Tag: Kyle Williams

Luke Kuechly makes appearance at Buffalo Bills training camp

Luke Kuechly makes appearance at #Bills training camp (via @NateMendelson):

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Former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly made a surprise appearance at Bills camp on Monday. The seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro wasn’t decked out in his Carolina blue, instead opting for a Buffalo hue and a few Bills logos. Kuechly played for head coach Sean McDermott during his entire tenure as defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, helping lead the league’s number one defense to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2015-16 season.

“I think he’s a great source for Tremaine [Edmunds] and Matt [Milano],” former teammate Star Lotulelei said. “They’re both Boston College guys but really anybody in that room can learn so much from Luke. How to be professional, how to be great at his position. He’s such a smart player in how he saw the field and how he saw plays. I think these guys are a little spoiled having Luke in there. I’d take advantage of it if I were anybody in that room.”

But don’t call it a comeback. Kuechly is firmly retired at just 30 years old. He left the game just three months shy of his 29th birthday after an eight-year career in Carolina. He’s quoted saying he still wants to play but no longer feels it’s the right decision.

Plus he’s still under contract with the Panthers. If he wanted to play again he would have to be traded to Buffalo like Rob Gronkowski was traded from New England to Tampa Bay after retiring for one season.

Kuechly is the first former Carolina player the Bills have had at practice. In years past, Kyle Williams returned during camp to work with the defensive line while Lorenzo Alexander has worked with the linebackers each of the past two seasons since announcing his retirement.

Kuechly was seen chatting consistently with Tremaine Edmunds during individuals and watched on during 11-on-11 sessions. Kuechly sang the linebacker praises during joint Bills and Panthers practices in 2019.

“He’s big, he’s athletic, he runs, he’s long. He’s like the perfect body type for this defense. McDermott’s got this great defense that I think he’s going to thrive in it,” Kuechly said.

With connections to both McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane it seems if there’s a spot open to coach, the Bills will take all they can get from the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year.

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6 Bills appear in Sports Illustrated’s ‘Greatest Draft of All-Time’

Buffalo Bills in Sports Illustrated greatest NFL draft of all-time.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]Sports Illustrated’s Rick Gosselin undertook as tough as a challenge as one could take in regard to the NFL draft. Researching all 86 drafts conducted over the course of league history, the all-time best draft was put together.

The goal was to determine the best pick at each selection. Rolling through the exercise, six Bills players appear on the list, starting with the team’s Hall of Fame running back, Thurman Thomas.

Here’s the full list:

40. Thurman Thomas, HB, Buffalo, 1988. (13, 182) Hall of Fame. All-decade. 1991 NFL MVP. 5 Pro Bowls. Played in four Super Bowls. 1991 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. 16,532 career yards from scrimmage, 11th all-time.

134. Kyle Williams, DT, Buffalo, 2006. (13, 183) 6 Pro Bowls. Collected a career-high 10 ½ sacks in 2013. 48 ½ career sacks.

171. Gary Anderson, K, Buffalo, 1982. (23, 353) 2-time All-decade. 4 Pro Bowls. 1998 NFL scoring champion with only perfect season by a kicker in history, converting all 35 of his field goals and 59 conversion kicks for 164 points. 2,434 career points, 3rd all-time.

221. Tom Nutten, G, Buffalo, 1995. (8, 78) 1 Super Bowl ring. In the blocking front for Kurt Warner’s MVP season in 1999.

235. Carlton Bailey, ILB, Buffalo, 1983. (10, 142) Played in 4 Super Bowls. Intercepted a John Elway pass and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown in a 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the 1992 AFC title game, propelling the Bills to their second Super Bowl. 632 career tackles, 10 sacks.

253. Roland Hooks, FB, Buffalo, 1975. (7, 98) Lead blocker in Buffalo for 1,000-yard rushers O.J. Simpson, Terry Miller and Joe Cribbs. 12 career rushing touchdowns, 96 receptions.

Naturally we have a bit of an asterisk here for one pick. Anderson was drafted by the Bills but never played for the team after a tough preseason. Among all Bills draft picks listed, Thomas is the clear-cut best.

On the flip side, among notable omissions, we have Andre Reed (No. 86 Morten Anderson), Jim Kelly (No. 14 Gino Marchetti), and right at the top with the likes of Bruce Smith (No. 1 Peyton Manning).

In addition to the Bills’ selections, other notable former Bills players that appear but were selected by other teams: Steve Tasker (No. 226, Houston), Frank Gore (No. 65, 49ers), Terrell Owens (No. 89, 49ers), Larry Centers (No. 115 Cardinals), Josh Norman (No. 143, Panthers), Bryce Paup (No. 159, Packers), and Ryan Fitzpatrick (No. 250, Rams).PP

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6 Bills appear in Sports Illustrated’s ‘Greatest Draft of All-Time’

Buffalo Bills in Sports Illustrated greatest NFL draft of all-time.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]Sports Illustrated’s Rick Gosselin undertook as tough as a challenge as one could take in regard to the NFL draft. Researching all 86 drafts conducted over the course of league history, the all-time best draft was put together.

The goal was to determine the best pick at each selection. Rolling through the exercise, six Bills players appear on the list, starting with the team’s Hall of Fame running back, Thurman Thomas.

Here’s the full list:

40. Thurman Thomas, HB, Buffalo, 1988. (13, 182) Hall of Fame. All-decade. 1991 NFL MVP. 5 Pro Bowls. Played in four Super Bowls. 1991 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. 16,532 career yards from scrimmage, 11th all-time.

134. Kyle Williams, DT, Buffalo, 2006. (13, 183) 6 Pro Bowls. Collected a career-high 10 ½ sacks in 2013. 48 ½ career sacks.

171. Gary Anderson, K, Buffalo, 1982. (23, 353) 2-time All-decade. 4 Pro Bowls. 1998 NFL scoring champion with only perfect season by a kicker in history, converting all 35 of his field goals and 59 conversion kicks for 164 points. 2,434 career points, 3rd all-time.

221. Tom Nutten, G, Buffalo, 1995. (8, 78) 1 Super Bowl ring. In the blocking front for Kurt Warner’s MVP season in 1999.

235. Carlton Bailey, ILB, Buffalo, 1983. (10, 142) Played in 4 Super Bowls. Intercepted a John Elway pass and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown in a 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the 1992 AFC title game, propelling the Bills to their second Super Bowl. 632 career tackles, 10 sacks.

253. Roland Hooks, FB, Buffalo, 1975. (7, 98) Lead blocker in Buffalo for 1,000-yard rushers O.J. Simpson, Terry Miller and Joe Cribbs. 12 career rushing touchdowns, 96 receptions.

Naturally we have a bit of an asterisk here for one pick. Anderson was drafted by the Bills but never played for the team after a tough preseason. Among all Bills draft picks listed, Thomas is the clear-cut best.

On the flip side, among notable omissions, we have Andre Reed (No. 86 Morten Anderson), Jim Kelly (No. 14 Gino Marchetti), and right at the top with the likes of Bruce Smith (No. 1 Peyton Manning).

In addition to the Bills’ selections, other notable former Bills players that appear but were selected by other teams: Steve Tasker (No. 226, Houston), Frank Gore (No. 65, 49ers), Terrell Owens (No. 89, 49ers), Larry Centers (No. 115 Cardinals), Josh Norman (No. 143, Panthers), Bryce Paup (No. 159, Packers), and Ryan Fitzpatrick (No. 250, Rams).PP

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Kyle Williams takes second at celebrity golf tournament

Former Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams finished second at American Century Golf Tournament.

Former Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams had a strong showing at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament over the weekend.

Overall, Williams, who retired from the Bills following the 2018 season after spending his entire NFL career with the club, finished second. Williams finished behind former tennis pro Mardy Fish.

The tournament was scored with an ACC system, which means different points are awards for different scores on holes. Following the first day of the tournament, Williams was actually in the lead until Fish’s strong Day 2. He scored a record 37 points on Saturday in order to pass Williams and the rest of the field.

Williams was still positive about the weekend following it with the Reno Gazette Journal.

“I knew if I only made one birdie today it wasn’t going to get it done,” Williams said. “But I played pretty solid. To shoot what I have over the last three days, I’m not going to complain about it. Had a great week and looking forward to more.”

Williams edged out former MLB pitcher John Smoltz and current NBA star Steph Curry, who finished in third and fourth, respectively.

 

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Watch: Titans’ Cole McDonald working out with UDFA Kyle Williams

Cole McDonald is making progress in fixing his throwing motion, but still has a ways to go.

The biggest thing to watch with Tennessee Titans seventh-round pick Cole McDonald this offseason and in the preseason is how he improves his throwing motion.

The knock on McDonald coming out of college was that he took too long to get rid of the football with his elongated motion, and it’s something he has been working on with quarterback guru Steve Calhoun.

In a recent video posted to his Instagram (H/T Mike Herndon of Music City Miracles), McDonald, who is working out with Titans UDFA wide receiver Kyle Williams, gave us an updated look at his progress.

We can certainly see the adjustments McDonald has been able to make thus far, but it appears he still has a ways to go, as his motion hasn’t been adequately shortened up yet.

In a recent interview with John Glennon of The Athletic, McDonald explained what goes into fixing the biggest hole in his game.

“In terms of me and what I’m working on, obviously my throwing motion is the biggest thing,” McDonald said. “I’m learning just to create muscle memory, shortening my motion, which is ultimately going to result in more accurate, more efficient throws and a tighter release.”

“It’s all about your mental capacity, in terms of adapting to the situation and ultimately making yourself a better player and a better person,” he said. “For me, I don’t think it’s very tough. It’s just going to take works and more reps.”

This kind of slow and steady progress doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as McDonald figured to need plenty of development, which is why he was a seventh-round pick in the first place.

Regardless, the Hawaii product will go into training camp and compete with Logan Woodside for the backup job. If he can continue to improve his form, McDonald could conceivably win the job thanks to his overall skill set (big arm, athleticism) being superior to that of Woodside.

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Bills roster comparison: 2017 vs. 2020 defense, special teams

Buffalo Bills roster comparisons from 2017 training camp to 2020 training camp.

After a couple of seasons, a lot can change in the NFL.

But in the case of the Buffalo Bills, maybe “a lot” just doesn’t cover it.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane both joined the team’s front office prior to the 2017 season. That year the Bills cracked the postseason in very unlikely fashion with a much-inherited team.

The duo did make big roster moves before that season, like moving Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby. But now entering the fourth training camp under this regime, the names and down-right talent on their roster is a night and day comparison, so let’s do just that.

Here’s a full comparison of the Buffalo Bills’ 2017 defense and special teams roster compared to their current one:

 

Defensive end

Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

2017 2020
Shaq Lawson AJ Epenesa
Jerry Hughes Darryl Johnson
Ryan Davis Jerry Hughes
Max Valles Mike Love
Eddie Yarbrough Trent Murphy
Ian Seau Bryan Cox Jr.
Jake Metz Mario Addison
Marquavius Lewis Quinton Jefferson

Advantage: 2020
The Bills are hoping to finally have a finished product at this position in 2020. It’s taken a few seasons for Buffalo to get their pass rush in a place that McDermott likes it, but at minimal, the current group is certainly the deepest. If the club decides to keep Trent Murphy heading into the season instead of cutting him, this group will be amongst the deepest edge rushing groups in the entire NFL, along with Mario Addison, AJ Epenesa, and the consistent in Jerry Hughes.

 

 

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Giants had one of worst plays of the past decade

The New York Giants have a long history of infamous plays, but one of them has been listed among the worst plays of the past decade.

The New York Giants began 2010s as one of the NFL’s most successful teams. They ended the decade as one of the least revered.

The Giants finished the 2010s with three dismal seasons of three, five and four wins and finished the decade with a 70-90 record, their first losing decade since the horrific 1970s, also known as The Wilderness Years.

The 2010s began with the Giants going 10-6 in 2010 followed by a Super Bowl-winning run in 2011. In 2012, Big Blue finished 9-7 and then took a severe nosedive with the exception of the 2016 season when they won 11 games and scored a playoff berth.

The Giants were involved in many famous plays over the decade and have placed two entries in Bleacher Report’s 10 Worst Plays of the Decade, in which they were on different sides of NFL infamy.

Coming in at No. 9 was in overtime at the 2011 NFC Championship Game. You guessed it, Kyle Williams’ fumbled punt that led to the Giants’ winning field goal, sending them to Super Bowl XLVI.

In overtime of the 2011 NFC Championship Game, Williams—who wasn’t the 49ers’ regular punt returner and was only playing that role because Ted Ginn Jr. was injured—became a legendary goat.

The game was probably only in overtime because he muffed a punt with San Francisco leading by four points in the fourth quarter, and he had made a risky, sliding catch on an earlier punt.

And yet not only was he back there again when the Giants were forced to punt in sudden-death overtime with a trip to Super Bowl XLVI on the line, but he fielded Steve Weatherford’s punt with little room to run and was almost immediately stripped by Jacquian Williams of the Giants.

The Giants didn’t have to throw another pass and were NFC champions only a few plays later.

And then No. 5…

On December 19, 2010, Giants punter Matt Dodge, who was instructed by the Giants’ coaches to kick the ball away from Eagles returner Desean Jackson, punted the ball directly to Jackson, who took it to the house to complete an improbable comeback.

With the Giants and Eagles seemingly headed to overtime in a critical late-season divisional matchup at MetLife (which was then known as New Meadowlands Stadium), all Dodge had to do was hammer a punt out of bounds on Philly’s side of the field.

That would have almost certainly caused the Eagles to take a knee with just a few seconds remaining.

Instead, the rookie punter baffled the football world by firing a line drive directly at one of the game’s most dangerous weapons, DeSean Jackson. Eighteen seconds later, Jackson was in the end zone and the Eagles had landed a victory that would ultimately give them the division crown over the Giants, who missed the playoffs by one game.

Ironically, that Matt Dodge punt spurred some much-needed changes in the Giants organization and that helped propel them to the Kyle Williams moment and a Super Bowl title just a year later.

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Bills’ Kyle Williams named among most valuable draft picks of century

Buffalo Bills DT Kyle Williams was named one of the NFL’s best draft picks of the entire 21st century by The Ringer.

Well, you know Tom Brady is leading this list. That’s not surprising. But The Ringer did include one draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in their 32 most valuable draft picks made by NFL teams in the 21st century.

That drafted player by the Bills played his entire career in Western New York: defensive tackle Kyle Williams.

Williams, who retired following the 2018 season, will often remind you he was a first-overall pick. But in the fifth-round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The pick was originally viewed as a throwaway pick when the Bills sent star wide receiver Eric Moulds to the Texans. Instead, the pick turned into Williams.

The 13-year pro landed at No. 23 overall on The Ringer’s list:

Kyle Williams is one of those guys we feel obligated to mention whenever possible, just to make sure his career doesn’t get lost to history. Williams fell through the draft cracks for the same reason most defensive tackles do. At 6-foot-1 and 298 pounds, he was undersized for a traditional 3-technique, but his college numbers (4.5-plus sacks in each of his final three seasons at LSU) showed he had plenty of upside as a one-gap tackle. Williams played 13 seasons for Bills and tallied at least five sacks in six of them. That’s tremendous production—and staying power—for a guy Buffalo drafted 16 spots after the Patriots took Stephen Gostkowski.

While Williams’s career could potentially be lost to league-wide history like most players see happen to theirs, he won’t be forgotten in Buffalo any time soon. Williams spent his entire career in the red, white, and blue, most of which went without a playoff berth. Still, he never left.

But it was all made worthwhile when the Bills cracked the postseason in his second-to-last season in 2017. The first image that comes to mind in the minds of Bills fans when Buffalo made the playoffs after a near two-decade drought was Williams celebrating with his family and teammates in the Bills locker room. Still gives one chills watching:

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Bills in the 2010s: Best defensive players of the decade

Here are the best players on defense for Buffalo during the last decade. 

The defense has been the stronger unit of the Buffalo Bills over the past 10 years. Defensive coordinators Leslie Frazier and Jim Schwartz have each guided their respective units to top-10 finishes during the past number of years.

As the 2010s close, it’s a natural time to review how the Bills have looked on the defensive side of the ball over the past decade.

Here are the best players on defense for Buffalo during the last decade:

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive tackle: Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus

Kyle Williams was a fixture in Buffalo for 13 seasons. During his play in this decade, he led defensive linemen with 396 total tackles and 71 tackles for loss. Tack in 40.5 sacks in 121 games, and you have quite the player for the interior of the Bills line. Williams was named to six Pro Bowls during this time period.

Marcell Dareus is a story of what could have been. In 91 games, he recorded 300 total tackles and 35 sacks. He surely was dominant at times, but he just did not gel with the Sean McDermott regime. Dareus was a two-time Pro-Bowl selection with Buffalo and was an All-Pro with the squad in 2014.

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