Five Biggest Free Agency Moves: Buffalo Bills
With free agency now into its fourth week as April’s Draft draws closer, it’s time to start reviewing which teams filled some needs and who got weaker. Here are the five biggest free agency moves for each team so far.
We start with the AFC East’s Buffalo Bills. After Rex Ryan was fired towards the end of last season, general manager Doug Whaley is now on his third head coach in four years. The new showrunner is former Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, a first-time head coach who could rebuild Buffalo’s defense into a top five unit. Here are Buffalo’s five biggest free agency moves:
1 — Keeping Tyrod Taylor
After being benched in Week 17 to avoid an injury clause in his contract, many believed that Taylor was on his way out of Orchard Park. Whaley seemed to want to put E.J. Manuel back under centre, but eventually came to his senses and restructured Taylor’s contract. Now on a two year, $30.5 million deal, Taylor may not be the best quarterback in the league, but he has a higher ceiling than many of the passers on this year’s free agent market and could improve even more in new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison’s system.
2 — Re-signing Lorenzo Alexander
Despite a lot of talent, Buffalo’s defense is no longer a top five unit. One of the standout performers last season was linebacker Lorenzo Alexander, who signed with the Bills from Oakland last off-season. Alexander exploded for 12.5 sacks last season; third in the league behind only Vic Beasley and Von Miller. Having spent much of his career as a rotational player, the Bills rewarded Alexander with a two year, $9 million contract.
3 — Losing Stephon Gilmore
Gilmore may have been inconsistent in Buffalo, but the former first round cornerback had shown flashes of brilliance. But with a new coaching staff, player turnover is high, and Gilmore signed with AFC East rivals New England in a surprise move. It’s possible that Gilmore wouldn’t have suited McDermott’s zone-based cover scheme, but letting him walk could come back to haunt the Bills.
4 — Signing Micah Hyde
Hyde struggled with injuries in Green Bay and has suffered multiple concussions throughout his relatively short career. The Packers let him walk, and he signed a five year, $30 million deal with Buffalo. When healthy, Hyde is a versatile player capable of playing as a nickel corner or at safety. Hyde had nine passes defensed, three interceptions and a sack as a strong safety last season and should be a good fit in McDermott’s zone scheme.
5 — Signing Andre Holmes
With Marquise Goodwin and Robert Woods leaving in free agency, the Bills suddenly lacked depth at receiver behind injury-prone number one Sammy Watkins. While they may find some better receivers in the draft, Holmes is still a nice pick-up. Holmes saw his role gradually decrease in Oakland, finishing with just 126 yards last year in just two starts. Holmes is 28, and his best season was 2014 (47 catches for 693 yards and four touchdowns). On a three year, $6.5 million contract, Holmes should be a decent second or third receiver for Tyrod Taylor.
