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Buffalo Bills News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/11/18

September 11th, 2018 at 7:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s practice squad updates:

Buffalo Bills

  • Released: OL Gerhard de Beer

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: LS Lucas Gravelle
  • Released: DL Cameron Mavlveaux

Oakland Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

Bills Sign DE Nate Orchard

September 10th, 2018 at 7:03pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bills have already filled Adolphus Washington‘s roster spot. ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweets that the team has signed defensive end Nate Orchard. It’s a one-year deal for the 25-year-old.

After spending three seasons with the Browns, the 2015 second-round pick was released by the team earlier this month. The Utah product was plenty productive during his rookie campaign, compiling 36 tackles and three sacks in 15 games (11 starts). Orchard was limited to only three games in 2016 after suffering an ankle injury, and he settled into more of a reserve role in 2017. He ultimately finished last season with 25 tackles and two sacks in 16 games (one start).

The Bills are relatively thin at defensive end, but it’s uncertain if Orchard will be able to crack the top-three. It’s more likely that he competes with Eddie Yarbrough for snaps behind Trent Murphy, Jerry Hughes, and Shaq Lawson (who suffered a hamstring injury during yesterday’s loss).

The Bills opened up a roster spot earlier this evening by waiving Washington, a former third-rounder.

Bills Waive DL Adolphus Washington

September 10th, 2018 at 6:05pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bills are moving on from Adolphus Washington. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Bills are waiving the defensive lineman.

The organization had high hopes for the Ohio State product after taking him in the third round of the 2016 draft. Washington ultimately appeared in 15 games (11 starts) as a rookie, compiling 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks. However, the defensive tackle was arrested prior to his sophomore campaign, and the Bills subsequently shopped him for a fifth-round pick.

Sean McDermott still gave Washington a shot last season, and he played 40-percent of the team’s snaps this past weekend. However, the team had apparently seen enough from the defensive tackle, with Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweeting that the lineman “underperformed with every opportunity.”

The move leaves the Bills with only three defensive tackles in Kyle Williams, Star Lotulelei, and Harrison Phillips.

LeSean McCoy Not Expected To Face Charges From Offseason Incident

September 9th, 2018 at 10:34am CST by Rory Parks

LeSean McCoy was in the headlines for the wrong reasons this summer, as he was accused of abusing his ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, and was linked to a home invasion that left Cordon battered and bloodied. However, he reported to training camp just as he normally would and has been treated like any other player.

And, while Cordon has filed a civil lawsuit against McCoy, the Bills running back is not expected to face criminal charges stemming from the home invasion, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (story via Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com). Plus, while the NFL has the power to suspend a player for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy even if that player avoids criminal charges, Rapoport tweets that McCoy is not likely to be suspended, as there is simply not enough evidence of wrongdoing at this point.

McCoy, of course, has denied all allegations from the outset. The 30-year-old tailback has been one of the most productive rushers in the league since the Eagles selected him in the second round of the 2009 draft. He has six 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, including his 2017 effort in which he tallied 1,138 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.

The Bills are short on receiving talent this year, so the offense is likely to run through McCoy once again.

NFL Workout Updates: 9/4/18

September 4th, 2018 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s workout updates:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

New York Jets

Khalil Mack Fallout: Suitors, Raiders, Donald

September 3rd, 2018 at 9:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Bears won the 11th-hour Khalil Mack sweepstakes, several other teams are now known to have inquired or submitted bids. After reports of interest from the Jets, Browns and 49ers, Albert Breer of SI.com adds the Packers and Bills contacted the Raiders about their disgruntled defensive end. However, neither team was close to agreeing to the terms the Bears did. Only the Jets were on the Bears’ level in terms of compensation, Breer notes, and the Jets are not believed to have offered two first-round picks. A team was reported to have offered a first- and third-round pick for Mack; it’s possible that was the Jets. (Although, that report last week may have been about a possible first Bears offer rather than the Jets’.) The Packers hovered as the team Las Vegas pegged as the favorites to land Mack, but they will stick with Clay Matthews and Nick Perry on the edge. Buffalo has Jerry Hughes and Trent Murphy slotted as its starting edge defenders, with trade-block occupant Shaq Lawson positioned as a depth piece.

Here’s more from one of this century’s biggest NFL transactions:

  • The Raiders submitted an offer to Mack’s agent in February, and it was swiftly rejected, Breer notes. Jon Gruden said Sunday the Raiders were not in the Bears’ ballpark on numbers, and Breer adds once the Aaron Donald $22.5MM-per-year deal surfaced, the Raiders knew Mack’s asking price was going to become more reasonable. For weeks, the Raiders gave hard no’s when approached with Mack trade inquiries. However, teams noticed the Raiders’ tone changed regarding Mack late last week, with Breer adding they were much more open to deals. It’s logical to assume the Donald agreement catalyzed this process.
  • Chicago brass monitored the Mack situation all summer, with Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy having long meetings about the prospect of acquiring the 2016 defensive player of the year last week, Breer reports.
  • As for why the Raiders didn’t try to hold their line about Mack playing on his fifth-year option salary? Jon Gruden referenced Kirk Cousins‘ situation with his brother Jay‘s Redskins as part of his reasoning for why he felt Mack had to go. “We have waited. We waited and waited and the (Week 1) Rams game was looming,” Gruden said, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic (subscription required). “Our feeling was that he was not going to report anytime soon. And … I saw the Redskins go through it with Kirk Cousins. … It’s a long process. You can wait it out; you can franchise him; you can force him to play. But we made a decision and we’re going to stand by it.” However, the Cousins situation dragged into the passer’s sixth season. Mack has yet to play his fifth. The Raiders had the franchise tag to use in 2019 and 2020, but it appears Mack’s threat about sitting out games prompted them to take the Bears’ unique offer while it was on the table.
  • Mack’s six-year, $141MM Bears deal will feature $73.3MM coming to the new Bears weapon within the first three years, Breer notes. He’ll make $41MM overall in 2018. Donald’s three-year haul on his six-year, $135MM Rams pact will be $67MM.

Bills To Work Out Paxton Lynch

September 3rd, 2018 at 5:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the interested Paxton Lynch parties appears to be the Bills, whom Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter) will bring in the embattled former Broncos quarterback for a Tuesday audition.

Four teams are reportedly interested in bringing in Lynch for an audition, and the Bills make sense due to their quarterback depth chart. Nathan Peterman, who infamously threw five interceptions in a start against the Chargers last season, is set to be Buffalo’s Week 1 starter. Josh Allen is the backup after the Bills traded A.J. McCarron.

Lynch, though, still profiles as a developmental player. That makes the Buffalo fit interesting given their employment of a younger project passer in Allen. Lynch has made just four career starts and did not fare well this offseason, either, after 2017 Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly beat him out quickly for Denver’s backup job.

The Broncos went through three offensive coordinators during Lynch’s three years. One of those, Rick Dennison, was the Bills’ OC last year. But Brian Daboll is Buffalo’s top offensive voice now, meaning Lynch would have to process a fourth system if he joined the Bills.

Bills Will Host Orchard, Perriman For Visits

September 3rd, 2018 at 2:31pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • Former second round pick Nate Orchard was cut by the Browns on Saturday, and is wasting no time setting up visits. The defensive lineman will visit with the Bills and Jets this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • It had previously been announced that former first round pick Breshad Perriman would be visiting the Jets, and if he doesn’t sign with them he’ll then visit other teams including the nearby Giants and Bills, Rapoport tweets. Wherever the pass-catcher lands, it seems likely he’ll be heading east.

Nathan Peterman To Start Week 1 For Bills

September 3rd, 2018 at 9:43am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

After trading away A.J. McCarron to the Raiders, the Bills’ quarterback competition was down to two. Nathan Peterman has prevailed over Josh Allen for now, as the team announced Peterman will start Week 1 against the Ravens.

Peterman, a fifth round pick last year, struggled heavily in limited regular season action in 2017. But the Pittsburgh product was excellent this preseason, and performed well enough to stave off the start of the Allen-era, at least temporarily. While Allen will almost surely take over the job at some point, the team apparently decided he wasn’t ready. Allen’s preseason was a mixed bag, his potential was clear as ever, but he wasn’t always consistent.

The Bills’ schedule to start the season very likely has something to do with the decision to start Peterman. The first three weeks of the season, they play the Ravens, Chargers, and Vikings. That’s a tough slate of defenses for any quarterback to face, let alone a rookie making his first career starts, so it makes sense why they’d want Allen to avoid that.

The Bills traded Tyrod Taylor to the Browns this spring, all but confirming they planned to take a quarterback in the first round of the 2018 draft. The team used significant draft capital to move up to number seven overall to select Allen, and even if Peterman plays reasonably well, it’s only a matter of time before Allen is under center in Buffalo.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC East

September 2nd, 2018 at 4:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, and Jets are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Buffalo Bills

Claimed:

Cut:

Practice squad:

Miami Dolphins

Claimed:

Placed on injured reserve:

Cut:

Practice squad:

New England Patriots

Claimed:

Placed on injured reserve:

Practice squad:

New York Jets

Practice squad:

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