Tag: Tim Settle

Bills vs. Titans: 6 things to watch for during Week 2’s game

#Bills vs. #Titans: 6 things to watch for during Week 2’s game:

The Buffalo Bills continue their regular season journey. The Bills host the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football in Week 2.

Once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind.

Here are six things to watch for during Monday’s Bills-Titans matchup:

Bills without DTs Ed Oliver, Tim Settle at practice

#Bills without DTs Ed Oliver, Tim Settle at practice:

Two defensive tackles for the Buffalo Bills missed practice on Wednesday ahead of facing the Tennessee Titans in Week 2.

Ahead of the workout, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott indicated via video conference that both Ed Oliver and Tim Settle would not take part.

Oliver is dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams. He exited the game twice because of the issue and was held to only 18 total snaps.

Settle was also hurt against the Rams but the exact issue is undisclosed.

While the two were not on the practice field, the team did not yet announce an injury report ahead of facing Tennessee.

Traditionally during the run up to game day on Sunday, both teams will release daily injury reports from Wednesday to Friday. Because the Bills and Titans faceoff on Monday, that’s pushed back to Thursday to Saturday–We’ll get one in due time.

Regardless, the Bills do know how to strike a little fear in Buffalo. It appears they are taking precaution.

Prince Emili was signed to the practice squad this week. He’s a defensive tackle, which signals the Bills wanted a little extra depth at the position just in case.

According to the team’s radio partner, WGR-550, Settle was watching Wednesday’s practice at the field. Oliver was not seen.

Check back at Bills Wire throughout the week for the latest updates.

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Injury update: Bills get three back, Micah Hyde, Spencer Brown among those out

#Injury update: Bills get three back, Micah Hyde, Spencer Brown among those out:

The roller coaster that is the Buffalo Bills’ injury news continues.

First came the good.

According to reports including the team’s radio partner WGR-550 radio on Tuesday, linebacker Tyrel Dodson, wide receiver Tavon Austin, and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones all returned to workouts.

Pass rusher Von Miller also was back on the field. However, he was not hurt. Miller was excused for personal reasons, per head coach Sean McDermott.

On Wednesday, some negatives came about again.

Among those spotted watching from the sidelines, per reports, included: safety Micah Hyde, defensive tackle Tim Settle, defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan and offensive lineman Spencer Brown.

All except Brown were doing light workouts on the sideline such as riding a bike. The right tackle was not in practice gear.

In addition to the new injured players who have unknown ailments, receiver Marquez Stevenson (foot), safety Jordan Poyer (elbow), offensive lineman Tommy Doyle (foot), cornerback Tre’Davious White (PUP list), and offensive lineman Ike Boettger (PUP list) all remained out.

Bills Wire will provide updates as the become available.

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Buffalo Bills 2022 training camp preview: Defensive line

Breakdown on the #Bills new-look defensive front from @jdiloro:

Buffalo Bills 2022 training camp kicks off on July 24th. With camp just around the corner, Bills Wire will examine the Bills roster position-by-position. We’ll analyze the new additions and departures to each position group, and provide a glimpse into the future for the team.

Next up is the defensive line unit.

New Bills players who can have immediate impacts in 2022

New #Bills players who can have immediate impacts in 2022:

Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane has been active throughout the offseason, adding fresh talent and new faces to help elevate the team’s roster.

The Bills have become a breakout squad in the NFL thanks to Beane’s roster building and the player development of the coaching staff.

Still, hurdles remain between Buffalo and a Super Bowl championship. And adding players who figure to contribute towards overcoming the obstacles that remain is just what Beane has been doing this offseason.

The GM has been busy in free agency adding veteran pieces like Von Miller and prospective first-year contributors through the NFL Draft like Kaiir Elam.

The additions have been met with fairly good reception by fans and the media, with one ESPN analyst even going so far as to say that the Bills 2022 NFL draft class will make the biggest impact.

With that here is a look at which new players could have an immediate impact for Buffalo in 2022…

In hindsight, some thoughts on Washington’s 2022 NFL draft

More thoughts on some of Washington’s 2022 NFL draft class.

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Jahan Dotson (Rd 1, 16): Dotson must have an unbelievable “catch radius” because that was the buzz phrase from the Commanders brass. And the trade back from No. 11 to No. 16 was certainly maximized by Washington. The Commanders are banking on Chris Olave not being that much better than Dotson, and they also picked up Brian Robinson and Sam Howell with picks traded to them during the draft.   They had needs and thus needed to trade back, so I am glad they did trade back.

Brian Robinson Jr. (Rd 3, 98): Robinson is not the receiver J D McKissic is out of the backfield. Yet, it is also true that McKissic is not the insider runner that Robinson is. McKissic is coming off of a neck injury and Antonio Gibson did have fumble problems last season. Robinson might become an interesting short-yardage asset and is certainly a more powerful runner than Jaret Patterson or Jonathan Williams displayed in 2021.

Phidarian Mathis (Rd 2, 47): Mathis might be a better run defender than Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle. Thus he might actually provide what those two defensive tackles did not. Yet, the other side of the coin looks (at least for now) to also be just as true. Settle and Ioannidis both were more mobile against the wide runs and providing pass rush. Mathis is known to be good at occupying blockers, which would help the middle linebacker in particular.

Remember how Aaron Rodgers was upset that Green Bay did not contact Rodgers, preparing him for their late first-round choice of Jordan Love? The Commanders must have learned from that as well, because Saturday they contacted Wentz, informing him of their intention to draft UNC QB Sam Howell in the fifth round (144).

With Coach Ron saying this next season is going to be a good step up for Washington, did you notice in this draft the Commanders chose only one underclassman? And that guy was Howell, whom they would rather not have to play in 2022. They upgraded at starter with the trade for Wentz and they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to perhaps draft for the future as well, at the game’s most significant position.

 

Instant analysis: Washington selects Phidarian Mathis in 2nd round

Washington selected Alabama DT Phidarian Mathis in the 2nd round of the NFL draft. Mathis will help restock a former position of strength.

“With the 47th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders select D (defensive) tackle Phidarian Mathis, Alabama!”, announced former Washington wide receiver Santana Moss.

Mathis is huge, standing 6-foot-4 1/4, weighing 310 pounds. As a senior in 2021, he was second-team All-SEC when he recorded 53 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 9 sacks, and was a team captain.

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick commented saying Mathis is not going to impress with his athletic ability. But did assert, “he will impress you with consistency, with heavy hands. He will flash power, resetting the line of scrimmage against the run. Just a solid fundamental pick for Washington.”

The context of this selection cannot be ignored. The team was loaded at defensive tackle with starters Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Tim Settle and Matt Ioannidis as the capable reserves.

This week the front office determined they would not extend starter Daron Payne. This coming after they permitted the capable and inexpensive Settle to sign with Buffalo for only $9 million over two years and released Ioannidis.

The front office created the need at this position early in the draft. It is a fair criticism. It is also fair to commend the front office for realizing they absolutely needed to trade back in round one from No. 11, enabling them to obtain two additional draft choices in this draft (98, 120). With this pick, they have addressed a need at defensive tackle.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper stated Mathis is going to need to prove he is not a two-down player in the NFL. He also added he was surprised to have not heard Connecticut’s Travis Jones’ name called or Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey prior to Mathis by Washington.

Washington picks up Montez Sweat’s 5th-year option

The Washington Commanders have already made the determination that they will pick up Montez Sweat’s 5th-year option

Though the deadline is Monday, May 1, the Washington Commanders have already made the determination that they will exercise the fifth-year option on Montez Sweat’s contract.

The Commanders’ decision to pick up his option will result in the defensive end being guaranteed $11.5 million for the 2023 season.

This development comes only one day after it was revealed the Commanders have no intention to extend defensive tackle Daron Payne. Washington inexplicably let fellow defensive tackles Tim Settle and Matt Ioannidis go in March. Settle signed with Buffalo for only $9 million over two years and Ioannidis was released.

If the front office was not going to extend Payne, they could have kept both Settle and Ioannidis, and then traded Payne for a draft pick or two earlier in the offseason for more than they will get now when they have revealed they need to trade him.

The moves mean Washington will have Jonathan Allen, Sweat and Chase Young securely through the 2023 season and with their losing Ioannidis, Settle and possibly Payne, they are most likely to draft a defensive tackle this week, as well as sign a veteran free agent defensive tackle following the draft.

Sweat was selected by Washington 26th overall in the 2019 draft and is still only 25 years old. In his three seasons in Washington, Sweat has accumulated seven forced fumbles,  21 sacks, 46 QB hits, 23 tackles for a loss and a 15-yard interception return touchdown in a 2020 Thanksgiving Day win at Dallas.