Buffalo signed the remaining draftee and a lineback, plus completed filling out the scouting staff.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown provides the details. Here is his report:
The Bills now have their entire 2017 draft class under contract after fifth-round pick Nate Peterman signed on Wednesday.
Peterman (6-2, 225) will be part of an interesting quarterback competition behind starter Tyrod Taylor.
Buffalo has veteran T.J. Yates, Cardale Jones on their quarterback depth chart along with Peterman. The Bills fifth-round pick will work to carve out a role for himself and figures to get extensive work through the spring.
Seen as one of the more pro-ready quarterback prospects in the class, Peterman is expected to push Yates and Jones for one of the spots on Buffalo’s 53-man roster at quarterback.
“Any QB, any player on this team that should be their mentality,” Peterman said. “They should go compete. I’m trying to help this team as much as I can, so whatever way I can do that I want to go be the best I can be and pick things up as quickly as I can and play the best that I can.”
Bills sign LB
Looking to add experience and depth at the linebacker position, the Bills signed free agent LB Gerald Hodges on Thursday.
Hodges, 26, was a starting inside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers in their 3-4 front on defense in 2016. He compiled 83 tackles, two pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble in 12 starts and 15 appearances last year.
Though he played inside in San Francisco he has quality coverage skills as he was a converted safety in college at Penn State. In fact his coverage ability was seen as the strongest attribute in his skill set when the Minnesota Vikings made him a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
Hodges (6-2, 236) figures to be in the mix for a wide open weak side linebacker job that is there for the taking. Ramon Humber is currently getting snaps in the starter’s role.
The Bills newest linebacker has a familiar face on the Bills coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was Hodges’ head coach his rookie year with Minnesota.
Hodges will wear jersey number 40.
To make room on the roster the Bills released CB Charles Gaines.
College Scouting Director named
The last prominent role in Buffalo’s personnel department was filled by the Bills on Thursday as they named Terrance Gray their College Scouting Director.
“Terrance is what I would label a young riser in this business,” Bills GM Brandon Beane told Buffalobills.com. “(Minnesota GM) Rick Spielman has had a great staff, well respected guys around the league. Terrance worked his way up to a Southeast area scout. The southeast is well known as a prime talent area. He’s done a great job.
3 more scouts signed
The Bills filled out the remaining openings in their personnel department making three hires on Thursday. The club named Marcus Cooper, Pete Harris, and Chris Marrow to scouting positions.
Cooper, who was named the club’s BLESTO scout, spent six years in the Bills scouting department, the last two as an area scout. He returns for his second stint with the team.
Harris was named the Bills northeast area scout. He too was previously on Buffalo’s scouting staff and worked nine years for the club. Harris was an area scout for the Bills last year and was a BLESTO scout for three years prior to that.
Marrow, hired as a pro scout, was most recently with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League where he worked in the team’s personnel department. The last two years he worked as a northeast scout for National Football Scouting.