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Buffalo Bills News & Rumors

Bills To Sign Punter Jon Ryan

August 21st, 2018 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

Former Seahawks punter Jon Ryan en route to Buffalo and will sign with the Bills when he lands, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Ryan was released by Seattle on Monday, but it didn’t take long for him to find a new gig. 

[RELATED: Seahawks Release Jon Ryan]

Ryan technically requested his release from Seattle, though it was more of a preemptive measure than anything else. Ryan was very fond of the organization and the city after ten years with the club, but he was inevitably going to lose the punting competition to fifth-round pick Michael Dickson.

Ryan isn’t assured anything with the Bills, either. Ryan will compete with Colton Schmidt for the punting job, meaning that he has a few weeks to unseat someone who has spent the last four seasons in that post.

AJ McCarron Didn’t Fracture Collarbone

August 20th, 2018 at 6:15pm CST by Ben Levine

AJ McCarron‘s injury was not as serious as originally thought. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the Bills quarterback did not suffer a fracture in his collarbone, as was reported following the team’s preseason game on Friday. While McCarron was expected to miss “several weeks,” NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the quarterback is now day-to-day. McCarron is expected to return to practice once his shoulder pain subsides.

This is surely welcome news to the Bills, who inked the quarterback to a two-year, $8.1MM deal this offseason. However, the team has already decided to roll with first-rounder Josh Allen as their starter for this weekend’s game against the Bengals (Twitter link). The rookie quarterback has the most passing attempts through Buffalo’s first two games, completing 18 of his 32 passes for 176 yards and two scores. For comparison’s sake, McCarron has completed 10-of-16 for 128 yards and no touchdowns, while Nathan Peterman has gone 17-of-20 for 231 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

McCarron’s only relevant NFL work came as a replacement to an injured Andy Dalton during the 2015 campaign. The former Alabama star had been in the rumor mill through much of his tenure in Cincinnati, including a reported trade to the Browns that ultimately fell through. In 11 career games (three starts), the 27-year-old has completed 64.7-percent of his passes for 920 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also started the Bengals’ 2015 playoff loss to the Steelers, throwing a touchdown and a pick.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/18

August 20th, 2018 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: FB Jalston Fowler, WR Julian Williams
  • Waived: FB Luke McNitt, WR Taj Williams

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/18

August 19th, 2018 at 10:59am CST by Rory Parks

Here are today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Claimed off waivers: DT Adam Reth

Bills Notes: McCoy, Carter

August 18th, 2018 at 9:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • While a few more details have emerged regarding Bills running back LeSean McCoy and the pending lawsuit against him (which alleges McCoy was responsible for a recent physical attack on his ex-girlfriend, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane said “nothing’s changed” with regard to McCoy’s status with the club. “You take all allegations seriously, but until the police say there’s something there, we’re not going to act on anything without them saying there’s legit evidence,” Beane told Kate Brumback and John Wawrow of the Associated Press. “It’s an open investigation. Nothing has come forward that said any of these things are true. So until that would happen, I don’t think anything will ever change.” McCoy could potentially be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list depending on the state of the NFL’s investigation, but at this point, it appears he’ll be on the Bills’ active roster for Week 1, barring any further developments.
  • Bills punter Cory Carter suffered a torn ACL in Friday night’s preseason game, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Carter, who went undrafted out of Texas Southern in 2016, spent training camp with the Texans last summer but has never appeared in an NFL contest. While he was unlikely to unseat starting punter Colton Schmidt in Buffalo, Carter was one of only two punters on the Bills’ roster, so the team could conceivably add another specialist in the coming days. Carter, meanwhile, will likely be waived/injured and subsequently moved to injured reserve, where he’ll spend the 2018 campaign.

CB Kayvon Webster To Visit Three Teams

August 18th, 2018 at 2:48pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a quiet offseason for Kayvon Webster, but it sounds like the cornerback is finally lining up some suitors. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the free agent will visit with the Texans, Bills, and Lions next week.

After the Rams added some high-profile cornerbacks to their roster, the team released Webster back in April. While the 27-year-old hasn’t shown the promise that made him a third-round pick out of South Florida in 2013, he has had some productive stretches. He had one of his best NFL seasons in 2017, compiling 38 tackles, seven passes defended, and one interception in 11 games. A torn Achilles’ tendon ended his season in December, and he finished the year in the lower half of Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings.

Each of Webster’s three suitors could use some cornerback depth, especially the Lions. The team is currently rostering only three players at the position behind starters Darius Slay and Teez Tabor, so Webster could easily push for a roster spot. The same is true in Buffalo, where the team has only four backups in Phillip Gaines, Taron Johnson, Lafayette Pitts, and Breon Borders.

It might be a bit tougher for the free agent to earn a roster spot in Houston, as the Texans currently have eight cornerbacks on their roster. However, considering Webster’s productive 2017 season, he could logically push for a key reserve role, as he’d have to compete with the likes of Kevin Johnson, Johnson Bademosi, and Treston Decoud.

Bills Notes: Quarterbacks, Williams, O’Leary

August 18th, 2018 at 12:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Running back Marcus Murphy continues to improve his chances of making the Bills’ 53-man roster. The 2015 seventh-round had a brief cameo with Buffalo last season, but he had showed some intriguing flashes during his tenure with the Saints. His talents have been on display during the preseason, as he’s compiled 74 yards and one touchdown in 11 carries (he’s also hauled in four catches).

“I just want to make a play,” Murphy told Branson Wright of Cleveland.com. “Whenever an opportunity is given, I just want to make the most of it. It doesn’t matter if it’s being a running back, punt returner or kick returner. I just want to be a playmaker whenever I get the chance.”

“I appreciate the coaching staff giving me an opportunity. I want to show them that they can trust me to make a play and show that I’m able to execute whenever they need me to.”

Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News is ready to give Murphy a spot on the opening-day roster, and the writer cites the struggles of current number-three running back Travaris Cadet. Otherwise, Murphy would be competing with Taiwan Jones for a role behind LeSean McCoy and Chris Ivory.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of Buffalo…

  • While Skurski is willing to hand Murphy a roster spot, he wonders if tight end Nick O’Leary is on the roster bubble. While the 25-year-old did finish last night’s preseason win over the Browns with a team-leading four catches for 70 yards and one touchdown, he didn’t end up taking the field until the second half. If the former sixth-rounder has any hopes of making the Bills, he’ll have to beat out Jason Croom, Logan Thomas and Khari Lee for backup reps behind Charles Clay. O’Leary finished last season with 22 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games (five starts).
  • Quarterback A.J. McCarron suffered a hairline fracture in his collarbone during last night’s preseason game. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the signal-caller will end up missing “several weeks,” but a definitive timetable hasn’t been set. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Mike Rodak isn’t ready to hand the starting quarterback gig to first-rounder Josh Allen. The reporter notes (on Twitter) that head coach Sean McDermott has a high opinion of backup Nathan Peterman, and McCarron’s injury shouldn’t force the coach to “stray from his “calculated” plan about Allen.” Rodak believes the two healthy quarterbacks will split reps during next weekend’s game against the Bengals, although he also wonders if the team may end up adding another quarterback to the roster.
  • Defensive lineman Kyle Williams went down with a knee injury during last night’s game, but Rapoport tweets that the Pro Bowler’s ACL wasn’t injured. If the MRI confirms that prognosis, the 35-year-old “could return this season.” That still sounds like a rather grim outlook for the defensive tackle, but the MRI will likely provide specific details on the severity of the injury. The five-time Pro Bowler has spent his entire 12-year career with Buffalo, and he finished last season with 41 tackles and three sacks. If he is indeed forced to miss time, the Bills will likely turn to Harrison Phillips or Adolphus Washington for a bigger role.

A.J. McCarron Fractures Collarbone

August 17th, 2018 at 9:33pm CST by Zachary Links

A.J. McCarron suffered an injury during his first preseason start with the Bills, and it appears likely it will affect the franchise’s quarterback plans going forward. The free agent addition suffered a hairline fracture in his collarbone, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports (on Twitter).

McCarron started over Nathan Peterman on Friday night in Cleveland but may have to cede the reins to the younger passer now. Peterman started the Bills’ first preseason game, but McCarron represents the bigger investment, having signed a two-year, $8.1MM deal this offseason. He was viewed as the stopgap quarterback that will provide the bridge to Josh Allen.

Allen figures to see more time as a result of McCarron’s setback, and although the Wyoming product was not viewed as a ready-made NFL signal-caller, his NFL audition could come sooner than previously expected if McCarron misses extensive time.

McCarron’s only relevant NFL work came because of a 2015 Andy Dalton injury, and after a trade to the Browns fell through at the last minute last year, a setback in Cleveland ten months later may deny him a chance at a surefire starting role. Peterman has one game of NFL starting experience, but that start turned out to be one of the worst in NFL history. But he may be the next man up.

Poll: Who Should Bills Start At QB?

August 17th, 2018 at 6:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills started A.J. McCarron at quarterback Friday night in Cleveland after giving Nathan Peterman the initial start of the preseason. For a playoff team, Buffalo’s proceeded in interesting fashion and has three unique choices to start going into the regular season.

In trading the quarterback who helped them snap major North American sports’ longest playoff drought, the Bills look to be less equipped to make a playoff run this season. Tyrod Taylor had his share of detractors, and the new Bills regime was obviously not sold he was anything more than a stopgap, but his three years’ worth of starter experience represented a higher floor than any of the team’s current options.

So, Buffalo appears to be in a worse spot at sports’ premier job entering the 2018 season. The Bills, who have Las Vegas’ second-worst odds to win Super Bowl LIII, appear to have willingly taken a step back in hopes of reloading for the future.

They signed McCarron to seemingly be the bridge to whatever quarterback they chose in Round 1, which turned out to be Josh Allen. But the fifth-year passer has yet to seize the role. McCarron is still competing with Peterman, the latter having looked better than the higher-paid ex-Bengal during several junctures of the offseason. But McCarron signed a two-year, $8.1MM contract. Peterman has three years left on his rookie deal.

While the 2017 fifth-round pick endured last season’s most disastrous start, his five-interception outing in Los Angeles, he’s clearly shown more as an NFL sophomore. But can the Bills turn back to him after that start and having made two bigger investments at QB?

Explaining why McCarron and Peterman were going to receive first-team work over Allen to start camp, Brandon Beane said the team was committed to giving his team’s veterans the best chance to win this season. But the Bills are not expected to contend in 2018. And they made multiple first-round trades up to select Allen at No. 7. If he shows increased NFL readiness during the preseason’s remainder, would a rebuilding team throw the mid-major prodigy into action early?

So, should the Bills open the season with McCarron, finally giving Andy Dalton’s longtime backup a real chance to prove he’s an NFL starter? Or should Peterman’s improved offseason grant him a second chance? Should the Bills throw a curveball and begin the Allen era now? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Who Should Start For The Bills?
Josh Allen 47.89% (306 votes)
A.J. McCarron 33.33% (213 votes)
Nathan Peterman 18.78% (120 votes)
Total Votes: 639

Corey Coleman Requested Trade

August 16th, 2018 at 3:42pm CST by Zachary Links
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