The Buffalo Bills signed Ryan Davis on Monday, and have hosted free agent WR Jeremy Butler, pass-rusher Jayrone Elliott, and offensive tackle Andre Smith at One Bills Drive over the last couple days.
Butler, 25, spent the majority of 2016 with the Chargers after starting the season with the Buccaneers and making a stop with the Jets. In four games, he made two receptions for 11 yards. As an undrafted free-agent rookie in 2014, the 6’1”, 224-pound wideout snagged 31 passes for 363 yards with the Ravens. He played college football at Tennessee-Martin.
In 2016, he was named Pro Football Focus’ top slot receiver of the preseason. This was the write up that accompanied the selection:
“OK, so slot receiver might be pushing it here for Butler, but he deserved a place in the team and did play 22 of his 107 snaps in the slot. Butler caught 16 of the 20 passes thrown his way (80 percent), scoring three times and forcing three missed tackles after the catch.”
Elliott went undrafted out of Toledo in 2014 and has spent the past three seasons with the Packers. He’ll be 26 in November and is 6’3”, 240 pounds. On 173 defensive snaps in 2015, Elliott registered three sacks and 17 tackles. This past year, he played 136 defensive snaps and had one sack.
Butler and Elliott were both restricted free agents who didn’t receive tenders from their previous teams. Signing either player wouldn’t count against the Bills with regards to compensatory draft picks.
News of the Smith visit was reported on Saturday, and was reportedly scheduled for Sunday. The monstrous right tackle is a former Bengals first-round pick who was limited to just 182 snaps in four games with the Vikings in 2016 before an injury derailed his season. The Bills have signed Jordan Mills since the move was announced, but are likely going to bring in at least one other potential starter at right tackle as competition.