Archives for April 25, 2017

'Last season was Gillislee's best in the NFL since the Miami Dolphins made him a fifth-round choice from Florida in 2013. He rushed for 577 yards and eight touchdowns while backing up LeSean McCoy.'

'Garcia played basketball in high school, and scouting reports suggest his footwork is strong as a result. His quickness helps him get to the outside to prevent rushers from getting around the edge. He also has the desired arm length for NFL offensive tackles at 33 3/8-inches.'

'But for a moment, with three NFL teams relocating over the past 14 months, consider the job Brandon did to keep the Bills in Western New York. Brandon maintained the Bills while Ralph Wilson was an absentee owner.'

'It’s true that Gillislee has been a solid player in Buffalo since he joined the team late in the 2015 season. That season he broke touchdown runs of 50 yards and 60 yards and averaged 5.68 yards per carry. Last season, Gillislee was the premier backup running back in the NFL. He gained 577 yards and scored nine total touchdowns, while his 5.7-yard per carry average led the league.'

'These days, you simply can’t screw up a draft like the Bills did with this one. At a time when at least a few of those players should be furthering their careers in Buffalo and playing key roles for new coach Sean McDermott, instead, the Bills have nothing. It’s as if they skipped the 2013 draft altogether.'

'Yes, the Bills have Mike Tolbert, Joe Banyard and Cedric O'Neal behind LeSean McCoy, but letting Gillislee go to the Patriots may speak to the confidence the team has second year running back Jonathan Williams. Williams only had 24 carries in his rookie season, but it wasn't long ago that Williams was among the best running backs in the SEC. A foot injury sidelined Williams in his final season at Arkansas, but in 2014 he rushed for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns while forcing 44 missed tackles.'

'With the Bills' added pick and the draft just a few days away, here is our latest crack at guessing which NFL Draft prospects will become Buffalo Bills this weekend.'

'Without Gillislee, the Bills now have a need for depth at running back. LeSean McCoy is one of the best running backs in the league, but the depth chart is thin behind him. Veteran Mike Tolbert will get some time at running back as will Jonathan Williams, a fifth-round pick in 2016. Behind them, Joe Banyard and Cedric O'Neil are the only two running backs on the roster.'

'Sean McDermott has preached character early on in his tenure as Bills head coach. He wants to change the culture by bringing in the right type of people. Kelly doesn't fit.'

'Buffalo will receive a fifth-round pick from the Patriots, the 163d overall, in this week’s draft as compensation for the 26-year-old Gillislee.'

'Gillislee signed his offer sheet last Tuesday, and the deal includes $4 million for the 2017 season. Shortly thereafter, a source told the Herald the Bills indicated they wouldn’t match the offer, but they held off until yesterday’s deadline before informing Gillislee of their final decision. It was almost certainly a tactic to prevent Gillislee from joining the Patriots as quickly as possible, especially a year after the Bills immediately declined to match wide receiver Chris Hogan’s offer sheet.'

'In Gillislee, the Patriots land one of the most efficient running backs (success on a per-carry basis) last season, completing a now-crowded backfield that consists of Dion Lewis, James White and free agent signing Rex Burkhead.'

'The Patriots structured this deal in a way that made it tough for the Bills to match. Buffalo has around $10.7 million in cap space and since the Patriots’ offer gives Gillislee $4 million this season, it would’ve left their division foes with little cap space heading into the draft.'

'The bulk of Gillislee’s production came last season when he appeared in 15 games, starting one, gaining 577 yards on 101 carries (a 5.7-yard average) and eight touchdowns, and caught nine passes for 50 yards and one TD as a complement to LeSean McCoy.'

'This marks the second straight year that the Patriots have plucked a talented player away from Buffalo. Last March, the Patriots signed restricted free agent Chris Hogan away from the Bills with an offer that would have been salary-cap poison in Orchard Park.'