Bills S Damar Hamlin Participates In Team Drills
Bills safety Damar Hamlin participated in team drills today, the first time he’s seen the field during OTAs and five months after his on-field cardiac incident. The team tweeted a photo of Hamlin, noting that the player was a full participant at practice.
Per NFL.com, Hamlin previously took part in individual drills and stretching exercises. Today, he was seen wearing a helmet and serving as a punt protector during the special teams portion of practice. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets that Hamlin briefly left the field to deal with a arm/shoulder injury but soon returned.
“Really proud of him to take that next step,” general manager Brandon Beane told reporters (including Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News). “Obviously, you guys have seen him out here working out. … Just so proud of him and thrilled for where he’s at in his journey.
“We’re just upping or building his reps up. He’s great. He’s mentally ready to go. He knows the defense. It’s Year 3 into it. The next thing is going to be we’ve got to put pads on, and it’ll be at training camp. But I thought it was really important for him if he could and felt he was ready. You know, this is a two-way communication. This is not us saying, `You’ve got to do this.’ … He’s worked really hard on the mental side of this. Physically, he’s all cleared. But this is a real deal from a mental standpoint after you’ve been to where he was.”
Hamlin has continually stated his desire to continue his NFL career. He was cleared to resume playing back in April, and since then, he’s been spending time at the Bills facility preparing for the upcoming season. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic writes, the Bills haven’t given any indication that they plan to use “any reserve listing” for Hamlin, a small hint that the player should be good to go come training camp.
The 25-year-old was thrust into a starting role last year while filling in for Micah Hyde, who missed most of last season with a foot injury. Hamlin ended up finishing the campaign with 91 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 15 games (13 starts), with Pro Football Focus grading him as one of the league’s top pass-rushing safeties. With Hyde back and Jordan Poyer signed to a new deal, the Bills have the luxury of bringing Hamlin along slowly.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/6/23
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: QB Nolan Henderson
Buffalo Bills
- Released: RB Isaiah Bowser
Nolan Henderson joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware. He finished his 2022 season with a UD single-season record 32 touchdowns, and there’s some hope he can stick around the NFL. However, he had limited opportunities for practice reps in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown, and Josh Johnson ahead of him.
Isaiah Bowser, a Central Florida product, joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent last month. The running back had more than 1,500 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons.
Bills, DT Ed Oliver Reach Agreement On Extension
JUNE 6: Further details on the extension are in, courtesy of ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). Oliver will receive a $14.75MM signing bonus via his extension, which has cap implications for 2023. His charge for this season has dropped to $5.775MM (compared to the $10.75MM it would have been on the fifth-year option). Buffalo has already used some of those savings on their deal for edge rusher Leonard Floyd.
JUNE 3: After four strong years on the Bills defensive line, defensive tackle Ed Oliver will avoid playing out his fifth-year option to free agency after agreeing to an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Oliver’s new contract is reportedly a four-year deal worth $68MM, $45MM of which will be guaranteed. 
Oliver isn’t the flashiest of defenders, as many in his position aren’t, but since getting drafted at No. 9 overall back in 2019, Oliver has done his job and done it well. While not elite in any area of the game, Oliver has been a good all-around defender in Buffalo, delivering strong performances as both a run defender and a pass rusher. He didn’t have his best season in 2022, but according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Oliver was the 13th best interior defender in 2020 and the 23rd in 2021.
As a rookie in 2019, Oliver became an immediate contributor rotating in the defensive front alongside Jordan Phillips and Star Lotulelei. He finished his rookie year with five sacks and five tackles for loss. He held down a similar role in his sophomore season, anchoring a rotation that now included Quinton Jefferson and Vernon Butler but now starting every game. In 2021, Oliver became a mainstay on the defensive line, playing more snaps than any other Bills defensive lineman. His playing time that year about doubled any other tackle on the team besides Harrison Phillips, and he rewarded Buffalo with a disruptive four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Last year, DaQuan Jones replaced Phillips as Oliver’s right-hand man as the two dominated the defensive tackles’ snap share.
So far in his career, Oliver has proven to be an above average pass rusher with 14.5 career sacks from the interior as well as 42 quarterback hits, a disruptive run stopper with 30 career tackles for loss, and an all-around nuisance with 11 swatted passes and four forced fumbles. He’s been a steady, reliable contributor, appearing in all but four games over the course of his career, as well.
Oliver’s new deal is reflective of his status in the NFL. Not considered an elite athlete at his position but still respected as a strong contributor, the $17MM annual average value of Oliver’s extension ranks 11th among NFL defensive tackles. The league’s better tackles make north of $20MM per year while an all-time great like Aaron Donald makes just over $30MM per year. The $45MM guaranteed, though, ranks sixth-most among active defensive tackle contracts.
Five other defensive tackles were taken in the first round of 2019: Quinnen Williams, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Jeffery Simmons, and Jerry Tillery. Tillery was waived by the Chargers midseason last year. Lawrence agreed to an impressive four-year, $87.5MM deal almost a month ago, and Simmons topped both Oliver and Lawrence with a four-year, $94MM extension, a deal that would top the position if not for Donald. Williams is currently in discussions with the Jets for an extension and should expect a strong one after a first-team All-Pro 2022 season. Wilkins is also in discussions with Miami, but he likely shouldn’t expect to reach the heights of Simmons, Lawrence, or Williams. After two strong seasons, Wilkins may see a deal similar to Oliver’s, but an inconsistent start to his career may limit what he receives.
Back in Buffalo, though, the Bills have locked down the future of their defensive line, especially considering every other experienced defensive tackle on the roster (Jones, Phillips, Tim Settle, and Poona Ford) is set for free agency at the conclusion of the upcoming season. Oliver joins tight end Dawson Knox, who received an extension of his own last September, as the only remaining members of Buffalo’s 2019 draft class.
Bills, OLB Leonard Floyd Agree To Deal
6:25pm: Floyd agreed to join the Bills on a deal that pays $7MM in base value, Rapoport tweets. Incentives can take the contract to $9MM. While this is well off Floyd’s previous NFL contract — a four-year, $64MM pact the Rams shed in March — the former first-round pick still did reasonably well after spending nearly three months in free agency. Floyd received other offers, per Rapoport, who adds he turned down a more lucrative one to land with a contender in Buffalo.
8:58am: The next domino has fallen with respect to veteran edge rusher landing new contracts deep into free agency. Leonard Floyd has agreed to a one-year-deal with the Bills, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
The move will give Buffalo another experienced presence on the edge, and Floyd will be reunited with Von Miller after the pair spent time together with the Rams during their Super Bowl run. The latter is aiming to return to the lineup for Week 1 after his ACL tear, but Floyd will provide insurance for the team if that does not take place. When the Bills’ edge group is at full strength, it will have an intriguing mix of experience and upside.
Floyd enjoyed a successful run in Los Angeles after a generally underwhelming start to his career in Chicago. The 30-year-old posted 10.5, then 9.5 and 9.0 sacks in his three years with the Rams, and was a crucial part of their defense during his time there. No other edge rusher recorded more than one sack for the team in 2022, though they still committed to parting ways with the veteran this offseason.
After failing to find a trade partner willing to take on the remainder of the contract Floyd signed in 2021, the Rams released him. That fell in line with their moves at other spots on the roster, as they look to reset financially and move past what was a highly disappointing 2022 campaign. It left Floyd on the open market amongst many other accomplished pass rushers, though, and the position’s market has remained cool through June.
Floyd has landed in a new home where there could be signficant competition for playing time, especially once Miller is healthy. The Bills have 2021 first-round pick Gregory Rousseau, along with former second-rounders A.J. Epenesa and Carlos Basham Jr. in the fold; they also re-signed veteran Shaq Lawson this offseason. Floyd logged a snap share of at least 80% in all three of his Rams seasons, so he is capable of handling a heavy workload if need be.
Given the team’s depth, however, the former first-rounder is likely in line for a smaller role in Buffalo, a team which ranked mid-pack with 40 sacks last season. A strong campaign from Floyd would help boost his free agent stock ahead of next offseason, while also providing a boost up front to a team which is once again eyeing a deep postseason run.
Latest On DeAndre Hopkins
As teams around the league begin minicamp, the DeAndre Hopkins free agency watch continues. The list of potential suitors for the veteran wideout has fluctuated in recent days, and a shift in market value could lead to the next signficant development. 
Hopkins – who recently signed on with Klutch sports after having not had an agent – is reportedly seeking a contract similar to the one-year, $15MM one Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Ravens in April. Such terms would be quite challenging for many teams to afford given their cap situations this late in the offseason, particularly the Bills and Chiefs, the ones most frequently named as frontrunners to sign Hopkins.
On that point, SI’s Albert Breer predicts that Buffalo and Kanas City would add the three-time All-Pro “only at a discount.” Financial pressures could very well drive down Hopkins’ asking price, something which would be necessary for either AFC contender considering they rank near the bottom of the league in available funds. On the other hand, the value of Beckham’s deal came as a shock to many, so Hopkins still may be able to land a contract of considerable value with a different team.
Breer names the Patriots as a team to watch, especially since acquiring the 30-year-old no longer requires giving up draft compensation. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien – the head coach and general manager of the Texans when Hopkins was traded from Houston to Arizona – “would be plenty on board with, not against” adding Hopkins to New England’s roster, Breer adds. The Patriots have previously been linked to a Hopkins pursuit, and they are in far better shape with respect to cap space than the Chiefs and Bills. Doug Kyed of A to Z Sports confirms that New England is “monitoring” the five-time Pro Bowler’s market.
Finances are also less of an issue for the Browns and Ravens, teams which have been on the fringe of the Hopkins sweepstakes to date. A deal in Cleveland would reunite Hopkins with quarterback Deshaun Watson, of course, but the Browns have already made several moves at the WR position. Breer categorizes a Hopkins-to-Cleveland move as “unlikely” to take place at this point.
To little surprise, the Giants and Cowboys have bowed out of the Hopkins pursuit. Multiple teams should still be in the running to sign him, though, especially if his asking price has indeed come down. More clarity could emerge soon with respect to Hopkins’ intended destination and how willing other squads are willing to engage in a bidding war for his services.
Von Miller Aiming For Week 1 Return
Von Miller continues to rehab his second career ACL tear, and attention continues to be paid to his recovery timeline. The Bills edge rusher has struck an optimistic tone with respect to his intended return date. 
[RELATED: Bills Extend DT Ed Oliver]
The 34-year-old was limited to 11 contests in his debut Buffalo campaign, with his torn ACL marking a major blow to the team’s pass rush and Super Bowl aspirations. When asked about his recovery last month, Miller indicated that much remains to be seen, though he added that Week 6 could be the latest point at which he is next seen on the field.
Miller’s latest comments prove that he is eyeing a more immediate return, however. The longtime Bronco is satisfied with his recovery to date, something which is particularly encouraging considering the investment the Bills made in him last offseason. The future Hall of Famer is attached to a six-year, $120MM contract, making his health a top priority for the AFC contenders. Having Miller available for their regular season debut now may not be out of the question.
“10 years removed from [the 2013 ACL tear], 2023, I have a whole new outlook,” he said, via 9News’ Mike Klis. “I know exactly where I’m supposed to be at two months, four months, six months and in the position where I’m at now, I feel great, I feel comfortable. I feel like I’ll be ready to go at the start of the season.
“Whenever it’s time for me to play, I’ll be ready to go. I want to be ready Week 1 versus the Jets… But if it’s not the first week of the season, then it won’t be any longer than Week 6, for sure.”
Whenever he is on the field, Miller will lead an edge rush group featuring recent draftees Gregory Rousseau, Carlos Basham Jr. and A.J. Epenesa, along with fellow veteran Shaq Lawson. The lack of signficant spending on the edge in terms of both free agent dollars and draft capital point to the Bills’ confidence in Miller’s ability to remain an All-Pro contributor following his rehab, and his level of play will be critical in 2023 and beyond.
2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:
- Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
- New York Jets: $24.79MM
- Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
- Houston Texans: $16.81MM
- Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
- New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
- New England Patriots: $14.12MM
- Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
- Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
- Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
- Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
- Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
- New York Giants: $3.82MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K
The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.
The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.
Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.
Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.
Bills Sign WR Marcell Ateman
Marcell Ateman‘s Thursday workout with the Bills will lead to a deal. The former Raiders wide receiver — and recent XFL pass catcher — agreed to terms with the Bills on Thursday.
The former NFL backup will join the Bills on a one-year deal. Both Ateman and wideout Preston Williams auditioned for the Bills today. Although Williams has been in the NFL since 2019, the Bills are going with Ateman, who last played in a regular-season game during the 2021 season and last caught a pass in 2019.
Ateman played for the St. Louis BattleHawks in the XFL this season. He will join spring teammates Hakeem Butler and Darrius Shepherd in securing an NFL opportunity. Butler signed with the Steelers last month; Shepherd caught on with the Chargers today. While Butler and Shepherd each finished in the top five in XFL receiving yards, Ateman totaled 259 and did not score a touchdown. The 6-foot-4 receiver caught 19 passes during his Missouri stay, though he did amass 99 yards (on 11 targets) during a game against the Seattle Sea Dragons.
In the NFL, Ateman has played only for the Raiders in the regular season. The Oklahoma State alum trekked to Oakland as a 2018 seventh-round pick. Between the 2018 and ’19 seasons, Ateman totaled 20 receptions for 270 yards and a touchdown. Ateman spent part of training camp with the Cardinals last year, but the Bills sending Cody Ford to Arizona via trade led to the receiver’s exit.
Ateman, 28, should not be considered a safe bet to stick with the Bills. Despite moving on from Isaiah McKenzie and Jamison Crowder this offseason, Buffalo added Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield and fifth-round pick Justin Shorter. That trio joins Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and second-year cog Khalil Shakir.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/1/23
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DT Brandin Bryant
- Waived: WR Braydon Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Darrius Shepherd
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Montreal Braswell, CB Benjie Franklin
- Waived: RB Chris Smith, NT LaTrell Bumphus
Shepherd has not played in an NFL game since 2020, when he finished a two-season stint with the Packers. Shepherd did go to training camp with the Broncos last year, and he spent time on Denver’s practice squad. This year, the North Dakota State product finished as a top-five receiver in the XFL. Playing for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Shepherd hauled in 48 passes for 519 yards and six touchdowns. Both the BattleHawks’ top two wideouts — Shepherd and Hakeem Butler — have received NFL opportunities. Only Butler’s eight receiving TDs topped Shepherd’s total. The Steelers added Butler last month.
DeAndre Hopkins Seeking OBJ-Level Deal; Bills GM Contacts Free Agent WR
The NFL’s marquee free agent of the moment, DeAndre Hopkins has consistently mentioned the Bills and Chiefs as appealing destinations. But the free agent wide receiver may not be prepared to take a steep discount to play with Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen.
Hopkins is seeking a contract in the neighborhood of the deal Odell Beckham Jr. received from the Ravens, Tim Graham of The Athletic notes (subscription required). In one of this offseason’s most surprising accords, Beckham received a fully guaranteed one-year, $15MM deal from Baltimore in April. Incentives can bump the earnings to $18MM. Beckham securing this money despite missing the 2022 season and having suffered two ACL tears since October 2020 surely has Hopkins believing he is worth more.
With that offer, the then-receiver-needy Ravens outflanked the Jets by what is believed to be a wide margin for Beckham. New York was proposing an incentive-laden deal. Beckham did well to collect that money before teams made draft investments. Funding is tighter post-draft, and June is not a great time for free agents to cash in. That said, six teams will be picking up cap room Friday due to post-June 1 cuts. The Bills and Chiefs are not among them, however.
The Bills negotiated with the Cardinals on Hopkins, and Graham adds GM Brandon Beane spoke directly with the available wideout — whom Arizona shopped for months — before he signed with Klutch Sports. With the Bills holding just $1.4MM in cap space, multiple executives informed Graham that Hopkins is a long shot to end up in Buffalo. The Chiefs hold even less cap room, sitting on barely $600K.
Given how many times Hopkins has mentioned the Bills this offseason, the three-time reigning AFC East champs should not exactly be considered out of the running. But a league exec that communicated with Hopkins’ camp does not expect the former All-Pro’s interest in playing with Mahomes or Allen to supersede interest in being fairly compensated. As the Chiefs and Bills negotiated with the Cardinals, Beckham’s contract hijacked those respective talks. The Bills have been connected to Hopkins since March.
Previous reports have pegged the Bills and Chiefs as the Hopkins favorites, but each would need to move some money around to land the veteran wideout. While it is still unlikely Hopkins will fetch a $15MM guarantee — due to the Cardinals cutting the 10-year vet late in the offseason and injuries plaguing him over the past two years — the Clemson alum will soon need to decide how important his fourth contract will be compared to a desire to play with a top-tier quarterback.
The Browns have loomed as a stealth Hopkins suitor, with Deshaun Watson having discussed his former Texans teammate with Cleveland brass. Watson has said he would love to have Hopkins on the Browns, and Cleveland will soon hold nearly $16MM in cap space. The Browns traded for Elijah Moore and have three recent third-round picks (Cedric Tillman, David Bell, Anthony Schwartz) supplementing Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
The Chiefs and Bills have clearer needs at the position. Kansas City lost its top 2022 wideout — JuJu Smith-Schuster — due to a stronger New England offer and also let Mecole Hardman walk. The Chiefs’ belief in Kadarius Toney as a potential No. 1 wideout overlooks a concerning injury history. The Bills did not add a wideout until Round 5 (Justin Shorter) in the draft, though they did sign slot player Deonte Harty, and have Gabriel Davis in a contract year. Buffalo is still planning to use first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid frequently in the slot.
Hopkins, 31 next week, has collected more than $111MM since entering the NFL as a 2013 first-round pick. He signed a five-year, $81MM Texans deal in 2017, and the Cardinals tacked two years (and $42.75MM guaranteed) onto that deal via a $54.5MM extension in 2020. While Hopkins should not be begrudged for seeking fair compensation, it would be interesting to see if he passes on a Bills or Chiefs partnership if one or both teams have lower-cost offers on the table. But Buffalo and Kansas City’s cap situations do, then, keep the door open for other interested teams.