held during 2020 training camp.
Bills running back Devin Singletary. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News via AP, Pool)
So far at Bills training camp, we’ve had a different vibe.
OK, considering the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing in the United States, the differences from what we’re accustom to is pretty evident. However, we’ve seen a media side effect from this. There’s no in-depth reporting coming out of training camp. Where are guys lining up? What’s the depth chart? Who could be on the roster bubble? We don’t know.
However, the Bills did have a scrimmage on Thursday. From that, a little bit of content was released by the team. There was video of two Josh Allen touchdown passes, along with a photo collage posted to the team’s website. We’re certainly not going to get much information out of them, but why not try anyway? Let’s dig a little deeper… or at least as deep as we can.
Not really much digging here, but Roberts catches this pass. Yes, he’s an All-Pro returner, but the Bills entered the offseason very deep at wide receiver, so Roberts was not a lock to make the team. More recently, he’s starting to look like one and playing receiver with the starters is a good sign (Stefon Diggs missed practice). WROC-TV reported following the scrimmage that Roberts had three catches on this touchdown drive as well, so he was out there quite a bit.
The second video, OK… Singletary catches the touchdown, we knew he was their starter. Singletary is also coming out of the backfield on Roberts’ TD catch. In the same light as Singletary, Cole Beasley and John Brown pop up in the backgrounds of both videos and we also know those guys are starters, so no changes there.
Also spotted, Tyler Kroft in the background. He’s expected to be the Bills’ No. 2 tight end behind Dawson Know, so him out there with the starters fits but it’s still worth noting. No surprise depth guys jumping over him for the final roster just yet.
The most fun note: We’ve heard a lot about rookie Gabriel Davis so far in camp, but we finally have a visual sighting of him with the first-team offense. When Singletary scores, Davis throws his arms up to cheer. He could be a sneaky pick for a guy that’s going to get involved with the starters this season.
Takeaways from the Buffalo Bills’ scrimmage at 2020 training camp.
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.
Today’s edition of our takeaways is going to look at little different tan previous ones. At Thursday’s session, the Bills took the field at the stadium and held a scrimmage, of sorts. Typically practice days in camp this year are sparse with information from them, so we just cap it at a couple. This one will have a few extra nuggets, due to the nature of the beast… or scrimmage.
With that, here’s our takeaways from the Bills’ scrimmage at training camp:
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs. ( James P. McCoyThe Buffalo News via AP, Pool)
Stefon Diggs is hurt
While most of the Bills offense was out there in their first scrimmage of training camp, one big piece was not: wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Prior to practice, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said that Diggs wouldn’t practice, indicating he has a lower back problem. McDermott described it as “soreness.”
Naturally keeping Diggs healthy for a real game is much more important than a scrimmage. But it’s noteworthy that Diggs did not get out there for his team’s first actual full go of things.
As we told you earlier, Stefon Diggs was held out of practice with lower back soreness. He was on the sideline the entire time and wore the hell out of that hat #BucketHatSwagpic.twitter.com/tJVqpX1l0i
A Buffalo Bills 53-man roster projection with seven days of training camp practices in 2020 in the books.
We’re a little off on the days, but hang with us.
The Bills have taken time off, so it’s been a little over a week now, technically. Well, actually, the start of training camp was weeks ago with a bit of an extended walk-through start to it.
But the total number of training camp practices the team has had so far with pads? Monday marked the seventh. So there’s our week.
To celebrate the first week of camp actually happening with the ups and down the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the team this offseason, here’s a 53-man roster projection for the Bills after those first seven practices:
Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (James P. McCoy/The Buffalo News via AP, Pool)
QUARTERBACK (3)
Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, Jake Fromm
Cuts: Davis Webb
Earlier this offseason the Bills were in a position to potentially keep two quarterbacks and cut Matt Barkley. He’s no longer really a “veteran” mentor to Allen, games played wise. Allen has 27 starts to Barkley’s seven. Cutting Barkley could also save the Bills $1.5M against the salary cap.
But that was ages ago now and the world as we know it, is no longer the same. Part of that picture? No preseason games in the NFL. It still might’ve been a bit of a bold prediction, but could the Bills have entered the season with two quarterbacks? Namely Josh Allen and Jake Fromm? It was possible. Was. But with no exhibition games under his belt, there’s no way Buffalo will enter a season with that scenario now. Not only does that save a roster spot for Barkley, but through training camp practices, Barkley’s probably been the QB that’s stood out the most, Allen included. Of course, he does typically play against the second-string defense, but still nice to have confidence in a No. 2, which he certainly is. Davis Webb could be considered a fourth-string “quarantine quarterback” on the practice squad
Takeaways from Day 1 of Buffalo Bills training camp practices.
The Buffalo Bills’ 2020 training camp practices are officially underway from Orchard Park. It took us a bit longer to get here thanks to the altered offseason due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but nonetheless, we’ve gotten back to padded practices for the Bills.
With that, here are three takeaways from Monday’s practice:
Bills middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Players seemingly comfortable
First and foremost, the Bills’ PR staff has appeared to clamp down on what we know about training camp this year. Typically reports of the depth chart, details on drills, and more are uncovered in camp. Monday showed the team will not allow that since fans aren’t there watching. But while we don’t really have that in-depth spotlight on work being done by the Bills this offseason, we can be confident that the players feel comfortable.
Following practice, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds spoke via video conference. He reflected on the practice that was and only had positive things to say about getting out on the field in pads for the first time since the Bills’ playoff loss to the Texans.
“Man, it felt good, it felt good,” Edmunds said. “I think guys were anxious to get out there, feel the energy out there. I think the coaches did a real good job of making everything competitive. I think guys were competing out there and just getting after it, we was getting better. I think it was a productive day.”
Buffalo Bills 2020 53-man roster projection at the start of training camp.
The Bills are getting training camp underway at their team facility in Orchard Park. That alone signals things are different.
In a typical offseason, the Bills are getting after it in Rochester for camp. Instead, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the team is at home in OP for safety reasons. Among those measures includes waiting until later this month to get on the field and in pads for practices.
So maybe this 53-man roster projection is a bit too early, but let’s give it a crack anyway. Here’s a roster prediction for the Bills as the team gets training camp underway:
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, right, watches as quarterback Matt Barkley warms up during practice. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Quarterback (3)
Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, Jake Fromm
Cuts: Davis Webb
Earlier this offseason the Bills were in a position to potentially keep two quarterbacks and cut Matt Barkley. He’s no longer really a “veteran” mentor to Allen, games played wise. Allen has 27 starts to Barkley’s seven. Cutting Barkley could also save the Bills $1.5M against the salary cap.
But that was months ago. We’ve since lost all sense of normalcy and preseason games. It would be insane for the Bills to go into a season with Jake Fromm as QB2, at least right away, considering he’ll have never played in an NFL game at all before then thanks to the cancelled exhibition games. At least Fromm has big-time college experience from Georgia, though.
Ranking the 2020 AFC East Wide receiver units ahead of the 2020 season.
The landscape of the AFC East is changing. With Tom Brady moving on from the New England Patriots, the Pats will now need to see how well Cam Newton can gel with his new receiving corps.
But overall, the division will be home to a few more playmakers in the receiving game. The Buffalo Bills made a blockbuster move, trading traded for Stefon Diggs. The New York Jets drafted Denzel Mims in the second-round of the recent draft. In due part to some of these moves, there’s a new leader with the best talent in the division.
Here’s how The Bills Wire ranks the wide receiver units for the AFC East entering the 2020 regular season:
Bills wide receiver John Brown. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
1. Buffalo Bills
The Bills have undergone a massive transition at the wide receiver position over the past three years. The group was among the league’s worst when Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott took over the team in 2017. Now, it’s arguable a top-10 unit in the NFL, if not better.
John Brown and Cole Beasley brought credibility to this unit in 2019. The duo combined for 139 receptions, 1,838 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. They did exactly what they were called upon to do: give Josh Allen stronger options. This, in turn, helped Allen improve and the passing attack for the Bills trended upward.
But this offseason, Buffalo traded for Stefon Diggs in March. This aggressive move by general manager Brandon Beane gives the Bills offense the over-the-top playmaker that the unit has been missing. With Diggs, Beasley, and Brown, Buffalo will be a matchup nightmare for secondaries.
The Bills were 26th in average passing yards per game last year. This group should make a massive leap going into the next season. While this is at the mercy of Allen, the receiving group is the best that he has worked within his career. For the first time in McDermott’s tenure, he has no excuses for not having a top-half offense in the league.
Buffalo has several depth options as well, including Robert Foster, Isaiah McKenzie, Isaiah Hodgins, and Gabriel Davis.
2020 Buffalo Bills wide receivers training camp preview
The Buffalo Bills are a few short weeks away from arriving for training camp in Western New York. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the preseason festivities will be diminished; the team will not hold their sessions at St. John Fisher College, their training camp location since 2000.
Nevertheless, the aim of the training camp remains the same. The organization must prepare players for the preseason, which depth players will compete in their final battle for a roster spot.
Training camp could hold greater importance this year, as the trimmed down preseason slate leaves fewer opportunities for players to impress the coaching staff.
The Bills Wire will complete a position-by-position analysis of each group on the Bills roster. This edition will focus on the wide receivers position:
Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Players (age)
Cole Beasley (31: 9th year)
John Brown (30: 7th season)
Gabriel Davis (21: Rookie)
Stefon Diggs (26: 6th season)
Nick Easley (23: 2nd season)
Robert Foster (26: 3rd season)
Isaiah Hodgins (21: Rookie)
Ray-Ray McCloud III (23: 3rd season)
Isaiah McKenzie (25: 4th season)
Andre Robers (32: 11th season)
Duke Williams (27: 2nd season)
2019 recap
The wide receiver unit was undoubtedly the group that underwent the biggest reconstruction prior to the start of last season. After a year of largely being the worst position group in the NFL in 2018, the team signed Cole Beasley and John Brown to bring the group into the land of legitimacy.
The signings paid dividends, as the duo gave quarterback Josh Allen reliable and professional receivers as targets. Beasley and Brown combined for 12 TD receptions (6 each), nearly matching the total of the entire roster from the 2018 season (13). Brown capped the season by leading the team with 72 receptions and 1.060 receiving yards while Beasley followed with 67 catches good for 778 yards. Both of those were career-highs for Brown, while Beasley tied his career-high for scores.
Behind those top two, Isaiah McKenzie saw time as a multi-purpose back, catching 27 passes and rushing 16 times last year. Duke Williams played in a limited role as well, including a flashy game against the Titans, catching 12 passes in four games. Robert Foster dropped off in a big way, catching only three passes on the season. After leading Buffalo receivers with 27 catches in 2018, Foster could not make any sort of meaningful connection with Allen.
Unfortunately after five games, the Bills admitted defeat in the Zay Jones experiment. After only seven catches in those five outings, he was traded to the Raiders. In 10 games there, Jones had 20 catches for 147 yards.
Now here’s a rundown of storylines to follow in this position group:
Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
How much of an impact will Stefon Diggs have?
Buffalo didn’t mess around at the start of the NFL calendar year, sending four draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings for wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Diggs is an explosive player. He blew up last year, as his yards per catch swelled to 17.9 yards per reception. He totaled a career-high 1,130 receiving yards on 63 catches. The number of catches was a drop off from his career-best of 102 receptions in 2018.
Diggs gives the Bills a bonafide No. 1 receiver. He’s a deep threat and a great route runner. While Buffalo showed improvements with Brown and Beasley, the team still did not have a player who could explode at any moment. Brown had his moments as a threat, but he doesn’t pose the threat (or at least perceived threat) that Diggs does.
Even if Diggs regresses with his yards per catch, which is likely, his career average of 11.1 yards per catch in his first four seasons, along with an average of 76 receptions during this time, would be perfectly acceptable for the Bills. He also averaged six touchdown receptions during his first four years in the league.
The addition of Diggs should also produce more one-on-one assignments for other players. Defenses will need to make some choices in their coverage schemes, as Diggs, Brown, and Beasley all can beat man coverage. That will open up space for tight end Dawson Knox as well, who could be the second-biggest winner of the Diggs acquisition (Allen takes the first spot).
