HOUSE

The next wave of free agency could be primed to begin Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. ET. The passing of the league-wide deadline signals current veteran players on the open market no longer count in the NFL's method of calculations for determining compensatory draft picks. "If teams sign players, they are not counted against the compensatory pick formula," NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport explained Monday night on Total Access. "In other words, they do not hurt future draft choices. So, you have some players that are simply in a waiting game." Teams with money to spend won't find a drying pool of talent, especially on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and defensive end Ezekiel Ansah are the highest-ranked unsigned players on NFL.com's list of Top 101 free agents of 2019, which was published before the start of the new league calendar year. And in a league where pass rushers are at a premium, Ansah and his 48 career sacks should experience an uptick from interested teams willing to be patient as he recovers from shoulder surgery. "He had a checkup recently with an expert," Rapoport said. "He's going to be ready about early on or midway through training camp. That's a good sign for him." Other players of note from NFL.com's Top 101 list still seeking a home include cornerback Morris Claiborne, linebacker Jamie Collins, running back Jay Ajayi, safety Glover Quin and outside linebacker Shane Ray, among others. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001030106/article/tuesday-deadline-marks-next-wave-of-free-agency

This will completely screw up my 2020-25 mock drafts, now I need to start over.

Great replacement for Tom Brady

By Mark Gaughan|Published May 6, 2019|Updated May 6, 2019 Here’s a reason to hope Josh Allen is bound for improvement in his second year as the Buffalo Bills’ quarterback: Maybe his receiving corps will drop fewer passes. The Bills had too many drops in 2018. In fact, Allen had the second highest rate of dropped passes of any quarterback in the NFL last season, according to a recent study by Pro Football Focus. Allen saw dropped passes on 6.3 percent of his throws, behind only Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles, who had a drop rate of 7.7 percent. The Bills' receivers combined to drop 20 passes on 320 attempts by Allen, according to PFF. With free-agent signings mostly completed and the NFL draft in the books, Bills fans have four months to contemplate whether the team has done enough to help Allen take a great leap forward Allen ranked last among all starting quarterbacks last season in completion percentage at just 52.8. The league average was 64.8 percent. The addition of 13 unrestricted free-agent signings on offense has created high expectations of improvement. “We drafted Josh last year and we saw some of his strengths, but some of the things we didn’t feel, and we, I’m putting it on me, didn’t do a good enough job with personnel around him to help him be the best version of himself on the field,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said on draft weekend. Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones each had four drops for the Bills last year, according to News game charts. Benjamin, released by the Bills in December, had three drops from Allen and one from Matt Barkley. Tight end Logan Thomas, who left the Bills in free agency and signed with Detroit, had three drops last season. (Here's an example of a drop by Jones in Week 15 that wasn't an easy grab but should have been caught.) Open to watch dropped passes... https://buffalonews.com/2019/05/06/josh-allen-buffalo-bills-accuracy-dropped-passes-kelvin-benjamin-charles-clay-completion-percentage/

I guess I am the only one that likes Suh. Reports are NE for a very reasonable deal

Was it posted earlier? If so I will delete

C By Conor Orr May 03, 2019 The hysteria of the draft is wearing off as the NFL moves to a calmer part of the offseason. But big names are still available in free agency, and now that teams have a clearer picture of their needs post-draft, those names may start flying off the board. Teammate Albert Breer noted that starting Tuesday, free agent signings no longer count against a team’s compensatory pick formula. Compensatory picks have become an obsession (which, in NFL parlance, means that good teams have cared about it for years and now that people are writing about it more teams will catch on). Unhinged, hungry general managers everywhere could rush to the buffet. Here’s a look at the best left out there: 1. Ziggy Ansah, DE The soon-to-be-30-year-old hasn’t played a full 16-game season since 2016, but did log 12 sacks in 2017 and four over a seven-game stretch in 2018. The former first-round pick could be a solid addition for a team searching for help on the edge. 2. Ndamukong Suh, DT Suh, 32, is one of the greatest defensive players at his position in the modern era. I think back to the Super Bowl, where he was effective early—had the Rams produced some offense we might be talking more about his impact on the game plan. Suh might be a part-time player, and an expensive one at that. But there’s always room for a versatile tackle who specializes in pissing people off. 3. Zach Brown, LB One of Pro Football Focus’s best linebackers last season, Brown is under 30 and will probably have suitors. If you missed out on Devin White or Devin Bush in the draft, you may need to look to someone like Brown for help. (UPDATE: Does Howie Roseman subscribe to the Morning Huddle? The Eagles announced they signed Brown five minutes after this hit inboxes.) 4. Eric Berry, S Health is obviously a concern for Berry, who has played in three games over the last two seasons (torn Achilles and heel bruise). Still, I think back to what his old defensive coordinator, Bob Sutton, used to say about Berry’s singular ability to destroy an opposition’s game plan. He could be one of the most fortuitous gambles of the offseason. 5. Tre Boston, S Boston is only 26 and had a good season in Arizon last year—79 total tackles, three QB hits, three interceptions and nine passes defensed. While he may be bummed out that other teams don’t see the value, he’ll get his chance to prove them wrong. 6. Donald Penn, OT Penn just turned 35, won’t be cheap and won’t play any special teams. He made it through four games last year before getting placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. But he was a productive player not so long ago, recently professed his desire to continue playing, and could be a solid option for teams who whiffed on the offensive line class in this d Suh, 32, is one of the greatest defensive players at his position in the modern era. I think back to the Super Bowl, where he was effective early—had the Rams produced some offense we might be talking more about his impact on the game plan. Suh might be a part-time player, and an expensive one at that. But there’s always room for a versatile tackle who specializes in pissing people off. 3. Zach Brown, LB One of Pro Football Focus’s best linebackers last season, Brown is under 30 and will probably have suitors. If you missed out on Devin White or Devin Bush in the draft, you may need to look to someone like Brown for help. (UPDATE: Does Howie Roseman subscribe to the Morning Huddle? The Eagles announced they signed Brown five minutes after this hit inboxes.) 4. Eric Berry, S Health is obviously a concern for Berry, who has played in three games over the last two seasons (torn Achilles and heel bruise). Still, I think back to what his old defensive coordinator, Bob Sutton, used to say about Berry’s singular ability to destroy an opposition’s game plan. He could be one of the most fortuitous gambles of the offseason. 5. Tre Boston, S Boston is only 26 and had a good season in Arizon last year—79 total tackles, three QB hits, three interceptions and nine passes defensed. While he may be bummed out that other teams don’t see the value, he’ll get his chance to prove them wrong. 6. Donald Penn, OT Penn just turned 35, won’t be cheap and won’t play any special teams. He made it through four games last year before getting placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. But he was a productive player not so long ago, recently professed his desire to continue playing, and could be a solid option for teams who whiffed on the offensive line class in this d more... https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/05/03/remaining-free-agent-ranknigs-ziggy-ansah-ndamukong-suh-michael-crabtree

prior to being limited to seven games last year, he had never played in fewer than 13 games in a season. So, Anzah is not injury prone. His big injury just happened in a contract year, earning him that undesirable label. If Anzah gets hurt again, Cincinnati can just cut bait after the season and lose very little in the long run. If there is still a sliver of a sack artist in Anzah, the Bengals get fantastic value late in free agency. https://stripehype.com/2019/05/06/the-bengals-should-take-a-flyer-on-ezekiel-ansah/

I kind of doubt he will sign anywhere without a re evaluation.

With Ziggy, Buffalo could easily have the #1 defense in 2019. Also, Jerry Hughes could be gone in 2020 so I am hoping for a 2 + year deal.

Man, I think its huge. If he didn't have the shoulder injury he would have been gone the first week of free agency. Doctor House says no worries, some players actually have a stronger then before shoulder after surgery. Should be ready by game 1 but I expect he might be held out of the lineup for a game or two as a precaution. ..

1. CBS Sports predicts Bills will land this free agent Wait so the Buffalo Bills aren’t done adding talent to the roster? The Bills have been more active in free agency than any other team this offseason and have loaded up each side of the ball with numerous pieces. Offensively Buffalo added Frank Gore, T.J. Yeldon, John Brown, Cole Beasley, Ty Nsekhe, Tyler Kroft, Mitch Morse just to name a few. The key of the offseason has been to surround Josh Allen with talent and Brandon Beane has gone out and done just that. But what about the defense? Buffalo added EJ Gaines and Kevin Johnson to the secondary but remained relatively quiet on the defensive line until the draft selection of Ed Oliver. CBS Sports predicts the Bills will add another piece to a defense that ranked No. 2 in yards allowed last year. The Bills aren't exactly desperate for a pass rusher, but there's a reason they've been sniffing around Ezekiel Ansah for almost two months. No. 1, adding a former All-Pro to a line that now includes first-rounder Ed Oliver could really ramp up their trench game. No. 2, they're flush with the cap space to make it happen. Ansah may want a one-year deal to get back on the market for one last shot at a big contract, but regardless, he seems like a guy who'd fit in Buffalo. It's not like he'd be playing with slouches, either. https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-today-cbs-sports-predicts-bills-will-land-this-free-agent

By: Nick Wojton | 14 hours ago Sometimes life isn’t always easy for a rookie in the NFL. ESPN’s NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. doesn’t think that will be the case for Ed Oliver, though. Kiper recently tabbed 15 rookie draft picks from the 2019 NFL draft that will be “instant-impact rookies.” You guessed it, Oliver is among them, and is the only prospect drafted in the top-10 to appear on the list. Here’s what Kiper said about Oliver’s addition to the list: My pal Louis Riddick said on TV several times over the past few months that Oliver was used incorrectly in college. Why is an athlete like Oliver — he has one of the fastest first steps off the ball of any defensive tackle I’ve ever scouted — playing nose tackle? Buffalo will play him as a 3-technique tackle in its 4-3 defense, in place of the retired Kyle Williams, and he’s going to be a disruptive presence. No, he’s not Aaron Donald like some were calling him last summer — he is still developing consistent pass-rush moves — but Oliver will destroy double-teams and cause wreckage in the backfield. Because of the Bills’ offensive struggles in 2018, the defense went under the radar; it was the top-ranked pass defense, allowing only 179.2 yards per game, and gave up only 294.1 total yards per game. This is a young, talented and physical group. Oliver fills an immediate need. While the Bills did their best to not have any “needs” on their roster heading into the draft, Oliver will certainly slide right into Williams’ old spot. In college, that nose tackle spot held Oliver to only 13.5 sacks. But put into a perspective of his role at Houston, 13.5 sacks is impressive. While Kiper does tip his cap to the team’s defense and secondary, specifically, the Bills can stand to improve their pass rush. While Buffalo’s defense did put up some good numbers in 2018, they only had 36 sacks, good for 26th best in the NFL. https://billswire.usatoday.com/2019/05/06/mel-kiper-jr-buffalo-bills-ed-oliver-instant-impact-rookie/

Thank god....

I am calling it first, he isn't going anywhere

Could cost Cam Phillips his job?

Haaaaaaa, not good http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001030083/article/dez-bryant-posts-first-route-on-his-comeback-trail

I see no reason why we can't bring him in for a tryout. He isn't going to get a big deal

Richie hasn't played in almost 2 years and will be 36 in July. This is a reach by the Raiders. IMO ..

I am hoping for 99. I can convert my Dareus jersey to something useful.