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Buffalo Bills News & Rumors

Cardinals To Sign Jordan Phillips

March 17th, 2020 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The former Bills defender has inked a three-year deal worth $40MM with $18.5MM guaranteed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Technically, it’s a four-year deal, but Phillips is really only ticketed for three since the 2023 season will be voided if he is on the roster five days after the 2022 season’s Super Bowl is played.

The incumbent Bills didn’t make a major play to keep Phillips. They drafted Ed Oliver at No. 9 overall last year, they have promising 2018 third-rounder Harrison Phillips coming back from injury, and they’re set to retain Star Lotulelei for a third season. Other clubs would have considered Phillips as a franchise tag candidate, but the Bills were in a unique position and allowed him to walk.

Phillips enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in Buffalo. The Bills claimed former second-round pick off waivers from the Dolphins in 2018, and he went on to become a key component of the Bills’ elite pass D. Last year, he tallied 9.5 sacks – nearly double the amount he totaled between all of 2016, 2017, and 2018. He also had 16 quarterback hits. The advanced metrics weren’t fond of his work (Phillips ranked just No. 103 out of 113 qualified interior defenders) but NFL evaluators, especially those in Arizona, didn’t mind.

Vikings Trade WR Stefon Diggs To Bills

March 16th, 2020 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got our second major wide receiver trade of the day. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reports (via Twitter) that the Vikings are trading star wideout Stefon Diggs to the Bills. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has full details on the swap (Twitter link):

  • To Minnesota: 2020 1st-round pick, 2020 5th-round pick, 2020 6th-round pick, 2021 4th-round pick
  • To Buffalo: Diggs, 2020 7th-round pick

A Diggs trade has felt inevitable for some time, as the wideout has bounced in and out of trade rumors. In fact, earlier today, the wideout hinted that “somethings going to happen” and “it’s time for a new beginning.” That led to whispers that the Seahawks and Vikings were discussing a trade. Well, after months of social media hints, it appears that the receiver finally got his wish.

During each of his five years in the NFL, Diggs has hauled in at least 50 receptions and at least 700 receiving yards. He finished the 2019 campaign with a career-high 1,130 receiving yards and six scores on 63 receptions. The 26-year-old still has four seasons remaining on his contract with a base value of $45.1MM (per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter).

The Bills have been hunting for a big-name wide receiver to pair with quarterback Josh Allen for more than a year. Last offseason, it sounded like the team was set to acquire Antonio Brown, but the star ended up squashing that deal. Instead, the organization watched as John Brown reemerged into a 1,000-yard receiver, and Brown will team up with Diggs to form one of the top receiver duos in the league.

The Vikings will open up a chunk of cap space, which is (ironically) relevant after the team extended quarterback Kirk Cousins earlier today. The team will now move forward with Adam Thielen as their clear-cut, number-one wideout in 2020.

Earlier today, the Texans shocked the NFL when they sent star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals. In exchange, Houston received a package highlighted by running back David Johnson and a second-rounder.

Bills Sign LB A.J. Klein

March 16th, 2020 at 9:06pm CST by Ben Levine

A.J. Klein is heading to Buffalo. The former Saints linebacker is inking a three-year, $18MM deal with the Bills, according to SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The deal contains $9.7MM in guaranteed money.

Klein spent the first four seasons of his career with the Panthers, where he worked under current Bills head coach Sean McDermott (who was serving as defensive coordinator at the time). Klein signed a three-year deal with the Saints prior to the 2017 season, and he evolved into a full-time starter during his stint in New Orleans.

The 28-year-old continued to produce during his three seasons with the Saints, including a 2019 campaign where he compiled 69 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interceptions,and one forced fumble.

Earlier today, Caplan had tweeted that the Bills continued to look for a starting linebacker to pair with Matt Milano. The team apparently found their target in Klein, meaning they won’t have to dedicate valuable draft assets towards the position.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/20

March 16th, 2020 at 4:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Monday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.

RFAs

Tendered at original-round level:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

  • Chiefs: TE David Wells

CB Rumors: Harris, Bills, Jones, Dolphins, Trufant, Jets

March 16th, 2020 at 11:36am CST by Zachary Links

The latest on key cornerbacks from around the NFL:

  • The Jets remain zeroed in on James Bradberry, but they’re also in the hunt for a second free agent cornerback. That search could lead them to Desmond Trufant, Connor Hughes of The Athletic tweets. Trufant will be cut loose by at Atlanta this week.
  • The Dolphins are among the clubs that have discussed impending Dallas free agent Byron Jones, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. You can add Miami to the list of previously reported suitors for Jones, which includes the Jets, Raiders, and Eagles.
  • More from Anderson (via Twitter), who notes that the Bills are now in on veteran Chris Harris. They join the Cowboys, Bills, Jets, Raiders, and other clubs in search of the experienced secondary help that Harris would provide.

AFC East Rumors: Jets, Bell, Butler, Norman

March 15th, 2020 at 10:47am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets are widely expected to be active in free agency, and now that a new CBA has been approved, they can increase their ability to spend by designating Trumaine Johnson as a post-June 1 cut. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com takes a look at the players that Gang Green is expected to target, and unsurprisingly, some of this year’s most prolific O-lineman, edge rushers, and cornerbacks are on the list.

But what are the Jets’ fallback plans if they can’t land their top targets? Connor Hughes of The Athletic has heard that the team could pursue Eagles OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and if the Jets miss out on guards like Graham Glasgow and Joe Thuney, Hughes says they have looked into Panthers guard Greg Van Roten.

Now for more from the AFC East:

  • The Jets would like to retain WR Robby Anderson, but if his price tag gets too high, both Hughes and Cimini believe Breshad Perriman would be a target. Perriman offers field-stretching ability and had a strong finish to the 2019 season with the Bucs.
  • Jets RB Le’Veon Bell receives a $2MM roster bonus today. As Cimini points out, that bonus makes it a little less likely that Bell is traded, though that never seemed like a realistic proposition to begin with.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes the Patriots are prepared to move on from WR Phillip Dorsett, though it’s a different story for Adam Butler. The fourth-year DT recently switched agents, and Reiss says extension talks could be on tap. Butler, a former UDFA, recorded six sacks last season.
  • The details are in on Josh Norman‘s new contract with the Bills, courtesy of Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter), The deal was originally reported as a one-year, $6MM pact that could increase to $8MM with incentives, but Norman has a number of workout and roster milestones to hit before he collects the full $6MM. His salary is just $2.8MM, $1.5MM of which is guaranteed.

Bills Re-Sign TE Jason Croom

March 14th, 2020 at 9:53am CST by Ben Levine

Jason Croom is re-signing with the Bills. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the tight end is inking a new one-year deal with Buffalo. Croom was an exclusive rights free agent.

Croom joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2017. After bouncing between the practice squad and active roster during his rookie campaign, Croom finally had a chance to contribute in 2018. He ultimately led all Bills tight ends with 22 receptions, 259 yards, and one touchdown (he also had a pair of fumbles).

Croom dealt with a hamstring injury for much of last year’s offseason workouts, and the injury ultimately forced him to be placed on the injured reserve. As a result, the 26-year-old didn’t end up getting into a single game last season.

Croom will be re-joining a relatively deep tight ends corps in Buffalo. The current depth chart is led by the likes of Dawson Knox, Tyler Kroft, and Lee Smith.

Christian Kirksey To Visit Bills

March 13th, 2020 at 11:38am CST by Sam Robinson

The third team on Christian Kirksey‘s post-Browns-release itinerary has emerged. Kirksey is visiting the Bills on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

This summit follows Kirksey meetings with the Raiders and Packers. It was reported shortly after the Browns cut Kirksey that the linebacker had scheduled three visits. Two of those are 2019 playoff teams, so it will be interesting to see where the formerly well-paid linebacker goes.

Free agency is still set for its soft opening Monday. That will open the market to linebackers coming off better seasons than Kirksey. The six-year veteran would like to make his decision “fairly soon,” Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.

Buffalo houses extension candidate Matt Milano and the fast-emerging Tremaine Edmunds at off-ball linebacker; finding a Kirksey fit here is more difficult than it is for Las Vegas or Green Bay. Kirksey was a part of a once-formidable Cleveland linebacking corps, which housed Jamie Collins, Joe Schobert and, for a short time, Mychal Kendricks. With the Bills, he would help form one of the league’s top linebacker cadres.

The Bills, however, easily outflank the Packers and Raiders in cap space. Buffalo holds nearly $82MM — third-most in the league — and would certainly not have to pay Kirksey what the pre-John Dorsey Cleveland regime did. The Browns gave Kirksey a $9.5MM-AAV extension in 2017 but saw injuries limit him. But he is still just 27 and profiles as a player looking to revive his value after two lost seasons. Prior to the injury-marred 2018 and ’19 slates, Kirksey combined for 281 tackles between the 2016-17 campaigns.

Bills Extend G Quinton Spain

March 12th, 2020 at 5:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills have extended guard Quinton Spain on a three-year, $15MM deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Spain would have reached the open market next week, but he likely would have been viewed as a second-tier option behind other guards such as Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney. Instead, the 28-year-old will take immediate financial security in order to commit to three more years in Buffalo.

A former undrafted free agent, Spain spent the first four years and 48 starts of his career with the Titans before signing a one-year, $2.05MM pact with the Bills last offseason. In 2019, Spain started all 16 games for the first time in his NFL tenure, grading as the league’s No. 59 guard among 80 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus.

Buffalo made its offensive line a priority last offseason, adding free agents Mitch Morse, Ty Nsekhe, and Spencer Long and second-round draft pick Cody Ford in addition to Spain. Those reinforcements helped the Bills’ running game, as Buffalo improved from 30th in Football Outsiders‘ 2018 run-blocking metrics to 16th last season.

Bills Restructure Tyler Kroft’s Deal

March 12th, 2020 at 4:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have restructured Tyler Kroft‘s contract, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Under the new deal, Kroft is set to earn $4MM in 2020, with $3.4MM of that sum being guaranteed. In exchange, the last year of his contract was wiped out.

If Kroft stays healthy and plays well, he’ll now have a chance to cash in as a free agent in 2021. In that scenario, he’d also stand to benefit from a new collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to increase the players’ share of revenue.

Kroft came to the Bills last offseason on a three-year deal worth $18.75MM. The tight end missed a big chunk of his last Bengals season thanks to a foot injury and, unfortunately, injured it again as he prepared for his first year with the Bills.

This year, Kroft will aim to get back towards his 42/404/7 stat line from 2017. The Bills won’t necessarily bank on that, though. Before the restructuring, the Bills made a play for veteran tight end Greg Olsen. Olsen ultimately opted to sign with the Seahawks, but it was a sign that the Bills are willing to spend in order to fortify the position.

In 2019, rookie Dawson Knox featured as the Bills’ top TE.

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