Gabriel Davis

Jaguars, WR Gabe Davis Agree To Deal

One of the top vertical threats in the 2024 free agent WR class has quickly found a new home. Gabe Davis is headed to the Jaguars on a three-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

[RELATED: Jaguars To Sign Mitch Morse]

Davis took to social media last month in a farewell of sorts to Buffalo. Given that, and the lack of extension talks, it was widely expected he would be playing elsewhere in 2024. Davis will receive $39MM in base value on this Jacksonville agreement, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. However, the pact has a maximum value of $50MM.

Across four years in Buffalo, Davis proved himself as one of the league’s top deep-ball specialists. His all-around receiving game did not develop as hoped, though, and consistency was a challenge holding him back from becoming the genuine No. 2 option Buffalo has long been seeking. Still, the 24-year-old was well-positioned to cash in on the open market, and he will play a key role in Jacksonville’s offense.

The Jags have Christian Kirk as a top receiver, but the team remains interested to retaining former trade acquisition Calvin Ridley. The latter will not be re-signed until the new league year given the conditions of his acquisition, but Jacksonville has consistently been named a landing spot for Ridley on his next deal. It will be interesting to see if the team can keep Ridley in the fold having made a big-money investment in Davis.

In any event, the latter will aim to remain a vertical option in Jacksonville, having averaged at least 15.7 yards per catch every year of his career. Davis’ best campaign came in 2022 when he posted a 48-836-7 statline. A repeat of that performance could be in store with his new team, especially if Ridley is indeed headed elsewhere. The Jags had roughly $18MM in cap space entering Monday, so further lucrative additions would come as a surprise at this point.

Bills WR Gabe Davis Preparing To Depart In Free Agency?

Gabe Davis is one of several pending free agents who could depart the Bills at the start of the new league year. While the deep-threat wideout has long been expected to explore the open market, he recently hinted his time in Buffalo has come to an end.

Davis showed immediate promise as a secondary pass-catching option during his first two seasons. He posted nearly identical statlines across 2020 and ’21, totaling 70 catches, 1,148 yards and 13 touchdowns during that span. In the latter campaign, the former fourth-rounder delivered an historic performance in the divisional round of the playoffs with 201 yards and four touchdowns.

Consistency has been an issue for the 24-year-old, though, and he has yet to post a catch percentage above 56.5% in his four-year career. As Buffalo continues to seek out a dependable secondary option to complement Stefon Diggs, Davis has made it clear no extension talks have taken place and that he is therefore on track to reach the open market. He recently posted a video reflecting on his time with the Bills; while it does not confirm he will be heading elsewhere, it can certainly be interpreted as a farewell to the franchise.

Buffalo has Diggs under contract though 2027 (although speculation about his satisfaction regarding his situation and his financial outlook have been a major talking point for some time now). The Bills invested a first-round pick in tight end Dalton Kincaid last April, and he delivered an encouraging rookie season. 2022 fifth-rounder Khalil Shakir also took a substantial step forward in production last season, and he could be in line to operate as the team’s No. 2 wideout if Davis were to depart.

The latter is set to join the likes of Tee HigginsMichael Pittman Jr., Mike Evans, Calvin Ridley and Marquise Brown as free agent wideouts in March (although the franchise tag looms as an option for that list to dwindle between now and the start of the league year). Given Davis’ age and proven ability as a vertical threat, he could very well receive offers the cap-strapped Bills are unable to match. A deal keeping him in Buffalo could still be worked out in the near future, but signs continue to point to a departure this offseason

Bills GM: “I Don’t Think You’re Going To See Any Splashes” In Free Agency; Latest On Team’s Top FAs

Bills GM Brandon Beane, echoing the remarks he made in the 2023 offseason, said that his club is unlikely to hand out any especially lucrative contracts in free agency this year. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required) observes, Buffalo is projected to be roughly $49MM over the 2024 salary cap, which obviously puts a damper on the team’s spending ability.

“I don’t think you’re going to see any splashes,” Beane said. “Even if I found something that was exciting to me, I don’t think it would fit within our cap parameters. I think everyone needs to understand that we’re going to be shopping at some of those same stores we were shopping last year. We’re not going to be on Main Street of New York City or whatever all those high-end shopping centers are. It’s not feasible to where we’re at.”

In Buscaglia’s view, the only surefire way to alleviate the Bills’ cap problems would be to undergo a full roster overhaul as they did in 2017 — the year before quarterback Josh Allen was drafted — and 2018. However, with a star QB like Allen in place, the team is not going to punt on a season just to get right with the salary cap, as Buscaglia opines.

As a result, Buffalo will not be able to swim in the deep end of the free agency pool, and the team may also be forced to part with some of its own top free agents. Indeed, Buscaglia expects most of Buffalo’s high-profile FAs to at least test the open market.

That list includes wide receiver Gabe Davis, who emerged as a key big-play threat for Allen after being selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. Over his four-year tenure in western New York, Davis posted 27 touchdowns and a 16.7 yards-per-reception rate (though that comes with a modest 54.5% catch percentage, which is typical for a home run hitter). Unfortunately, Davis was forced to sit out the Bills’ two playoff contests at the end of the 2023 campaign due to a PCL injury sustained in the regular season finale against the Dolphins, and even before that happened, 2022 fifth-rounder Khalil Shakir had shown an ability to serve as a capable, cost-controlled complement to Stefon Diggs.

Davis, who will turn 25 in April, confirmed that he plans to test free agency next month (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). He suggested that he would be receptive to a new deal with the Bills, but he said that there were no extension talks between him and the club last season.

Notably, while Davis’ injury was originally classified as a PCL sprain, Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News says that the UCF product actually suffered a torn PCL. There is presently no indication as to whether that ailment will impact Davis’ free agent prospects.

Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, meanwhile, is one of a number of Bills defensive linemen who are out of contract, and like Davis, he said he has not had any talks with the club about a new deal (as relayed by Buscaglia). Jones signed a two-year, $14MM contract with Buffalo in March 2022, and after playing 16 regular season contests in his first year with the team, he was limited to seven games in 2023 thanks to the pectoral injury he sustained in Week 5. The 32-year-old veteran, who has been a consistently strong and mostly durable starter throughout his career, returned to play the final two games of the regular season and both of Buffalo’s postseason matchups, and he said he is looking forward to his return to the open market.

Jones’ fellow DT Jordan Phillips, on the other hand, is considering retirement, per O’Halloran. Phillips, who stepped into the starting lineup following Jones’ injury, suffered a dislocated wrist in a Week 15 win over the Cowboys and ended the season on IR as a result. Now 31, Phillips enjoyed his finest season as a member of the Bills in 2017, posting 9.5 sacks over 16 games (nine starts). He parlayed that performance into a lucrative three-year contract with the Cardinals the following offseason, but his time in the desert was marred by injury, and he was released in March 2022. He has spent the last two seasons back in Buffalo, but he conceded that “this might be it” for his playing career.

Safety Micah Hyde may also hang up the cleats, as Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News reports. Hyde, a Packers draftee who began a long and productive stint as a member of the Bills in 2017, played in 14 games in 2023 after being limited to just two contests the year before as a result of a neck injury. In the view of Pro Football Focus, he was not quite as sharp as he had been throughout most of his time in Buffalo, though he was still an above-average defender.

Hyde, 33, said he had no issues with his surgically-repaired neck over the first half of the 2023 season, but he sustained a stinger in Week 9 and another in Week 14, and he conceded that it was a difficult year for him physically. Although he has medical clearance to play, he has not yet decided if he wants to do so.

The Bills also have several key edge rushers on expiring contracts: Leonard Floyd and A.J. Epenesa. Floyd, who signed a one-year contract with the team in June, posted 10.5 sacks in his first Buffalo season, the fourth consecutive year in which he has recorded at least nine sacks. As he prepares for his age-32 campaign, Floyd acknowledged that he will follow the money in free agency, though he still wants to sign with a contender.

Of all of the soon-to-be FAs mentioned above, it could be that Epenesa has the best chance to return to the Bills. The 2020 second-rounder has posted 6.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, and as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in a subscribers-only piece, Buffalo — in keeping with its usual desire to retain homegrown talent — may talk extension with Epenesa before free agency opens.

AFC East Notes: Becton, Jets, Howard, Bills

Mekhi Becton‘s quest to solidify himself as the Jetslong-term left tackle did not come to fruition, but the injury-prone blocker did finish the season without an IR trip. A few other Jets O-linemen could not say the same. Becton’s contract year consisted of 16 games and starts at both right and left tackle. While the 2020 first-round pick would like to re-sign with the Jets, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes the team is unlikely to have a strong interest in a second contract.

Pro Football Focus graded Becton 68th overall among tackles this season, and Next Gen Stats charged the slimmed-down tackle with 12 sacks allowed. That said, the Jets will need to be aggressive in their pursuit of tackle help this offseason. Duane Brown is 38 and played out a two-year contract. He and Becton departing would leave the Jets with two tackle vacancies, though the team has explored the possibility of shifting Alijah Vera-Tucker to right tackle on a full-time basis. But Vera-Tucker, drafted as a guard, has suffered season-ending injuries in each of the past two years.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • A player the Jets look to have more interest in signing, Bryce Huff, will not stay just because he has developed as a Jet. Pointing to his family and those around him, the young defensive end said (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he will take the best offer he receives in free agency. The Jets, however, do want to re-sign Huff, per GM Joe Douglas. A former UDFA, Huff broke through in his contract year to lead the team with 10.5 sacks despite not starting any games. The Jets and Huff, who has not graded well as a run defender, discussed an extension during the season. The Jets have first-rounders Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald, along with John Franklin-Myers, but losing Huff would be a blow for Robert Saleh‘s defense.
  • On the same note, Xavien Howard is unlikely to accept a pay cut to stay with the Dolphins, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley notes. “No matter where I’m going, I’m still going to do my thing,” Howard said. “Whatever comes with it, I’m excited about what will happen.” The Dolphins’ longest-tenured starter, at eight seasons, Howard is signed through 2026 on the contract he agreed to upon voicing issue with Byron Jones out-earning him. Miami gave Howard a five-year, $90MM extension in 2022, but the veteran ballhawk is now 30 and finished the season sidelined with a foot sprain. The Dolphins, who released Jones as a post-June 1 cut last year, can only recoup notable savings by using this designation on Howard. Now employing Jalen Ramsey as its top corner, Miami would save $18.5MM this year by using the post-June 1 designation on Howard.
  • The Bills will be without Gabe Davis in a second playoff game, ruling out the contract-year wideout for their divisional-round game. Davis is battling a PCL sprain, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Davis represents an intriguing free agent-to-be, having scored 14 touchdowns over the past two seasons, but the Bills have seen 2022 fifth-rounder Khalil Shakir emerge as a player capable of being a low-cost Stefon Diggs complement going forward.
  • Additionally, Buffalo has not ruled out Terrel Bernard for its Kansas City rematch. Bernard was carted off the field against the Steelers, but the Bills’ top tackler only suffered a sprained ankle, Rapoport adds. The second-year linebacker aggravated the ankle injury he sustained earlier this season, per the Buffalo News’ Ryan O’Halloran. While the Bills are already without Matt Milano at linebacker, starter Tyrel Dodson — who missed the team’s wild-card game — is on track to return in Round 2.
  • Leonard Floyd collected an additional $1MM by reaching 10 sacks this season, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The May free agency addition signed a one-year, $7MM deal, one that has been vital due to Von Miller‘s struggle to return to form following his second ACL tear. Floyd, 30, totaled a career-high-matching 10.5 sacks this season.

Giants Rumors: Lawrence, Edwards, WRs, Love

The Giants have been eyeing an extension for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence for a while now and, following a breakout season, the team has made it a priority. New York started preliminary conversations with Lawrence about two weeks ago, but Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS claims he wouldn’t be surprised to see a new deal done “sooner than later.”

Despite the ever-growing markets for every position, the league’s market for defensive tackles has never been near the contract of generational talent Aaron Donald. It appears that this will continue to be the case as we see the defensive tackle market reestablished this offseason. Washington has already made Daron Payne the new second-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL behind Donald with a four-year, $90MM contract. Payne’s average annual value of $22.5MM is still well short of Donald’s $31.67MM per year.

It will be interesting to see where the Giants go from Payne’s deal. Payne established himself as a premier pass-rushing defensive tackle in the league this season but struggled in run defense. Lawrence didn’t have the pass rush production that Payne did but still excelled in the area while also being strong against the run.

Lawrence graded out as the second-best defensive tackle in the league this year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). It would make perfect sense for the Giants to reward Lawrence with a contract that surpasses that of Payne’s new deal, but will Lawrence be able to come anywhere close to the heights reached by Donald?

Here are a few more rumors surrounding the Giants’ priorities at the start of the new league year:

  • Starting the offseason with 21 unrestricted free agents, New York had a laundry list of names and positions to take care of. One of those positions that has been getting some chatter is inside linebacker. Specifically, the Giants have continuously been connected to Eagles pending free agent linebacker T.J. Edwards, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. The four-year Philadelphia defender has had two increasingly impressive breakout seasons, recording career-highs last year in total tackles (159), tackles for loss (10), sacks (2.0), quarterback hits (5), and passes defensed (7). Aside from Edwards, the top name expected to be available at the position is Tremaine Edmunds from Buffalo. Other names of interest for the G-Men include the Commanders’ Cole Holcomb, the Bengals’ Germaine Pratt, the Cowboys’ Leighton Vander Esch, the Lions’ Alex Anzalone, and the Chargers’ Drue Tranquill.
  • The wide receivers position has been an obvious need on the Giants’ roster for some time now, but it doesn’t appear that the Giants intend to address that through free agency, according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News. With their focuses in free agency and the draft reportedly on inside linebackers, defensive linemen, cornerbacks, and interior offensive linemen, thoughts are that the trade market may make more sense for New York. If the Bills aren’t able to reach an extension agreement with Gabriel Davis, the Giants could be strong contenders to acquire his talents. The Rams have granted receiver Allen Robinson permission to seek a trade. Cardinals star receiver DeAndre Hopkins appears to be available for a price, as well. There are other names that could be interesting additions to the trade market such as Cincinnati wideout Tyler Boyd or Denver’s Jerry Jeudy. The team might still make free agency moves for veterans like Cole Beasley or Odell Beckham Jr., but the trade market could be a more attractive way to bring in established talent to New York.
  • There is reportedly optimism that the Giants will be able to come to an agreement to re-sign pending free agent safety Julian Love. After two seasons of relatively down play, Love had a bounce-back, breakout season in a contract year. He led the team in tackles by a mile with 124 total and tacked on two interceptions for good measure. Love may not be expected to make top money at the position, but after playing out his rookie contract, it appears Love is on the right track to remaining in New York long-term.

Bills’ Gabe Davis To Miss Week 2

The Bills’ passing attack will see one of its top cogs miss Week 2. Gabe Davis is not expected to play Monday night, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

Davis suffered a noncontact ankle injury during Buffalo’s Saturday practice, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. It will lead to an absence against the Titans. This is an early blow to a Bills team coming off a dominant season-opening win over the Rams. The Bills have officially declared Davis inactive.

After Buffalo let Emmanuel Sanders walk in free agency — months ahead of the veteran’s retirement — Davis moved into the team’s starting lineup opposite Stefon Diggs on the outside. The team also released Cole Beasley this offseason, leading to an Isaiah McKenzieJamison Crowder slot pairing. Both the inside receivers played extensively in Week 1. Each should be expected to play a bigger role tonight.

A former fourth-round pick, Davis has been a steady part of Buffalo’s passing game since his rookie season. The Central Florida alum surpassed 500 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, despite the presences of John Brown and then Sanders as starters. Davis delivered one of the great receiving games in NFL history in January, catching a playoff-record four touchdown passes in the Bills’ shootout loss to the Chiefs. That offered the Bills more than enough evidence to indicate the 6-foot-2 target was ready for a full-time role in 2022.

Depth-wise, Jake Kumerow and fifth-round pick Khalil Shakir round out Buffalo’s receiving corps. The rookie, who topped 1,100 receiving yards as a Boise State senior, did not dress for the Bills’ Los Angeles opener. Shakir should be expected to suit up Monday, with ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen indicating the team has confidence the rookie can contribute (Twitter link). Having famously received an Aaron Rodgers endorsement, Kumerow has been with the Bills since 2020. He has played mostly on special teams, having caught just three passes for 50 yards as a Bill.

Bills Re-Sign WR Isaiah McKenzie

The Bills have agreed to terms on a new two-year contract with wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal is reportedly worth $8MM, the biggest payday McKenzie has seen in his five-year career. 

McKenzie was picked up by the Bills off waivers after being waived by the Broncos, who drafted him in the 5th round of the 2017 NFL Draft. After finishing out that initial contract in Buffalo, he rode out two one-year deals in 2020 and 2021 worth around $1MM each.

His first year in Buffalo saw him used as the primary kick returner and a bit of a gadget player on offense, receiving and helping out in the rushing game after injuries to running backs LeSean McCoy and Chris Ivory. In his first full season as a Bill, his returner role was diminished with the addition of Andre Roberts, but he continued as a special teamer and gadget player, even contributing in Week 17 as a reserve cornerback.

After re-signing on his first one-year deal in Buffalo, McKenzie saw his most productive season in 2020. McKenzie saw career highs in receptions (30), receiving yards (282), and receiving touchdowns (5). He also recorded his first special teams touchdown on an 84-yard punt return.

The 2021 NFL season didn’t see a large change in McKenzie’s offensive production, but he re-cemented his role as the team’s return specialist, which appears to be the basis for his new contract. McKenzie did see his role on the offense increase a bit when Cole Beasley missed time due to COVID-19.

With star-receiver Stefon Diggs and Beasley set to return, along with Gabriel Davis who emerged as the team’s third receiver for the future, this signing gives the Bills a solid one through four in their receiving corps, with McKenzie set to continue handling return duties.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/29/21

Several key players returned to practice Wednesday. Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Rico Bussey

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/24/21

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark, C Trystan Colon
  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Nate McCrary
  • Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Chris Streveler

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jordan Fuller, TE Tyler Higbee
  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Cole Williamson

Miami Dolphins

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Gerrid Doaks

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer
  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: OL Pier-Olivier Lestage

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Bills To Place WR Gabriel Davis, OL Cody Ford On Reserve/COVID-19 List

Already down Cole Beasley due to his placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Bills will be without one of their other receiving weapons against the Patriots. Gabriel Davis is going on the virus list, Sean McDermott said (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg, on Twitter).

Offensive lineman Cody Ford will join Davis on the COVID list. Ford has bounced in and out of Buffalo’s starting lineup this season; Davis has become a key target for Josh Allen. Davis is unvaccinated, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). He will miss Week 16, and his Week 17 status is up in the air due to the 10-day quarantine period for unvaccinated players.

A 2020 fourth-round pick, Davis stepped into a more prominent role last week due to Emmanuel Sanders‘ injury absence. Davis has four touchdown receptions over the past three games, including two during a five-catch, 85-yard game against the Panthers in Week 15. The Central Florida alum has 13 touchdown grabs in two seasons.

While Beasley and Davis are set to be out of the picture in the Bills’ pivotal Patriots rematch, Sanders is looking likely to return after missing Week 15. The 12th-year veteran, who is battling a knee injury, practiced fully Thursday. His presence will be crucial, given the Bills’ sudden receiver availability issues.

Ford, selected in Round 2 in 2019, has started seven games for the Bills this season. Seeing time at tackle and guard, Ford has struggled, with Pro Football Focus rating the Oklahoma product as its fourth-worst guard this season. The Bills were already shorthanded up front last week, with left tackle Dion Dawkins and left guard Jon Feliciano going on the virus list. This pushed Ford back into the starting lineup. Both Dawkins and Feliciano remain on the list. Dawkins dealt with complications from his previous COVID bout this summer, while Feliciano said this week (via WIVB) he was also hospitalized due to the virus.

The Bills activated tackle Bobby Hart from their practice squad reserve/COVID list Friday but could certainly benefit from news of Dawkins or Feliciano being cleared.