Tag: Ty Nsekhe

State of the position: Bills offensive line

Here is the state of the Buffalo Bills offensive line entering the 2019 offseason.

Here is Bills Wire’s position-by-position breakdown of the team’s roster, continuing with the offensive line, including the season that was and projecting forward:

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

The Buffalo Bills offensive line underwent a massive transformation between 2018 and 2019. The team brought in several free agents, including center Mitch Morse, interior lineman Spencer Long, guard Quinton Spain, guard Jon Feliciano, tackle Ty Nsekhe, and tackle LaAdraian Waddle. Buffalo added Oklahoma tackle Cody Ford with their 2019 second-round draft pick. They also traded for depth lineman Ryan Bates.

It was quite the turnover, as the team jettisoned center Russell Bodine, center/guard Ryan Groy, guard John Miller, guard Vlad Ducasse, guard Watt Teller, tackle Jordan Mills, tackle Connor McDermott, and tackle Marshall Newhouse.

That’s a lot of movement on the transaction page.

It paid dividends for the Bills, as the line was more cohesive and generally provided better pass protection for quarterback Josh Allen. The only returning starter, left tackle Dion Dawkins, had a solid season defending Allen’s blind side.

Buffalo found absolute steals at the guard positions, as Spain and Feliciano anchored the interior of the line at a combined cap hit of just under $6 million. Mitch Morse, the Bills biggest signing on the offseason, returned from injury and filled the gap left behind by the retirement of Eric Wood in 2017.

The right tackle position was won by the rookie Ford. However, when Ford struggled, the team leaned on Nshkhe to provide a stabilizing force. It worked well as Ford adjusted to the professional game.

Buffalo Bills offensive guard Jon Feliciano. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Cap situation

Morse leads the way, with three more years on his contract. This upcoming season, the former Chief will count $11.625 million against the cap. Ford enters the second year of his rookie deal, chiming in at approximately $1.7 million against the books. Depth lineman Ryan Bates is the only other player officially signed beyond the 2020 season.

Dawkins, Nsekhe, and Felicano enter the final year of their respective contracts after the 2020 season. Each player will be an unrestricted free agent. Ike Boettger enters the final year of his contract, but he will be a restricted free agent after next season.

The Bills have a club option on Long. If exercised, it would cost the Bills $4.125 million against the salary cap. If not, the dead cap hit is $700,000.

Spain and Waddle are unrestricted free agents. Spain was a pleasant surprise, helping hold down the interior of the line. Waddle missed the season with a quad injury that he suffered in August.

The future

This unit is very interesting to examine, as there is a strong possibility that four of the returning five starters will be back in their starting role next year. Spain outperformed expectations. He is in line for a pay raise. The question will be: how much will he garner on the open market? If the Bills wish to further develop a starting unit based on consistency, then they will make an offer to keep Spain in the fold.

If they do sign Spain, then they will most likely have three players under contract for the next three seasons (Morse and Ford are the others). Buffalo will then move their focus to Felciano and Dawkins next offseason.

Dawkins is an interesting case, as he could command major money in the open market. Spotrac calculates his market value at $14.3 million. With several major pieces commanding big money in the future (Josh Allen, Matt Milano, Tremaine Edmunds), it will be interesting to see if the Bills dive in and extend Dawkins.

With this in mind, it would not be shocking for the Bills to take an offensive lineman in the draft, even as high as a day two pick. They have Bates and Boettger as depth players, but neither will command starting snaps.

It’s unlikely that the Bills make a big splash this offseason and sign an offensive lineman. They’re pressing their luck if they wish to find another version of Spain–a player who outperforms his contract in the manner that the former Titan did for the Buffalo.

If they’re willing to spend a little more on the interior of the line, Buffalo could take a look at Detroit’s Graham Glasgow. He clocked in as PFF’s 12th best interior offensive lineman in 2019.

In addition, could a draft pick do that same job as Long? Possibly, as Long played over half of the snaps in only three games this year. Buffalo could exercise Long’s option and have him take Spain’s spot. However, Spain’s production might be missed.

If Buffalo is feeling quite adventurous, they could test the offensive tackle market. It’s a long shot, but they could bump Dawkins to guard, and then find a tackle such as Anthony Costonzo, DJ Humphries, or Daryl Williams (former Panther) as options. It’s a long shot, but all scenarios might as well be on the table.

Note: Contract information is made available via Spotrac.

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Evaluating the Bills’ 2019 free agent class

Here is how we evaluated Buffalo’s free agent signings based on their 2019 contribution to the team. 

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane was aggressive during the 2019 free agency period, signing several players in a hope to bolster a fledgling offensive line. In addition, he inked a few complementary pieces to the defense, while finding players to solidify the special teams unit. 

So, how did it really go for Beane? Looking back at the free agent class signings for the Bills, there were some obvious home runs while others were not-to-stellar. 

Here’s an evaluation of Buffalo’s free agent signings based on their 2019 contribution to the team:

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

EXCELLENT

Cole Beasley, John Brown, Mitch Morse, and Quinton Spain

It was no surprise that Beane focused on the offensive side of the ball during last year’s free agent period. Several players became an integral part of the Bills’ improvement on offense. 

Buffalo were in need of a massive upgrade at wide receiver, and Beane delivered by signing John Brown and Cole Beasley. It was easy to see that if Josh Allen had a chance at being successful that he would need a much stronger cast surrounding him. The duo combined for 139 receptions and 1,838 receiving yards. Tack on 12 total touchdowns, and it’s easy to see how this pair helped reinvigorate the offense. Brown gave the Bills the closest thing to a No. 1 receiver in the Sean McDermott era, while Beasley provided the team with reliable options out of the slot. When signed, many questioned the Bills’ decision to add them, but no one did by the playoffs. 

Beane’s signings to bolster the offensive line worked well, as Mitch Morse became the foundation of the line. His presence helped solidify the line in a similar manner as Eric Wood. Quinton Spain and Jon Felicano came over to compete for starting gigs at the guard spots, and they exceeded expectations with their play. Felciano gave a physical edge in the run game, while Spain did not allow a sack during the regular season. 

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If Duke Williams is active for Bills Wild Card game vs. Texans, who sits?

Here are several ideas to consider as the Bills’ brass makes this choice ahead of their second post-season game in three seasons. 

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Duke Williams made a statement with his performance in the team’s finale Sunday. Williams, in his first season in Buffalo, was the primary target against the Jets, reeling in 6-of-12 targets for 108 yards. 

Williams had been inactive in Buffalo’s previous eight games. 

The former Canadian Football League star gives the Bills a large-bodied target that Buffalo’s receiving corps lacks. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he is a strong option to battle for 50-50 balls in the air. He can also be considered the best blocking receiver on the team. 

If Williams did play well enough to name him as an active player for Saturday’s Wild Card matchup, then who will be relegated to sideline duties next week?

Here are several ideas to consider as the Bills’ brass makes this choice ahead of their second post-season game in three seasons:

Andre Roberts

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Roberts. Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Andre Roberts was inactive last Sunday with a foot injury. The veteran plays the majority of his snaps on special teams as Buffalo’s primary punt and kick returner. Roberts has played sparingly on offensive this season, catching three passes for 20 yards and rushing the ball once for seven yards. 

If Roberts is healthy, Buffalo will want to have him back returning kicks. However, if his injury lingers into next week, the Bills could suit up the same group of receivers who faced off against the Jets in Week 17.

Potentially without Roberts, receiver Isaiah McKenzie can see time at Roberts’ returner role.

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What we learned from Bills’ Week 17 loss to Jets

What we learned, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets, NFL Week 17

There’s little that should be taken away from the Buffalo Bills’ final game of the 2019 regular season, a 13-6 loss in the rain against a New York Jets’ team that was finishing up its playoff-less season.

The Bills, with nothing to play for on Sunday, rested several key players and played mostly backups throughout the contest. In what looked like a preseason game, the Bills struggled to do much of anything on offense. The Jets struggled as well, but did just enough to outlast the Bills as both teams ran for the proverbial bus, just hoping to get this game over and done with.

The Bills wanted to get this game out of the way without any significant injuries before they made their journey out to the Central time zone for a Wild card Matchup against the Houston Texans. Unfortunately, the Bills were unable to escape without significant injury.

Levi Wallace and Ty Nsekhe were knocked out of Sunday’s contest and failed to return. Cody Ford, Taron Johnson and Siran Neal also left the game with injuries, but returned. The injuries were the last thing the Bills’ coaching staff wanted to see. The injury to Wallace was particularly troubling. The Bills’ No. 2 cornerback was hurt making a first quarter interception. It was a non-contact injury, which is never a good thing, as he planted his foot awkwardly in the wet New Era Field turf while trying to pivot and intercept a pass from Jets quarterback Sam Darnold. Wallace turned his ankle on the interception and hobbled off the field with help from a couple of teammates. The Bills get ready to face a Houston passing attack.

Nsekhe and Ford, Buffalo’s two right tackles, were banged up in this game and their absence was felt greatly. The Buffalo offensive line struggled all day against the Jets’ defensive front.

The Bills finish the 2019 regular season at 10-6, earning the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. Their wild card matchup with Houston will be the first game of the coming weekend, kicking off at 4:30 at NRG Stadium.

Here are four things we learned about the Bills from Sunday’s game and how they relate to Buffalo’s attempt to finally win a playoff game for the first time since 1995 this coming Saturday in Texas.

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Bills OL Ty Nsekhe has limited practice

Buffalo Bills OL Ty Nsekhe returns from an ankle injury.

The last five times the Buffalo Bills have suited up for a game, rookie Cody Ford has taken the starting role at right tackle. Prior to that, veteran Ty Nsekhe was rotating in-and-out of that spot, sometimes taking more snaps than Ford.

Nsekhe suffered an unfortunate ankle injury. Aside from him, the Bills have been relatively healthy this season.

On Thursday, Nsekhe finally took a step in the right direction, having practiced in a limited capacity.

Here’s video of Nsekhe’s return to practice during the limited media viewing portion of Thursday’s practice via WROC-TV:

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott gave a usual “we’ll see” type of response on Nsekhe’s progression, in regard to him returning to the lineup in Week 17 against the Jets. McDermott said earlier this week a “majority” of starters will see playing time of some sort against the Jets, so Nsekhe getting reps, if healthy, makes sense. Get the rust off before the playoffs.

Nsekhe told NYUP.com that he’s just happy to be out on the practice field, not even a game yet.

“Getting back out there with my guys, that’s good. I’m outta that cave they call the training room,” Nsekhe said.

While Nsekhe did return to practice, receiver Andre Roberts (foot) and defensive end Shaq Lawson (hamstring) also missed practice.

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Ravens vs. Bills: Who’s playing and who isn’t in Week 14

The Baltimore Ravens have no players already ruled out but with four listed as “questionable,” there could be some concern in Week 14.

The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills will enter Week 14 against each other fairly healthy. Both the Ravens and Bills have very few names on their final injury reports and even fewer with their game status in question.

For Baltimore, they have just four players listed as “questionable.” While seeing Marlon Humphrey and Marquise Brown among them is concerning, there’s some upside for both. Humphrey had been limited in the first two practices but returned to full participation today. Brown wasn’t even on the injury report on Wednesday and was also a full participant on Friday. If Friday’s final injury report is any indication, all four players should be able to suit up this week.

Baltimore Ravens game status:

WR Marquise Brown (ankle) – Questionable
CB Marlon Humphrey (thigh) – Questionable
LB Patrick Onwuasor (ankle) – Questionable
WR Seth Roberts (knee) – Questionable

Buffalo Bills game status:

T Ty Nsekhe (ankle) – Out

Nsekhe is Buffalo’s backup left tackle, so being ruled out already isn’t exactly a killer. But Nsekhe has played a decent number of snaps every week he’s been healthy, seeing no fewer than 27% of the offensive snaps in a game this season.

That could end up affecting how the Bills run the football, something they’ll need to do effectively to keep up with the Ravens. But with Baltimore being able to sack quarterbacks 15 times over the last five games, quarterback Josh Allen won’t like missing a key blocker in front of him either.

Week 13 Inactives: Cowboys missing Jeff Heath on Thanksgiving

The official inactive lists for the Thanksgiving game between the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills.

The short week leading up to the any Thursday game leaves teams little time to recover and get healthy. It’s no different for the Cowboys’ annual Thanksgiving game, as they take on the Buffalo Bills. Despite the quick turnaround, both teams will enter the contest fairly healthy all things considered.

For Dallas, there’s one surprise on the inactive list. Safety Jeff Heath, despite being listed as questionable and after participating somewhat throughout the week’s practice, will not be available while recovering from injuries to both shoulders. In his place will be the combination of safeties Darian Thompson and Josh Jones.

LB Leighton Vander Esch was ruled out with the neck injury that had affected his play, though the severity of it is still shrouded in mystery. Veteran Sean Lee will continue to assume the bulk of the workload in his place.

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DT Antwaun Woods was ruled out on Wednesday after being unable to practice throughout the week with an MCL injury. His status going forward is unknown. Rookie DT Trysten Hill will be active just the fifth time this season.

For Buffalo, they will be without tackle Ty Nsekhe, who has taken 46% of the offensive snaps this season. Center Mitch Morse and WRr Robert Foster will be available despite minimal work this week.

Broncos’ Von Miller praises Bills’ Dion Dawkins, Cody Ford

A big storyline heading into the Bills’ Week 12 meeting with the Denver Broncos was the potential for a big outing from All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller. 

A big storyline heading into the Bills’ Week 12 meeting with the Denver Broncos was the potential for a big outing from All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller.

Miller did make an impact on the game. He had a sack and two tackles for loss. But it didn’t feel that way and even he had to admit that to ESPN following the game. The Bills handled the Broncos 20-3 and after being a non-factor for most of the day, Miller tipped his cap to Dion Dawkins and Cody Ford.

“(Ford) played well. Wish I could have had a couple more chances, but he played well. (Dion) Dawkins played well too. I think in unison with Josh Allen they played a good game. They did well. Cody should feel good about the way he played today. Dawkins should too,” Miller said.

Sure, only passing the Bills only passing the ball 25 times helps, but the reason for this storyline was before of Ford’s relatively poor play during his rookie season. Veteran Ty Nsekhe appeared to start getting some footing on the Bills’ starting right tackle job in recent weeks because of this. Via Pro Football Focus, Ford entered the game with an overall grade of 53.7 this season, compared to Nsekhe’s 67.3.

The vet missed the day due to an ankle injury and could be out a few weeks. It’s too early to declare Ford “back” or “arrived,” but it’s a positive game for a young player still learning. Nothing wrong with that.

With the Dallas Cowboys en route, Ford’s going to likely be pressed into duty again on a short week ahead.

On the edges, the Cowboys sport Robert Quinn and Demarcus Lawrence, who have 9.5 and 4.5 sacks this season, respectively. PFF also grades Lawrence, who’s likely to lineup opposite of Ford more frequently on Thursday, the 10th best edge defender in the NFL with an overall grade of 87.0.

While now having some experience, Ford’s being tossed right into a big time fire with Nsekhe out, but he’s holding his own so far.

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Bills vs. Broncos: Wednesday injury reports

Injury reports for both the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos ahead of their Week 12 meeting at New Era Field.

The Bills will do battle with the Denver Broncos at New Era Field in Week 12.

Here are early injury reports from Wednesday for both teams ahead of the meeting:

Denver Broncos (3-7)

Did not practice

  • OL Dalton Risner (ankle)
  • C Connor McGovern (back)
  • OL Ron Leary (shoulder/ neck)
  • LB Joe Jones (foot)
  • LB Justin Hollins (hamstring)
  • WR Tim Patrick (shoulder)

Limited

  • OL Ja’Wuan James (knee)
  • TE Jeff Heuerman (knee)

Notes:

Dalton Risner, Connor McGovern and Ron Leary are all starters on the Broncos’ offensive line. … Tim Patrick returned from injury last week and could be sitting out as a precaution. … Ja’Wuan James started at right tackle last week for the Broncos, but Denver head coach Vic Fangio said on Wednesday “it could be this week or next week.”

Buffalo Bills (7-3)

Did not practice

  • OL Ty Nsekhe (ankle)
  • S Siran Neal (concussion)
  • DE Jerry Hughes (groin)

Notes:

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermot labeled Ty Nsekhe as “week-to-week” so he’s unlikely to play vs. the Broncos and rookie Cody Ford would start in his place. … Jerry Hughes played in Week 11 vs. the Dolphins despite being questionable with the same groin injury heading into the game. … Siran Neal exited Buffalo’s Week 11 game.

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Bills OL Ty Nsekhe listed as week-to-week

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott listed offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe as “week-to-week” with an ankle injury ahead of the team’s Week 12 meeting with the Denver Broncos.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott listed offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe as “week-to-week” with an ankle injury ahead of the team’s Week 12 meeting with the Denver Broncos.

Nsekhe was carted off the field after a Miami Dolphins defender landed awkwardly on the back of his leg during the Bills’ Week 11 37-20 win.

Without Nsekhe in the lineup, rookie Cody Ford will likely take the bulk of the snaps at right tackle for the Bills. According to Pro Football Focus, Ford has had a tough start to his career.

Ford’s overall grade via the analytics outlet is a 53.7 this season, landing in the outlet’s “below average” category. On the flip side, Nsekhe has steadily improved via PFF’s grades this year and ranks as an “above average” lineman with a grade of 67.3.

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