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Bills Elevate WR John Brown

December 1st, 2022 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Quietly, the Bills reached an agreement to bring back John Brown last weekend. They are set to give him another try starting tonight against the Patriots.

The Bills elevated the veteran wide receiver from the practice squad Thursday. This transaction does not make Brown a full-fledged part of the Bills’ active roster, as the 2020 CBA allows for two gameday elevations. But Brown being in uniform with the Bills again is certainly notable.

[RELATED: Bills Place Von Miller On IR]

Buffalo used Brown as its No. 1 wide receiver back in 2019, when the team added both he and Cole Beasley in free agency. Brown, who signed a three-year deal worth $27MM to move from Baltimore to Buffalo, notched his second 1,000-yard season that year. Injuries intervened for the Division II success story in 2020, and the Bills cut bait last year and added Emmanuel Sanders. The team did not re-sign Sanders or Beasley this offseason.

Brown, 32, has not caught a pass since his Bills release. The former Cardinals draftee has bounced around since the cut, seeing game action for the Broncos, Jaguars and Buccaneers last season. Those cameos came after the Raiders released Brown before the start of last season. He will supply some depth for a Bills team that has been without Jamison Crowder for a while due to a fractured ankle.

Beginning his ninth NFL season, Brown will join a Bills team that features Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie atop its receiving hierarchy. Usage-wise, Brown is unlikely to approach his former role — one that led to a 72-reception, 1,060-yard, six-touchdown campaign in Josh Allen‘s second season — but he certainly provides the Bills with experience. This will be Brown’s 101st career game.

Bills Place Von Miller On IR

December 1st, 2022 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Von Miller‘s hopes at returning from his meniscus injury in Week 14 faded quickly. The Bills placed the veteran pass rusher on IR on Thursday, shutting him down for at least four games.

The earliest Miller can now return is Week 17. Given Buffalo’s investment in the future Hall of Famer, it is unsurprising the team would operate cautiously here. While this will hurt the Bills’ pass-rushing capabilities over the next few weeks, it stands to give Miller more rehab time.

“We’ve been assessing Von this week and seeing how he is, and we don’t want to rush him back,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “This gives us a chance to go ahead and count tonight’s game and three more on injured reserve. And hopefully we can get him back for the stretch run.”

Miller did not tear his ACL but acknowledged he will likely need surgery. The initial Bills plan was to wait for swelling to subside over the next seven to 10 days before making a determination, but they are acting early. By placing Miller on IR ahead of their game against the Patriots tonight, Miller will only need to miss three more. It is perhaps a bit surprising the Bills are factoring roster math into an equation involving a player of Miller’s stature, but Thursday’s call also points to the organization not wanting to risk a setback by the 12th-year edge defender attempting to come back too fast.

It is believed Miller will be fine with using a knee brace upon return. He donned a brace during points of his Broncos stay, which included an ACL tear. Miller bounced back quickly from that December 2013 malady, re-establishing himself as a Pro Bowl rusher — being invited to the next six — and a player who would go on to become the first defender in NFL history to sign two $100MM-plus contracts. Miller, 33, is currently tied to a six-year, $120MM pact — one that includes guarantees into 2024.

The Bills will be without Miller for some rather key games. In addition to this Pats matchup, Miller will miss games against the Jets and Dolphins. The Bills, who also play the Bears during this span, close their regular season with Bengals and Patriots meetings. While Buffalo is ticketed to have Greg Rousseau back in Week 13 after a November absence, the team is 0-2 in the AFC East. How the Bills fare in their three Miller-less division tilts will likely determine if they will need their home blues in the AFC playoffs. At 8-3, the Bills are in decent shape to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season. But even that is not a lock. The Patriots and Chargers both loom at 6-5; a Pats win tonight would provide quite a boost.

Despite their brigade of defensive injuries, the Bills are in fine shape in terms of injury activations. The team has seven of its eight allotted injury moves remaining. One will be saved for Miller, barring a decision for a season-ending surgery. Miller indicated that was unlikely to happen, but it is not a lock the Bills have their top pass rusher back this season. Miller already amassed eight sacks this season, at only a 61% snap snare, so losing him would be a blow for the contending team’s Super Bowl hopes. This will certainly be a situation to monitor this month.

Von Miller Aiming To Return In Week 14

November 29th, 2022 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

This week’s VonCast episode brought an update on its host’s status after a Thanksgiving knee injury. Von Miller informed listeners he is hoping for a return by Week 14 against the Jets.

While Miller acknowledged he did not receive the best of news and indicated he sustained lateral meniscus damage, he confirmed the previously reported plan of letting the swelling subside and making a decision after that. Miller will miss this week’s Bills-Patriots matchup but said he will try to play in Buffalo’s ensuing game.

“I do feel like I can play through that,” Miller said, via the Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald (Twitter links). “So, I’m just gonna wait a little bit, wait a little bit, let the swelling go down for about seven to 10 days. And hopefully, right before the Jets game, I will be back. I think every other week after this, I should be able to give it a shot.”

Previous reports did not guarantee Miller would be back this season, indicating the impending surgery’s timetable will determine the future Hall of Fame pass rusher’s status. Miller said the meniscus damage is “going to have to be addressed” (video link), but it does not sound like he is considering a surgery that will knock him out for the rest of this season.

That could potentially change, as ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds (via Twitter) no firm decision has been made. But Miller played with a knee brace earlier in his career and is believed to be comfortable doing so again, per Fowler. For now, the big-ticket Bills free agent signing is planning to be part of the team’s stretch run.

Miller returning barely two weeks after this injury might be on the optimistic side, but the Bills having their ace pass rusher back at any point in the regular season can be considered good news after his injury at Ford Field. The eight-time Pro Bowler missed all of the 2020 season with an ankle injury, and his December 2013 ACL tear occurred in the same knee he damaged last week.

The Bills have also been without 2021 first-round pick Greg Rousseau for the past three games because of an ankle injury. Miller’s top sidekick, however, has logged two full practices this week and is on track to return against the Patriots. Ditto Tremaine Edmunds, who practiced fully twice already this week. The fifth-year linebacker has missed the past two Bills games. With five sacks in eight games, Rousseau has already topped his rookie-year total. Despite being used on a career-low 61% of his team’s defensive snaps, Miller has eight sacks this season. Sitting on 123.5 career sacks, the 12th-year edge defender is on track for his first double-digit sack season since 2018.

Cowboys Still ‘Full Steam Ahead’ On OBJ

November 28th, 2022 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr. being removed from a flight Sunday will not impact the Cowboys’ pursuit of the free agent wide receiver. Confirming the team’s intentions to go through with its planned visit, Mike McCarthy said Monday the team is “full steam ahead” with regards to OBJ.

The Giants are bringing in Beckham for a two-day visit beginning Thursday, but Big Blue’s slot on the meeting itinerary has not affected the league’s expectations. The Cowboys, who will host Beckham on Dec. 5, are viewed as the favorites. An executive for a team linked to Beckham said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, on Twitter) he sees the Cowboys as 2-1 favorites to land the former Pro Bowler.

Buffalo is still involved as well, and Von Miller has been pushing for a reunion for several months. The team has lost Jamison Crowder to a fractured ankle, and a Beckham-Stefon Diggs–Gabe Davis–Isaiah McKenzie receiver quartet would be quite formidable. The Bills are expected to meet with Beckham this weekend, Miller revealed during his recent podcast (h/t ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg on Twitter). The Chiefs and the Ravens are believed to still be in the mix; so were the 49ers, as of mid-November. but no known visits are scheduled beyond the aforementioned trio.

In on Beckham for weeks now, the Cowboys have already begun discussions with the eight-year veteran. Jerry Jones spoke with him on Thanksgiving Day. Beckham is not planning to drag out his decision much longer, with Hill adding he is expected to pick a team soon after his Dallas trek.

Beckham, 30, would represent a gamble by a Cowboys team that gave $23MM guaranteed to a receiver (Michael Gallup) coming off an ACL tear. Beckham also bombed, fit-wise, with the Browns. Of course, he regenerated his market by helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI. The Cowboys will have less time to integrate Beckham compared to the Rams, who signed a healthy version of the wide receiver in early November last year.

Judging by the relentless courting Cowboys players have done, the team is unconcerned about OBJ’s fit in McCarthy and Kellen Moore‘s offense. Some around the league are curious as to how capable Beckham (two ACL tears since November 2020) will be of contributing to a Super Bowl contender, despite an early-November report indicating the wideout was expected to be cleared midway through this month. And it will be interesting to see if a team comes close to the now-well-traveled pass catcher’s Chris Godwin– or Mike Williams-level asking price. Answers to these questions finally appear imminent.

Bills Designate G Ike Boettger For Return

November 28th, 2022 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tre’Davious White made his long-awaited return from a Thanksgiving 2021 injury, and the Bills are soon set to see how their other player who suffered a major injury late last season looks.

Buffalo designated guard Ike Boettger for return from the reserve/PUP list Monday, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets, opening his three-week practice window. Out since suffering an Achilles tear in Week 16 last season, Boettger must return in that three-week window or be moved to season-ending IR.

Injuries have hit the Bills hard this season, and while the team has been relatively healthy along its offensive line, Boettger’s return would certainly bolster the unit. The former UDFA had been working as a starter in the weeks leading up to his injury last season.

Buffalo has made some changes at guard since Boettger last played. Rodger Saffold and Ryan Bates are now the Bills’ starters, with the team not re-signing Darryl Williams and Jon Feliciano. The Bills matched the Bears’ Bates RFA offer sheet this offseason, traded Cody Ford to the Cardinals and also added Greg Van Roten, who started against the Lions on Thursday.

Boettger, 28, has made 19 starts over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus rates Bates and Saffold outside the top 50 at guard; neither has missed a game this season. Bates has played both guard and center this year, stepping in at center to replace Mitch Morse in Week 12. Morse has since returned to practice.

With Saffold, Bates, Van Roten and Boettger in the fold, the Bills will have some options along their interior O-line. The team has seen injuries decimate its defense, most recently injecting uncertainty into Von Miller‘s situation, but its offense has not encountered as much trouble. Despite the Bills’ high volume of injuries, they are in great shape in terms of activations. They have only used one (White) of their eight allowed injury activations.

Latest On Von Miller

November 27th, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Ely Allen

A Thanksgiving Day injury for star pass rusher Von Miller initially had some Bills fans hitting the panic button, but as updates continue to pour in, we are getting a clearer picture of the situation. The most recent update tells us that Miller will take seven to 10 days to allow the swelling to go down in his knee, allowing for a better evaluation, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

As unfortunate as it is to likely lose Miller for a game or two, the news has been increasingly optimistic in Buffalo. Initial fears of an ACL tear were downgraded to a knee sprain. Even now, Miller is reportedly remaining optimistic about the eventual reevaluation, boosted by the assurance that he’s been in this situation before, when an ankle injury sidelined him for the entire 2020 season.

The Bills’ tremendous pass-rushing group has been hampered lately with injuries. Last year’s first-round pick out of Miami, Gregory Rousseau, has missed the team’s last three games and A.J. Epenesa was out for the Turkey Day matchup with the Lions. Buffalo still has two extremely capable edge pass rushers in Boogie Basham and Shaq Lawson but losing the team’s top three sack-leaders is never going to be an ideal scenario.

Buffalo is staying calm and remaining optimistic. They’ll have a second straight Thursday game this week in New England and will have a 10-day rest period before hosting two straight home games. Knowing that Miller won’t travel for the next three weeks is ideal. They’ll gauge the damage again after their road trip to the Patriots and have a full week to determine next steps.

Latest On Odell Beckham Jr.

November 27th, 2022 at 8:51am CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 27: As reported previously, the first stop on Beckham’s 2022 free agent tour will be the Giants, who will host their former first-rounder on December 1 and 2 (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). OBJ will meet with the Cowboys on December 5. Rapoport confirms that Beckham will meet with the Bills as well, though it’s unclear if his Buffalo summit will come before or after his trek to Dallas.

NOVEMBER 25: There continues to be tremendous interest in free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as he plays the field to determine his new home. While many teams have been mentioned as suitors for Beckham’s talents, the progress of his recovery from two knee surgeries in as many years is still a main cause for concern with most teams, according to Jeff Darlington of ESPN.

Darlington goes on to quote “more than one decision maker” from around the league saying that “the assumption that Odell will be healthy enough to make an impact…has been largely overstated.” Beckham is not only having to come back from the ACL injury that ended his 2021 season, and its resultant surgery, but also a second surgery on his knee that was intended to help repair issues from the first surgery. There has been a concerning lack of reporting in regard to the progress of Beckham’s recovery, which is certainly a reasonable respect towards Beckham’s privacy concerning his health, but without any information, it becomes incredibly difficult to speculate on the outcome of Beckham’s free agency and his eventual impact on a team, old or new.

Regardless, Beckham continues to shop for a new home. Our most recent reports have divulged plans to visit the Giants then Cowboys, both considered to be the top-two contenders for Beckham’s services. It appears that Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones had no intentions of saving his recruiting for Beckham’s in-person visit, though, as the two parties made official contact yesterday, the same day as the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day win over New York, according to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Jones reportedly reached out to Beckham on the phone, telling reporters that he “had a good visit” and that an official in-person visit is being set up, though nothing specific has been scheduled as of yet. On what Beckham could bring to the Cowboys at receiver, Jones said, “I think Odell stands on his own as far as being able to be additive…Odell could help us. I believe that right now.”

Jones did echo the sentiments of Darlington above, though, telling the media that he “doesn’t know anything about Beckham’s health and rehab.” Not only did he stress the importance of Beckham’s health, but he also emphasized that the price has to be right. “Availability is huge,” Jones commented. “But the financial part of it is really huge, too.”

From here, it is believed that Beckham will visit his former team in New York and potentially the Bills, as well, before an in-person visit with the Cowboys. He also reportedly remains in contact with the Chiefs and Ravens as many playoff-hopeful teams look to add a strong receiver for a playoff push, provided Beckham’s readiness to return and contribute has not been overstated.

Bills Sign CB Xavier Rhodes To Active Roster; CB Christian Benford To IR

November 26th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bills have gotten a nice surprise this season from rookie sixth-round pick Christian Benford, but with Benford headed to injured reserve, veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes has been signed to the active roster from the practice squad.

Benford stepped up early in the season for Buffalo. In a stacked position room, Benford started in place of an injured Tre’Davious White to begin the year, earning the role over first-round rookie Kaiir Elam and fifth-year cornerback Siran Neal. Elam would eventually work his way into the starting role, but Benford has remained a reliable option, starting the past two games that Elam has missed.

Despite the stacked room led by White, Dane Jackson, and nickel starter Taron Johnson and backed by Elam, Benford, and Neal, injuries have limited the production of the position group. Injury absences from White, Elam, and Benford have made it necessary to have a player like Rhodes available when needed.

Rhodes was called up for his Bills debut last week with White and Elam both on the sideline. The 32-year-old will officially join the active roster as Benford’s oblique injury threatens to keep him out for at least four games. White, who’s making his 2022 debut as he returns from last year’s ACL injury, may be on a limited snap count and, with White’s normal replacements, Elam and Benford, out, the door is open for Rhodes to make an impact in his second game of the season. The Bills will likely trot out White, Jackson, and Johnson as their starting three corners, with Rhodes and Neal close by on the sideline to fill in for White when needed.

As Rhodes leaves the practice squad, the team has added veteran former Bills wide receiver John Brown and undrafted rookie defensive tackle C.J. Brewer to their taxi squad.

AFC East Notes: Hyde, Wilson, Patriots

November 26th, 2022 at 11:53am CST by Ben Levine

Bills safety Micah Hyde was expected to miss the rest of the season while he continued to recover from his neck injury. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic writes, there could be a glimmer of hope that Hyde is back on the field during the 2022 season.

Hyde’s recent neck surgery helped eliminate the lingering pain that the veteran had been dealing with, and the safety has been active with the Bills for the past month. This includes work (alongside other inactive players) with the strength and conditioning staff, with Buscaglia writing that the safety was spotted running drills with injured members of the 53-man roster. Hyde later told the reporter that he’s taking his rehab one day at a time, but he left the door open for a return this season.

“I would love to. I would love to. We’ll see,” Hyde said. “It’s not really up to me. It’s kind of up to the doctors. Historically, no. But I’m not dealing with… those are other people, other situations. So, we’ll see what happens.”

At the very least, it’s encouraging that Hyde didn’t definitively reject the idea of a 2022 return. Now in his sixth season in Buffalo, it wouldn’t be shocking if the veteran makes a push to play as the Bills pursue a Super Bowl ring.

Some more notes out of the AFC East…

  • Despite Zach Wilson‘s disastrous Week 11 performance (and, later, his inability to take responsibility for the loss to the Patriots), the Jets continue to support the now-benched quarterback, with Robert Saleh previously indicating that this isn’t the end of the former first-round pick’s career in New York. Following the fallout from Wilson’s post-game presser, the QB still needed to win back his locker room. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Wilson apologized to teammates for his post-game remarks, and while he supported fill-in Mike White, the quarterback also made it clear that he’ll be back under center before long. “It was the only thing I could think of the last couple of days,” Wilson said (via Cimini). “I wanted the opportunity to talk to those guys and really make it from the heart.”
  • Speaking of Wilson’s Jets teammates, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Jets players have been concerned about their starting QB’s performance for some time. Whether Wilson’s struggles were mental or fundamental, Rapoport notes that the organization hope Wilson’s mental break will help the QB both for this season and beyond.
  • Some good news on the injury front for the Patriots. Center David Andrews suffered what was thought to be a serious thigh injury during New England’s win over the Jets in Week 11, but Rapoport tweets that the lineman escaped a serious injury and could return for the end of the season or the playoffs. Jeff Howe of The Athletic adds (on Twitter) that while there’s no clear timeline on Andrews’ return, the veteran will do everything in his power to get back on the field.
  • The Patriots saved a chunk of money recently. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), the Patriots reworked safety Cody Davis‘ contract. The move saved the organization about $250K against the cap. The veteran inked a two-year, $4.5MM deal with the Patriots prior to the 2021 season and is set to hit free agency following the 2022 campaign.

Bills’ Von Miller Avoids ACL Tear; Return Timetable Uncertain

November 25th, 2022 at 11:05am CST by Sam Robinson

Some good news emerged on the Von Miller front Friday morning, though this situation remains murky. The standout Bills pass rusher avoided an ACL tear, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) and has a chance to return this season.

However, more tests are coming to determine how much time he will miss. Concern remains regarding the meniscus in Miller’s injured knee, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. At some point, a surgery will take place, Rapoport adds. But it is uncertain if Miller will go under the knife soon or in the offseason. The timetable here will obviously have a major impact on Buffalo’s pass rush the rest of the way.

Miller is not expected to make any decisions for a week or two, per Schefter, who adds he is not a lock to return this season (Twitter link). This December decision — have surgery or keep going, likely with a brace — promises to be a seminal moment for the Bills, who have run into a spate of injuries in recent weeks.

Thursday’s injury led to the future Hall of Famer being transported off the Ford Field turf via cart, though Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 notes Miller did not exit the locker room needing crutches or any assistance (Twitter link). Initially, a knee sprain surfaced as a rumored diagnosis. Miller, 33, is expected to miss time. Sean McDermott said Friday that Miller will miss the Bills’ Week 13 game against the Patriots.

This could be a brutal blow for Buffalo, but Miller dodging an ACL tear — an injury that would have shut him down until at least training camp — represents good news for the Super Bowl-contending team.

Miller has a history of major knee trouble, but that came nine years ago. In December 2013, Miller suffered a torn ACL. This injury is to the same knee. That capped a turbulent year for the then-Broncos pass rusher, who began the season serving a six-game substance-abuse ban. Miller, however, returned to top form quickly and put himself on track for Canton beginning in 2014. The former No. 2 overall pick made the Pro Bowl in 2014 — a 14-sack season — and was invited to five more Pro Bowls from 2015-19. While a severe ankle injury prevented Miller from playing in 2020, he returned to form again after a midseason trade to the Rams last year.

Following Miller’s boost to the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI cause, the Bills convinced him to make the rare (for high-profile free agents) trek to western New York in March. Buffalo’s Super Bowl quest played into the eight-time Pro Bowler’s decision. Despite a reduced workload (61% defensive snap rate) compared to the full-time roles he played in Denver and Los Angeles, Miller has already racked up eight sacks and made an impact on the Bills’ younger pass rushers. The Bills being without this era’s best edge rusher the rest of the way would certainly will impact their Super Bowl aspirations. If Miller does return, gauging his post-injury form will be important.

Buffalo has played without second-year edge Greg Rousseau recently, though the 2021 first-round pick is not on IR. The team was also without Tremaine Edmunds and Jordan Poyer against Detroit. The team did get top cornerback Tre’Davious White back in Week 12 and saw Kaiir Elam return after missing two games. Micah Hyde is on IR with a neck injury and is not expected to return this season.

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