‘What would it take to get this deal done? The Bills likely have to part with their first this year (9), their second or third (40 or 74) and maybe even a future first. Beane has several holes to fill still on a brand new offense and at some spots on the defense. This might be too high a price tag to stomach as he nears the light at the end of the tunnel for the rebuild.’
BillsBeat - April 23, 2019
2019 NFL Draft: Todd McShay hearing Buffalo Bills want to address DL in Round 1
‘Buffalo added six offensive linemen in free agency, so I’m told it wants to focus on the defensive line with this pick. Oliver and Wilkins are again the two names I’ve heard most here, but the question becomes: Will either still be out there?’
2019 NFL Draft: Peter King goes to trenches for Buffalo Bills in mock draft
‘Bills love Quinnen Williams, but I can’t see the Raiders parting with him if he’s there at four. Bills could also trade up for Josh Allen, or pick T.J. Hockenson if he falls to them. But if they stay, Jonah Williams could be an upgrade to Spencer Long at right guard or possibly, eventually, Ty Nsekhe, at right tackle. Lots of differing opinions in the scouting community on Williams. I would ask Bills Nation to look up “quixotic” in the dictionary. This is a good player, a better-than-Cordy Glenn player, but Williams is not Walter Jones. Having said that, it’s a smart choice by Bills GM Brandon Beane, who is trying to build a playoff team one solid player at a time.’
2019 NFL Draft: What to know about 30 prospects connected to Buffalo Bills
‘Who could the Bills be targeting with their 10 picks in the draft? Here are 30 players the Bills have either met with or who would fit what they do. Consider this your draft-weekend cheat sheet.’
Kryk: Bills' first draft need — help for QB Allen
‘Outside of the Jacksonville Jaguars with Blake Bortles and Miami Dolphins with Ryan Tannehill, NFL teams this decade typically have run out of patience with a struggling young QB before Year 4 — no matter how promising or highly drafted he might have been.’
Running back T.J. Yeldon gets new NFL team in free agency
‘“I don’t want to sit here and say we need it,” Beane said. “I get it. We’ve got two guys who are over 30. We’ve paid attention to it. But I still think there’s guys who are out there and even some in free agency still who can help who will get on teams and help them.”’
Bills add former Jags RB Yeldon to backfield
‘Yeldon’s time with the Jaguars didn’t end on good terms. Executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin blasted Yeldon and Leonard Fournette for their demeanor on the sidelines during the 2018 finale after both players sat on the bench (Yeldon was active but Fournette was not) and appeared disinterested throughout the 20-3 loss to the Houston Texans. Coughlin released a statement after the game in which he said they were “disrespectful, selfish and their behavior was unbecoming that of a professional football player.”‘
Bills announce signing of T.J. Yeldon, adding to the most eclectic RB room in the league
‘They were not at the school at the same time, but it is worth noting that Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll spent the 2017 season working at Alabama, which is where Yeldon went to college. He presumably knows how to use running backs who come out of that system, so it will be interesting to see how the Bills decide to work Yeldon into the mix in 2019 and beyond.’
Bills sign RB T.J. Yeldon to 2-year deal
‘However, Yeldon drew criticism from Jaguars executive vice president Tom Coughlin last seson after he and Leonard Fournette were seen on the sideline appearing to not be paying attention to the team’s Week 17 game against the Texans.’
Bills sign running back T.J. Yeldon
‘Yeldon will join a Bills running back corps that consists of LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore, Marcus Murphy, Keith Ford. Senorise Perry, and Christian Wade. At the age of 25, Yeldon adds a little bit of youth to the team.’
Capaccio: The case for and against the Bills trading back into round one
‘Also, with all of the additions made over the last month or so, it’s going to be hard for some of the Bills’ late round picks to even make the roster. That’s a good problem to have for any team, but one which may entice Beane to decide he doesn’t need to keep all of those selections and use one or more to package together to move up early. He may be comfortable with only coming out of this draft with seven or eight total players instead of the ten he’s scheduled to select.’
Joe B: 2019 NFL Mock Draft No. 6
‘TE TJ Hockenson, Iowa.’
Bills superfan Pancho Billa hospitalized again
‘Late Sunday night, Castro tweeted he was again in the emergency room in Dallas, but is confident he will be okay. He told us Saturday he will fight to be able to be at the Bills home-opener and Thanksgiving games.’
Bills sign TJ Yeldon
‘Yeldon looks to fit in as the third running back behind LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore, but should see significant time on third downs.’
Bills add depth at RB signing free agent T.J. Yeldon
‘Yeldon, 25, has spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, after the club made him a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft.’
Bills Today: ESPN’s predictions for the first three rounds of the draft
‘The mock obviously doesn’t include any trades and general manager Brandon Beane has not shied away from making trades on draft night before. The Bills could end up with one or none of these players depending on how things shake up the first two nights of the draft.’
BillsBeat - April 22, 2019
Iowa's T.J. Hockenson would fill Bills' epic drought at tight end
‘The case for Hockenson: It’s unfair to call any player the “next Rob Gronkowski,” but the Iowa tight end shows elite ability to make plays down the seam and should be one of the better blocking tight ends in the league right away. At 6-foot-4 3/4 and 251 pounds, he ran 4.70 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the same time as Eagles Pro Bowler Zach Ertz. Gronkowski ran roughly the same (a hand-timed 4.68) entering the 2010 draft. The 6-6, 258-pound Gronkowski is a tad bigger (his arm length is 34 1/4 vs. 32 1/4 for Hockenson). NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Jason Witten, Dallas’ 11-time Pro Bowler, is a better comparison.’
Pollock: Even the Bills will hold their own mock draft
‘“YOU TRY and let the board to fall (as you imagine it will),” Beane said. “We make every scout the GM of a team and our pro (player specialists) go through what we see their team needs are. Obviously, you’re not necessarily supposed to draft for need, but teams still do it. At that point, you start looking to see where need and skill level fit.”‘
Buffalo Bills management touts new training facility as ‘best in the NFL’; State-of-the art technology makes Buffalo a destination
‘“The Pegulas said they wanted best in class, they wanted the best facility in the NFL,” said Ciano. “Their main question was, ‘What can we do to help our players succeed?’ (They went) to all avenues to do that.”’
Sullivan: With McDermott in charge, expect Bills to look 'D' at draft
‘My educated guess? They’ll go for a defensive lineman with their first pick — a three-technique tackle or a rush end. Beane said he’ll take the “best player,” which is generally the case. I don’t recall any GM ever drafting someone in the first round and saying, “We took this guy, but he’s not the best player.”’
Capaccio: What to do with the ninth overall pick?
‘So, I say it’s about 50/50 that we hear commissioner Roger Goodell read a card turned in by the Bills with a player’s name on it at No. 9.’
Bills Today: ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. thinks people are sleeping on Bills
‘”I believe in Josh Allen,” Kiper said. “I think the Bills fans do and I know that team does internally and that organization does. Build around Josh, keep that defense going and I think the Bills could be the surprise team of the NFL this season.”’
BillsBeat - April 21, 2019
Why Bills could achieve Brandon Beane's 'best player available' this year
‘“I do think I can sit here and say that I don’t feel we have a glaring hole,” Beane said. “I’m never going to say that we (don’t) have positions that are stronger than others. … We still do have ‘needs,’ but we’re not going into the draft with a glaring hole. That was the focus and will be the focus area in free agency. At the minimum, we’ve at least accomplished that.”’
Inside the Bills: New sports performance center viewed as 'clearly the best' in NFL
‘“I think it’s a game-changer for us,” General Manager Brandon Beane said. “This is the one thing that we didn’t have that was top level, and we went from probably below average to the best — I think clearly the best.”’
One-on-One Coverage: Terrance Gray’s football dream led him to Bills' scouting role
‘“He’s a guy that I thought could be a young riser and had a lot of qualities that just needed experience,” Beane said.’
Buffalo Bills draft: 5 offensive lineman who should be available after the first round
‘It’s clear he’ll get a good player at No. 9, but that player being an offensive lineman smacks of a smokescreen. The Bills may indeed pick one at some point, but it doesn’t seem that using their first pick is the spot to do it, especially with so many top-end defensive linemen expected to be available.’
UNE student turns love of football into her NFL opportunity
‘Gosper is not the only female to earn an internship with the Bills this year. According to Samantha Rapoport, the NFL’s senior director of football development, Buffalo hired four women who attended the forum in February. “The Bills’ leadership has been at the forefront of diversity and inclusion. … Their track record with this program speaks volumes about their commitment and paves the way for important progress in this space,” she said.’
Buffalo Bills mock draft 2019: Seven rounds, picks, big board, team needs, multiple options for every selection
‘The Bills are likely looking to add an impact player on their defensive line, and it just so happens they’re in a great spot at No. 9. In fact, if they want to trade back a few picks, maybe with a team looking to get ahead of Denver for a quarterback, there should still be defensive-line talent available in the teens, with help at right tackle or guard as a fall-back option. Here’s how I’d project the Bills’ draft board for their first pick, considering only players I feel have some chance of making it in range:’
NFL analysts believe this position is the hidden strength of the draft
‘“Tight end-wise, one of the better tight end drafts we’ve had in a while with premier top-end guys as well as a lot of depth all the way through,” said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah of the 2019 class. “I can find you tight ends in every round in this draft. It’s a really, really good group.”’
BillsBeat - April 20, 2019
How early in the draft will the Bills take a tight end? Here are 5 they may key on.
‘If the Bills decide to pick Hockenson, they’ll have to do it with the No. 9 overall pick, and while some may argue that’s too high, if they truly covet him and think he can become an impact player, they should take him.’
Buffalo Bills draft picks: Round-by-round look at where they're selecting
‘The Buffalo Bills have 10 draft picks currently, here is where they’re going to pick next week.’
Bills’ McDermott excited about draft possibilities
‘“There’s a lot of teams, over the years, that have put talent in the locker room, but haven’t been able to develop that talent or bring them together. No. 1, the challenge is on our players to get together and for us to get to know them, and then also for us to do different things to try and build that team, that bond, that chemistry that so embodies good teams.”’
Buffalo Bills 2019 NFL Draft: Pros, cons for Montez Sweat at No. 9 - How he fits
‘Health issue. Sweat underwent tests before the Combine and it was reported that a heart condition was found. He was able to test at the combine but it’s a red flag teams are going to have to discuss.’
Buffalo Bills targeting Houston’s Ed Oliver at No. 9 overall, says B/R’s Matt Miller
‘The Bills and head coach Sean McDermott want an interior pass-rusher on defense and not the big space-eaters they have now. Oliver’s ability to penetrate and shoot gaps makes him a perfect fit in the team’s 4-3 scheme.’
2019 NFL Draft: Buffalo Bills more than open to trading back, says Daniel Jeremiah
‘“With (Montez) Sweat, I did my conference call yesterday in the morning and then in the afternoon I made my medical calls. I talked to a couple different teams to get all the medical information. There is some legitimate concern there (regarding Sweat). So I think when you’re looking at somebody potentially that could fall, Montez Sweat would fall under that category. But I also hear when it comes to the Bills they’re a team that would be more than open to trading back. So maybe that’s a situation where if you’re not comfortable with Montez Sweat right there, you think maybe you can trade back get some more value maybe you’d be more likely to take a Brian Burns or a Montez Sweat a little lower.”’
Buffalo Bills could be surprise team of the NFL this season, says Mel Kiper Jr.
‘“In terms of a team getting better, I’ll go right to the Buffalo Bills,” Kiper said. “Support Josh (Allen). Josh Allen proved he could be a big-time quarterback. He made plays last year and I watched every snap he took. I watched throws that were great throws called back for penalties on successive plays and they put him way behind the chains. I watched dropped passes put them in bad down and distance situations. I saw him compete. I saw him do things that other quarterbacks, even veterans, couldn’t do. Athletically, competitiveness is phenomenal. The arm, we know he has. Some of the layups, for whatever reason, he’ll just miss a few of those throws that make you scratch your head a little bit. But if he can just even things out a bit, keep working –which he will—I think the Buffalo Bills… People are just sleeping on the Buffalo Bills for some reason.”’
Former Iowa tight ends could be on Bills' radar
‘Former Iowa Hawkeyes T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant are two names that sit atop the tight end prospect rankings; and both have been connected to the Bills. Both players have first-round potential and could make history on Thursday, April 25 as the first tight ends from the same school to be selected in the first round of the same draft.’
Bills backup QB Matt Barkley's terrifying run-in with a spider
‘The post quickly went viral… with more than 1,000 people liking the post after just a few hours! One fan tweeted (and was retweeted) saying it MIGHT be a wolf spider. SPOOKY!’
"Pancho Billa" considering NFL draft announcement
‘“I started telling bills fans that reach out to me, and tell me they’re praying for me, and thinking about me, and I reply to those messages,” he said. “I tell them, its’ not just me, think about all of the other fans, the Bills fans, that have the same struggle that I am going through.”‘
3 things Bills fans can expect at Micah Hyde's Charity Softball Game
‘“It means a lot,” said Hyde on Thursday to the media. “Every year we have our annual events that we put on here in Buffalo. We have a back to school [backpack] drive for the kids. We have a Thanksgiving dinner for the kids and we also have a Christmas event. So, we wanted to bring this, something that we’ve done in the past, and bring it to Buffalo. We just know how excited fans here will be…it’s a day where we all just have fun, laugh, joke around. We interact with the fans. You might see me up in the crowd, talking to some kids [and] throwing some baseballs out. It puts our faces out there in front of the community and I think it’s very important.”‘