–Speed was the primary motivation for the Bills signing wide receivers Deonte Thompson and Isaiah McKenzie in the last couple weeks. McKenzie proved his worth immediately as he played against the Jets and rushed for 32 yards, caught a pass for 14 yards, and returned four kicks for a total of 75 yards.
Now Thompson joins the Bills, where last season he caught 27 passes for 430 yards and one touchdown before bolting via free agency. Thompson, a 29-year-old who entered the league in 2012 with the Ravens, was with the Cowboys until his release. In eight games (four starts) he had 14 catches for just 124 yards.
“(General manager) Brandon (Beane) and I talked a couple weeks ago and we felt we were lacking in the speed department on offense,” said head coach Sean McDermott. “And so that’s been an emphasis the last couple of weeks. You saw some of that against the Jets (playing speedy rookie Robert Foster). And that just opens things up a little bit, not only for the passing game but at times the running game.”
–The Bills finally cut ties with quarterback Nathan Peterman during their bye week, ending his tortured tenure with the team. The fifth-round pick in 2017 saw action in eight regular-season games spanning two seasons and completed 52.3 percent of his passes with three TDs and 12 interceptions for a horrendous passer rating of 32.5.
“Yeah, tough decision,” McDermott said. “You know, Nate did everything that was asked, he’s a class act through and through. Certainly, we appreciate everything, all the effort he gave when he was here. To carry four quarterbacks is a little bit unique for any extended period of time and so getting Josh to the point where he is allowed us to make a move there.”
With Derek Anderson still in concussion protocol and unable to practice, leaving only Josh Allen and Matt Barkley, McDermott was asked if there was a thought to bringing Peterman back to the practice squad. He said, “Not at this time, but we certainly wish Nate and his family the best. As I mentioned they are class all the way through.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 200 – The Bills will be looking to hold a third straight opponent under that yardage figure for the first time in club history. The Bears gained 190 yards and the Jets had 199 in Buffalo’s last two games.
