Tag: Taylor Rapp

Bills’ Taylor Rapp downplays potential injury at practice

Bills’ Taylor Rapp downplays potential injury at practice

Buffalo Bills (5-2) safety Taylor Rapp says he’s fine, but it did appear he was flirting with injury at practice this week ahead of his team’s trip to face the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) in Week 8.

During a workout and while media was observing the practice, Rapp was spotted getting his foot or ankle looked at by the Bills’ medical staff.

WIVB-TV was one of the media outlets to catch Rapp being checked out:

Following practice, WIVB-TV also caught up with Rapp. Reportedly the safety said he was “all good.”

Interestingly, Rapp was never listed on the team’s injury report for whatever the issue was. Even if a player is not going to miss action, if they get any treatment from trainers they are supposed to be listed but Rapp was not.

Regardless, Rapp’s ankle or foot might be something to keep in mind during Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.

Another look at Rapp’s taped ankle can be found in the Batavia News photo below:

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Bills’ Taylor Rapp to return to action vs. Jets wearing special gear

Bills’ Taylor Rapp to return to action vs. Jets wearing special gear

Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp was forced to miss Week 5’s game after a suffering a concussion the week prior. Rapp has since been cleared to play and will make his return in Week 6 against the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football.”

Rapp will be wearing some new headgear in the prime-time matchup.

On Monday night, Rapp will be the first Bills player to wear the Guardian cap in a game.

“For sure, I’m wearing it,” Rapp told The Buffalo News on Thursday. “I liked wearing [the cap] during training camp and I switched to the new helmet [as well]. It was definitely something I was [already] considering.”

Rapp has sustained concussions in his career in the past when he was previously with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Guardian cap, invented by Guardian Sports in 2010, is backed by science in a similar way that airbags work in a vehicle.

Here is a direct quote from the Guardian Sports website regarding the Guardian caps:

Physics say that an outer “soft” material of the proper density, stiffness and energy absorbing properties reduces the initial severity of the impact. The hard shell then has lower forces transmitted to it, and in turn conveys lower forces to the interior soft helmet padding and then lower forces to the head. Very similar to a NASCAR driver and the soft wall technology that tracks have adopted or even automobiles and the soft bumpers and airbags that are now required. The Guardian Cap serves the same purpose for an athlete’s head—a soft shell barrier between it and impact.

Given Rapp’s past head injuries and his downhill style play, the cap makes a lot of sense as he recovers from his most recent concussion.

The NFL has only seen a handful of players wear the cap through six weeks. That number should continue to rise as more players see its benefit. The Bills and Rapp using them as a post-concussion precaution seems like a good idea for the player and team. Perhaps that is a trend we will see going forward.

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Bills’ Taylor Rapp leaves vs. Ravens because of head injury

Bills’ Taylor Rapp leaves vs. Ravens because of head injury

The Bills are down a starting safety against the Ravens in their Week 4 matchup.

In a game that has gone from bad to worse for the Bills in the first half, Rapp’s injury adds salt to the wound.

While attempting to make a tackle on Ravens running back Derrick Henry, Rapp struggled to get up. The team has announced that Rapp is being evaluated for a head injury.

In his place, second-round rookie Cole Bishop replaced Rapp in the lineup. Rapp ended up walking to the locker room with the team’s medical staff.

Bills Wire will provide updates as information is made available.

Taylor Rapp on first year with Bills: ‘Best thing that could have ever happened’

Taylor Rapp on first year with #Bills: ‘Best thing ever could have happened’

Taylor Rapp is happy to be with the Buffalo Bills and his standing with the team could very well grow in the next few months.

In terms of the player himself, Rapp was very much positive when reflecting on his first season as a Bill in 2023. He signed as a free agent before last season and has since inked an extension.

If you needed more than actions, he provided the words.

“Probably the best thing that could have ever happened in my career,” Rapp said.

In terms of the future, the hints were provided by Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott.

With the departure of Jordan Poyer who was released this offseason, there’s a starting spot up for grabs. It’s also assumed that Micah Hyde will retire. That’s another first-team position.

McDermott noted during spring practices that Rapp has started to step into the leader shoes Poyer and Hyde have left open.

“Last week, in particular, [Rapp’s growth] really stood out,” McDermott said. “Now, new role this year, and I hate to say ‘role’ because roles aren’t really defined until everybody makes the team, but at this point, Taylor’s really stepped into that role, and I would say asserted himself from a leadership standpoint, a little bit, and a communicator standpoint, which is huge in that backend.”

Rapp sounds like a name to watch during training camp.

For more from Rapp, see the attached WKBW-TV clip below:

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PFF calls extending Taylor Rapp their ‘least favorite’ move by Bills

PFF calls extending Taylor Rapp their ‘least favorite’ move by Bills:

Taylor Rapp? Pro Football Focus is not a fan.

PFF is not a fan.

The football analytics outlet named their least favorite decision by every NFL team during the free agency. For the Buffalo Bills, extending safety Taylor Rapp was not the move they would have done.

Here’s why PFF thinks so:

Buffalo is moving 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.

This deal could effectively be a one-year, $4.2 million pact, which is not bad at all. With so many safeties available, it just felt like Buffalo could’ve gotten really stingy at the position while spending a bit more elsewhere, such as on the offensive line.

PFF does not completely hate the move… but the outlet is not the biggest fan. Rapp has some doubters.

What’s working in Rapp’s favorite is Jordan Poyer leaving. That appears to be his better position and not the one he mostly played last season. That opening is his to prove PFF wrong. He signed a three-year extension in Buffalo.

In his first season with the Bills, Rapp accounted for 50 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, half a sack, two pass breakups, an interception, and a fumble recovery. He appeared on 421 defensive snaps and another 191 on special teams.

Rapp was originally a second-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 NFL draft.

Bills Wire will continue to provide free agency updates throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Bills sign Taylor Rapp to three-year extension

#Bills sign Taylor Rapp to three-year extension:

Jordan Poyer’s gone and Micah Hyde is a pending free agent.

But Taylor Rapp is going nowhere.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Rapp has signed a three-year extension with the Buffalo Bills.

Rapp, 26, signed with the Bills last year on a one-year contract. He served as a backup to both Poyer and Hyde and played in certain packages which put all three on the field at once.

In his first season with the Bills, Rapp accounted for 50 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, half a sack, two pass breakups, an interception, and a fumble recovery. He appeared on 421 defensive snaps and another 191 on special teams.

What’s certainly going to be different now is his role on the defense. With Poyer out, Rapp is likely sliding into his starting spot. Damar Hamlin and Kendall Williamson are the only other safeties under contract with the Bills currently.

Rapp was originally a second-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 NFL draft.

Bills Wire will continue to provide free agency updates throughout the 2024 offseason.

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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.

One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2024 (including the Bills)

One free agent each NFL team should re-sign in 2024 (including the #Bills):

We’re just one week away from the start of NFL free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. But the legal tampering window opens two days before that on March 11 at 12 p.m. ET, where teams will be able to negotiate with free agents before the official start of the new league year.

The 2024 salary cap has been set at an historic $255.4 million, and there are a number of teams who have some work to do when it comes to building their rosters. That includes potentially bringing back some impact players currently set to hit the open market.

After taking a look at the pending free agent fits around for each team, our NFL Wire editors identified one in-house free agent (at the time of publication) that each team should prioritize re-signing this offseason. 

Projecting market value for Bills pending free agents

Projecting market value for #Bills pending free agents:

The Buffalo Bills have several important players who are on the cusp of leaving via free agency. General manager Brandon Beane has some difficult decisions to make, as he needs to balance a challenging salary cap situation. At this time, Spotrac highlights the Bills are still $41 million over the cap.

The Bills still have some time to ink these players to extensions. However, several of these players are on the verge of a big payday.

The legal tampering period begins on March 11. Once this date hits, it’s a good chance that these players will be finding new homes for the 2024 season.

Here is a look at the projected market value for the Bills top pending free agents based off Spotrac’s projections:

5 pending free agents the Bills should consider re-signing in 2024

5 pending free agents the #Bills should consider re-signing in 2024:

The Buffalo Bills have plenty of free agents slated to hit the open market.

The Bills have time to still sign players to extensions, but it’s never so cut-and-dry. According to Over The Cap, Buffalo is estimated to be more than $40 million over the 2024 NFL salary cap.

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

But Beane’s work is not the type of operation that’s never been completed before. Teams and players can restructure contracts, move dollars and cents around, and create cap space.

Once that’s done, Beane will then consider who to bring in and who to re-sign. Here are five pending free agents the Bills should take a look into re-signing this offseason: