1 - Buffalo among teams that need to dominate the draftThe Bills hit the nail directly on the head with their 2017 NFL Draft. However, they're still viewed as one of the teams in the league who need to make a spark come late April. [
NFL.com came out with their five teams that need to dominate the 2018 NFL Draft. Those teams included: the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Indianapolis Colts. Of that quintet of teams, the Bills possessed the best record (9-7) from this past season.
Here's what NFL.com had to say about the Bills heading into this year's draft festivities.
The Bills are coming off their first playoff appearance in a very long time. They accomplished that goal even after trading several prominent players like Sammy Watkins and Marcell Dareus. They are in prime position to upgrade their roster this spring as they look to take the next step. They own two first-round picks (courtesy of the trade with the Chiefs in last year's draft) and two-second round picks (courtesy of the Sammy Watkins trade).
In 2017, the Bills were equipped with three picks in the first three rounds of the draft and those players made instant impacts on Sundays. Now in 2018, Buffalo bolsters five selections in the first three rounds, which is two more than last year. That's all the ingredients the Bills need to have incredible drafts back-to-back.
2 - Yates weighs in on Gaines value to Bills
In his first season as a member of the Buffalo Bills, cornerback E.J. Gaines had an exceptional campaign. The 25-year-old's four-year rookie contract has reached its end, meaning he's an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
On Aug. 11, 2017, Gaines was traded to Buffalo from the Los Angeles Rams for Sammy Watkins and two 2018 draft picks. Acquiring Gaines proved to be beneficial, as the team posted a record of 8-3 in games he played. However, when he was sidelined with injuries, the Bills had a mark of 1-4.
ESPN NFL Reporter, Field Yates, joined the John Murphy Show to offer his take on Gaines' value.
"First of all, he's a good player, right? Publicly, on the outside, we looked at that trade last year when it took place in the middle of August or so for Sammy Watkins and said, 'Hey, the Bills just acquired a second-round pick.' E.J. Gaines was to borrow a cliché, a throw-in in that deal," said Yates. "The Bills wouldn't have inquired on E.J. if they didn't have some level of interest in the player and the trade he brings to the table. He was not in their eyes some anonymous player that is just to help a [trade] package balance. This is a player they clearly had some level of interest in and he played well this year.
"I think E.J. Gaines has quickly immersed himself in that Buffalo culture. How many times did Sean McDermott use the word, 'Process,' this year? Part of the process is building a culture. It sure seems like E.J. Gaines fit into both the process and fits culturally within the Buffalo Bills. For that reason, I think he's a guy who should be a top priority for them this offseason."
In Gaines' 11 regular season games, he tallied 59 tackles, nine passes defended, three forced fumbles (team-high), and one interception.
3 - Thurman to attend Salvation Army's Souper Bowl
Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame running back, Thurman Thomas, will be in Tennessee today for a charitable event. He'll team up with the Salvation Army to raise money to provide meals for the hungry.
The Salvation Army’s “Souper Bowl for the Hungry,” will be held this Friday, Feb. 16, at the Holiday Inn in Johnson City, Tenn. This luncheon, an annual affair celebrating 21 years, attracts a sell-out crowd each February.
Here's part of their statement on who will be featured at this year's event.
*The Souper Bowl will feature Thurman Thomas, former player for the Buffalo Bills. Thurman attended college at Oklahoma State University and played most of his NFL career for the Buffalo Bills. Thurman is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. *
*Thomas is at the top of the list for a variety of the Bills all-time records. He has the most games played (173) of any RB in franchise history. What he did in those games is jaw-dropping. *
Thomas is the Bills leader in the following all-time rushing categories: yards (11,938), attempts (2,849), career touchdowns (87), rushing TDs (65), and 100-yard games (46).
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