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[Buffalo Bills]

90 Buffalo Bills players in 90 days: OG O’Cyrus Torrence

Entering the 2025 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills are poised to bring back their entire starting offensive line. While individual talent is obviously a must for any professional athlete, with a positional grouping like an offensive line, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of cohesion in a group.

When you know exactly what the guy next to you is going to do, and you’ve played with those people for multiple years, it makes communication up front so much easier. When communication is good in an offensive line, it leads to great things. When the quarterback is already elite, it helps that his protection unit is, as well.

In today’s edition of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss a big guard on the cusp of something great.

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Name: O’Cyrus Torrence
Number: 64
Position: G
Height/Weight: 6’5”, 347 pounds
Age: 25 (26 on 1/20/2026
Experience/Draft: 3; selected by Buffalo in the second round (No. 59 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft
College: Florida
Acquired: Second-round draft choice

Financial situation (per Spotrac): Torrence enters the third year of his four-year rookie contract, which is worth $6,220,978 overall. For the 2025 season, Torrence’s cap hit is $1,696,630 if he makes the 53-man roster, and the Bills will carry a dead-cap charge of $762,174 if he’s released or traded.

2024 Recap: Torrence once again appeared in all 17 of Buffalo’s games, starting the first 16 contests. The only reason he didn’t start in the regular-season finale is that the Bills were resting as many starters as they could, so he was replaced by Will Clapp at right guard.

Torrence graded out as one of the NFL’s worst guards per Pro Football Focus (PFF), with his overall grade coming in at just 54.9 for the season. That landed him at No. 99 out of 136 guards. In the postseason, his grade was 59.5, which was No. 13 out of 34 guards.

Given that Buffalo’s offensive line performed extremely well as a unit last season, allowing a league-low 19 sacks in 20 regular and postseason games, it’s hard to buy the team having a link so weak at an important position up front. Add in the fact that the Bills averaged 4,5 yards per rush, good for 11th overall, and achieved first downs on 28.5% of their carries — the fourth-highest rate in the league — and it highlights a big problem with trying to evaluate offensive line play.

Positional outlook: Torrence is one of four “guards-only” on the current roster. David Edwards, Rush Reimer, and Connor McGovern — who plays center — are the other players listed at guard. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger is listed as a guard-slash-center. Alec Anderson is listed as a tackle, but he plays center and guard, as well. Mike Edwards is listed as an offensive lineman, but he is primarily a guard. Tylan Grable is a tackle, but he has seen time inside, as well.

2025 Offseason: Torrence is playing right guard in camp and performing well. Joe Buscaglia, in particular, was discussing Torrence looking like a player ready to take that next step into dominance.

2025 Season outlook: It’s hard to read numbers like those from PFF that seem so clearly to note that a player isn’t very good and then contrast it both with what you’re seeing during games and what you’re reading about the player from people who cover the team. Offensive line play is hard to grade because so often we look at results. If a player is beaten for a sack or a tackle for loss, it’s “bad.” If the player isn’t beaten, it’s “good.”

But, like my baseball coach used to say in high school, “The other team practices, too.” What he meant was that we might do everything right in terms of our process, yet we could still lose a rep, an at-bat, or a game.

Torrence has been solid throughout his two seasons. Buffalo’s offensive line has been very, very good throughout that time. It definitely helps them that they have a unicorn playing quarterback; however, that unicorn also holds the football for a long time. That changes how a lineman blocks. If a play is designed as a three-step drop, the lineman is setting up for a quick throw.

With a quarterback like Josh Allen, that three-step drop could turn into something entirely different, though, and the lineman has to adjust on the fly. The lineman might “lose” on the play design, but keep his quarterback clean for long enough that he makes a play. The lineman might “allow” a sack because the quarterback trusted himself to hold the ball longer than was originally dictated by the play call.

All of this is a long-winded way of saying that, regardless of the “grade,” Torrence has passed the eye test as a very good guard. Entering his third season, if he could take that next step into the stratosphere of the elites like fellow right side of the line friend Spencer Brown did last season, it would make one of the league’s best offensive lines that much better. Torrence is a very good player who has nothing to worry about in terms of his roster spot or his job, as he’ll be the starter at right guard as long as he’s healthy.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/90...o-bills-players-in-90-days-og-ocyrus-torrence

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Madden NFL 26 ratings show Josh Allen does more with less

It’s almost “Madden Season” yet again, Bills Mafia. With the popular EA Sports game set to be released on the 14th of this month, and with the Buffalo Bills widely recognized as one of the best teams in the NFL in the last five years, Madden NFL 26 is finally the version of the game where Buffalo is one of the strongest teams in the league (4th overall).

The latest edition features a franchise led by one of the best players in the game, 99 overall supestar X-Factor quarterback Josh Allen. The MVP got his well-deserved recognition, the rest of the roster, though, it’s not that simple.

The @Ravens flock to the top spot in overall team rankings!

All #Madden26Ratings are Live Now! pic.twitter.com/sGU02tOcTZ

— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) August 1, 2025

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“It’s just a video game!” — Not really.​

Madden NFL 26’s player ratings transcend the “just a video game” argument, because EA Sports holds the exclusive NFL license, making Madden the sole virtual representation of professional football in a multi-million-dollar market that captivates fans, amplifies player legacies, and boosts the NFL’s brand. The ratings are a critical component, carrying plenty of cultural and emotional weight and generating arguments among fan bases, even becoming another evaluation method of the players’ abilities.

EA crafts these ratings through a rigorous process, leveraging Pro Football Focus (PFF) data for detailed performance metrics like blocking grades or coverage efficiency, analyzing NFL game tape to assess player tendencies, and consulting former NFL players and coaches, like Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, for expert insights. They integrate real-world stats alongside analytics to assign the ratings.

In theory, this data-driven methodology, refined by human expertise, should ensure ratings that reflect authentic player abilities. Despite not being perfect, those ratings, overall, aren’t bad, and you can get an idea of how the national market sees the talent in Buffalo and in all the other markets of the league.

Madden Bills lack star power compared to contenders​

In Madden NFL 26, the Bills are rated as the fourth-best team in the NFL, a reflection of their consistent regular-season dominance and their ability to compete with the league’s elite. This ranking places them just behind perennial juggernauts Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles, acknowledging their well-rounded roster with 29 players being rated 75 overall or better. The third-best team in the game, the Chiefs, has the same 29 such players, with the second-ranked Eagles having 22, and the number one Ravens having 26.

.@Ravens and @Eagles offenses lead the way!

All #Madden26Ratings are Live Now! pic.twitter.com/FdSZS0U3yV

— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) August 1, 2025

However, when we set the bar higher, we start to see something that makes a lot of sense when looking at Buffalo’s real-life roster. Despite possessing good players, coaches, and depth, star power is really lacking throughout Buffalo’s roster. The Bills have just two players over 90 overall, MVP QB Josh Allen (99, X-Factor) and left tackle Dion Dawkins (91). Disgruntled running back James Cook is near there with an 89 overall rating and is one of just two skill position players over 80 (wide receiver Khalil Shakir is an 82 overall).

It’s nowhere near the level of their main rivals, with the Chiefs having six players with an overall rating of 90 or more. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (95, X-Factor) leads the offense, with tight end Travis Kelce (93, X-Factor) and right guard Trey Smith (90) also in the elite tier. Running backs Isiah Pacheco (83) and Kareem Hunt (80), and wide receivers Rashee Rice (83), Maquise Brown (80), and Xavier Worthy (80) close out a group of six skill position players at 80 overall or more. Way more than the Bills’ two, but that’s not all.

The Ravens have nine(!) players at 90 or more, with quarterback Lamar Jackson (like Allen) a 99 overall QB, but also running back Derrick Henry as a 98 overall (both X-Factors). Tight ends Mark Andrews (91) and Isaiah Likely (80), plus wide receivers Zay Flowers (85), DeAndre Hopkins (82), and Rashod Bateman (81), offer a lot of firepower for Baltimore, with another six skill position players at 80 overall or more.

The Eagles have five players over 90 overall, and four skill position players at 87 or higher. Heck, if we look at the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that has been out of the playoffs for two years now and has only 18 players with a 75 overall rating or more, they have three total players over 90 overall. Also, they have three skill position guys at 80 or higher, with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase a 99 overall, X-Factor player himself, to help quarterback Joe Burrow (97 overall, X-Factor) in that offense.

Looking at those ratings, we’d like to believe Buffalo would have a solid advantage at offensive line, where great run blocking and solid pass protection have led the unit to one of the top offenses in the NFL. It’s not well reflected in the new game, though. Dawkins and his bookend right tackle Spencer Brown (85) are really good, but the interior is very underrated with center Connor McGovern (78), left guard David Edwards (75), and especially right guard O’Cyrus Torrence’s (73) ratings not reflecting their level of play in real life. If we look at Kansas City’s line, which has struggled recently, it has players rated at the same level or even better, and the same applies to Baltimore.

Different side of the ball, same story​

It isn’t any different looking at the Bills’ defense. We could argue that some players there are underrated — linebacker Terrel Bernard with a 79 overall rating and below Shaq Thompson at 81 jumps out — but mostly, they aren’t off mark. Defensive end Greg Rousseau is the best player there with an 88 overall rating and superstar abilities, and I can’t say he deserves better than that.

Cornerback Christian Benford, with an 85 overall, is very underrated. He should be closer to 90, and I’m pretty sure he’ll get there with the “Hard Knocks” exposure and how well he should play as the season starts. Linebacker Matt Milano (84, X-Factor) is probably a little low, but he didn’t play at his best last season after recovering from tough injuries.

Defensive end Joey Bosa (85, Superstar) is another one who hasn’t been healthy enough and might be a bit overrated right now. Overall, the unit has no players over 90, but 15 between 88 and 75 overall ratings. It’s a deep group with potential, but nothing special compared to other contenders.

️The @Steelers are your top defense in Madden NFL 26!

All #Madden26Ratings are Live Now! pic.twitter.com/7OKnfIVYtn

— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) August 1, 2025

The Chiefs have defensive tackle Chris Jones (97, X-Factor) and cornerback Trent McDuffie (94, Superstar) as their difference makers on that side of the ball, plus, they have 11 players between 84 and 75 overall ratings. The Ravens have linebacker Roquan Smith (94, X-Factor), defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (93, Superstar), cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (92, Superstar) and Jaire Alexander (91, X-Factor), and safety Kyle Hamilton (90, X-Factor) leading their powerhouse defense. Add nine more players between 83 and 75 overall, and it’s a stacked group.

Even the Bengals, definitely not known for their defensive performances recently, have a stud rated over 90 in defensive end Trey Hendrickson (92, Superstar), and have 10 players between 82 and 74 overall. They’re worse than the Bills but not by much.

Doing more with less​

At the end of the day, Madden 26 isn’t really wrong — The Bills have been good, have been competitive, have built a deep roster with good players, but haven’t really hit with their early picks and big free-agent signings. It’s made them a good, tough, well-coached team that, led by a generational quarterback, has been able to compete at the highest level consistently.

However, when it’s playoff time, taking on the absolutely best of the best in terms of coaching and talent level has proven to be difficult for Buffalo, with the defense struggling to contain star players and coaching staffs in their schemes. On offense, Allen has been able to lead a good offense, but it’s has become increasingly clear that the lack of play makers around him in crucial moments has cost them big time.

One thing for sure: Those Madden ratings show yet again that, more than anyone else, Josh Allen deserves that 99 overall rating. Nobody does more with less, as Lamar Jackson has a stacked roster and a 98 X-Factor running back to help him play at that 99 overall level. Joe Burrow has a 99 X-Factor WR in to throw him the ball (plus another 87, Superstar one in Tee Higgins), and Patrick Mahomes has a 93 X-Factor tight end plus several playmakers over 80 and, most importantly, with a lot of speed. Josh has an 89 Superstar running back, an 82 overall wide receiver, and that’s it.

Taking on any of the biggest rivals in the AFC won’t be an easy task for Buffalo, as they’re at a clear disadvantage against Baltimore and Kansas City, and the case could be made even against Cincinnati. The lack of star power around Josh Allen has hurt and, as EA Sports says in their motto, “It’s in the game.”

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Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...6-ratings-show-josh-allen-does-more-with-less

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Injuries have Buffalo Bills RB moonlighting at K

Injuries have the Buffalo Bills scrambling, and it’s been a common theme this summer dating back even before the start of training camp. However, with camp at St. John Fisher University now in the books and the first preseason game on August 9, there isn’t time to sit back and hope things quickly improve.

To that end, the Bills have had to get creative on special teams, deploying running back Ray Davis as placekicker with Tyler Bass sidelined due to pelvic-area soreness. It’s not an ideal situation, to say the least.

Given the current news about starting running back James Cook, the Bills can ill-afford to see Davis himself sidelined (potentially due to injury) while handling kicking duties. Buffalo is fortunate there’s still time to tackle the team’s latest kicking woes, but the regular season is just a few short weeks away.

To that end, head coach Sean McDermott revealed that the Bills worked out placekickers John Hoyland and Caden Davis. Hoyland and Davis are undrafted rookies — having spent time this spring and summer with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets before their releases, respectively.

Per the NFL transaction wire, the #Bills worked out kickers John Hoyland and Caden Davis … Tyler Bass remains out with pelvic-area soreness.. BUF takes on NYG Saturday in preseason action. Sean McDermott mentioned this earlier Thursday, without the names included #BillsMafia

— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 7, 2025

Will the Bills trot out Ray Davis in extended fashion, asking him to moonlight as an NFL placekicker this Saturday? It remains to be seen with the team having yet to announce a signing at the position.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...uries-have-buffalo-bills-rb-moonlighting-at-k

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Buffalo Bills LT Dion Dawkins named to NFL Top 100 list for 2025

Dion Dawkins, the larger-than-life left tackle with an incredible heart and limitless personality, has once again been named one of the NFL’s best players. Dawkins joins the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025 at 42, moving up an impressive 54 spots from his inclusion in 2024 at spot 96.

What more can be said about Dawkins off the field? He’s full-throated about his love for all things Bills Mafia, and for the Western New York region. He does immeasurable good for underserved communities in and around Buffalo, NY and elsewhere through the Dion’s Dreamers foundation he began after arriving in Orchard Park, NY.

Dawkins uses his very public platform to do the best possible for those less fortunate than him, and it’s a true passion project that plays a featured role in his life off the field. Thanks to his play on the gridiron while protecting current NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen, recognition for all that Dawkins does and has accomplished as a 31-year-old veteran about to enter his ninth NFL season continues to grow.

Trying to understand an offensive lineman’s stats often leads to challenging and incomplete conversations, apart from those about how many sacks they directly give up. Pro Football Focus (PFF) is often at the forefront of those debates, representing the real difficulty in understanding what makes for good offensive line play. That’s clearly true when looking at their numbers for Dawkins in 2024 instead of relying on the eye test.

Per PFF, Dawkins posted an overall grade of 72.9 (33/140 among OTs) in 2024; receiving a pass-blocking grade of 81.2 (16/140 among OTs); and finishing with a run-blocking grade of 68.7 (44/140 among OTs). Dawkins played 959 snaps in 2024 (26/140 among OTs) — further broken down as 585 pass-blocking snaps (23/140 among OTs) and 374 run-blocking snaps (26/140 among OTs).

Dawkins was penalized 13 times (131/140 among OTs), and gave up three sacks (77/140 among OTs) plus four quarterback hits (94/140 among OTs) — in total allowing 22 pressures (91/140 among OTs), all per PFF.

Dawkins is the second Bills player to be named to the 2025 list, joining running back James Cook (who landed at 89). As Dawkins will quickly remind, you already shnow that at least one more player from Buffalo’s current offensive roster will be named to this year’s list, namely Josh Allen.

NFL Top 100 Players of 2025:@BuffaloBills OT Dion Dawkins lands at No. 42! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/7WeIQu7mtC

— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2025

SHNOW worries, @DDawkins66 second consecutive year on the #NFLTop100. #GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/q2DEUHeypq

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 8, 2025

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...on-dawkins-named-to-nfl-top-100-list-for-2025

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Why haven’t the Bills leaned further into James Cook as a receiver?

An oft-repeated phrase in plenty of Bills Mafia circles, the saying goes that, essentially, Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is an unreliable receiver. In the lead up to the 2022 NFL Draft, many analysts were quick to praise Cook for his dual-threat ability. With the Georgia Bulldogs, Cook proved capable lined up anywhere as a skill player.

Plenty of analysts saw him as a perfect complementary, change-of-pace back; perhaps someone ill-suited to featured work due to size and strength concerns, yet a potential matchup nightmare in passing situations thanks to his speed and hands. Respected draft analyst Lance Zierlein’s NFL comparison for Cook was none other than fellow Bills running back Darrynton Evans.

Bills fans were excited about Cook’s prospects in Orchard Park, NY — a more nuanced version of Alvin Kamara, if you will. Yet, no one quite knew what to expect from Cook. Was he the heir-apparent to C.J. Spiller, or someone destined to play a more thorough role given time in the system?

At Georgia Cook was part of a timeshare and employed as a true X-factor, his best season coming as a senior where he had 113 rushes for 728 yards and seven touchdowns; adding 27 receptions for 284 yards and four more scores. In four seasons with the Bulldogs, Cook carried the ball 230 times for 1,503 yards and 14 touchdowns; with 67 receptions for 730 yards and six touchdowns.

At first blush, those numbers are good (heavily lifted by his senior season), but not representative of a featured back. Hence the analysis trends being what they were about Cook. Yet consider that the Bulldogs had an enviable roster of running backs, with D’Andre Swift and Zamir White leading the way during much of Cook’s time at Georgia. But Cook was too good to keep off the field, and he made teams pay almost every time he touched the ball.

His reputation as a versatile receiver caught everyone’s attention, and it became near-routine to see him take outlet passes far beyond expectations or haul in downfield grabs for huge gains. James Cook was the perfect X-factor the likes of which general manager Brandon Beane had sought out since day one.

Yet Cook’s rookie season didn’t have the most promising beginning; that fumble on his first carry set him in head coach Sean McDermott’s doghouse. It was a place that Cook found himself in a few times over the course of his first two NFL campaigns. Though he wasn’t the only player who didn’t perform up to his coach’s expectations, it was often only Cook who wasn’t on the field with the offense in situations that demanded his ability.

Though just speculation here, what many saw as “tough love” being doled out by McDermott may have been rooted in deeper on-field concerns about Cook. After all, no team has ever lost a game on a fumble in the first quarter, the first play of a game. Right?

Suddenly, people began to focus in on Cook’s role as a receiver, noting how often he appeared incapable of corralling passes from quarterback Josh Allen. However, that criticism of Cook seems misguided to me. In looking at Cook’s NFL stats with Pro Football Reference, one thing stands out: his efficiency, both as a runner and receiver.

We well-understand Cook’s ability as a runner, where he’s proven doubters wrong about his toughness between the tackles as a down-hill runner, and ability to break would-be tackles on swings outside the hashes. It’s Cook’s role as a receiver where I believe people misunderstand him.

During Buffalo’s 2024 season, Cook caught 32 of 38 passes thrown his way for 258 yards in 16 games. His 2023 season represents a high point to this point in his career, hauling in 44 receptions on 54 targets for 445 yards and four touchdowns. Overall, he’s made 97 receptions on 124 targets for 883 yards through three professional seasons.

The idea that Cook drops too many passes is false. What has plagued Cook is dropping passes in big moments, namely certain scoring opportunities. What people really mean is that Cook seems to drop all the important passes — that he can’t be trusted down to down. Again, that’s false.

For the role that Cook has carved out for himself (and which continues being defined by offensive coordinator Joe Brady), it feels to me like the team could find more creative ways to use him in the passing game. Split out wide, in the slot, as part of two-back look; all of it may benefit Cook if he were to see more of those opportunities.

If the Bills don’t trust Cook as a pass blocker, they should find more ways to get him on the field as a receiver in those moments. That would give defensive coordinators more to worry about in, say, win-or-go-home situations. For all the great things that both Ray Davis and Ty Johnson bring as rushers and receivers, neither plays as explosively as regularly as does Cook. Adherence to 12 personnel (two tight ends) or using one running back in third-down passing situations only serves to limit Buffalo’s potential.

Cook is one of but a few players capable of taking it to the house from anywhere on the field. Well, at least when he’s not on the sideline. He has the potential to influence a game the way New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara did in his best seasons.

The offense is different now that Stefon Diggs isn’t a Bill, and that should open the door for Cook to take a bit of Diggs’ downfield reigns, similar in scope to Kamara. Cook has come a long way since being drafted, essentially developing counter to what he was expected to become in the NFL. He’s a more complete, classic dual-threat running back — but one who has shown too many struggles trying to block pass rushers.

I’m not here to debate Cook’s efficacy as a pass blocker. That, alone, has proven detrimental to his status as a three-down back, and may very well cost him some significant money when he signs his next contract. Buffalo’s brass likely doesn’t endeavor to pay any running back top-five money for part-time work, no matter how much they produce in that limited role. Yet, there’s room to question if only Cook is to blame for his timeshare situation.

It’s worth wondering at this point whether or not Cook’s pass-blocking deficiencies should be enough to sideline him when the team could most-use a play maker. Plenty of people focus on how much Cook should be paid, whether it should come from One Bills Drive, and if the team needs him at all.

To me, it’s how Cook has been and will be utilized within the Bills’ offense that’s a vitally important facet to these discussions. That is, if Buffalo’s decision makers have limited Cook’s potential thanks to a playbook’s stogy paradigms.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...-leaned-further-into-james-cook-as-a-receiver

 

[Buffalo Bills]

90 Buffalo Bills players in 90 days: DE Justin Hollins

The Buffalo Bills have long prioritized long-armed players along the defensive edge. While that philosophy has shifted of late to include bendier pass-rush types, the prototype of the long-armed, stout anchor still remains a popular one when general manager Brandon Beane seeks to add depth at defensive end.

Whether the Bills are adding players early in free agency or adding players for camp depth late, the Bills don’t shy away from their type. Sometimes, those late additions in the offseason lead to longer-term roles on the practice squad, as well. Just because a player joins the team late doesn’t mean that they aren’t valued by the Bills.

In today’s installment of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss a newer addition to the defensive end grouping.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Name: Justin Hollins
Number: 52
Position: DE
Height/Weight: 6’5”, 248 pounds
Age: 29 (30 on 1/15/2026)
Experience/Draft: 6; selected by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round (No. 156 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft
College: Oregon
Acquired: Signed with Bills on 8/5/2025

Financial situation (per OvertheCap): Hollins signed a one-year deal with the Bills last week. It’s worth a total of $1.17 million, none of which is guaranteed. If he makes the 53-man roster, Hollins carries a cap hit of $1.03 million. The Bills won’t carry any dead cap if he’s released prior to Week 1; however, Hollins’ entire base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he’s on the roster for the first week.

2024 Recap: After spending time with three clubs in 2023 (the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Charges, and New York Giants), Hollins was not on a roster until late August last season. That’s when he signed with the Washington Commanders, and he played in the team’s final preseason game against the New England Patriots. Hollins signed with Washington on August 19, played in the game on August 25, and was released on August 27. He signed to Washington’s practice squad on September 19 before he was released from the practice squad on October 8. He did not appear in a regular-season game last year.

Positional outlook: Hollins is one of eight defensive ends on the current roster. Landon Jackson, Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau, Michael Hoecht, Javon Solomon, Paris Shand, and A.J. Epenesa are the others.

2025 Offseason: Hollins is healthy, and he appeared in Buffalo’s 34-25 loss to the New York Giants in the preseason opener. He did not register a tackle in the game.

2025 Season outlook: Even with Hoecht’s suspension looming, it’s unlikely that Hollins makes the 53-man roster this season. The Bills have Bosa, Rousseau, Epenesa, and Jackson ahead of Hollins. Hoecht is also ahead of him, even if he can’t suit up for the first six games of the season thanks to a suspension for PED use.

Hollins is likely battling Shand for a spot on the practice squad, and even though the undrafted rookie also failed to register a tackle last Saturday, I’d give him the edge just based on his youth and size/strength profile. Hollins is likely a camp body who’s auditioning for a role elsewhere this month.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/90...lo-bills-players-in-90-days-de-justin-hollins

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Buffalo Bills waive LB Baylon Spector with injury settlement

On Sunday, the NFL transaction report showed that the Buffalo Bills waived linebacker Baylon Spector with an injury settlement. The move comes after a week of uncertainty for the 2022 seventh-round draft pick.

The Bills waived LB Baylon Spector with an injury settlement, per today's transaction report. He was previously placed on reserved/injured with a calf injury.

— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 10, 2025

On Monday, Spector left practice with a calf injury — his third in less than a year. The Bills released the 26 year old on Wednesday, but when no other NFL team claimed him off waivers by Thursday, he reverted back to Buffalo’s Injured Reserve (IR).

In his time in Buffalo, Spector has missed significant time due to injuries. In 2023 he missed two games with a hamstring injury and then sat out the division championship game with a back injury. Last season was more of the same — or worse, if you will. He initially injured his calf in August and missed a couple of preseason games but ultimately was removed from the injury report before the start of the league season.

However, by midseason, it was evident that the calf injury was still an issue. By Week 9, Spector was placed on the Bills’ IR missing the next four games. While he was activated for Week 15’s game — and immediately listed on the team’s game day active roster (something uncharacteristic of head coach Sean McDermott’s regime) —- the rush was likely due to a hamstring injury keeping Matt Milano off the field.

Spector then re-injured his calf (or possibly it was never fully healed to start?) during the Bills’ Week 16 win over the New England Patriots. The injury sent the linebacker back to IR where he remained throughout the postseason.

Despite last season’s calf injuries, Spector had his most productive year as a pro-football player. He played in 11 games (he only appeared in six in 2022 and nine in 2023), starting four of them. He recorded 40 combined tackles (he had just six in each of his first two seasons) along with 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

Whether Spector’s time in Buffalo is officially over is yet to be determined. Spector can sign with any other NFL team as soon as that team deems him healthy enough to play. Or, he can return to Buffalo — the catch is that he must wait until the length of the injury settlement plus six weeks. Of course, we are not privy to the terms of the settlement between the linebacker and the Bills, so we have no way of knowing when that wait-time may expire.

What do you think? Are the Bills done with Spector? Or is he the new “A.J. Klein” and someone the team will keep bringing back for “one more go”?

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...aive-lb-baylon-spector-with-injury-settlement

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Another look at Jaxon Dart’s TD vs. Buffalo Bills

In the aftermath of the Buffalo Bills’ 34-25 preseason loss to the New York Giants, much has been made about the play of quarterback Jaxon Dart. It was Dart’s first NFL action against another NFL team. At first blush, things went decently well for Dart — who finished 12-of-19 for 154 yards with one touchdown, adding three carries for 24 yards (a long of 19 yards).

There are a lot of positives to take away from Dart’s first game action. It’s important to remember, however, that by the time Dart entered the game Buffalo had pulled almost every defensive starter. The Bills were also down their starting safety duo of Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop, both of whom were dealing with injury.

That didn’t resonate with former NFL-player-turned-analyst Emmanuel Acho, who had high praise for Dart’s work. Take a look at the clip below, where Acho baits the audience by saying “Team meeting: If someone were to tell you that rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart was the best quarterback in the class, don’t argue with them. Don’t argue with them… ‘cause they got a really good argument.”

Acho chose to focus in on Dart’s touchdown, which was a great individual play — and also one where rookie defensive tackle T.J. Sanders leveled the quarterback:

Giants Rookie quarterback, Jaxson Dart, did this against Buffalo Bills starters! #AchoAnalysis | #Giants | #UnemployedBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/Ccsy31xMET

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 11, 2025

But football isn’t played in a vacuum. Again, allow me to point out that by the time Dart entered the game, the Bills’ starters were on the sideline. Acho took exception to those calling it out, stating to one person that Damar Hamlin was on the field, and his having started every game he played in 2024 obviously meant he was the starter here.

I’m quick to go to bat for Hamlin, because I see him as a better player than he’s often given credit for by outsiders. that’s regardless of what happened to him one fateful night in Cincinnati. Hamlin may lack elite measurables, but he’s usually assignment sound.

On this play, and in Saturday’s game, Hamlin was a backup and playing with other backups such as cornerback Dane Jackson. It’s Jackson who was beat in man coverage for six and, yes, Hamlin was deficient in support if you believe he had a realistic shot at defending the play after accounting for the middle of the field. To imply that Dart took advantage of a starter-heavy, game-prepped defense is foolish.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott revealed that there’s little game-planning involved with Buffalo’s preseason plan. Not every team operates that way, for sure. Perhaps that has Acho confused about the Bills’ effort and ability. I don’t know for certain, but I have trouble believing that Dart was sent out to play on Saturday without a heavy dose of pregame planning.

To be clear, it was a great play by Dart, but Acho’s breakdown here feels incomplete. That’s coming from someone who’s no film expert. Now’s the time of the year when anyone will do all things possible to hype up new NFL talent to breed excitement.

To me, the most impressive thing about Dart’s touchdown play was how he stood strong in the face of a nasty rush by T.J. Sanders. Here, Sanders gets no love from Acho. Why? Because Sanders, and almost every NFL defensive tackle, doesn’t equal clicks. Dart has key intangibles, which helped him go 18th overall to the Giants.

Since he landed in New Jersey, plenty of people have been quick to anoint Dart as the next Josh Allen, undoubtedly helped by the fact that head coach Brian Daboll was once Allen’s offensive coordinator. That may prove true in time, but he’ll need to show it against NFL defenses game-planning to stop Dart in a meaningful game based on pro film.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...other-look-at-jaxon-darts-td-vs-buffalo-bills

 

[Buffalo Bills]

90 Buffalo Bills players in 90 days: RB Ty Johnson

The Buffalo Bills, like most other modern NFL clubs, use a committee approach to their offensive backfield. The days of 300-carry backs are largely gone, although there were as many players to hit the 300-carry plateau last season (six) as there were in the previous three seasons combined. That might signal a shift in usage for some teams, or might just have been an anomaly.

For the Bills, their leading rusher hasn’t topped 300 carries since 2005, when Willis McGahee rushed 325 times for 1,247 yards. Only once in head coach Sean McDermott’s tenure has a running back even eclipsed 250 carries, and that was LeSean McCoy in the head coach’s first season with the club, 2017. In short, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the names on the depth chart at running back, because there’s a good chance that each player is going to see time during the season.

When certain business issues take place, the chances of seeing other faces increase. In today’s edition of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss a running back who may be in for a bigger workload this season.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Name: Ty Johnson
Number: 26
Position: RB
Height/Weight: 5’10”, 210 pounds
Age: 27 (28 on 9/17/2025)
Experience/Draft: 7; selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round (No. 186 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft
College: Maryland
Acquired: Signed with Buffalo on 8/21/2023

Financial situation (per Spotrac): Johnson re-signed with the Bills this offseason, inking a two-year deal worth $5 million overall. For the 2025 season, he carries a cap hit of $1.975 million if he makes the 53-man roster. His entire base salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on the roster for Week 1, so that’s $1.17 million that guarantees thanks to his status as a vested veteran if he suits up against the Baltimore Ravens. If the Bills release him, they’ll carry a dead-cap number of $1.99 million.

2024 Recap: Johnson spent the entire season as the team’s third-down back, working into tight situations all throughout the year. He was an integral part of the team’s offense both as a runner and as a receiver, but a sneaky value of his comes as a pass protector.

Johnson was active for all 17 of Buffalo’s regular-season games, starting one, and he was also active for all three of the team’s postseason matchups, where he also made one start. In the regular season, he carried 41 times for 213 yards and a touchdown, adding 18 receptions on 25 targets for 284 yards and three touchdowns. That’s an average of 8.4 yards per touch in limited asks.

In the postseason, Johnson rushed 20 times for 94 yards, and he caught all four of his targets for 34 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown.

Positional outlook: Johnson is one of five running backs on the current roster. James Cook, Ray Davis, Darrynton Evans, and Frank Gore Jr. are the others. Reggie Gilliam is the team’s only fullback.

2025 Offseason: Johnson is healthy and participating in training camp activities. He was the team’s leading rusher in their preseason opener against the New York Giants, carrying three times for 26 yards in the 34-25 defeat.

2025 Season outlook: I’d say that Johnson is a lock for the RB3 gig, slotting in as the third-down back and whenever offensive coordinator Joe Brady wants to give a defense a different look. But given James Cook’s extended “hold-in” this summer, that description of Johnson’s role might actually be underselling him a bit.

Johnson’s floor is as a third-down back, but his ceiling in terms of usage is much, much more. He is a great receiver out of the backfield and an explosive runner who can quickly escape from “the phone booth” and rip off long gains. His value as a pass protector can’t be understated, either, as he allows offensive coordinator Joe Brady to call things that he really can’t call with either Cook or Davis in the game.

I don’t expect Cook to hold out once the regular season begins, but I also don’t believe that head coach Sean McDermott is going to put him back in immediately if he doesn’t come back to practice before the season starts. I can see a scenario where Cook sits out multiple times throughout the year for various aches and pains that he otherwise would have played through, thereby giving Johnson a chance to see an increase in his workload.

Johnson isn’t going to join Willis McGahee as a 300-carry back, but then again, nobody on this roster is going to do that. What Johnson can be is a dynamic presence who breaks a big play to flip a game in Buffalo’s favor. He’s going to have plenty of chances to display that dynamic ability this season.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/90...uffalo-bills-players-in-90-days-rb-ty-johnson

 

[Buffalo Bills]

McDermott says “getting short on time” for Bills S Cole Bishop

Before the Buffalo Bills took the practice field on Tuesday, head coach Sean McDermott fielded questions about the team in preparation for their Week 2 preseason game against the Chicago Bears. McDermott always begins scheduled media sessions by providing an injury update, often leading to key follow-up questions. Tuesday’s update and comments by McDermott proved to be a little more interesting than typical.

Second-year safety Cole Bishop, who’s currently dealing with a quadriceps injury, returned to practice on a limited basis. That’s good news, considering he’s missed a significant chunk of time on the practice field this spring and summer. He missed all of Buffalo’s mandatory minicamp, and half (six total) of the on-field training camp sessions at St. John Fisher University.

In collegiate action with Utah, Bishop proved durable and started 29 out of 35 games played with the Utes. But injuries and Bishop have gone hand in hand since the Bills selected him at 60 overall in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Bishop’s rookie-season development was stunted due to a shoulder injury (scapular fracture) he suffered early in training camp. That allowed safety Damar Hamlin to leave Bishop in the distance en route to a starting role for the 2024 NFL season. In total, Bishop started only four regular-season games as a rookie, making 40 tackles (25 solo), two pass defenses, and one forced fumble. Encouragingly from an injury standpoint, Bishop played every defensive snap during the Bills’ AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

That seemed to pave the way for Bishop to claim a starting role in 2025, especially with Hamlin entering free agency. Hamlin would eventually return to One Bills Drive on a one-year contract, and Bishop once again found himself in a very similar competition — but he proved up for the task. Prior to injuring his quad last month in training camp, Bishop had taken the majority of snaps at starting strong safety, alongside free safety Taylor Rapp.

But here we are, once again with Bishop missing a ton of time, having climb back up that same mountain just to get on the field. McDermott admitted to the struggle, both for Bishop and team planning, when asked about the second-year safety’s prospects in 2025 alongside Taylor Rapp:

“To be a good defense, you’ve gotta have that component of good safety play — and not anything against the guys who’ve been out there. You know, I think they’ve been playing well, quite honestly, Damar and the other guys that’ve been back there. And let’s not forget Damar, you know, played quite extensively last year for us. So, we have a lot of confidence in him.

That said, you know, when we’re just focusing in on Taylor and Cole… you know, that continuity together, is important. Cole’s been out there — excuse me, TRapp’s been out there quite a bit, just over the last week he hasn’t, or so. But Cole’s the one who’s missed quite a bit of time. Again, just like last year. So, it remains to be seen what he’s truly able to do and do for us. You know, that’s a big position for us. Right? So, like I mentioned numerous times over, the continuity between the two of them and pairing up kinda like the Batman & Robin piece — it’s just… experiencing things together, ‘how did you see it? / how did I see it?’ Being in the film room together, that’s, it’s huge. And, um, we’re getting short on time.“

The obvious question to ask here is one of wondering what, exactly, McDermott means, and what’s next for Bishop? Is Bishop staring perilously close to the bottom of the drain and his NFL opportunity, or is McDermott simply saying that the young safety may not have the in-roads to a starting tandem role with Rapp in 2025?

You can check out McDermott’s comments on Bishop below via the embedded video:

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...getting-short-on-time-for-bills-s-cole-bishop

 

[Buffalo Bills]

James Cook contract extension done

The Buffalo Bills and running back James Cook have agreed on a massive four-year extension, per multiple reports. The deal is for $12 million annually for a total of $48 million including $30 million guaranteed. As always, I would encourage you to wait from the full details to come out before you react. Cook turns 26 in September, so this deal will carry him through age 30.

Cook had been involved in a back and forth negotiation with the team since at least March of 2025, when he began publicly commenting for an extension and asking to be paid $15 million per season. The Bills had extended a bunch of their young stars and Cook stood out among the group. Most of them took contracts below market value, and Cook insisted his value was higher than what Buffalo was willing to pay.

He reported to mandatory minicamp and training camp, but staged a hold in over the last couple weeks where he was present at training camp but not participating. He returned to practice on August 12th but offered a “not today” when asked to speak with reporters. Bills general manager Brandon Beane noted it was the first prolonged contract dispute in his time with the team.

One big area of contention is Cook only played 48% of the team’s snaps in 2024, where he was often pulled on third downs and in the two-minute offense.

Cook broke the Bills’ single-season touchdown record in 2024 as part of an explosive offense, breaking out after just two touchdowns in each of his first two years. In three seasons in Buffalo, he has two 1000-yard campaigns under his belt. All told, he has 533 rushes for 2638 yards and 20 TDs on the ground as well as 97 receptions for 883 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

The $48 million contract is tied for the largest in the NFL alongside Josh Jacobs of the Packers. The $12 million average ranks tied for sixth behind deals for Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, and Alvin Kamara.

The Bills shed salary in the 2024 offseason so they could re-sign their young core and they have done that, inking new deals with Cook alongside WR Khalil Shakir, DE Greg Rousseau, LB Terrel Bernard, CB Christian Benford, and the newly signed WR Josh Palmer, not to mention a new deal for MVP Josh Allen.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/buffalo-bills-news/113435/james-cook-contract-extension-done

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Buffalo Bills LT Dion Dawkins sidelined with aggravated back

During practice on Tuesday, August 12, Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins was seen leaving the field early with athletic trainers alongside him. Though no update was given, ESPN Bills reporter Alaina Getzenberg reported that Dawkins “smirked and then danced away” when asked if he was “doing OK.”

That was good news for all of Bills Mafia and the team, since the big man’s the blindside protector for current NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen. Of course, with Dawkins, you never know what to expect, and a lot can change in 24 hours.

A good bit after practice came to a close, @Matt_Bove and I asked Dion Dawkins if he was doing OK after leaving the session early with athletic trainers. He smirked and then danced away.

— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 12, 2025

Indeed, and change things did. Late on Wednesday afternoon, August 13, Bills reporter Sal Capaccio tweeted an update about Dawkins that triggered some in Bills Mafia. Per Capaccio, head coach Sean McDermott reported to WGR 550 afternoon hosts “Schopp & The Bulldog” that Dawkins had “aggravated” his back and was held out of practice Wednesday.

Sean McDermott tells @WGR550 Bills LT Dion Dawkins has an aggravated back. Hoping it gets calmed down in next 24-48 hours and be able to practice at Chicago on Friday.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 13, 2025

You can hear it from McDermott himself in the clip from WGR 550 below, but here’s what McDermott had to say when asked to give an update on Dawkins’ status:

“He’s got a back he’s dealing with, an aggravated back, so it kinda flared up yesterday. We backed him off from practice and today it was still kinda angry so we’re hoping that gets calmed down in the next 24-48 hours and that he can, you know, go to Chicago with us and practice against them and we’ll take it one day at a time from there.”

Coach McDermott gives an update on the Dion Dawkins injury that had him leave practice yesterday and miss practice today. pic.twitter.com/zpbdtP28SU

— WGR 550 (@WGR550) August 13, 2025

It’s important to remember that the regular season is a few weeks away, so Dawkins may have the necessary time to get things right with his back. Many will also recall the time that right tackle Spencer Brown missed earlier this offseason and into training camp with a back issue.

Always the optimist, McDermott did point out that with Dawkins out, it gives the team “a chance to look at somebody else,” backup left tackle Ryan Van Demark.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...t-dion-dawkins-sidelined-with-aggravated-back

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Bills GM Brandon Beane knew deal had to get done with James Cook

Ultimately, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane knew had but one choice: Get to the finish line on a new contract with running back James Cook. Beane understood the importance of moving forward with Cook because, as he stated, “he’s got a skill set that we wanted to maintain and keep with this offense.”As a former draft pick of the Bills, Cook has shown immense growth since entering the league in 2022.

To that end, Cook decided it was time to advocate for himself publicly, intent on landing a new contract (extension with Buffalo or otherwise) ahead of the 2025 NFL season. Cook played it smart, showing up for mandatory minicamp, then only heading to “hold-in” status for the last week of training camp at St. John Fisher University as well the team’s first preseason game. Many took exception to that move, but in the end One Bills Drive wanted their superstar running back in-house for the long haul.

Regarding the money spent, Beane isn’t necessarily worried about snap counts or pigeonholing Cook into workhorse back status, telling reporters:

“You know, we like what he provides and we do see him as a three-down-type player. And, we think he could take more, but we also wanna use our other weapons and keep him as fresh as possible.”

When asked if there was concern about Cook’s contract situation becoming a distraction Beane admitted there was, but that ultimately both sides handled it well:

“(H)onestly I was worried about that Josh, I really was. But I think our team, you know, really handled it maybe, you know, we’ve been here a while. You know, obviously we’ve been through things in the past, things that happened, distractions… you know the core of this team, yes there’s new players every year, but I think the core of this team, you know, knew what this was about and that everyone was level-headed. And, yes, James was not on the practice field, but he was at walk-throughs, he was at meetings, and he was — he wasn’t just there physically, like, he was engaged in those things and engaged with his teammates.”

Again, Beane knew what he hoped to accomplish with Cook, even after having to “push pause to focus on the draft and other things” before the team “would try to revisit when (they) got to training camp.” Ever the straight-shooter, Beane stuck true to his word:

“Love Jimbo. I’m so proud of where he has grown, you know, on and off the field from the day we drafted him to now rewarding him with this extension. There was never a case of not wanting to extend him, it just, you know, sometimes these things are hard, and trying to get on the same page of what we could make work and, you know, what they felt, you know, would make them happy on their end.”

In the end, it was going to take one key concession from Cook, what was participating in practice while going about his business. That was true even if Cook had valid reasons for sitting out. Said Beane:

“We had an understanding that, ‘we need to practice if we’re going to be able to get, you know, back to the table.‘ I think there was good faith on both parts… …once we got him back on the practice field, we really worked hard (Tuesday), Kevin Meganck and, you know, our side and Zac Hiller, James’ agent on his side. And I think it was roughly 11 o’clock or so last night where we were able to say we’re — both sides are good with this — and we’ll get it signed in the morning.”

Beane recognized the value in signing Cook now while he’s still a young, ascending player, and someone the team really loves, all with limited wear thanks to a lower snap count. It’s likely Bills Mafia is yet to see the best from Cook, who’s ready to bring it all and more in 2025 and beyond.

Check out the rest of Beane’s conversation about James Cook, embedded in full below.

Watch more from Cook’s new deal in the following segment from “One Bills Live” below:

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...ane-knew-deal-had-to-get-done-with-james-cook

 

[Buffalo Bills]

James Cook ready for much more with the Buffalo Bills

Much has been made this offseason about Buffalo Bills running back James Cook and his future with the team. He spent more than a few moments early in the spring letting social media know that it was time for a new contract. But when it came time to show up, Cook was there — for mandatory minicamp and even training camp. That likely meant his eventual “hold-in” during the final week of camp at St. John Fisher University didn’t come easy, with what appears to have been a very preoccupied mindset.

For any professional athlete preparing to land a new contract, let alone their first major deal, there’s no doubt immense stress plenty off distraction. Cook was, after all, the first player under the direction of general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott to advocate for themselves by sitting out practice and/or games (preseason, in this case).

To the uninitiated, it might have appeared as though Cook was being selfish and offering his own form of distraction for a franchise focused on making it back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 32 seasons.

But Cook knew that until his contract situation was resolved, he couldn’t perform with a clear mind — and to be certain, the Bills will need a focused and fresh Cook if they hope to get to and win the Super Bowl. For Cook, part of what he explained earlier this summer as “business” may have had much to do with a mindset that demanded clarity defined by professional security and commitment.

“I’m just trying to protect myself, you know; just trying to stay healthy and just get everything done before I can go out there and play with a clear mindset and just be locked in.”

That’s a fully reasonable and valid point, given that playing professional football well (and safely) requires undivided attention at every step. Cook prioritized protecting himself from injury, whether due to distraction or otherwise. And for Cook, any injury before signing a new deal would have cost him significantly at the negotiation table.

When asked “who won” at the end of the day, Cook responded:

“I wouldn’t say it was a win or lose situation. I mean, it’s just like I said ‘business,’ and it happened.”

With that, senior writer Tim Graham of The Atlantic pointed out the young running back’s smile, to which Cook playfully responded: “Yeah, you would too,” causing an uproar of laughter among the assembled reporters. Cook was then asked why he began the offseason participating only to then hold-in as he did to end training camp. No matter how anyone feels about the way things played out, Cook’s response proved to be a key moment in understanding how truly important he is to Buffalo’s roster:

“Just to show my loyalty to my team and my teammates, you know, I know they always got my back so I got their back too. So, just showing them that I’m willing to not be a problem and a distraction; just go out there, just practice and, you know, and play and see happens. That was my mindset.”

Often, professional athletes are criticized for self-advocating, hoping to get a pay raise while in their prime. The truth is that time and opportunity is limited for every athlete’s career, far different than nearly every other profession. James Cook simply decided it was right to get ahead of time’s curve.

Now, securely with the Bills for the foreseeable future, Cook can simply concentrate on the business of bringing a Super Bowl championship to Western, New York.

Check out Cook’s presser following the big contract news, including his response when asked if he ever felt “misunderstood” during the entire process. Plus, Cook got a bit emotional while putting pen to paper, which paved the way for his now-iconic photo-op with shades.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...ok-ready-for-much-more-with-the-buffalo-bills

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Live updates from Bills-Bears joint practice

The Buffalo Bills are in the Windy, but warm, City today in preparation for their preseason game against the Chicago Bears this weekend. With Bills beat reporter Sal Capaccio in attendance at the open practice, there’s a wealth of live-tweeting to enjoy even if we can’t see what’s happening.

Though it may feel a bit like listening to “War of the Worlds,” what, without much in the way of immediate visuals (or even audio), there’s plenty of news to catch up on from today’s football in the Midwest. Here below is a timeline of events as seen mostly through Capaccio’s always-informative lens. What stands out most to you, Rumblers? The play by wide receiver Keon Coleman should sit very well with Bills Mafia, who are looking for Coleman to take several huge steps in 2025.

Check out more below, thanks to a great bit of social media reporting from Sal Capaccio and others! Practice ended around 2 p.m. EDT time. The best news of the day for the Bills? Zero injuries reported and no fights.

Dion Dawkins will practice today.

Out from practice:
Shakir
Grable
Van Pran-Granger
Max Hairston
Cam Lewis

Limited:
Tyler Bass
Curtis Samuel
Shaq Thompson
Daequan Hardy
Cole Bishop
Taylor Rapp
Larry Ohunjobi
Alec Anderson

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Apparently, the Bills/Bears joint practice is open to the public. Quite a few people here filling up the stands. I was given the impression earlier this week that was not the case (sorry), but obviously it is…. pic.twitter.com/Fb1n21Iiys

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

7/7. First play for Bills offense is a nice game down the field to Dalton Kincaid, between defenders.

Second play complete to Kincaid as well.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

7/7. First play for Bills offense is a nice game down the field to Dalton Kincaid, between defenders.

Second play complete to Kincaid as well.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Josh Allen picked by Kevin Byard. Was trying to hit Kincaid deep but ball slightly under thrown. Byard nice play to snatch it. Kincaid still almost took it away.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

11/11: Josh Allen has a ball batted at the line of scrimmage, up in the air and picked off

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Allen to Elijah Moore is starting to pop today.

Mike White just threw a really bad interception.

Bills run defense has looked good.

Pass defense giving up too much. But Matt Milano just made one heck of an athletic play to knock a ball down.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Two big players for Bills offense. First, James Cook around the left edge for a huge gain, then Elijah Moore with a short catch and long run.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

JaMarcus Ingram got beat on the sideline for a catch and also was called for DPI on the same play. Then Brandon Codington got beat across the middle.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Now Ingram just locked up a gunner on a punt return/gunner drill and the entire Bills sideline was going crazy for him.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

We have our first (sort of) fight. Right after punt return where Brandon Codrington had what might have been a touchdown. Two guys locked up. Went to ground. Big crowd gathered.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Haven’t watched every Bills snap, but two observations:

1. Keon Coleman is going to get a lot of guys open. He’s running downfield routes and drawing some double teams, opening things up underneath for others.

2. Josh Palmer is faster than I remember him being.

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) August 15, 2025

I’ve never seen or heard sidelines go as crazy as they are during a punt period, cheering on their respective gunners. It’s wild.

Tyrell Shavers just handled a double team and his teammates went nuts. Shavers flexed to the crowd after the play.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Red zone period. Ed Oliver big pop and stop. Then DaQuan Jones big stop.

James Cook gain on edge to the 4 yard line.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Allen to Keon Coleman front corner end zone TD in red zone.

Then defense forces incompletion near the goal line. Caleb Williams nowhere to throw.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Back to back breakups by each side in goal line. First, Tyreke Stevenson a nice job to knock away a back shoulder face to Coleman. Then Terrel Bernard got hands in on the tight end for INC

Then TDs for both. Allen to Palmer for Bills.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Greg Rousseau was a problem for the Bears in red zone. Blew up a run play and tipped one of Caleb Williams' passes to force an incompletion.

— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) August 15, 2025

Great route off the line by Keon Coleman. Left his man and sprinted wide open down the sideline for a TD from Allen.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

T.J. Sanders getting reps next to Ed Oliver with the first-team defense.

Bishop and Rapp don't seem limited at all, btw. Participating in every team drill, which is a positive sign.

— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) August 15, 2025

Bills defense allowed a catch across the middle and long run for TD. Looked like Tre’Davious White’s man. But pass rush has also been excellent this 11/11 period. Would-be sacks by Bosa and Rousseau. Landon Jackson and Ogunjobi also created pressure

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Former Bears RB Darrynton Evans just ripped off an excellent run up the middle, making a couple great moves once he got to the second level

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

I asked a Beas reporter to compare what he saw between Bears/Dolphins last weeks vs Bears/Bills today. He said “night and day.” Said biggest diff was Bears have been intentionally physical and really took it to Fins. Bills matched physicality & energy and even surpassed at times.

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) August 15, 2025

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu.../live-reports-from-bills-bears-joint-practice

 

[Buffalo Bills]

Will the Bills face a more fierce Patriots in 2025?

The Buffalo Bills will get their first up-close look at a revamped New England Patriots team in Week 5, now featuring head coach Mike Vrabel and the return of Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. This first of two-annual games will be decided in Orchard Park, NY, as the Bills complete a three-game homestand in the early part of their season.

This game could also serve as the Buffalo return for wide receiver Stefon Diggs who signed with the Patriots in the offseason. That, of course, will depend on how his rehab progresses from a torn ACL.

The Bills and Patriots usually play each other hard, try as Bills Mafia might to push aside New England’s chances — especially after a down season in 2024. Quarterback Drake Maye is about to enter his second season behind center and now he has McDaniels to help him along the way. But which McDaniels offense will Buffalo see? Is it the one that brought all of those championships during the Tom Brady era, or the sub-par offense that was led by the likes of Jacoby Brissett and Cam Newton?

When it comes to reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen, it seems to be a mixed bag when he plays New England’s defense. Allen is 7-6 in his career against the Patriots, with 19 touchdowns to go with 10 interceptions. His past two full games (only played one snap in Week 18 of 2024) were ugly by Josh Allen standards. He had passer ratings of 53.3 and 67.3 while failing to complete more than 55% of his passes.

New England’s defense can be stifling mainly because they know how to play Allen. While Bill Belichick was the head coach, he made it a point to keep Allen in the pocket and only allowed him to roll out to the left. Expect more of the same with Vrabel now leading the charge.

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu...the-bills-face-a-more-fierce-patriots-in-2025

 

[Buffalo Bills]

How to watch Bills vs. Bears, Preseason Week 2

The Buffalo Bills are holed up in the Midwest, with a loaded summer roster ready to take on the Chicago Bears in front of a national audience to close out Week 2 of NFL preseason action. All eyes are on Buffalo’s media center, waiting to hear who, if any, among the team’s starters will play this evening.

Buffalo is 0-1 in this summer’s preseason, having dropped a 34-25 scrimmage at home to the New York Giants on Saturday, August 9. The Bears are 0-0-1 after a tie with the Miami Dolphins last weekend. But no one’s really keeping score for anything beyond obscure trivia and maybe those fully vested in things commonly associated with Las Vegas.

Should you tune in to see if quarterback Josh Allen makes his preseason debut, here’s how you can follow along this evening:

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How to watch Buffalo Bills vs. Chicago Bears NFL Preseason Week 2​

How to watch Bills-Bears on TV

National broadcast: Bills vs. Bears will air nationally LIVE on Fox at 8 p.m. EDT
Regional broadcast options:

• Buffalo, NY: WUTV
• Rochester, NY: WUHF
• Syracuse, NY: WSYT
• Utica, NY: WFXV
• Elmira, NY: WYDC
• Watertown, NY: WNYF-CD
• Albany, NY: WXXA

Bills vs. Bears broadcast team

Play-by-Play Announcer: Joe Davis
Analyst/color commentary: Greg Olsen
Sideline Reporter: Pam Oliver

Stream Bills vs. Bears on NFL+​

Don’t have access to NFL Network as an out-of-network Bills fan? You can subscribe to NFL+ to stream Bills preseason games live, and there are free trials available.

How to listen to Bills vs. Bears preseason action​

Nowhere near a screen? Bills Mafia can tune in to hear the game via the Bills Radio Network with Chris Brown (play-by-play), Eric Wood (color analyst), and Sal Capaccio (sideline reporter).

Bills Radio Network

• Buffalo* (WGR550/550 AM) (flagship station)
• Rochester WCMF (96.5 AM) and WROC (950 AM)
• Syracuse WTKW (99.5 FM) and WTKV (105.5 FM)
• Binghamton (WDRE 100.5FM)
• Ithaca (WIII 99.9/100.3 FM)
• Bath (WVIN 98.3 FM)
• Newark (WACK 1420 AM)
• Dansville (WDNY 93.9 FM)
• Elmira (WNGZ 1490 AM)
• Auburn (WAUB 98.1 FM/1590 AM)
• Geneva (WGVA 95.9 FM, 1240 AM)

Source: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/bu.../how-to-watch-bills-vs-bears-preseason-week-2