WELL done Buffalo Bills in releasing Matt Araiza. He is innocent till proven guilty but the team does not need the distraction of his moral and legal issues. Now the Bills can concentrate on finalizing their team roster and getting ready for the season opener at LA on 8 SEP 22. OH BUFFALO, YOU MAKE ME WANT TO SHOUT!!!!! From the NFL and CBS Sports.....
Buffalo Bills made right decision releasing Matt Araiza, but serious questions remain
The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza on Saturday night. At worst, the allegation contained in a civil lawsuit filed Thursday that Araiza, a former San Diego State star, participated in the gang rape of a 17-year-old last October is proven true and there will be many questions about how the university, the San Diego police and those who are supposed to vet players in the NFL let Araiza go unscathed for 10 months. At best, Araiza was the cliché every team hopes to avoid as the season is about to start: a devastating distraction. The Bills could not afford to put up with even the best-case scenario.
There is almost certainly much more to be learned about the Bills' response to Araiza -- about what they knew of the alleged incident, about how deeply they pursued answers, about whom they relied on for their information and investigation. NFL franchises are not investigative bodies -- as Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane noted during a news conference Saturday announcing the move, teams don't have the means to pull all the facts together -- but past cases tell us that teams often seek answers from people who will tell them what they want to hear.
Maybe the Bills tried harder than that. By their own account, they first learned of the allegation in "late July" -- about a month ago -- when the alleged victim's attorney spoke to one of the team's lawyers. The Bills say they began the process of looking into the situation then and tried not to rush to judgment. They initially made no move to distance themselves from Araiza; he practiced and played in the first two preseason games, earning widespread acclaim for an 82-yard punt in Buffalo's preseason opener and becoming the team's starting punter after the release of veteran Matt Haack on Monday. Then the allegation hit the headlines on Thursday, when the lawsuit was filed and the Los Angeles Times wrote about it. Araiza traveled with the team to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, for Buffalo's preseason finale against the Panthers on Friday night but ultimately did not play in the game, with Bills coach Sean McDermott saying in his postgame news conference that it was his decision: "At the end of the day, I didn't feel it was right to do that." On Saturday, Beane said Araiza's version of events was different than the one the Bills received from the accuser's attorney, adding that the team still had not pieced everything together.
Still, whether it was new information or public outrage that informed their decision, the Bills did the right thing in releasing Araiza. That alone, given the offseason of Deshaun Watson, is a nice change of pace. It was also the easy decision. Araiza certainly has the right to defend himself, and the Bills have the right to protect their franchise from a disturbing accusation. But boil this down to football math, which is ultimately the most cynical but also most important calculus in the NFL: Araiza is a punter -- and while he is very good at punting, he is also a rookie, a sixth-round draft pick, with no track record of NFL success and without an enormous contract the Bills will have to pay.
The Cleveland Browns deserve all the scorn they've received for their embrace of Watson. As a strictly football matter, though, having a franchise quarterback with a lot of moral baggage is still -- to the Browns, at least -- having a franchise quarterback, which is most definitely not the same as having a punter. It's nothing to celebrate, but like it or not, pro sports teams -- like all businesses -- regularly contort themselves to accommodate their most vital employees.
The Bills are strong Super Bowl contenders this season. To invite the tumult and distraction Araiza would have brought to Buffalo as this lawsuit plays out would have been ludicrous. One look at Beane and McDermott in the last two days tells you how much of their emotional and intellectual energy was exhausted on Araiza's situation. That is not where a team wants its leadership spending its time with the season about to begin.
The bottom line on Araiza is that even the best punter is not vital enough for a team to hope everyone will eventually forget a hideous allegation. He is, simply put, replaceable.
Beane said Saturday night that the Bills' culture is more important than winning games. That might very well be true. And the scales might tip more dramatically toward culture because punters rarely directly win games anyway.
2022 preseason All-AFC East Team: Josh Allen leads 13 representatives from loaded Bills roster
The Jets are represented in the trenches while the Dolphins excel in the secondary
Over the next two weeks, we will unveil our preseason All-Division teams, as is our annual tradition around this time of year. As always, the rosters were compiled largely by a panel of one, though there was significant input from the writing and editorial staff at CBSSports.com after I took an initial run at the rosters on my own.
We'll begin today with the AFC East, then move through the rest of the conference this week. Next week, it's on to the NFC. Without further ado ...
Offensive skill positions
QB: Josh Allen (BUF)
RB: Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)
WR: Stefon Diggs (BUF), Tyreek Hill (MIA), Gabriel Davis (BUF)
TE: Dawson Knox (BUF)
FLEX: Elijah Moore (NYJ)
The quarterback selection for this division was extremely easy. Over the last two seasons, Allen has totaled 8,951 passing yards, 73 passing touchdowns against 25 interceptions, as well as an additional 1,184 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground. He is one of the small handful of best signal-callers in the NFL, and the most impactful player in the AFC East on either side of the ball.
The running back pick was quite a bit more difficult. Each of the division's four teams is expected to split snaps between at least two backs, with each of Stevenson, Damien Harris, Devin Singletary, Breece Hall and Chase Edmonds having reasonable arguments to come out on top. Ultimately, what Stevenson showed last year, plus his expected emergence as the Patriots' passing-down back, led us to settle on him.
Diggs remains Allen's clear-cut No. 1 target, and even in a "down" season a year ago he totaled 103 catches for 1,225 yards and 10 touchdowns. Better luck connecting on deep passes will lead to an even better season in 2022. Even after leaving Patrick Mahomes, Hill should still be one of the most explosive playmakers in the NFL, and Tua Tagovailoa's accuracy should play up as he attempts to get Hill the ball in open space. Davis is a popular breakout player pick, and with good reason. The last time we saw him on the field, he put together arguably the greatest playoff game in NFL history, catching eight passes for 201 yards and four scores in Buffalo's AFC divisional round loss to the Chiefs.
At tight end, there are several worthy candidates. Mike Gesicki is expected to be more of a blocker in Miami than he has been in the past, given the change to Mike McDaniel's Shanahan-style offense. Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, and Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah are expected to split snaps in some form or another. That leaves Knox, who emerged as one of Allen's most reliable red-zone targets last season and showed the ability to stretch the field as well.
Moore was putting together the best stretch of his rookie campaign when he suffered a season-ending injury last year, totaling 34 receptions for 459 yards and five touchdowns in his final six games. He should be Zach Wilson's top target in Year 2, and his versatility to line up inside, outside, or even in the backfield makes him a dangerous all-field weapon.
Offensive line
OT: Terron Armstead (MIA), Dion Dawkins (BUF)
G: Alijah Vera-Tucker (NYJ), Laken Tomlinson (NYJ)
C: David Andrews (NE)
The concern with Armstead remains injuries. When healthy, he is among the best left tackles in the NFL. Among 88 tackles who played at least 250 snaps last season, he earned the fifth-highest pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Dawkins was not far behind him, checking in 13th. Trent Brown could have been another pick at tackle, but swinging over to the left side of the line opens some questions about whether he will be quite as effective as in years past.
Tomlinson deservedly got a big payday this offseason and should team with Vera-Tucker to form one of the league's better guard duos. In Mike LaFleur's offense, the interior offensive line is quite important, and the Jets seem to have those two spots settled. Andrews is coming off a bounce-back season in which he looked to have regained his prior form. He was one of the most effective pass-blocking centers in the NFL last year.
OT: Terron Armstead (MIA), Dion Dawkins (BUF)
G: Alijah Vera-Tucker (NYJ), Laken Tomlinson (NYJ)
C: David Andrews (NE)
The concern with Armstead remains injuries. When healthy, he is among the best left tackles in the NFL. Among 88 tackles who played at least 250 snaps last season, he earned the fifth-highest pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Dawkins was not far behind him, checking in 13th. Trent Brown could have been another pick at tackle, but swinging over to the left side of the line opens some questions about whether he will be quite as effective as in years past.
Tomlinson deservedly got a big payday this offseason and should team with Vera-Tucker to form one of the league's better guard duos. In Mike LaFleur's offense, the interior offensive line is quite important, and the Jets seem to have those two spots settled. Andrews is coming off a bounce-back season in which he looked to have regained his prior form. He was one of the most effective pass-blocking centers in the NFL last year.
Defensive front
EDGE: Von Miller (BUF), Matt Judon (NE)
IDL: Quinnen Williams (NYJ), Ed Oliver (BUF)
LB: Matt Milano (BUF), Tremaine Edmunds (BUF)
Miller's stretch run with the Rams last season re-solidified his status as one of the NFL's premier edge rushers. He collected five sacks, eight quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss in eight regular-season games, then added four more sacks, six more hits and six more tackles for loss during LA's run to the Super Bowl title. In Sean McDermott's defense, he should shine. Judon matched a career high by playing 81% of New England's defensive snaps last season, and Bill Belichick showed his typical ability to put Judon in position to succeed. There's no reason to expect a drop-off from one of the league's most consistent rushmen.
Williams is an emerging player on the interior of Robert Saleh's defense, and his ability to rush the passer from the inside puts him in rare company. He's collected 13 sacks over the past two seasons along with 26 quarterback hits. Oliver is seemingly on the verge of his own breakout, and with the Bills having added even more talent up front to play alongside him, that breakout may happen this year. (The good reviews of his performance from Buffalo's training camp are encouraging on that front.)
The linebacker group in this division is lacking in high-end talent. New England has seen its depth raided by other teams over the past several seasons, and none of the players the Dolphins have taken from the Pats have remained quite as effective in Miami. Therefore, we'll go with Buffalo's pair of athletic defenders who make their bones in pass defense, rather than betting on New York's C.J. Mosley turning back the clock to 2018.
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EDGE: Von Miller (BUF), Matt Judon (NE)
IDL: Quinnen Williams (NYJ), Ed Oliver (BUF)
LB: Matt Milano (BUF), Tremaine Edmunds (BUF)
Miller's stretch run with the Rams last season re-solidified his status as one of the NFL's premier edge rushers. He collected five sacks, eight quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss in eight regular-season games, then added four more sacks, six more hits and six more tackles for loss during LA's run to the Super Bowl title. In Sean McDermott's defense, he should shine. Judon matched a career high by playing 81% of New England's defensive snaps last season, and Bill Belichick showed his typical ability to put Judon in position to succeed. There's no reason to expect a drop-off from one of the league's most consistent rushmen.
Williams is an emerging player on the interior of Robert Saleh's defense, and his ability to rush the passer from the inside puts him in rare company. He's collected 13 sacks over the past two seasons along with 26 quarterback hits. Oliver is seemingly on the verge of his own breakout, and with the Bills having added even more talent up front to play alongside him, that breakout may happen this year. (The good reviews of his performance from Buffalo's training camp are encouraging on that front.)
The linebacker group in this division is lacking in high-end talent. New England has seen its depth raided by other teams over the past several seasons, and none of the players the Dolphins have taken from the Pats have remained quite as effective in Miami. Therefore, we'll go with Buffalo's pair of athletic defenders who make their bones in pass defense, rather than betting on New York's C.J. Mosley turning back the clock to 2018.
Defensive backfield
CB: Xavien Howard (MIA), Tre'Davious White (BUF), Byron Jones (MIA)
SAF: Jevon Holland (MIA), Micah Hyde (BUF)
FLEX: Jordan Poyer (BUF)
Howard got his new contract and delivered another Pro Bowl season with another bunch of takeaways. He remains an elite possession-changer on defense and should be the foundation of Miami's defense along with Jones. When that duo is in the lineup, it is extremely difficult to pass the ball against the Dolphins. With J.C. Jackson departing New England for Los Angeles, we'll be on Tre White making a successful return from ACL surgery, rather than assuming one of the Patriots' remaining corners or New York's hodgepodge of options at the position can outplay him.
Holland was a breakout star as a rookie, playing the same type of versatile role on the back end of the defense that Dallas' Micah Parsons did up front. He can line up just about anywhere and play just about any role on any given play, and that is incredibly valuable. Hyde and Poyer are both still wildly underrated, even after Poyer finally landed an All-Pro nod last year. They might be the best safety tandem in the NFL.
CB: Xavien Howard (MIA), Tre'Davious White (BUF), Byron Jones (MIA)
SAF: Jevon Holland (MIA), Micah Hyde (BUF)
FLEX: Jordan Poyer (BUF)
Howard got his new contract and delivered another Pro Bowl season with another bunch of takeaways. He remains an elite possession-changer on defense and should be the foundation of Miami's defense along with Jones. When that duo is in the lineup, it is extremely difficult to pass the ball against the Dolphins. With J.C. Jackson departing New England for Los Angeles, we'll be on Tre White making a successful return from ACL surgery, rather than assuming one of the Patriots' remaining corners or New York's hodgepodge of options at the position can outplay him.
Holland was a breakout star as a rookie, playing the same type of versatile role on the back end of the defense that Dallas' Micah Parsons did up front. He can line up just about anywhere and play just about any role on any given play, and that is incredibly valuable. Hyde and Poyer are both still wildly underrated, even after Poyer finally landed an All-Pro nod last year. They might be the best safety tandem in the NFL.
Specialists
K: Tyler Bass (BUF)
P: Jake Bailey (NE)
RET: Braxton Berrios (NYJ)
I won't lie. ... I asked our resident kicking expert (John Breech) who he thinks are the best kickers and punters in each division, and copy/pasted those names onto each All-Division team. Meanwhile, Berrios was last season's first-team All-Pro return man, and he has been a dangerous playmaker with the ball in his hands since his days at the University of Miami.
K: Tyler Bass (BUF)
P: Jake Bailey (NE)
RET: Braxton Berrios (NYJ)
I won't lie. ... I asked our resident kicking expert (John Breech) who he thinks are the best kickers and punters in each division, and copy/pasted those names onto each All-Division team. Meanwhile, Berrios was last season's first-team All-Pro return man, and he has been a dangerous playmaker with the ball in his hands since his days at the University of Miami.
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