The Rex Effect- Buffalo Bills Madden 15 Franchise

[johnstone1987]

Interested in this!!! I'm following!!

[BB_Dynasty]

Bills release LB Keith Rivers


Rex Ryan's arrival in Buffalo has expedited the exit of one player. The Bills announced the release of veteran linebacker Keith Rivers.

Rivers signed a two-year deal with Buffalo just this past offseason after spending the previous two seasons with the New York Giants. Rivers, 28, was hoping to compete for a starting job, but hurt his groin in training camp. Seen as a poor fit in Ryan's hybrid scheme, the move was made swiftly, needing just one sentence in a press release from the team.

Rivers, 28, was drafted ninth overall out of USC by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008. After missing the entire 2011 season due to a wrist injury, the Bengals traded Rivers to the Giants in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2012. Rivers recorded 57 solo tackles in two seasons with the Giants.

Rivers has largely disappointed since being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the ninth overall pick in 2008 out of USC. His best season was in 2009, when he recorded 72 tackles, one sack, and one interception.

[BB_Dynasty]

BREAKING NEWS: Eagles, Bills agree to blockbuster deal


The Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills have agreed to a rare blockbuster trade, sending shockwaves throughout the NFL. The Eagles are sending two-time All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy to Buffalo in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso.

In exchange for one of the NFL's best playmakers, Kelly is reunited with the former Oregon star Alonso, who is coming off an outstanding rookie season and was the runner up for defensive rookie of the year in 2013.
Chip Kelly is putting his stamp on the roster, unloading his leading rusher and best offensive player, shortly after jettisoning Desean Jackson, his top receiver, earlier this offseason.

In LeSean McCoy, the Bills are acquiring a 25-year-old who is a two-time first-team All-Pro. He led the NFL with 1,607 rushing yards in 2013, when he was selected the league's offensive player of the year.

Assuming Rex Ryan plans to switch to a hybrid defense, it's understandable that Alonso was viewed as a luxury with the additions of Brandon Spikes and third round pick Preston Brown. The team also sees third-year linebacker Nigel Bradham as a breakout candidate after a strong close to the 2013 season. All three of these players are ticketed to compete for the two starting linebacker spots.

[BB_Dynasty]

Kyle Orton announces retirement

Buffalo Bills quarterback Kyle Orton retired Monday after 10 seasons, the team announced.

He was a late signing during training camp, a veteran presence that Bills head coach Doug Marrone felt had to be on the roster at the games most important position. However, at the close of training camp, the Bills had a new head coach and a much different outlook in 2014.

"I just have been going at it for 10 years and it’s just a family decision and I’ve decided to get home and be a dad and call it a day," Orton said to the team’s website. "Anytime you have a chance to go home and spend time with family that’s really important to me and my wife and we’re just excited to move on."

Orton’s retirement leaves the cupboards pretty bare for the Bills at the quarterback position, with only second-year quarterback Jeff Tuel left behind EJ Manuel. Thad Lewis, who spent 2013 and all summer with the team is no longer an option, as he signed with the Houston Texans shortly after his release.

[BB_Dynasty]

Bills swing another trade, acquire QB Tyrod Taylor from Ravens

Rex Ryan's not done wheeling and dealing.

On the heels of a blockbuster trade for Lesean McCoy, the Bills agreed to a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Bills have traded an undisclosed draft choice in the 2015 NFL Draft for the Ravens backup.

His greatest asset is his well-known athletic ability, which is what made Taylor so attractive to the Bills. In fact, Rex Ryan has had his eye on the former sixth-round pick for some time.

“Tyrod Taylor is a guy that very few people know a whole lot about,” said Ryan in a conference call announcing the trade. “I actually tried to trade for this player when I was with the Jets.

“I was aware of it,” said Taylor of Ryan’s trade attempt a couple of years ago. “It was just a tight situation being in Baltimore. We didn’t carry many quarterbacks there. But I appreciate coach sticking with me and bringing me on board now and I’m ready to work.”

Taylor serves as the Bills replacement for recently retired Kyle Orton, and a backup to second-year pro EJ Manuel. It is unclear if Taylor is expected to compete with Manuel to become the Bills' starter. However, teams generally don’t make multiple moves to upgrade their quarterback depth unless they have concerns about their starter.

Taylor only threw 35 passes in four seasons with the Ravens (25 of them in one game in 2012). The lack of work however, has not done anything to discourage his plans to compete at the quarterback position for Buffalo.

“I’m just trying to make the room a better room,” Taylor said. “We’re all going to compete and we all going to push each other to be better. Hopefully we can make this team better as a unit. First things first you’ve got to compete and that has to happen each and every day. That’s the first thing I’m looking to do.”

The Virginia Tech product did have a decorated college career. A former ACC Player of the Year with the Hokies, Taylor set school records for career total offense (9,213 yards), career passing yards (7,017 yards), career rushing yards by a QB (2,196), career wins by a starting QB (34), career rushing TDs by a QB (23) and touchdown passes in a season (24). He had a 34-8 record as a starter.

[BB_Dynasty]

C.J. Spiller trade rumors? Bills say no talks have occurred


C.J. Spiller has been in the news lately, well at least in Buffalo Bills news, dealing with trade rumors. Trade rumors regarding Spiller persisted throughout the offseason, and were re-ignited by the recent deal the Bills made to acquire Eagles running back LeSean McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso.

However, Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley has thrown water on the fire stating that there are no talks to trade Spiller.

"We have not been contacted by any team about C.J. Spiller," Whaley said. "These rumors are news to me, and it's exciting for you guys I guess because it gives you something to fill the newspaper with. You know I'm a straight shooter. We have not been contacted by any teams."

"I can probably see where people see our depth at running back and try to connect the dots with teams that don't have depth, but again, no one has talked to us," Whaley said.

Despite the presence of all-pro LeSean McCoy, Buffalo could still use Spiller. He's never truly developed into the every-down back the Bills drafted him to be, he is still a dynamic playmaker for an offense that needs as many as they can field as the development of EJ Manuel continues.

Although Spiller had a disappointing, injury riddled 2013 campaign with the Bills, he is just one season off a Pro Bowl year in 2012. He struggled through a high ankle sprain and a scheme shift last season, but still managed to lead the team in rushing with 933 yards at 4.6 yards per carry while only playing roughly one-third of the team's snaps on offense.

[BB_Dynasty]

Ryan opens the door for QB competition


Rex Ryan wasn’t the only new face around the facility in his first practice as head coach of the Bills. The Bills swung two big trades immediately after Rex Ryan took over as head coach. One of those trades added a new signal caller to the roster and Ryan did not hesitate giving that quarterback first-team reps during his first practice.

EJ Manuel was the first quarterback out in both 7-on-7’s and 11-on-11 sessions, but was quickly replaced with newly acquired quarterback Tyrod Taylor during both periods.

When asked after practice about the reps at quarterback, Ryan was quick to reaffirm Manuel as his starter, but he didn’t rule out a possible changing at the helm if someone impresses in preseason.

"Our starting quarterback is EJ Manuel,” Ryan said. "If somebody performs better than EJ then that’s going to have to change. We have two capable guys out there and we'll see what happens."

Ryan continued with high praise for both signal callers.
“With EJ just going into his second year, I really believe EJ is going to improve. I love the fact that he's a gym rat and he's smart. With our offense being multiple we'll be able to get out of bad plays, so the mental part of it all of the quarterbacks we have should be able to handle that."

“Tyrod Taylor’s kind of a wild card,” Ryan said. “Nobody really knows about him. All I know is if he’s not the fastest quarterback in the league, he’s certainly up there with them. He’s got great run skills. I’m not gonna say he’s Russell Wilson, but he’s got a little of that in him, where he’s able to run zone reads and pull the ball down and be effective.” Ryan said. “He’s had some good tape in preseason in particular. Then didn’t play so well in the one regular-season game he really played (against Cincinnati in 2012). I tried to trade for him when I was with the Jets. I think he’ll have a chance,” the coach concluded.

The Bills will have a starting quarterback by week one, that much is known. Whether that quarterback will be EJ Manuel or not, remains anyone's guess. It will certainly be an interesting battle to monitor throughout the preseason.

[BB_Dynasty]

I'm going to be a bit getting to the preseason games. Still experimenting with getting my roster together and I'm trying to make it seem as realistic as possible.

In the meantime I thought I'd provide a little insight into the moves I've made so far. It should be noted that I won't restrict myself to the 2015 moves the Bills made in real life. If there is a player in free agency or someone cut at the close of preseason who I feel can help my team, I won't hesitate to add them. Additionally, I plan to keep some players the Bills cut loose after the 2014 season (i.e. CJ Spiller).

1) Once the games get started, you may notice a few of defensive players in different positions then the default updated rosters. I made the changes before starting my franchise to avoid dramatic rating decreases. Some of the penalties for position switching are way to severe (i.e. LOLB to MLB 15pt AWR decrease, that's crazy).

2) I made it so Kyle Orton is actually retired. Before starting a career as Rex Ryan with the Bills, I did a player career as Orton and made him retire so that my storyline is accurate.

3) Obviously, I added Lesean McCoy before starting the franchise, and imported the custom roster. I'm still in shock over that trade! Only thing that's unrealistic about it is that Alonso was actually injured for the 2014 season, but I had to do it before starting my franchise because digital Chip Kelly isn't as crazy as real Chip Kelly lol.

4) I may still go with EJ Manuel as my quarterback, but I wanted to add another one just in case. I could of kept Kyle Orton, but he's not mobile at all. With my offensive line, I need a guy who can move lol. I looked into adding another quarterback, but figured I'd go with Taylor since he's actually a Bill now and Rex Ryan has a man crush on him IRL. Plus he always seems to be a beast in Madden.

It will be a true competition for the job. Whoever I prefer to use at the conclusion of preseason will get the job.