By: Caleb Holfoth (@cmhfilm)

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2021 offseason knowing that they are closer to the Super Bowl than they have been the whole 21st century. After falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game Buffalo looks to build even more for the 2021 season. Under head coach Sean McDermott, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and young star quarterback Josh Allen the Buffalo Bills have made huge progress each season together. The next step for Buffalo is to the Super Bowl. Going from a perennial non-contender to a contender is what the past three seasons were for. Now, Buffalo is attempting to move from perennial contender to champions. This offseason is so important to Buffalo because it will help decide if Buffalo can continue this high level of growth. This offseason has not been as exciting as the 2020 offseason where general manager Brandon Beane pulled off a blockbuster trade for star receiver Stefon Diggs. Regardless, this offseason remains important to the success and future of the Buffalo Bills. Here are the most overrated and underrated moves of the 2021 offseason by general manager Brandon Beane.

Underrated: Resigning Matt Milano and Daryl Williams

During the season a hot topic of conversation was how Buffalo was going to retain linebacker Matt Milano and right tackle Daryl Williams. Many analysts and fans believed that retaining one of Milano and Williams was the Bill’s only option. However, Brandon Beane pulled off what everyone thought was impossible. Beane was able to sign Williams and Milano to very team-friendly deals to keep them in Buffalo for at least the next three seasons. While their deals were very friendly for the team both players also now are compensated justly for their play. Williams was signed to a one-year prove-it style deal coming off a poor season and played like one of the best right tackles in the AFC for Buffalo. Milano is arguably the Bill’s best defender in the front 7 and makes a huge impact when he is healthy. 

One thing that is so underrated about these deals is that Buffalo never had to use the franchise tag and defer these contracts to next year where the price of both players may have inflated just like the salary cap. In addition to that, Beane now has elite-level players at left tackle, right tackle, cornerback, linebacker, and wide receiver all under contract for at least three more seasons. One thing Beane wanted to do when he came to Buffalo was draft, develop and resign. While Williams is more of a free agent gem Milano is the perfect example of what Beane wants to do. A former 5th round pick Milano developed into one of the league’s best overall linebackers and Beane was able to keep him in Buffalo for more than just a rookie deal. Something that many general managers before him failed to do.

Overrated: Restructuring Mario Addison 

The move of restructuring Mario Addison is not the really overrated thing. It’s not the move itself but more of the fact that this was the move instead of cutting him outright. While Addison did lead the Bills with 5 sacks in 2021, he was very disappointing considering his salary and hype before the season. The Bills should have cut Addison just because of the pure number of pass rushers they brought in this offseason. In the draft, Buffalo added pass rushers in rounds 1 and 2 as well as signing Efe Obada who had 5.5 sacks while playing nearly half the number of snaps as Addison. 

Cutting Addison would have been a better move for Buffalo as it would have saved the team just over six million dollars on this season’s salary cap. Cap space that could later be used on free agents. While at the time of Addison’s restructure it seemed like a good deal since then Buffalo has added three pass rushers who all have higher potential than Addison. Addison will have to fight for his role on the team and could be a veteran cut candidate considering the amount of young talent Buffalo now has at the position. If Addison gets cut Beane likely will regret letting him stay for the summer when instead his cap space could have been used at the height of free agency.

Underrated: Drafting Defensive Ends in Round 1 & 2

The Buffalo Bills pass rush was not that effective last season. Combine that with the type of damage that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to do against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl with their pass rush. You get Brandon Beane’s understanding that the Bills need a better pass rush. Buffalo is great in the secondary and even has very talented linebackers. The defensive line is more of a project. Beane addressed that significantly by drafting defensive ends in the first and second rounds. Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham look to come into Buffalo and infuse the defensive line with some young energy and high potential. This move seems like a weird one at first considering teams usually do not draft the same position back-to-back that early in the draft. What makes these picks so interesting is the versatility of both players. While both are defensive ends first, we could see them all over the Bills line. 

This tactic is slightly genius by Brandon Beane. Buffalo already has key young stars at every position group except for the defensive line. Add that with the fact that the franchise quarterback is about to paid and the two next highest-paid positions in left tackle and cornerback already have elite players who are being paid a significant amount of money having not one but two defensive ends on rookie deals for the next four seasons could be a game-changer. While Basham and Rousseau are different styles of defensive ends both have really high potential in their own unique ways. If Buffalo can get one elite defensive or even just two really good ends from this tactic it will be a game-changer for the years coming forward. This move may not pay off instantly but in three seasons it could be the move that made Buffalo a championship-caliber.

Overrated: Drafting Offensive Tackles in Rounds 3 & 5

Using a similar tactic to his first two rounds of the draft Brandon Beane doubled up on tackles right after defensive ends. While you would think that you can use the same theory for defensive ends here it does not quite work. It doesn’t work because Buffalo has a left tackle and right tackle both under contract for the next three seasons and both are so good that their jobs are untouchable. That means that both Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle will spend most of their time on the bench for the next three seasons. While either could see some spot action if someone gets hurt, they both are strictly tackles with little to no position flexibility. 

While you can never have enough good lineman, this drafting tactic works more when it is at a position of need as opposed to a position of strength. The Bills are strongest at tackle along the offensive line so it is slightly redundant that Beane not only drafted one but two players who likely will sit for a while instead of attempting to improve other areas of the team that may have weaker players or depth.

Underrated: Signing Matt Haack

A punter? Yes, a punter is an underrated signing. First, letting Corey Bojorquez walk was a smart yet difficult thing for the Bills to do. Bojorquez has one of the biggest legs in the league and was open to flip the field several times for Buffalo even ending up second the whole league in yards per punt. However, letting Bojorquez was smart for Buffalo because they do not need to flip the field often because of how good their offense is. It still is hard to see a powerful leg like Bojorquez leave the Bills after such a good season. However, what leaves in power now comes to Buffalo in a different form. Finesse. Matt Haack is essentially the opposite style of punter as Bojorquez. While Bojorquez will boom the ball down the field full-strength every time Haack likes to hang the ball super high in the air with precise accuracy. 

The swap of punters may look like nothing to the outside fan. But Matt Haack and his ability to be so precise and accurate punting the Ball will help the Bills so much in 2021. Haack tied for the second-lowest touchback rate at 2.9% which will replace Bojorquez’s rate of 15.4% which landed him last place leaguewide. The reason why this move will be so beneficial for Buffalo will be because due to their offensive ability they will punt around the 50-yard line much more often than close to their own end zone. Haack gives the Bills a weapon when it comes to pinning teams with bad field position. While Buffalo may not be able to reverse fields as easily signing Haack makes Buffalo considerably better at controlling field position.

Overrated: Offensive Line signings 

While there were several signings of offensive lineman in the offseason none of them are big impact type players. Buffalo did not necessarily need a superstar at guard or center but a player who can be a top 20 player at either position would have helped the Bills. Instead, Brandon Beane opted to sign several depth options who likely will find their way back to free agency or a practice squad. None of these signings were bad because of how little the Bills are tied financially but with Buffalo recently opening up extra cap space by converting Stefon Diggs salary to a signing bonus it is confusing why this was maybe not done earlier by Beane to go after better lineman. 

The offensive line is not a huge weakness for Buffalo but after seeing how Cody Ford, Ike Boettger, and Mitch Morse played in 2020 other options need to be explored. None of those players are bad but none of them give you major confidence when they play either. The best signing that Beane made was Forrest Lamp who is a former high draft choice that played some solid years for the Los Angeles Chargers. The rest of the offensive line signings by Beane likely will not even make the team. On the surface, depth signings are low risk and are done by every general manager. What makes these signings overrated is that they do not make the 2021 Buffalo Bills any better and make them essentially meaningless offseason paperwork.

Final Thoughts

While all of this is written before the season starts a good portion of this article will be relevant as the season goes on. Just because a move is overrated does not mean that it still provides value to the Bills. Same goes for underrated signings. Just because a signing may be underrated does not mean that those players will play above their skill levels. Regardless, Brandon Beane had a very good offseason for the Bills. The Bills were able to retain all their important talent while added a large number of young players who have really solid high potential. In addition to the quality signings that Beane has made he has kept the coaching staff intact and kept the Buffalo Bills out of and tough salary cap implications.

The post 3 overrated and 3 underrated offseason moves by the Buffalo Bills appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Caleb Holfoth (@cmhfilm)

The Buffalo Bills are filled with youth all across the offense and defense. Franchise cornerstones Josh Allen, Tre’Davious White, Dion Dawkins, Stefon Diggs, Matt Milano, and Ed Oliver are all under the age of 28. However, the roster is filled with players who have been drafted within the past three seasons whom all have made an impact. With Buffalo turning into one of the major contenders in the NFL Buffalo needs to have some of their younger players make major impacts. Buffalo has a very well-rounded team and young players either starting or backing up in several positions. Some players certainly have played below expectations in their careers and are going to be expected to step up this season. 

AJ Epenesa, Defensive End

AJ Epenesa played a total of 17 games last season including the playoffs making only one start over the course of his rookie season. A second-round draft pick in 2020 Epenesa was not allowed to participate in any of the normal rookie camps or offseason programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Epenesa was touted as a developmental player and the lack of offseason work with the team was part of the reason for the slow start to his career. Epenesa only tallied 17 tackles, one sack, three TFL, and five QB hits while playing only 27% of defensive snaps. Epenesa also came into the season not exactly how the Bills wanted when he cut much more weight than they anticipated. 

Epenesa not only has a big year because of his poor showing in the first half of last season but also because the Bills doubled up on defensive ends in the first and second round of this offseason draft. 

Now, why will Epenesa have a breakout year? Well, it starts with the fact that he gets a full offseason for the first time in his career. Epenesa started behind last season and was not able to show some potential until the end of the season. With Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison both on the wrong side of 30 and on the last year of their deals. There is some availability for snaps at the position.

Epenesa showed some flashes last season and has the potential to be a solid run defender as well as a pass rusher which is exactly what McDermott wants in his defensive ends. With a higher number of snaps not only should Epenesa improve on the field, but he should get better every single week. Just like last season Epenesa will likely start slowing but become more valuable down the stretch having most of his success closer to the playoffs. 

Projected Stats: 31 Tackles, 5 Sacks, 8 TFL, 2FF, 1FR, 48% of Snaps

Cody Ford, Offensive Guard

Cody Ford started fifteen games his rookie season for the Bills at right tackle and followed by starting the first six games of the season at guard for the Bills. Ford was declared out for the season when he tore his meniscus in practice. Ford was a second-round pick by Brandon Beane and Buffalo hopes that he can solidify the left guard position next to Dion Dawkins for the future. While Ford did come into the league with high potential, he has been slightly disappointed for Buffalo. In his rookie season, Ford could not ever definitively take the right tackle job from Ty Nsekhe.

Ford has the tools to be a very good guard in the NFL, but he needs to improve his footwork as well as his power when pass blocking. Ford has been overpowered by some of the larger defensive tackles since moving to guard. Ford has been more comfortable since moving to left guard and his performance in 2020 was certainly more impressive than his rookie season.

Ford will return stay at guard in 2021 with the other four positions across the line already locked up in long-term deals. Ford has real potential to make a jump from the below-average play that he has exhibited throughout his short career. If Ford can shore up his fundamentals at guard and become more comfortable and acclimated with the position, he could easily become a strength of the Bills offensive line. Expect Ford to take a jump this season because of the full offseason program as well as much more competition along the offensive line. 

Projected Stats: 14 Games Started, 7 Penalties, 4 Sacks Allowed

Dawson Knox, Tight End

Dawson Knox has been oozing potential since his rookie season. Regardless he has still yet to reach that potential. Knox’s career stats dating back to college have not been that amazing. 

Ole Miss Career: 17 Games, 39 Receptions, 605 Yards, 0 Touchdowns

2019: 15 Games, 28 Receptions, 388 Yards, 2 Touchdowns

2020: 12 Games, 24 Receptions, 288 Yards, 3 Touchdowns

 Knox has made some incredible plays since coming to Buffalo. However, those plays have come in a very limited manner. This season things may open up for Knox a little more than in previous seasons. Last season Knox was outperformed by receivers because there was so much talent at the position. The addition of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis made it difficult for Knox to get more targets in his second season. In addition to that, Buffalo moved away from some tight-end sets opting instead to have more receivers on the field. Although Knox did play fewer games, he registered nearly 200 fewer snaps than his rookie season. 

Knox does have serious potential to break out in 2021. First, the emphasis on stopping All-Pros Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley could mean that Knox will often have mismatches or be unnoticed by the defense. Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll is a genius at creating winning matchups for Bills players. With Knox still relatively regarded as a non-factor to many in the Bills offense Daboll could creatively use him to create big plays. In addition to that, Knox is now in year three of Buffalo’s system. Knox should not only be able to play from the tight end position but also as a standup player in the slot. While will not have the impact of a player such as Stefon Diggs expect him to make a jump from a relatively unknown tight end to a weapon in Buffalo’s offense. 

Projected Stats: 15 Games, 48 Receptions, 623 Yards, 4 Touchdowns

The post Three Bills that can break out in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Caleb Holfoth (@cmhfilm)

General Manager Brandon Beane has been one of the main catalysts in the complete turnaround of the Buffalo Bills organization. Part of what has made Beane so successful is not just his draft strategy and success but also the value signings he makes every offseason. Beane has been able to regularly fill small roles on Buffalo’s team through free agency signing players that are not too expensive or obvious. Beane has been able to fill out Buffalo’s roster with really solid free-agent additions every season. This offseason was harder for many because of the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, Beane showed his incredible ability to recruit very quality free agents to Buffalo without overpaying them. 

Before Beane’s tenure in Buffalo the Bills would often have to overpay free agents to come to Buffalo and that rarely ever panned out. In Beane’s first offseason he knew that big money signings were going to fail Buffalo. Instead, Beane and his scouting department found value players who had a chip on their shoulder to come into Buffalo and prove something. Safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde are the perfect examples. Poyer was largely unwanted by most NFL teams and the Packers thought Hyde was worth nowhere near what the Bills offered him. Four years later and both players have been extended and almost every team in the NFL wishes they could have a safety duo this strong. 

This offseason Brandon Beane has completed sixteen free agent signings, not including anyone who was signed to a futures/reserves deal. Beane has covered many positions and left some alone as he maneuvered through the 2021 offseason. While Buffalo was linked to several top players, they refused to pay any unreasonable amount for any player available. One of the big names Buffalo was after was JJ Watt. Watt ended up going to the Arizona Cardinals on a contract that was worth much more than what the Bills were willing to give him. This shows Beane’s patience and negotiating skills. Beane does not budge because he is confident that he will be able to get players of value regardless of if they are a top guy or not. Since there are so many signings, they will be discussed in similar position groupings. 

Quarterback/Running Back/Wide Receiver/Tight End

QB: Mitchell Trubisky

RB: Matt Breida

WR: Emmanuel Sanders and Brandon Powell

TE: Jacob Hollister

This grouping of players is mostly backups, but dang, they are some good backups. Mitchell Trubisky signed a one-year 2.5-million-dollar deal to sit behind Allen giving the Bills one of the best backups in the NFL. While Trubisky was a top draft pick he never panned out as a high-level starter. With that being said he certainly has the talent and capability to start in the NFL. Hopefully, Buffalo will not have to call his number because that would mean Allen is hurt but if that happens Buffalo’s offensive structure and talent will give Trubisky a way higher chance of success compared to what he was working with in Chicago. Not only is Trubisky a great backup but Buffalo got him for an incredible value. According to Spotrac, Trubisky’s market value sits at 8.3 million dollars per year which is over three times what Buffalo paid him. 

At Running Back Matt Breida brings the one thing that the Buffalo Bills lack at the position. Speed. Breida is one of the most explosive backs in the NFL and at his Pro Day in 2017 ran a 4.38 40-yard dash combined with a 42-inch vertical and 134-inch broad jump. Breida had a poor year in Miami last season only registering 59 carries, the lowest in his career. However, over four years in the NFL Breida has accumulated quite the stat line. 

440 carries, 2156 yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 4.9 yards per attempt, 76 receptions, 657 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, and 125 total first downs. 

Breida may not be a starter, but he can certainly play a really solid backup/3rd down back role where his speed, explosiveness, and pass-catching are used as an asset for Buffalo. Oh yeah, Breida also signed for less than one million dollars in a running back market that saw Devontae Booker, Carlos Hyde, and James White all get a contract for at least 2.4 million dollars. 

Emmanuel Sanders is a player that Buffalo has been attempting to acquire through trade or signing for three years.

Now that Sanders is in Buffalo, he takes the role vacated by John Brown. Sanders is not only an upgrade from Brown, but he is a more versatile player who can be lined up both on the outside or inside of a formation. What makes this Sanders signing so valuable is that the Bills got a veteran wide receiver who not only will excel in their offense but also will be an extra safety net for Josh Allen. While John Brown was very successful as a Bill Sanders brings a strong ability to find open space against zone defenses and quick-twitch routes to get open in man coverage. Signing for only 6 million dollars Sanders will make nearly half as much as Will Fuller and Nelson Agholor”¦players that Sanders is arguably better than making this another strong value signing for Brandon Beane.

Brandon Powell is a simple signing for Buffalo. Powell has been in the league for two years but has spent more time as a returner than a receiver. Buffalo needs a new return man after letting All-Pro return man Andre Roberts walk in free agency because of his age. Powell will come into camp and compete with players like Isaiah McKenzie and Marquez Stevenson for the return man job. A zero-risk signing that could end up playing a solid role for the Bills in 2021 if he can make the team. 

Tight End Jacob Hollister spent two years with the New England Patriots and two with the Seattle Seahawks. In 50 career games, Hollister has accrued 74 receptions, 652 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Most of that has come in the last two seasons where he has served as the backup tight end in Seattle. Hollister is a versatile player who can play tight end, H-back, or Fullback on offense. A former teammate of Josh Allen at Wyoming Hollister signed a one-year deal worth 1.2 million dollars. A deal that several other players who have much less NFL production than Hollister also received. Hollister was not one of the top tight-end free agents available. Regardless, he will play a really solid role on the Bills and his contributions will exceed his compensation from Buffalo. 

Offensive/Defensive Line

OT Bobby Hart

OG Jamil Douglas

OG Forrest Lamp

OG Steven Gonzalez

DE Efe Obada

DT Treyvon Hester

What is incredible about the signings that Brandon Beane made in the trenches is that only two of these players will likely make the 2021 roster. While all of them are talented enough to do so. 

Bobby Hart has had an extremely rough career at this point, but Buffalo signed him before they took two tackles back-to-back in rounds three and four the 2021 Draft. The Hart signing was more of a backup plan in case Buffalo did not take tackles in the draft. Do not expect Hart to have any chance of making the roster and Hart being cut will not cost the Bills a dime. 

Guards Jamil Douglas and Forrest Lamp are likely competing against each other for one of the backup guard spots on game day. Douglas has 46 games and 11 starts as a guard while bouncing around six different teams being cut eight different times. Douglas is a solid player who has shown some promise in his eleven starts but never any serious potential. Douglas brings good competition for Buffalos offensive line in training camp. Lamp on the other hand is a little more experienced starter after playing every single offensive snap for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020. In 2020, Lamp only committed one penalty. A former second-round pick Lamp did not get the chance to start until 2020 where he had a really solid season. 

With Lamp’s experience starting at an above-average level of play I would not be surprised if he was the top backup guard for Buffalo. Lamp is only making a mere 1.05 million dollars for Buffalo which is a steal for a player of his caliber. Lamp is far from an All-Pro but at a million dollars he is one of the best value backups on the Bills roster. 

Guard Steven Gonzalez played 50 games at Penn State and spent last season with the Arizona Cardinals in training camp. A camp body Gonzalez brings extra competition at the bottom of the Bills roster. 

Defensive end Efe Obada could be the most impactful signing by Brandon Beane this offseason. Obada joins Christian Wade as the second player on the Bills from the International Player Pathway Program. Last season in Carolina Obada had 5.5 sacks and 21 pressures while only playing 39% of defensive snaps. If Obada were to play 100% of the snaps his numbers were on pace for 14 sacks and 53 pressures which would have been 2nd best in the NFL in both categories. While playing 100% of the snaps is unrealistic it is just meant to show that Obada has some legit NFL potential. Obada has huge upside considering he has only played football since 2014, per Ben Coles of The Telegraph. As one could predict, Brandon Beane got Obada on a contract for much less than his peers with the same productions. Obada is only making 1.5 million next season. Obada is making less than players such as Brent Urban, Carlos Watkins, Jihad Ward who combined for 8.5 sacks with 770 more snaps combined too. Obada is entering a crowded room at defensive end but do not be surprised if at the end of the season he is being talked about has one of the best offseason moves in the NFL. 

Treyvon Hester has bounced around the league since being drafted in the 7th round by the Oakland Raiders. While he does not have a ton of NFL games to his name, he does have one of the most notable plays in the 2010s. The famous Double Doink by Cody Parkey which led to the Eagles beating the Bears 16-15 in the 2019 NFC Wild Card Game was tipped by Treyvon Hester. While this signing is likely meaningless because Hester has a tough road to the 53-man roster, he certainly brings solid competition to training camp. 

Linebackers/Specialists

LB Tyrell Adams

LB Marquel Lee

LB Mike Bell

LB Joe Giles-Harris

P Matt Haack

Buffalo returns all its linebackers from last season, so it is slightly surprising that Beane signed four of them in the offseason. While some of them may have a hard path to the 53-man roster several of these players could be used more as strictly special teams players as opposed to playing the linebacker position. 

The player with the best shot at making the roster is Tyrell Adams. In twelve starts for the Texans, last season Adams had 125 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Adams is more of a run stopper than a coverage backer as he did struggle in coverage last season allowing a 120-passer rating and 4 touchdowns when targeted. Marquel Lee is a former Las Vegas raider who racked up 104 tackles and 6 tackles for loss across 3 seasons where he made 19 starts at inside linebacker. Just like Adams, Lee is a more physical run-stopper how struggles in coverage. Both Adams and Lee could be additions in response to Buffalo’s poor defensive showing against the run last season however with the linebacker depth chart already quite full both will have to show strong special teams play in training camp to make the team. Both players are strong niche-type role players which Beane landed on low-risk minimum deals. 

Mike Bell and Joe Giles-Harris both took part in the Buffalo Bills rookie minicamp although neither were rookies. After the minicamp, both were signed to participate in the training camp. These guys are just camp bodies who do not have a chance to make the team but bring added competition to the linebacking room in training camp. 

Punter Matt Haack could be Beane’s most underrated signing on this list. Last season the Bills got incredible production statistically from Punter Corey Bojorquez. However, what Bojorquez excelled at was not the style of punter Buffalo desired. Bojorquez has a massive leg that can change flip the entire field if necessary. However, he barely qualified for leading the league in yards per punt because the Bills rarely punted. Bojorquez struggled with his precision punting which led to him not being resigned even after a strong year. Matt Haack is essentially the opposite of Bojorquez and exactly what Buffalo wants. A precision punter with extremely solid hang-time Haack seventh in the NFL with 26 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and he did that with only 2 touchbacks which were at least 3 touchbacks less than every punter who had more punts downed inside the twenty. Haack also finished tied fourth with 22 balls fair caught which was 20 more than Bojorquez had in 2020. 

This is such an underrated signing because it changes Buffalo’s special teams’ strategy. Because the offense is so explosive and rarely goes three and out Buffalo needs more precision than distance in their punts. With a punter who is elite at downing teams inside their twenty-yard line, Buffalo will be able to control field position much more effectively. Haack signed a three-year deal that pays him around 1.5 million dollars per year. That is half of what some of the top punters in the NFL get. Haack may not wow you with 70-yard bombs, but he will lock teams into bad field position when they face the Bills, and the ability to control field position that well is nearly priceless. Beane did a fantastic job of not only finding the right punter for the Bills but finding him at a steal of a price on a multi-year contract. 

Final Thoughts

Brandon Beane has shot from someone relatively unknown to the common football fan to the general manager that teams are trying to copy from when building a team. Beane has done a fantastic job building the Bills from the ground up and a very strong part of that is his strategy in free agency. Beane signs players knowing that the biggest names may not always have the biggest impact. Beane also tries to maximize the amount of competition at each position on the roster. For example, last season the Buffalo Bills struggled to sack the quarterback. Beane then signed Efe Obada for a bargain price and drafted two defensive ends. Beane’s ability to improve position groups while not mortgaging the Bills future is a talent that not many general managers have. Beane made a plethora of signings that could have a huge impact this season. Matt Breida, Emmanuel Sanders, Jacob Hollister, Efe Obada, Forrest Lamp, and Matt Haack could all make very significant contributions this coming season. What is so impressive about that is combined those six players are making twelve million dollars. 

All of this does not include the players that Brandon Beane was also able to retain in Buffalo this offseason. Linebacker Matt Milano had a market value of $13.8 million according to Spotrac and only has a cap hit of $7.8 million this season. Right Tackle Daryl Williams had a market value of $7.9 million and has a cap hit of only $6.1 million. Guard Jon Feliciano had a market value of $8.4 million and has a cap hit of only $3.2 million. Brandon Beane is not only a master in free agency but also at resigning players whose play warrants multi-year deals. A major reason why Buffalo has been so successful in recent years is that Beane never puts all his eggs in one basket and values adding competition across all positions as opposed to using all your cash to get one or two players. What Brandon Beane has done as general manager for the Buffalo Bills is being noticed by the league and there have already been other general managers beginning to use his style of building a team to replicate the success Beane has had with the Buffalo Bills. 

Brandon Beane is the reigning executive of the year in the NFL, and he starts his reign with an extremely strong offseason that featured some of the best value signings in the NFL. Beane did not overpay a single free agent and all of his multi-year deals have convenient outs for Buffalo after year one or two. Beane set out to bring tons of competition to Buffalo and is going to cut several NFL starting-caliber players to make his 53-man roster. Not many other teams in the league are cutting starting-caliber players but when the team is built on value signings where money is never really tied up that becomes the case.

*All player statistics are from Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. 

* All contract numbers are from Spotrac.com unless otherwise noted

The post Why the Bills have made the “best value” signings this offseason appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Louis Damiano

Last year, the Buffalo Bills won the AFC East division title for the first time since 1995, a drought every fan couldn’t wait to end. So much so, thousands of fans gathered to celebrate when the team plane arrived back in Buffalo in the freezing cold night after the Bills clinched the division title in Week 15 at Denver with a 48-19 victory. 

The AFC East is no longer a division where the topic of conversation is which team can potentially be the biggest challenge to the New England Patriots. This division is as competitive as it has ever been, and it is filled with young highly touted quarterbacks. Two rookie quarterbacks drafted high in the first round, a former number 5 overall pick who has only played in nine games, and the other who is entering his fourth season and finished second in the MVP voting a season ago. 

The New York Jets finally seem to have a plan, and it appears that they are building toward something that has the potential to put them in contention in this conference in the future. The Jets have rookie quarterback in Zach Wilson who will be facing some of the best defensive head coaches in the NFL. Sean McDermott, Bill Belichick, and Brian Flores are as good as they come, and they welcome a rookie head coach in Robert Saleh who will certainly be going through his ups and downs just like his young signal caller will. The Jets will not be AFC East contenders this year, but if things go right, they might not be the worst team in the division.

As for the Miami Dolphins, this is a team with high expectations. Many tout this Dolphins squad as a team that has the talent to win a lot of games and potentially the division. But it will all come back on their young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Miami has been one of the most active teams the last couple offseasons, building from the bottom up with general manager Chris Grier. Miami won 10 games last year, and it was due to solid quarterback play from Ryan Fitzpatrick and an opportunistic defense that featured cornerback Xavien Howard who led the league with 10 interceptions. The Dolphins season came to an end when they fell one game short of the playoffs when they got beaten by the Bills and their backups 56-26.

So, what have the Dolphins done this offseason to make the next jump? 

The Dolphins entered the offseason knowing they needed to support their young quarterback who struggled mightily when he played against stiffer competition. We saw a few times when Tua started the game but didn’t finish because Flores thought Fitzpatrick gave their team a better chance at winning. We all remember that Saturday Night game in Las Vegas against the Raiders when Fitzpatrick brought the Dolphins back late and won on a game winning field goal 26-25. Tua was taken out of the game after completing 17 of 22 passes for 94 yards. Yes, 94 passing yards on 17 completions. I am not making that up. Fitzpatrick is no longer on the team, and you have to think the Tua will not be coming out of the game for his new backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. 

The Dolphins appear to have given Tua the keys to the franchise, (unless they trade for Deshaun Watson which would not surprise me) but that also means they must put him in position to succeed. The receivers Tua had to work with was not enough. They brought in the speedy wide receiver Will Fuller in free agency and drafted another speed demon in Jaylen Waddle with the 6th overall pick last month. The moves to bring in deep threat wide receivers did catch some criticism considering Tua is not the greatest deep ball thrower attempting only 3.3 deep passes per game which was 27th in the league and averaging just 6.3 yards per attempt which was ranked 30th. Tua also had a 36.4 deep ball completion % which was 24th in the league. All of this of course may have been due to the fact that he didn’t have the best deep ball receivers but there are no more excuses for him now. 

In the draft, Miami drafted four players in the top 42 picks. After Waddle, the Dolphins took Jaelan Phillips who if it wasn’t for injuries could’ve been a top 10 pick. Injuries aside, Phillips should help the pass rush, which feasted on a lot of blitzing but also left the secondary for dead. The passing defense ranked 23rd in the league last year, and Josh Allen was amazing in both games against them. If the Dolphins are going to improve the passing defense, getting to the quarterback with just four will certainly help. 

Other notable picks who can make an impact, Oregon safety Jevon Holland and Notre Dame right tackle Liam Eichenberg should make an immediate impact for the Dolphins in year 1. 

What have the Patriots done?

The Patriots on the other hand are as interesting as they ever have been even with Tom Brady no longer in the picture. It starts with the quarterback position, and it’s a very interesting situation to monitor. The Pats drafted Alabama signal caller Mac Jones 15th overall, resigned Cam Newton to $3.5 million in guarantees, they already have former 4th rounder Jarrett Stidham, and then just this week they signed veteran backup Brian Hoyer. Mac Jones is the only lock for the roster, Cam has been named the starter by Belichick but if he has a rough camp and Jones shows out, Cam isn’t making enough money to guarantee him a spot. Stidham was a guy many thought would be the Brady replacement, but his 4 interceptions in 48 career passing attempts doesn’t look great. Hoyer could be the mentor for Mac Jones while Cam is the starter, which would leave Stidham as the odd man out, but anything is possible in New England. 

Elsewhere on the roster, the Patriots spent a ton of money in free agency to fill holes. The two biggest splashes the Patriots made were at the tight end position. Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith were paid as top 5 players at their position, and after having Ryan Izzo, Devin Asiasi, and Dalton Keene split reps last year, these new tight ends are a major upgrade for a team that loves to utilize two tight ends sets.

At receiver, the Patriots also had no talent and production, so they brought in two under the radar guys who are no longer under the radar given the contracts they received. Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne provide the Patriots talent they have missed. On defense the Patriots brought in former Raven Matt Judon to provide more grit on the defensive line, brought back Kyle Van Noy after being cut in Miami, brought in Henry Anderson from the Jets, and drafted Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore in the second round of the draft. Don’t forget all the guys that are coming back after opting out last year too!

So, who is the biggest threat to the Bills after all these moves both teams in the division have made? 

I have to go with the Miami Dolphins. They were so close last year, they won 10 games and I believe they upgraded their roster where it needed upgrading. The defense was at the top all of last season and they have the potential to be even better, however facing better quarterbacks this year can certainly change that. But again, what this comes down to for me is the quarterback position on both teams. I am not a big Tua fan, but it has only been nine starts for him. We can’t judge the former number five overall pick on just nine starts. For the Patriots, I think Mac Jones will sit in year 1 until… Cam is the Cam we saw last year. Cam looks shot, I think we know what we will get from Cam, but we don’t know about Tua. I will roll with the unknown and the upside and take the Dolphins as the biggest threat to Josh Allen in the AFC East.

The post Patriots or Dolphins: Who is a bigger threat to the Bills? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Louis Damiano

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2021 NFL Draft knowing that their pass rush needed to be addressed. The Bills lacked getting to the quarterback all season long, and it was evident for the entire NFL watching when the defense couldn’t bring any consistent pressure on Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Philip Rivers in the playoffs. With their two starters Jerry Hughes and Maro Addison from last year entering the final year of their deals, and with both getting up there in age, it was time for general manager Brandon Beane and his staff to find new ways to make life tougher for opposing quarterbacks. 

In the Super Bowl, it was clear that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to bring pressure with just their front four. Too often, Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier’s defense were forced to rush more than four players at the QB to generate pressure and get the QB off his spot. The Bills lost to Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs twice last season, and both games were not particularly close. The biggest reason Mahomes had so much success against Buffalo was because he was never under pressure. In the Week 6 and AFC Championship games combined, Mahomes went 50 of 64, 550 yards passing, 5 passing touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. In the Championship game, Mahomes was sacked once and hit just twice in the Chiefs’ 38-24 victory.

The Bills needed to find more ways to make quarterbacks uncomfortable, especially the guy playing quarterback for Kansas City. The Bills do not like to send blitzers, they tend to let their pass rush do what they can and play good coverage in the secondary. But it is fair to say that the pass rush was not “Championship Caliber”. 

In the beginning of last year, the Bills were not getting much pressure. That changed in the second half when the Bills started dialing up different looks. The Bills blitzed 31.4% during the regular season, up from 24.3% in 2019. Blitzing may have worked against certain passers they faced, but against Mahomes? Nope. In the AFC Championship, the Bills blitzed on seven of Mahomes’ 39 dropbacks, Mahomes was 5 of 7 for 47 yards and two touchdowns vs. the blitz. 

The Bills must figure out how to take the next step to get to the promised land. They were just 45 minutes away from being in the Super Bowl, and it’s hard to find the right players to get you over the hump because they are already so close. But if they are going to look at how the Bucs made the Chiefs offense look ordinary, it is how they brought pressure to Mahomes. Mahomes was pressured on 29 of his 56 dropbacks in the Super Bowl, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Believe it or not, despite pressuring Mahomes on over 50% of his dropbacks, the Bucs only blitzed on six snaps good for just 11% of the time. 

The Bills know how good Mahomes was against them, and they know if they want to beat him that they will have to bring pressure with just four. The Bills don’t have Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, or nose tackle Vita Vea, but they hope with the additions of Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Boogie Basham in the first two rounds of the draft and getting back defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, that it will bring the much-needed size and strength that they were lacking. 

The Bills finished the regular season ranked 14th in sacks per pass attempt and had 38 sacks in 2020. In 2019 the Bills were able to get 17 sacks from their edge rushers, but that number dropped to 13.5 last year. If the Bills want to dethrone the Chiefs, they will have to get more sack production from the guys on the edge. 

Despite not having a high number of sacks, the Bills were still ranked 6th in Pro Football Focus’s Final 2020 NFL pass rush rankings. This is what they had to say:

The Bills’ defense had its issues throughout the regular season, but the pass rush wasn’t one of those problems. They were particularly effective at getting to the quarterback quickly, recording a 25% pressure rate in 2.5 seconds or less that trailed only the Steelers. Getting to the quarterback is good, and getting to the quarterback quickly is even better.

Once again, their leader was Jerry Hughes, who generated pressure and won his pass-rushing reps much more consistently than one would expect from an edge defender with just 4.5 sacks on the season. That seems to be a common theme over the past several years. Since 2018, Hughes ranks sixth among edge defenders in total pressures (175) but tied for just 42nd in sacks (16.0).

Despite the support from PFF, Hughes has not had a double-digit sack season since he was part of a duo that included Mario Williams. The Bills have not had a feared pass rush since 2014 when their front recorded 54 sacks leading the NFL. Mario Williams led the team with 14.5 sacks, followed by Marcell Dareus with 10 sacks and Jerry Hughes with 9.5 sacks. Kyle Williams chipped in with 5.5 sacks. The Bills leading sack getters in 2020 were A.J. Klein and Mario Addison who were tied for the team lead with 5 sacks each. Not what anyone expected from the defense last year. 

Rousseau opted out of 2020. But in 2019 he was second in the nation with 15.5 sacks behind just Chase Young who we all know was the 1st overall pick that year. He’s a physical specimen at 6-foot-7, 265 pounds that brings a ton of size Beane and McDermott love which will also allow him to slide inside on passing downs. Basham is seen a more NFL ready prospect, a player many deemed as a possible late first-round pick to the Bills, so for Basham to fall to them at 61 was excellent value. Boogie Basham has a lot of experience, and he experienced his breakout season in 2019 with 10 sacks in 13 starts, and then recorded 5 sacks in just 6 games in 2020. 

I also mentioned previously that Star Lotulelei will be coming back after opting out of last season. That should be a big boost to the middle of the defensive line, allowing for Ed Oliver to get more production. In Oliver’s rookie season playing next to Star, he recorded 43 tackles and 5.0 sacks in 2019. Without Star, Oliver had to play out of position, which limited his production to just 33 tackles and 3.0 sacks in 2020 despite playing 22 more snaps with the defense.

Don’t forget about their 2nd round pick from 2019 A.J. Epenesa who had more of a developmental year with just 1 sack and still learning the system, he should take a substantial jump this year as well. The Bills also made an under the radar signing in Efe Obada, who broke out in the second half of last season with 5.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. His 5.5 sacks would have led the team last season.

The Bills have put themselves in position to have more success at getting to the quarterback in 2021. They have more youth, size, strength, length, and versatility which should allow them to get creative with their pass rush next season. The older guys will have a smaller snap share keeping their energy high, and the young guns will bring a ton of explosiveness that this team lacked all of last year. They have been able to pressure the QB, but now it’s time to take them down. We’ll just have to wait and see if their plan worked. 

The post Where does the Bills pass rush rank in the league after the Draft? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Louis Damiano

The Buffalo Bills knew that they were going to have to be patient during night one of the NFL Draft, and they were as they stayed at 30 and selected Gregory Rousseau, who they believe was the best player available. The first thing that stands out with Rousseau is his size and length. Rousseau’s measurables are everything you look for when you select a raw player at 30. He comes in at 6-foot-6 1/2, 266-pounds with 11-inch hands, arm length of 34.375 inches, and a ridiculous 83 1/4-inch wingspan.

Rousseau will not be a finished product day 1, and it may take a year or two to reach his full potential, but it was his sack production that Bills General Manager Brandon Beane said you just can’t ignore. “You don’t just luck into 15.5 sacks,” Beane said. It’s hard to find the perfect pass-rushing prospect if you are not picking in the top 5, and it’s even more difficult if you are picking at 30. This is a calculated risk for Beane and his staff, and it is one that he is willing to take if it means they find the feared pass rusher that everyone knows this team has lacked on the defensive line. 

How Rosseau Fits

Leading up to the draft I mentioned that the Bills needed to add to their edge-rushing room and taking Rousseau fulfilled that need. The Bills also used their second-round pick on Carlos Basham who looks to be more NFL-ready than Rousseau. But now with the Bills using their top two picks on pass rushers, what was once a position that lacked youth, looks now to be set for the foreseeable future. So, with an overcrowded room, how will the man nickname “Groot” fit? 

Rousseau will enter day 1 as a situational pass rusher with the hope that he and A.J. Epenesa can be the future starting defensive end pairing after 2021 with Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison getting up there in age and on expiring contracts. Rousseau was never going to get 100% of the snap share in year 1 even if he were NFL ready, and probably won’t in his career as a Buffalo Bill because Sean McDermott and Leslie Fraizer use a defensive line rotation. Rousseau, who welcomed himself onto the scene in 2019, with 15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in just 13 games played, will have the opportunity to pick the brains of the veterans on the team and not be pressured to make an immediate impact right away. 

Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season because his mother is a nurse and was working on the frontlines, so he wanted to be able to help his family. In his time off he was able to add 20 pounds to his lean body and remained in close contact with his teammates and coaches. Rousseau is a swing for the fences pick, his traits jump off the screen, but he is still underdeveloped as a pass rusher which comes as no surprise since he mainly played safety and wide receiver in high school. 

Patience. The Bills know that they need to be patient with Rousseau to let him reach his full potential. He will be in a position where he won’t be asked to play more than 40% of the snaps. The hope is that he can continue to learn from the vets in the room and that he will make his true impact as a pass rusher in years two, three, and four. 

The Bills entered the draft with no real glaring needs, but they knew that if they weren’t smart, they would have some big needs to fill with not a lot of money to spend next year with Josh Allen and Tremaine Edmunds ready for huge contracts. The Bills were smart, and sometimes it is hard to be discipline at the draft when you go for big boys at the line of scrimmage on defense and offense instead of the sexier positions like running back or wide receiver. 

Now with the arrival of Rousseau and Boogie Basham, Buffalo now has five significant resources at the defensive end position. Hughes and Addison will enter camp as starters, with the youth of Rousseau, Basham, and Epenesa right behind them, and then you have guys like Darryl Johnson who they like and Efe Obada who they signed this offseason as a free agent and had success at the end of his season in Carolina. 

The Bills will be able to keep five of those guys on the roster, a sixth would be a big number to keep, but they can probably find a way to do that. But that still means that one or two of the names I mentioned above will not make the roster. Maybe the Bills will trade one of them to get more assets in the draft or they can trade one for a player at a position they did not address in the draft like tight end Zach Ertz. Beane admitted at his press conference that this team would think more long term than short term and Rousseau along with the rest of the 2021 draft class for the Bills shows that Beane was telling the truth.

The post How Gregory Rousseau fits the Buffalo Bills appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Caleb Holfolth

With the 30th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected Gregory Rousseau out of Miami. Rousseau was formerly known as a potential top ten pick before he opted out of the 2020 college football season and tested poorly at Miami’s pro day. Rousseau has a lone season of college football under his belt. As there is concern that comes with his limited experience, that lone season was one of the best seasons a defensive lineman has had for the University of Miami. With 15.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 54 tackles Rousseau in similar company to names such as Warren Sapp, Calais Campbell, and Danny Stubbs. Standing 6-7 and 265-pounds Rousseau has the physical tools that defensive coordinators drool over and offensive coordinators dread. If you need some perspective just look at this picture that the Buffalo Bills posted on Twitter. 

While there were thirteen defensive players drafted before Rousseau, he plays one of the better positions if you are concerned about him winning rookie of the year. Rousseau is a defensive end by label however due to his size, ability, and experience moving across the line he could play both defensive end and defensive tackle. This opens up opportunities for Rousseau to get on the field for Buffalo. While he may not be a definitive three-down player yet considering he is widely known as a raw prospect with elite physical traits. Rousseau can still make a really solid impact. Just looking back on his lone college year where he produced 15.5 sacks Rousseau certainly has a knack for rushing the passer. To see what type of production is necessary for Rousseau to have a solid chance at rookie of the year here are the previous two winners who happen to be pass rushers. 

2020: Chase Young (WFT) 🡪 44 Tackles, 10 TFL,7.5 Sacks, 4 FF, 3 FR, 4 Passes Defended

2019: Nick Bosa (SF) 🡪 47 Tackles, 16 TFL, 9 Sacks, 1 FF, 2 FR, 1 Interception, 2 Passes Defended

If Rousseau were to win defensive rookie of the year, he would have to pull similar stat lines to both what Young and Bosa were able to do in their first seasons. While it is unlikely Rousseau may have a better chance than half the defensive players drafted ahead of him. While college and the National Football League are essentially two different sports if Rousseau’s pass-rushing ability translates, he can do it. Rousseau had his 15.5 sacks in only 13 games for Miami. For the Bills, Rousseau will have 17 games to accumulate sacks and other statistics. 

If you look at what Young did last season Rousseau will only have to have a sack in less than half the games, he plays in to be in contention. What helps Rousseau compared to the other pass rushers drafted is that he has the versatility to be a very good pass rusher both inside at defensive tackle and defensive end. With his size, Rousseau could end up as a mismatch for many opposing offensive lines allowing Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott and Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier to move Rousseau all around the defensive line. 

Another asset to a potential defensive rookie of the year campaign will be his length. Rousseau is extremely tall with long limbs. This will help him not only keep distance from offensive lineman but also make some tackles behind and around the line of scrimmage that smaller defensive ends may not be able to make. Rousseau has not shown much ability to be an elite run defender, but you can guarantee that defending the run will be one of the first things Rousseau works on when he arrives at training camp. 

If Rousseau can put together a 7-9 sack season with the solid run defense he may be in contention for the award. While it is unlikely to fully translate to the NFL, we saw a ridiculous sack artist in college if a majority of that skill translates Rousseau can easily end up with at least 6 sacks this season. Where Bosa and Young won the awards was their impact on the game outside of the sacks they had that season. That is almost the most important aspect for Rousseau in the DROY race. If Rousseau can be a positive asset against the run, it may be a pleasant surprise to many but considering his physical traits it certainly can happen. 

While Rousseau winning defensive rookie of the year would not be on many people’s radars, there is one thing that may help Rousseau which probably will not be talked about. The Buffalo Bills could face three rookie quarterbacks (Mac Jones, Trevor Lawrence, and Zach Wilson) in addition to Tua Tagovailoa who played limited snaps as a rookie last season. In addition to those young players, there are multiple teams on the Bills schedule with uncertain situations at quarterbacks such as the Houston Texans, Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers. All this essentially means that Buffalo will be facing a high number of teams with either young or not very good quarterbacks. This often opens the door to sacks for defensive players because the lack of experience or talent can cause quarterbacks to hold onto the ball too long or take bad sacks. While this is all speculation and possibility instead of certain it could contribute to Rousseau having a couple of sacks on his resume that were not a direct result of a great pass rush. 

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the role Rousseau will play on the Bills defense in 2021. However, with last season’s sack leader for Buffalo only having 5.5 sacks Rousseau could be in for a lot of playing time this season. While he will not be one of the favorites going into the 2021 season Rousseau is a sleeper to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

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