Bills Pro Bowl G Richie Incognito is ready for the team’s voluntary offseason program to begin.
Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown provides the details. Here is his report:
Here’s the Bills news of note for March 31.
1 – Richie ready to go
As the down time for NFL players officially comes to a close this week, there’s a certain Bills veteran who is already set to roll as preparations for the Bills 2017 campaign open with the commencement of the voluntary offseason conditioning program Monday.
Suffice to say Pro Bowl guard Richie Incognito will be in attendance.
Known as one of the harder working players on the roster since he joined the team in 2015, Incognito and the vast majority of the roster is expected to be on hand Monday for the start of the offseason program. Attendance has been good over the years to begin with, but knowing it is the first year under new head coach Sean McDermott, it’s likely to prompt just about every player that’s able to be at One Bills Drive Monday morning.
2 – Bills earn ‘B’ grade in free agency
The ink is barely dry on the contracts, but ESPN.com has already assigned grades to how teams made out in the free agent market just three weeks into the signing season. The Bills were certainly busy even if S Micah Hydewas their only big money signing. Buffalo earned a ‘B’ grade from ESPN.com. Here was their take on Buffalo’s free agent additions.
Buffalo Bills
Grade: B
Key moves: restructured QB Tyrod Taylor; re-signed OLB Lorenzo Alexander; signed FB Patrick DiMarco, S Micah Hyde, FB Mike Tolbert, DB Jordan Poyer and K Steven Hauschka; lost CB Stephon Gilmore, WR Robert Woods, WR Marquise Goodwin and LB Lerentee McCray
The Bills took much heat early in the offseason for their indifference toward Taylor, but they kept him in the end. They arguably overpaid for DiMarco at $2.1 million a year. Of course, who besides salary-cap managers should lose sleep over a four-year, $8.4 million deal for a good player, even if he’s a fullback? New coach Sean McDermott got great production in Carolina from S Kurt Coleman. Imagine what he’ll be able to get from the more talented Hyde. It’s understandable why a new regime wouldn’t be all-in for Gilmore, although watching the talented corner land in New England was not optimal.
3 – Kiper not expecting a QB to go in top 10 of 2017 draft
As the saying goes, ‘It only takes one team.’ But when it comes to the 2017 NFL draft most draft prognosticators do not believe one of the highly touted quarterback prospects will hear his name in the first 10 selections.
Count ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper among them. In an appearance on ESPN, Kiper confirmed that he does not see any quarterback in this class coming off the board in the first 10 selections.
“I don’t think so right now,” Kiper said. “I think those teams are so interested in getting players who can help them win this year. Chicago got Mike Glennon. (Josh) McCown went to the Jets and they just got Hackenburg in the second round last year. Are the Chargers looking for an heir apparent for Philip Rivers when they need to get help for Rivers now? I think that’s why the quarterbacks drop a bit and keep in mind none of these guys are considered franchise quarterbacks.
“It’s something where they could develop into those types of players, but the perceived franchise quarterback is not there. There’s mixed opinion all over the board on all these quarterbacks. There’s no consensus that anybody is sold on any of these quarterbacks as being great NFL starters. So to project them in the top 10 is not going to happen I believe.”