1. B/R picks the perfect combine prospect for the Bills
Cody Ford, an offensive tackle from Oklahoma, could be the next player to hear his name chosen by the Bills says Bleacher Report. For the Bills, prognosticators think the Bills need to add players to help protect Josh Allen at all costs. Bleacher Report writer Chris Roling thinks Ford can be the perfect prospect to achieve that goal.
Ford’s combine numbers aren’t eye-popping, but the Bills should be more interested in his interviews and what has been shown on tape. For the past two seasons Ford has been an integral part of an offensive line that produced consecutive Heisman winning quarterbacks.
Ford had a 5.21 time in the 40, 19 bench press reps, a three-cone drill at 8.27 seconds and a 20 yard shuttle at 4.87 seconds. Still this past season Ford was selected to the first-team All-Big 12 and placed on the third-team Associated Press All-American squad.
NFL analysts currently grade Ford as someone who can become an instant starter in the league boasting an extremely rare combination of size, mass and athleticism.
2. Impending free agent wants to come back to Buffalo
Jordan Phillips will be free to sign with any other team he wants beginning on March 13 but for now his eyes are set on Buffalo.
Phillips tweeted out "Let's go Buffalo" on Saturday and fans believe that it meant he had re-signed with the organization. Phillips told NYUp.com "Nothing officially, but hopefully."
Beane echoed the sentiment during the NFL combine.
"Definitely. We had a good conversation with Jordan at the end of the year, we've talked to his representatives a couple of times. They're here," said Beane. "We have not met with them yet, but we'd definitely be interested in bringing Jordan back. We liked the energy he brought to our team in midseason when we acquired him."
Phillips appeared in 12 games with the Bills this season and recorded 19 total tackles and three passes defended. Phillips could play a bigger role this year with Kyle Williams' retirement.
The two sides have until March 11 to strike a deal, if not Phillips would be free to sign somewhere else starting on March 13.
3. Boston College lineman named player to watch for the Bills
NFL.com analysts Lance Zierlein and Daniel Jeremiah selected one player for every team to watch for during the combine. Obviously, it included some big names like Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins and Arizona State's wide receiver N'Keal Harry but for most teams it looked at players that don't immediately come to mind.
Zierlein and Jeremiah want the Bills to keep an eye on Boston College guard Chris Lindstrom. Lindstrom was outstanding at the Senior Bowl according to experts and is a very steady and reliable prospect.
Lindstrom has the NFL size at 6-4, 308 pounds and is compared to Cleveland guard Joe Bitonio. Having a guy like Bitonio on the line wouldn't be too bad. He's started all 16 games in three of his first five seasons and attended his first Pro Bowl in January.
Lindstrom has played at both tackle and guard at Boston College and has the athleticism and mental makeup of a starting center, says Zierlein. He recorded the second-fastest 40 time for offensive linemen at 4.91 and near the top in vertical, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle and the three-cone drill. He was named a third team All-American this season.
