Here's the Bills news of note for Feb. 17th.
**1 - Is safety a realistic scenario for Bills at 10?
**The last time the Bills drafted a safety in the top 10 was Donte Whitner in the 2006 draft when they made him the eighth overall pick. This year's safety class is considered one of the best in recent years with two likely to come off the board in the top 10.
There's little question that safety is a need position for Buffalo knowing the depth players at that position are all free agents (Robert Blanton, Jonathan Meeks). The Bills did re-sign Colt Anderson, but he's largely on the roster to lead the special teams unit.
Aaron Williams playing future is still to be determined and Corey Graham is entering the final year of his contract.
The question is do the Bills grab one of the premier safeties early or take advantage of the depth at the position and wait with many NFL talent evaluators believe a quality safety can be had as late as round three?
ProFootballFocus believes the Bills will take a safety early.
In their latest mock draft they've got the Bills taking LSU S Jamal Adams with the 10th pick. Here is their analysis.
10. Buffalo Bills
Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The nation's top-graded safety in 2016 at 89.4 overall, Adams can affect the game in all phases as he provides strong run support, and he's capable of playing multiple coverages either underneath or on the back end. That kind of versatility is vital when trying to unseat the New England Patriots in the AFC East. Adams has continued to improve every year at LSU, and his ability to change the game in multiple ways is too much to pass up for the Bills.
**2 - RFA Groy expecting to hear more from Bills soon
**Bills restricted free agent Ryan Groy got seven starts last season in place of the injured Eric Wood and played admirably in his time on the field. It has the Bills interested in keeping him on their roster heading into 2017.
In an appearance on the John Murphy Show, Groy said he hasn't heard from the Bills to this point, but believes his agent will learn more at the NFL Combine where a lot of meetings between NFL clubs and agents occur.
"That's what I imagine will happen," said Groy. "I think that's when we'll have a good idea of what they're thinking. So hopefully that happens at the Combine."
Groy said he had a very positive exit interview on locker clean out day in early January before leaving One Bills Drive for the offseason.
"I sat down with Doug Whaley at the end of the season and they said they were interested in re-signing me," Groy said. "That was the last thing I heard. I'm not really too worried about it. I'm excited about the opportunity of whatever comes my way. Right now I'm just working hard and staying in the weight room and doing what I can."
Groy said he has spoken to new head coach Sean McDermott and liked what he heard.
"Sean McDermott gave me a call and we had a nice chat," he said. "I'm excited. It sounds like he knows what he's doing. I'm excited to get started with them and it looks like they hired a good staff."
3 - Mario Williams released for second straight offseasonHe was a cap casualty of the Bills in the 2016 offseason after his performance didn't match his production on the field. That process is now repeating itself in Miami where the Dolphins released DE Mario Williams on Thursday.
Williams, who signed a two-year $17M contract with Miami last offseason, after the Bills chose to release the former number one pick in the draft (2006), disappointed the Dolphins in his first season with the club. Head coach Adam Gase benched Williams in favor of 34-year old Cameron Wake, who went on to have a Pro Bowl season at age 34 in his return from an Achilles injury the year before.
His release saves the Dolphins $8.5M on their 2017 salary cap. Miami also released veterans Branden Albert and Earl Mitchell.
