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Buffalo Bills News & Rumors

Contract Details: Patriots, Matthews, Eagles

April 10th, 2018 at 2:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Some details on recent free agent deals:

  • Jordan Matthews’ one-year deal with the Patriots is worth $1MM with $170K guaranteed, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. The deal includes an $90K guaranteed, a modest $790K salary, and a $130K offseason workout bonus. Matthews was hampered by injuries in 2017, but prior to that, he had three strong seasons with the Eagles, so he could prove to be a major value signing for New England.
  • New Eagles tight end Richard Rodgers signed a one-year deal worth $880K with $245K fully guaranteed, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM tweets.
  • Joe Webb‘s one-year deal with the Texans is for the minimum salary, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. With his salary at the league’s floor, it could negate him as an unrestricted free agent loss for the Bills and hurt their chance at scoring a compensatory pick.

LeSean McCoy Offers Richie Incognito $300K To Play

April 10th, 2018 at 12:53pm CST by Zachary Links
  • Bills guard Richie Incognito says that he is done playing football, but LeSean McCoy badly wants him to stay on board. On Instagram, the Buffalo running back offered up a $300K check if Incognito stays with the team and helps him reach 1,500 yards. It would be highly unorthodox – and possibly a violation of league rules – if Incognito were to take McCoy up on his offer. However, McCoy’s pitch illustrates Incognito’s importance to the team. The Bills may be compelled to offer Incognito a better deal to continue playing, though the guard’s latest comments indicate that he cannot be talked out of retirement.
  • The Bills are entitled to recover $2.15MM from Incognito if he really is done playing, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) notes. That sum represents the $1.15MM 2018 signing bonus proration from his 2016 deal and the $1MM signing bonus in his recently renegotiated contract.

Richie Incognito Says He Will Follow Through On Retirement

April 10th, 2018 at 11:46am CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday morning, Bills offensive lineman Richie Incognito indicated that he is considering retirement. His latest comments now suggest that it’s a done deal.

“It pisses me the [expletive] off. The contract and all that pissed me [off] and all that, but (retiring) has nothing to do with that,” Incognito said (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News), which marks a shift from his previous stance that a pay raise could entice him to play one more season.

When asked whether there was a chance he’d change his mind, Incognito said, “Absolutely not.” Just hours earlier, Incognito said that he had until Sunday to figure out his football future, so it’s still a situation worth monitoring.

Incognito, fresh off of a third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, agreed to take a pay cut for the 2018 season. Weeks later, he fired his agents via Twitter. On the surface, Incognito’s retirement threat looked to be an attempt to recoup that lost money. For his part, the veteran says that he is simply prioritizing his health over future earnings. Incognito told Carucci that his liver and kidneys are “shutting down,” so his best option might be to walk away from football.

Draft Rumors: Guice, Key, Ridley, Panthers

April 10th, 2018 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

LSU running back Derrius Guice has changed representation, going from the firm that represents rap star Kendrick Lamar to one headed up by Lil Wayne, as Darren Heitner of Forbes Magazine writes. Guice is the latest draft prospect to join Young Money APAA Sports, which also represents Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson. Thanks to a buyout of another firm late last year, the agency also has NFL players Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Lane Johnson, Jason McCourty and Seth Roberts in its stable.

Here’s more NFL Draft news:

  • Speaking of LSU, pass rusher Arden Key will visit with the Titans on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. At No. 25 overall, the Titans could be in range for the athletic prospect.
  • Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley will visit with the Panthers on Wednesday after the team completes it’s trip to Washington D.C., according to Rapoport. Ridley recently met with the Cowboys and is widely projected to be a first round pick.
  • Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson has Top 30 visits with the Bills, Titans, and Buccaneers this week, Rapoport tweets.
  • Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick is visiting the 49ers this week, per Rapoport.
  • Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller met with the Panthers on Monday, according to Rapoport.
  • Florida defensive tackle Taven Bryan, projected as a first-round pick, will have a dozen official visits to team facilities along with six individual workouts on campus, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The Buccaneers hosted him on a visit last week, so he could stay in the Sunshine State. Bryan is the 24th best prospect in the draft, according to NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah.
  • The Lions have more pressing needs at running back, pass rusher, and on the interior offensive line, but they could consider safeties early in the draft. The Lions hosted Stanford’s Justin Reid on a top-30 visit last week, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press hears.

Bills OL Richie Incognito May Retire

April 10th, 2018 at 9:40am CST by Zachary Links

This could be the end of the line for Bills guard Richie Incognito. Days after firing his agents via Twitter, Incognito has told Peter King of The MMQB (on Twitter) that he is strongly considering retiring, though he might be willing to return for one last season at the right price. Meanwhile, he sounded more definitive about the decision in his conversation with another reporter. 

“I’m done. That’s it,” Incognito tells Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter). “It’s been a long career. Went to the doctor. My liver and kidneys are shutting down. The stress is killing me. It’s just about doing what’s right. I just want to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Incognito, who does not seem likely to reach the Hall of Fame after the Jonathan Martin controversy in Miami, is talking to the Bills about his contract and has until Sunday to change his mind about retiring, King adds (on Twitter).

Incognito may also be motivated by a desire to to turn the tables on the Bills. This offseason, the Bills asked Incognito to accept a reduced base salary, bringing him down to $3.65MM from $6.325MM. The Bills gave him a $1MM bonus in the process, but it was still a significant step back for the veteran.

That sort of contract restructuring is not uncommon in the NFL, but it’s a bit unusual for a player who is coming off of a third consecutive Pro Bowl nod. The advanced metrics also project Incognito as a top performer. Last year, Incognito placed as the 12th best guard in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. He ranked seventh amongst all guards in 2016 and second in ’15, making him the Bills’ top-rated offensive lineman of the last three years.

Incognito will turn 35 in July.

Bills Meeting With Josh Rosen Wed.

April 9th, 2018 at 9:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seven teams have appeared on Rosen’s itinerary, and he will be on the east coast for much of this week. His Jets summit is set for Tuesday, with the Bills powwow occurring Wednesday, King reports. He’ll meet with the Chargers in a non-30 visit later this week. Longtime NFL exec-turned-analyst Gil Brandt rated the UCLA passer as his No. 1 quarterback in the draft, but it now looks like both the Browns — connected mostly to Darnold and Josh Allen — and the Giants will pass on him.

Bills To Work Out Sam Darnold

April 9th, 2018 at 12:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bills representatives will travel to Los Angeles to work out Sam Darnold this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Darnold will throw for this contingent on Friday, per Rapoport. He’s a virtual certainty to go in the top five and probably in the top two, but the Bills have been widely reported to pursuing a path into the top five for the purposes of landing a quarterback.

Darnold has already visited the Browns, who have been the team most connected to him, and spent the most recent Friday working out for Broncos reps. He has a visit planned with the Giants, who are not certain to select a quarterback but are rumored to be Darnold fans to the point they wouldn’t pass on him at No. 2 if the Browns let him get there, and has a non-30 visit with the Chargers lined up.

The Bills have A.J. McCarron penciled in as their 2018 starter, but he’s viewed as a bridge passer while the Brandon Beane-run franchise targets a longer-term solution.

NFL Draft Rumors: Broncos, Darnold, Vea

April 6th, 2018 at 3:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos sent GM John Elway, coach Vance Joseph, and other top executives to watch Sam Darnold work out in Los Angeles on Friday morning, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Darnold, the youngest of this year’s top quarterback prospects, appears to be a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall. It could be a longshot for the Broncos to land him at No. 5, but stranger things have happened and there’s also the possibility of Denver moving up in the order. As a redshirt sophomore, the USC product completed 63.1% of his passes for 4,143 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Here’s more NFL Draft news:

  • The Redskins will meet with USC running back Ronald Jones on Monday, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Team president Bruce Allen attended Jones’ pro day earlier this week and apparently came away impressed. Most believe that the Redskins will target a defensive player at No. 13 overall, so Jones might not be in the cards for Washington unless they trade down or acquire an additional pick in the back half of the first round. Jones, who has garnered comparisons to Jamaal Charles for his running style, is among this year’s top players at the position.
  • LSU cornerback Donte Jackson has upcoming visits with the Broncos, Bills, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Packers (Twitter link via Jared Tokarz). Jackson ranks 28th on the top 50 list of NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah and impressed with a 4.32 second 40-yard-dash at the draft combine.
  • Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea will visit with the Bengals on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

NFL Draft Rumors: Jackson, Patriots, Rudolph

April 6th, 2018 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson may have erred by opting to go through the NFL draft process without an agent, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com writes. Jackson will avoid paying a portion of his rookie deal to a representative, but in an effort to save some cash, he could be hurting his draft position, which would negate the savings on the standard 1.5% fee.

Reportedly, Jackson struggled in breaking down X’s and O’s on the white board in meetings with teams and his Wonderlic score was poor. Some say the Wonderlic is meaningless, but some execs still use it as part of their evaluation process and an agent would have had him prepped for the test and other aspects of team interviews. An agent would also help to push the narrative that Jackson should be considered above some of this year’s top quarterbacks, including USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, and Wyoming’s Josh Allen.

Ultimately, Jackson’s decision will look like a smart one if he winds up going in the top half of the first round, Corry argues. But, based on what we’ve heard so far, that doesn’t seem likely. It’s notable that the Texans, who are already armed with a star QB in Deshaun Watson and don’t pick until the third round, recently had a private workout with Jackson.

Here’s more NFL draft news:

  • South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst will visit the Panthers on Friday Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Carolina owns the No. 24 overall pick and they could use that selection to give themselves a potent tight end with receiving ability. Greg Olsen will start for the Panthers this season, but he is 33 and entering a contract year. In the past, Olsen has fought for a revamped deal, so it’s conceivable that he will look to push the market next March. Even if Olsen is retained beyond 2018, the Panthers need to consider the future of the tight end position.
  • The Patriots, who now own two first-round picks, recently had a private workout with Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph, Rapoport tweets. Rudolph hasn’t garnered as much attention as this year’s top four QBs, but he is a potential first-rounder. Rapoport hears that he has been extremely busy with meetings and workouts, a possible sign that his stock is climbing.
  • Rudolph will also have a top 30 visit with the Bills this weekend, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). The Bills own picks at 12 and 22, so he could be in the mix for one of those spots. Rudolph has also met with or had workouts for the Chargers, Saints, Giants, Steelers, and Bengals.

Patriots To Sign WR Jordan Matthews

April 5th, 2018 at 7:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots are signing former Bills wide receiver Jordan Matthews to a one-year deal, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Matthews had a down year due to injury, but Schefter hears that Matthews is now back to full health. 

Matthews met with the Patriots on Monday and left town without signing a deal. He met with the Titans later on in the week, but he has circled back to New England for a prove-it contract. Matthews also had a visit with the Packers in this free agency cycle and drew interest from the Cardinals.

From 2014-16, Matthews averaged 75 receptions for 891 yards and six touchdowns per season for the Eagles. He had just 25 catches for Buffalo last season, but he could be primed for big numbers once again in the Patriots’ potent offense. He’ll help the Pats in their bid to replace Danny Amendola‘s production, though he offers a decidedly different skill set.

The Patriots shook up their WR depth chart this week by trading No. 1 receiver Brandin Cooks to the Rams for a first-round pick. For now, the Pats’ WR group consists of Chris Hogan, Julian Edelman, Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell, and Matthews. All of those players are solid in their own right, but the Pats will probably continue to evaluate high-potential receivers in this month’s draft.

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