The Bills have a few tough decision to make with their pending free agents. The consensus says the three “biggest fish” among the group are offensive lineman Quinton Spain and defensive linemen Shaq Lawson and Jordan Phillips.
Of those three and the rest of the bunch, ESPN pegged Phillips as the toughest decision facing the Bills.
Here’s why and a bit of a prediction:
The former second-round pick has long expressed his desire to remain in Buffalo, but his career-high 9.5 sacks this season might open a sizable market for him. General manager Brandon Beane said Phillips earned the right to test his market — and it sounds like that is exactly what the Bills are prepared for him to do.
Phillips earned that right to test the open market because he bet on himself. After being added via waivers last season, Phillips re-signed in Buffalo on a one-year deal. Phillips bet on himself…. and it’s paid off.
Phillips’ season was highlighted by a three-sack performance in Week 5 against the Titans. He added another 6.5 sacks the rest of the season, but he still played far-less snaps than other defensive tackles in the NFL and still was amongst the best at getting to the quarterback. That’s because Sean McDermott’s defense calls for a rotation along the defensive line to keep players fresh. Having said that, the Bills have invested a lot in defensive tackles in the past. Star Lotulelei is slated to be the team’s second-highest cap hit in 2020.
Really the Bills’ decision with Phillips will very much depend on how the rest of the NFL sees him. He got into a sideline spat with the Dolphins which made him available for the Bills, and since then, he’s been a huge ambassador of Buffalo and all-around likable guy.
But having said that, league-wide votes such as All-Pro selections and Pro Bowls were not good to Phillips this offseason, so it remains to be seen how the free agent waters treat him.
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