DE Ryan Russell Visiting Bills
The Bills continue to examine options for their defensive line. This means a second offseason trip to Buffalo for UFA defensive end Ryan Russell.
A former Buccaneers contributor who started six games last season, Russell is visiting the Bills on Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Russell made the trip to western New York in March as well, but the parties moved on without a contract in place.
Buffalo brought in Jared Crick for a workout this week as well and signed defensive tackle John Hughes, with Rapoport noting the Bills are on the lookout for D-line aid.
A former Cowboys fifth-round pick in 2015, Russell played in one game with Dallas but suited up for 14 with Tampa Bay the past two seasons.
Josh Allen Best Bills QB At Camp Thus Far?
- Josh Allen‘s been the best Bills quarterback in camp thus far, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW observes. The raw Wyoming-honed talent outshined A.J. McCarron and Nathan Peterman on Saturday, per Buscaglia. Both of the older QBs are believed to be competing for Buffalo’s Week 1 job, with Allen believed to be set to watch as his career begins.
Bills Sign DT John Hughes
John Hughes has found a home. The Bills announced (via Twitter) that they have signed the veteran defensive tackle to a one-year deal.
The 30-year-old has managed to put together a six-year career despite serving as mostly a backup. The 2012 third-round pick spent the first four-plus seasons of his career with the Browns, including a rookie season where he collected three sacks. However, he was released by the organization in 2016, less than two years after inking a four-year, $14.4MM extension.
He split the rest of that campaign with the Patriots and Buccaneers before signing with the Saints last year. In eight games last season, the six-foot-two, 320-pound lineman compiled 10 tackles. He tore his bicep late in the season, landing him on the injured reserve.
Kyle Williams and Star Lotulelei are currently slotted in as the Bills starting defensive tackles, and Buffalo has some solid depth behind the two veterans. Hughes will likely have to compete with rookie third-rounder Harrison Phillips, former third-rounder Adolphus Washington, free agent addition Tenny Palepoi, and second-year lineman Rickey Hatley for backup reps.
Either way, it sounds like the Bills were in the market for more depth at the position. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the organization also considered free agent defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker. The 28-year-old was more production last season, finishing with 22 tackles, one sack, and four passes defended in 16 games (four starts) for the Rams. However, the organization ultimately decided on Hughes, who Rapoport describes as “more of a space eater.”
Bills Audition RB Orleans Darkwa
The Bills recently worked out free agent running back Orleans Darkwa, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Darkwa, who last played for the Giants, is now back to full health after having a plate removed from his leg. 
Because of his medical issues, Darkwa hasn’t drawn a ton of interest in free agency so far, though he did visit the Patriots in April. The Giants reportedly had some level of interest in re-signing him, but he was left out in the cold after they drafted Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick and signed veteran Jonathan Stewart. The crosstown Jets were also eyeing Darkwa at one point, but signed Isaiah Crowell and Thomas Rawls.
Darkwa, who is still only 26, ran for 751 yards off of 171 carries, giving him a 4.4 yards per carry average. It was an ugly year for the Giants on the whole, but Darkwa excelled on a personal level.
The Bills, of course, have some potential needs at running back as LeSean McCoy‘s situation lingers. Outside of McCoy, the Bills have Chris Ivory, Travaris Cadet, and Taiwan Jones, and that’s not a tremendous bunch.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Terrance Parks
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DL Tenny Palepoi
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Cam Serigne
- Released: DT Drew Iddings
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Mark Chapman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Adonis Jennings, Kyle Lewis
Indianpolis Colts
- Signed: S Shamarko Thomas
- Waived: CB Juante Baldwin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OL Donavon Clark
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Aaron Lacombe, WR Khadarel Lott, WR JoJo Natson
- Waived: WR LaQuvionte Gonzalez, WR Ricky Jeune
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Izaah Lunsford
- Waived: TE Kyle Carter, P Taylor Symmank
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived/injured: DB Trey Johnson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Josh Liddell, T Jerry Ugokwe
- Waived/Injured: DT Channing Ward
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Claude Pelon
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Prince Charles Iworah
- Waived/Injured: RB Keith Marshall
Bills Sign Rookie QB Josh Allen
Josh Allen is officially in the fold. On Wednesday, Allen inked his four-year rookie contract with the Bills. 
Allen’s negotiations took a while, but a deal was expected to happen this week as there were no signs of acrimony between him and the club. In accordance with his slot, Allen will earn about $21.2MM over the course of his four-year rookie contract.
The Bills went into the draft hoping to land their quarterback of the future, but refused to part with both of their first-round picks in order to make that happen. Their position paid off, as they were able to land the Buccaneers’ No. 7 pick in exchange for their No. 12 choice plus two second-round selections.
It’s expected that Allen will learn from the bench this year – at least, to start the year – behind free agent pickup A.J. McCarron. While Allen’s arm strength is definitely NFL caliber, the belief is that he’ll need some seasoning before taking the reins.
Bills Work Out DL Jared Crick
The Bills worked out defensive lineman Jared Crick on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Crick, 28, missed the entire 2017 campaign after undergoing back surgery in September, but he’s now apparently healthy and ready to find a new team. Last season was scheduled to be his second campaign with the Broncos, who signed him away from the Texans prior to the 2016 season. A starter from 2014-15 with Houston and in 2016 with Denver, Crick has appeared in 79 games and racked up 113 tackles during his six-year career.
Crick has exclusively played in 3-4 schemes during his NFL tenure, so a move to the Bills’ 4-3 look would mean something of a change. Still, he’d still be playing on the interior, and would join a Buffalo defensive tackle depth chart that includes Kyle Williams, free agent addition Star Lotulelei, rookie Harrison Phillips, and Adolphus Washington, among others. The Bills are playing 290-pound Trent Murphy at end in their 4-3, so it’s possible Crick could be allowed to see the edge, as well.
Bills Sign LB Keenan Robinson
The Bills have signed linebacker Keenan Robinson, according to a team announcement. The move fills the final spot on the Bills’ 90-man offseason roster. 
Robinson has appeared in 58 games for the Giants and Redskins since 2012. He was a 13-game starter in 2013, but his playing time has been reduced ever since and he missed ten games last year due to a quad injury.
As an experienced player with special teams abilities, Robinson will make his case to make the Bills’ final cut. He’ll compete with fellow veteran linebackers Ramon Humber, Julian Stanford, and Deon Lacey for a place on the 53-man roster.
Robinson also drew interest from the Jaguars and Titans in the spring, but did not sign with either club.
Peter King: Bills Have Question Marks
- Peter King of NBC Sports isn’t so sure about the Bills after they moved on from left tackle Cordy Glenn, center Eric Wood, and guard Richie Incognito. In fact, there are question marks throughout the offense, ranging from new quarterbacks A.J. McCarron and Josh Allen to the LeSean McCoy situation. Speaking of McCoy, we learned this week that he intends to report to camp on Wednesday, despite the accusations made against him.
Bills’ LeSean McCoy To Report To Camp
Bills running back LeSean McCoy is reporting to training camp with the rest of the team’s veterans on Wednesday, sources tell Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Unless McCoy’s status changes with the league, the team is expected to treat him like any other player. 
McCoy, of course, is not quite like every other player. The running back’s ex-girlfriend was badly beaten in a home invasion earlier this month and she has intimated that McCoy may have played a role in the incident. If the allegations have merit, McCoy could face jail time and his NFL career could be in serious jeopardy.
McCoy, 30, denies any involvement, saying he was in Miami at the time of the invasion. But, his ex-girlfriend says the assailant demanded specific jewelry items from Cordon, items Graham said were gifts from McCoy to his ex and items he’d demanded back on “many occasions.” Court records over the past year show McCoy and Cordon argued over jewelry while additionally indicating McCoy attempted to have Cordon removed from the home and retrieve items that belonged to him.
A police investigation is ongoing, as is an NFL inquiry. So far, McCoy has not been charged with any crime and all parties involved are acting with that in mind.