Buffalo Bills Team Needs (Heading into Free Agency)

Buffalo Bills Team Needs

FIRST TIER

1. OT - The Bills are all set at LT but RT is unsettled with a declining Erik Pears and a question mark in Chris Hairston coming back from an injury. With a QB who had three knee injuries in his first season at the helm, he needs to be protected and kept off the ground. The Bills will look into upgrading the right side first in free agency and if they need to, in the draft. There are quite a few solid options to make that happen in both avenues.

2. OG - As bad as the Bills were at RT, they were equally bad at LG. Keith Williams and Doug Legursky were awful. With a lethal combination at the RB position and a rookie QB who needs time to make decisions, the Bills need to be strong all across the OL if they want to be successful.

3. TE - The Bills need to get EJ Manuel a legitimate threat at the TE position. TE's are to QB's what defensemen are to goalies in hockey and what catchers are to pitchers in baseball. They block and help you out on the line, they are prime 3rd down targets when trying to move the chains and are reliable check down options when in trouble. I think an athletic TE will go a long way in improving the development of EJ Manuel. I expect them to look towards the draft to fill this need otherwise they'll have to rely on Lee Smith, Tony Moeaki and Chris Gragg. Very underwhelming.

4. LB - They have one of the best LB's in the league in Kiko Alonso but not much of a supporting cast. Do they keep him at MLB and find an OLB to compliment him or do they move him to OLB and get someone to man the middle at the MLB position? Thanks to Alonso, they have options and can express both avenues instead of having to focus in on just one, limiting their options at finding an impact player.

5. S - With Jairus Byrd gone, the Bills will need to find a veteran to start across from Aaron Williams or else they'll have to rely on either Duke Williams or Da'Norris Searcy to man the position. If the Bills let Byrd walk, they can't deal with such a big downgrade at the position so they'll have to soften the blow a bit by bringing in someone that has less question marks and somewhat of a proven track record in the league.

SECOND TIER

6. WR - The Bills have two solid average sized receivers known more for their route running than physicality and two smaller, faster receivers known more for their speed and elusive than their physicality. What the Bills lack is clearly the physicality at the WR position. The Bills need the big bodied, box out the defender, throw the ball up and get it at the point of attack type of receiver.

7. CB - Not a huge need but a position that hasn't been stable in quite some time. The reason why it's in the middle of the list is because we saw what happened when Stephon Gilmore and we were forced to rely on players such as Justin Rogers. Gilmore, McKelvin and Robey did fine last year but having competition at the CB position is never a bad thing, especially with how quick offenses run, how big, fast and physical receivers are and how versatile TE's are.

8. QB - I don't think the QB position is a need and I'm someone that's not sold on Manuel. The Bills aren't going to draft a QB high but they have been linked to a veteran QB to help Manuel. I hate that train of thought. You don't bring in a veteran QB to coach, you bring in coaches to coach. That is the job of the QB coach, offensive coordinator and the head coach. Are you going to bring in someone so much better than Thad Lewis for a better price that is going to win us games if Manuel goes down? Thad Lewis won us games when he went down. He's a fine backup. We're going to live and die by Manuel. If someone can lead us to the playoffs if Manuel does down, then they should be the starter from the beginning. There isn't anyone on the market like that other than maybe Vick or McCown (who lucked out with the offense he was thrust into leading).

THIRD TIER

9. DL - The DL starters are solid. I like the depth in the middle at the DT position and Mario Williams/Jerry Hughes are a solid 1-2 combo on the outside but could use some depth, like most teams. With Jerry Hughes a FA next year, they could invest a mid-round pick on the DE position or sign someone who fell through the cracks in the early wave of free agency.

10. RB - The Bills have one of the best RB combinations in the league. With Fred Jackson a FA next year, they could look into using a late round pick on the position in the draft. I've seen too many late-round and undrafted RB's have successes at the NFL level to want to spend a pick on the position, especially since it's not currently a need.

11. C - Eric Wood is locked up and came off a healthy season last year. Legursky can back him at the position as I'm sure a few other OG's can so there's no need to look into signing a C this off-season.

12. P - Brian Moorman could use some competition as he is aging and in his last year of his contract but the position is not worth a draft pick. Plenty of veterans out there to bring in as a camp body to push Moorman into earning his spot on the team.

13. K - The Bills will bring in a veteran like they did with Dan Carpenter last year to compete with Dustin Hopkins and have under team control if he gets hurt. Plenty of options.

14. FB - I like the two options they have and if they Bills don't they may just get rid of the position like many other teams have around the league. With that being said, if they come across an injury or want an upgrade, since so many teams got away from the FB position, there are plenty of players who are willing to go helmet to helmet with an opposing LB to open up a hole for their RB. The only reason they spend a pick on this position is if they feel they found the next Larry Centers.

15. LS - Keep on keeping on Garrison Sanborn. Keep your name out of the announcers mouth unless you're making tackles downfield. The position remains his as long as he continues to hike spirals into the belly of Brian Moorman.