Archives for January 2017

'"Buffalo is getting a championship coach," Kubiak said in a statement. "Rico's (Dennison's) success in this league speaks for itself. He's a great teacher, coach and man who will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to a fine organization in Buffalo. Sean (McDermott) has put together a great group of people to lead the Bills for years to come. Go get em, Rico!"'

'Gilmore, Brown, and Alexander were all named to the game as defensive starters for the first time in their career. Brown had a team-high 149 tackles for Buffalo, second most in the NFL this season. He added four sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles.'

'In his second season as a starting quarterback in Buffalo, Taylor put up reflective numbers from his first.'

'The loss of Culley, 61, will shake up the staff some. He’s spent the last 18 years as an assistant under Reid, dating back to their days in Philadelphia, and the last four as the Chiefs’ assistant head coach and receivers coach. He last coached quarterbacks in an official capacity in 1988, when he was at Southwestern Louisiana.'

'In his two seasons as the Bills starting quarterback, Taylor has led the Bills to a 14-14 record but has failed to get the Bills to the playoffs. Taylor is due for a contract extension at the start of the 2017 NFL year which will pay him $27.5 million in the 2017 season. The team does have the option to decline giving Taylor the extension, but he is not medically cleared by the start of the new year he is guaranteed the $27.5 million.'

'While there will undoubtedly be draft needs added and subtracted based on how free agency goes over the next two months, but there is at least a basic knowledge as to what they could most intently be looking for at this point. That list, in no particular order, likely includes quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, linebacker, and safety. The Bills will also need to address depth at other positions, but the ones listed are near the top of the list.'

'Gilmore earns his first career Pro Bowl berth after tallying five interceptions on the year—the most by a Bill since Jairus Byrd’s five interceptions in 2012. Since entering the NFL in 2012 with Buffalo as the Bills’ first round pick (10th overall), Gilmore has provided the Bills with a consistent force in coverage as his 14 career interceptions rank fourth among all AFC defenders since 2012.'

'Bills QB Tyrod Taylor was named as an alternate for the 2017 Pro Bowl. Unfortunately, due to injury, his Pro Bowl status won’t officially take effect. League rules require alternate players to participate in the game to earn their Pro Bowl Status.'

'"Buffalo is getting a championship coach. Rico's (Dennison’s) success in this league speaks for itself,” Kubiak said in a statement. “He's a great teacher, coach and man who will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to a fine organization in Buffalo. Sean (McDermott) has put together a great group of people to lead the Bills for years to come. Go get em, Rico!"'

'Along the way, he produced the best season of his four-year career – 29 catches for 431 yards and three touchdowns. The timing couldn’t have been better, either. He’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March.'

'Alexander is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March.'

'Fans deserve to know Buffalo’s plan, too, before deciding whether to renew season tickets. Are the Bills pushing for a playoff spot and clinging to the far-fetched notion anything can happen in the postseason? Have they accepted the reality that they’re nowhere close to a Super Bowl and require an overhaul? Are the Pegulas leaning toward another tank at your expense? I have no idea.'

'Reasoning: "I'm a believer in franchises with new head coaches starting fresh with new quarterbacks, and it appears likely the Bills move on from Tyrod Taylor after hiring Sean McDermott. That leaves Buffalo with a huge hole and a top-10 pick to fill it. I wrote last week that I didn't think Watson would get a post-title game draft bounce, but I've heard differently from people around the NFL."'

'As for Duke Williams, the safety sat unsigned for close to a month before joining the Indianapolis Colts in December. He appeared in the Colts' season finale, but did not record any stats.'

' Dennison prefers to fit players into his scheme, rather than scheming to fit the talent on the roster. The good news for Buffalo Bills fans is that Tyrod Taylor knows and played in Dennison's scheme in Baltimore, so the learning curve won't be quite as steep for him. If the Bills keep Taylor, that is.'