Buffalo Bills need to act quickly and sign Jesse James
By Paul Taylor
The Buffalo Bills are reportedly very interested in Jesse James and should do everything possible to sign the talented tight end.
As we reported last week, the Buffalo Bills released Charles Clay (who has since signed for the Arizona Cardinals). As such, it now leaves a void at the tight end.
With this in mind, the Bills are looking for reinforcements at the position. And according to the latest speculation, it appears they have a particular target firmly in their sights.
As per Ryan Talbot of New York Upstate, Buffalo is apparently very interested in Jesse James. The news was first reported by Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com, on his most recent podcast.
The question is, would James be a good enough player to replace Clay? Of course, we should stress this means the version of Clay prior to last season, which was the worst of his eight-year NFL career.
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Your first reaction might be to think no. However, delve deeper and you can understand the Bills’ interest in James.
During the 2018 campaign, the 24-year-old had career-highs of 423 receiving yards and 14.1 yards per catch. Now consider that he was regarded as only the fifth option in the Steelers’ passing game and you get a better idea of his potential.
In fact, James’ standing in the passing attack is one of the reasons why he would prefer not to re-sign in Pittsburgh. As noted by Pauline, returning to the Steelers would likely see him remain second on the tight end depth chart.
Another reason the 2015 fifth round draft pick is an intriguing prospect for the Bills, is his blocking. He is excellent as both a pass and run blocker, which would certainly help Josh Allen and company.
After his final year at college, James was rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com. Overall, his talent and age make him a player the Bill should do everything within their power to sign, as they look to implement general manager Brandon Beane’s plan and develop a long-term contender in Western New York.
However, the Bills need to act quickly, especially as James shouldn’t be an expensive acquisition. He is expected to receive a lot of interest on the open market, with the Jacksonville Jaguars already mentioned as one other suitor for the services of the Glassport, Pennsylvania native.
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What’s your take on James? Would you like to see the Buffalo Bills sign him, or is there another tight end target you would prefer them to concentrate on? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.