The Bills have been active in the first wave of NFL free agency, addressing roster needs with players who can be valuable contributors and rotation players in all three phases.
Similarly, letting some players walk in free agency while releasing and trading others has created cap relief and added draft capital while freeing up money to add cost-efficient talent.
Headlined by the additions of WR Curtis Samuel and LB Nicholas Morrow, a mix of new and familiar faces have been signed and re-signed.
While it’s worth noting that additional signings have taken place, including DE Casey Toohill and S Mike Edwards, with more potential moves on the way as the team has reportedly met with S Julian Blackmon andDE Austin Johnson on free agency visits, and still have a number of their own free agents available as well.
Had they been factored in, Toohill, who’s had solid numbers as a depth and rotation player, and Edwards, who has the second most defensive TDs in the NFL since 2021 (5) and two Super Bowl championships with Tampa and Kansas City to his name, may have affected the grade.
Nonetheless, here is the Bills 2024 free agency grade prior to those additions, according to Pro Football Focus…
Epenesa has two straight seasons with strong production as a pass rusher, notching pressure rates above 10% and pass-rush grades above 70.0. He’s a big edge who has gotten faster off the ball as he’s developed, and he’ll still be just 25 in Week 1 of 2024, so there could be more improvement ahead.
Jones came out of the gates of the 2023 season on fire as an interior pass rusher, and the continued growth of Ed Oliver has enabled the two to work off each other and weaponize twists and stunts on the interior more effectively. Oliver still has a quick get-off and a bursty second step in his 30s, and Buffalo needed to add more defensive linemen, so why not retain a player you know is a fit as a three- to five-technique?
Buffalo looks ready to move on from the dynamic duo of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, who had an incredible run as the starting safety tandem for years. Rapp is a good box defender, and the Bills structured this deal in a way that they can approach it year to year while also buying out two additional years from Rapp.
Falcons WR Mack Hollins (ankle) is questionable to return vs. the Bucs
The Atlanta Falcons have now lost two players in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Left tackle Jake Matthews and wide receiver Mack Hollins are both questionable to return, per team reporter Terrin Waack.
The Falcons and Buccaneers are tied up at 10 with six minutes left in the first half.
Q2: Falcons wide receiver Mack Hollins has an ankle injury and is questionable to return.
The Saints announced their list of inactive players for Week 12’s game with the Falcons. Jimmy Graham is benched for his fourth straight game:
The New Orleans Saints’ list of inactive players in Week 12 isn’t much different from the list we saw earlier this season — with the exception of two injured rookie draft picks. Here is who will not be suiting up for Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Falcons:
The final injury report for the New Orleans Saints’ Week 12 road game with the Atlanta Falcons is here:
The final injury report for the New Orleans Saints’ Week 12 road game with the Atlanta Falcons is here: and star cornerback Marshon Lattimore won’t play for the black and gold. Lattimore is one of two Saints players who were pre-emptively ruled out due to injury, the other being rookie running back Kendre Miller; both of them are managing ankle injuries.
Atlanta will be without wide receiver Mack Hollins, who is also dealing with an ankle injury. Falcons backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday’s game, as is Saints rookie defensive end Isaiah Foskey (quadricep).
Here’s the full injury report from Friday for both teams:
Falcons Week 12 injury report: WR Mack Hollins ruled OUT vs. Saints
The Atlanta Falcons (4-6) have released their final injury report for Week 12 and just one player was ruled out. Wide receiver Mack Hollins will officially miss his second consecutive game due to an ankle injury.
On the bright side, kicker Younghoe Koo (back) was a full participant at Friday’s practice. Koo and defensive lineman David Onyemata are good to go for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints (5-5).
Backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke is questionable with a hamstring injury, as you can see in the team’s full Week 12 injury report below.
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith says WR Mack Hollins and QB Taylor Heinicke will return to practice on Wednesday
Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke and wide receiver Mack Hollins are both set to return to practice, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
Heinicke injured his hamstring during the team’s Week 10 loss to the Cardinals. Hollins missed the game due to an ankle injury. Smith noted that both players would be limited on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith said QB Taylor Heinicke and WR Mack Hollins will be limited today but practicing.
If healthy, Heinicke will return to his backup quarterback role after starting the previous two games in place of Desmond Ridder. Smith named Ridder as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season on Monday.
The #Falcons have listed their inactives ahead of Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals
The Atlanta Falcons (4-5) released their inactives list for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals (1-8) and seven players have been ruled out.
David Onyemata, who was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report, will not play in Week 10 due to an ankle injury. Look for defensive lineman Timmy Horne to step up in Onyemata’s absence.
Wide receiver Mack Hollins and defensive back Dee Alford are out as well. Here’s a look at all seven of the Falcons’ inactives for Week 10 below.
Falcons Week 10 injury report: WR Mack Hollins OUT, DL David Onyemata questionable for Sunday’s game in Arizona
The Atlanta Falcons released their final Week 10 injury report on Friday, ruling two players out and listing another as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Wide receiver Mack Hollins (ankle) and cornerback Dee Alford (ankle) are both out in Week 10. Defensive lineman David Onyemata, who was limited on Thursday and Friday, is officially questionable due to yet another ankle injury.
Check out the Falcons’ final Week 10 injury report in the graph below.
Falcons WR Mack Hollins, RB Cordarrelle Patterson and CB Dee Alford were among those missing at Wednesday’s practice
The Atlanta Falcons (4-5) returned to practice on Wednesday but several players are still banged up as the team begins preparation for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals (1-8).
Wide receiver Mack Hollins, cornerback Dee Alford, safety DeMarcco Hellams, running back Cordarrelle Patterson, defensive tackle David Onyemata and defensive lineman Calais Campbell were all missing from Wednesday’s practice, per team reporter Terrin Wacck.
Missing from today’s Falcons practice are: WR Mack Hollins, CB Dee Alford, S DeMarcco Hellams, RB Cordarrelle Patterson, DL David Onyemata and DL Calais Campbell.
On the bright side, wide receiver Drake London was back out there after sitting out in Week 9. Stay tuned for the Falcons’ first injury report of the week following Wednesday’s practice.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
C.J. Stroud
470-10
5
Joshua Dobbs
158-66
3
Dak Prescott
374-14
3
Jalen Hurts
207-36
3
Tyson Bagent
220-70
2
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Rachaad White
20-73
4-46
2
Rhamondre Stevenson
9-87
4-42
1
Josh Jacobs
26-98
2
Keaton Mitchell
9-138
1-(-4)
1
Aaron Jones
20-73
4-26
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
CeeDee Lamb
11-191
0
Tank Dell
6-114
2
Noah Brown
6-153
1
Amari Cooper
5-139
1
Diontae Johnson
7-90
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Dalton Schultz
10-130
1
Cade Otton
6-70
2
Cole Kmet
6-55
2
Jake Ferguson
7-91
1
Jonnu Smith
5-100
1
Placekickers
XP
FG
Younghoe Koo
2
4
Chase McLaughlin
4
3
Justin Tucker
4
3
Daniel Carlson
3
3
Greg Joseph
2
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Browns
7-3
0
Colts
4-3
2
Raiders
8-2
0
Ravens
4-2
0
Saints
2-5
0
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Jaren Hall – Concussion
QB Daniel Jones – Knee
RB Cam Akers – Ankle
RB Kendre Miller – Ankle
RB Cordarrelle Patterson – Ankle
WR Mack Hollins – Ankle
WR K.J. Osborn – Concussion
WR Marquise Goodwin – Head
WR John Metchie – Ribs
WR Josh Downs – Knee
TE Dallas Goedert – Forearm
TE T.J. Hockenson – Oblique/ribs
PK Ka’imi Fairbairn – Quad
Chasing Ambulances
QB Daniel Jones – The fear is that he tore his ACL and would be lost for the season. The Giants passing offense has been one of the least productive and devoid of reliable fantasy value. If Jones is gone, the Giants only have the rookie Tommy DeVito or Matt Barkley for when they play in Dallas for Week 10.
RB Cam Akers – He injured his left Achilles, and the severity will be determined on Monday. He already tore his right Achilles while with the Rams, and any time that Akers misses will benefit Alexander Mattison more as he would inherit back some of the workload that Akers had taken.
WR K.J. Osborn – The Vikings wideout was carted from the field after temporarily laying motionless. He appeared to have a serious concussion and Brandon Powell would later catch a touchdown at the end of the game to provide the winning margin. Jalen Nailor is the primary backup for Osborn, but Powell is more likely to see expanded use. Justin Jefferson will return at some point as well, but for this week versus the Saints, Powell is the most likely to see a bump in targets.
WR Josh Downs – The rookie was already questionable entering the game with a knee injury he suffered in practice on Thursday. He was active for the game in Carolina but left after one catch with a knee injury – assumedly the one that hampered his practices leading up to the game. Isaiah McKenzie will replace him if needed.
TE Dallas Goedert – He injured his forearm which was awkwardly caught underneath him as he was tackled. He was immediately brought back to the X-ray room and ruled out. The Eagles are already without Grant Calcaterra (concussion) but the Eagles head onto their bye for Week 10. If Goedert missed any time, his targets would more likely shift to the wideouts and running backs than be directly applied to a backup tight end
TE T.J. Hockenson – He injured his oblique and ribs but was able to finish the game. That suggests he’ll be good to go for the Saints this week, but it bears tracking in practice.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QBJoshua Dobbs (MIN) – The rookie Jaren Hall only lasted for nine passes before suffering a concussion. Dobbs entered the game having never had a practice rep with the Vikings. He completed 20-of-30 for 158 yards and two passing scores, plus he ran for 66 yards on seven runs with another touchdown. Imagine what he can do when he practices, learns the plays, and knows the names of his teammates. Justin Jefferson is eligible to return next week, but that may not happen.
QB Tyson Bagent (CHI) – He is improving. The undrafted rookie threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the loss at the Saints, and he ran for 70 yards on eight scrambles. They host the Panthers this week, so Bagent has a shot at another decent performance.
RB Keaton Mitchell (BAL) – The rookie finally had his first carry of the year and ended with nine runs for 138 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for a four-yard loss. He was popular with fans in the summer but suffered a shoulder injury and later a hamstring strain. The East Carolina back runs a 4.37 40-time . He broke a 60-yard run and later ran 40 yards for a touchdown in the win over the Seahawks. And it wasn’t just late fourth-quarter mop-up duty. Mitchell had runs in every quarter. Gus Edwards scored twice on his five runs for 50 yards and the Ravens let the rookie get more reps in the game that was decided early.
WR Noah Brown (HOU) – He’s only played in four games, but Brown led the team with 153 yards on six catches with a touchdown against the Buccaneers. His previous best was only three catches for 57 yards (Week 8). That’s probably a single-game performance, but it was impressive on a day when C.J. Stroud passed for 470 yards.
TE Cade Otton (TB) – The Texan defense is actually good against the pass but weakest versus tight ends. That showed up on Sunday when the Bucs’ Otton caught six passes for 70 yards and two scores – all season-high marks. He’s seen more use in the last three weeks, and the success of Week 9 should help him stay in the game plan.
QB Taylor Heinicke (ATL) – Hidden behind the defensive collapse of the Falcons was Heinicke’s first start. He replaced Desmond Ridder, who had a 28-24 lead over the Vikings with only two minutes left to play. He played without Drake London and passed for 100 yards to Jonnu Smith while Kyle Pitts (4-56) was better than usual. HC Arthur Smith said Ridder remains the starter, so they may return to him at the Cardinals this week. But their personnel decisions are often surprising, like letting Tyler Allgeier (12-39, TD) carry more often than Bijan Robinson (11-51) despite the greater effectiveness of Robinson.
RB Aaron Jones (GB) – After disappointing over the first eight games of the season, Jones ran 20 times for 76 yards and a touchdown, plus caught four passes for 26 yards. Jones had never had more than 11 touches in a game, so it is encouraging to see him with a heavier workload.
RB Rachaad White (TB) – The Bucs starting running back hasn’t set the world on fire and had not scored since Week 2. But he was better for two weeks with around 100 total yards and then became the No. 1 fantasy running back for Week 9 when he ran for 73 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns and caught four passes for 76 yards. He’s taking over the backfield and getting more touches. The Bucs still handed out seven carries between Chase Edmonds (3-(-5)) and Ke’Shawn Vaughn (4-9) but White is rising in the rankings.
RB D’Onta Foreman (CHI) – The Bears lost to the Saints, but Foreman carried the ball 20 times for 83 yards – more carries in a game than any other Bear this year. Roschon Johnson only ran twice for six yards and caught a nine-yard pass. Foreman is looking good for this week at home versus the Panthers.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
C.J. Stroud – The rookie just set the all-time record for a rookie quarterback with 470 passing yards, breaking Andrew Luck’s 433 yards in 2012. His five touchdown passes tie an all-time NFL record for a rookie. He is only the second rookie quarterback with 400 yards and five touchdowns in a game. Stroud only needed 40 of the 46 seconds left to play when he drove the Texans from their 25-yard line and ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tank Dell with six seconds left to play.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
