The team also signs its top 2 draft picks.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown provides the details. Here is his report:
The Buffalo Bills pro and college scouting departments are filling up quickly. On Thursday the team announced the hiring of Marvin Allen and Brian Adams as National Scouts.
“Both men are veterans in this league. They’ve been in it for a long time,” said Bills GM Brandon Beane. “It’s the same thing as players, we want to grow and develop. These are two guys who will be over the younger scouts and be part of helping us grow and develop our scouting staff. You just can’t replace their time and accomplishments in the league.”
Allen has spent the last four years as the Director of College Scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs. A 24-year veteran in NFL scouting, he also spent five years scouting for the Atlanta Falcons, serving as a National Scout after a few years as a regional scout.
The early part of his career was spent with the New England Patriots where he served as an area scout for 16 years (1993-2008).
“Marvin started in the 90’s. He’s most recently been a college (scouting) director so he’s sat in that seat,” Beane said. “He’s going to be a great resource not only for me, but for all our college scouts.”
Allen also had a four-year NFL career as a running back with the Patriots, who made him an 11th-round pick in the 1988 NFL draft.
Adams has more than 30 years of scouting experience. He spent the 2016 campaign as the Midwest regional scout for the Dallas Cowboys, but spent seven years with the Saints. He also has a working history with Beane, spending seven years in the Panthers scouting department.
“I worked with Brian in Carolina. We had a long history there,” said Beane. “Brian went to the Saints to take a promotion to Assistant Director of College Scouting, and was most recently with Dallas. He’s a veteran in scouting and well respected across the league. I look forward to reuniting with him.”
Top 2 draft choices sign contracts
No. 1 Draft Pick Tre’Davious White signed his rookie contract Thursday not long after practiced wrapped up on the field.
White, who was taken by Buffalo with the 27th overall pick, was glad to have his rookie contract out of the way.
“I can’t tell you all how grateful I am for the opportunity, how happy I am for myself and my family,” White said. “I’m looking forward to earning all my stripes and earning the respect of the vets and of the guys that are here.”
White, has been rotating in with fellow cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Kevon Seymour with the starting defensive unit. The LSU product has also been in the rotation for punt return duties with veteran Brandon Tate.
“I just feel I can bring some depth to this secondary,” White said. “We already have some great players, some players that I’ve watched for some time in Micah Hyde – I watched him when he was in Green Bay. I’ve watched a lot of (Ronald) Darby when I was in college and he was at Florida State. He was another guy. And then we have Jordan Poyer here too. There’s definitely some guys that I’ve watched at LSU and I’m looking forward to just coming in and adding to the great players that we already have.”
Buffalo also got second-round pick Zay Jones under contract.
Jones comes in with high expectations after setting the NCAA record for catches in a season in his last year at East Carolina (158). He also finished his college career with 399 receptions, the most in college football history.
“He’s a great player,” said Tyrod Taylor. “I watched him play against Virginia Tech for a couple of years. I was excited about Zay. I know he has time spent with our receivers coach at East Carolina. He’s a talented player, a natural ball catcher. I’m excited to work with him.”
Jones is expected to compete for the team’s number two receiver role behind top wideout Sammy Watkins. He’s currently sidelined with a sprained knee suffered in Tuesday’s OTA practice and was deemed week to week by the Bills.
“I’m in the learning process,” said Jones. “I’m just taking it day by day and just focusing on my job in the moment and I know that everything else is going to take care of itself.”
Jones, however, suffered a knee injury in practice and is listed as “week to week.”
With White signings, only second-round pick Dion Dawkins and fifth-round pick Nate Peterman remain unsigned.