The Buffalo Bills have been one of the busier teams so far this offseason. Thus far, Bleacher Report is a big fan of the work the team has done.
B/R graded every NFL team’s offseason work prior to the 2020 NFL Draft and Buffalo earned a top-notch grade of ‘A.’ Here’s the breakdown:
The Buffalo Bills paid a heftier price to acquire Diggs than the Cardinals had to for Hopkins. But it was probably worth the cost (this year’s first-round pick plus three other selections).
Diggs has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in each of the past two seasons, and last year, he averaged nearly 18 yards per reception. Moreover, Diggs has been one of the best in contested catch rate over the past few years, according to Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, which is a boon for quarterback Josh Allen.
Between Diggs, John Brown and Cole Beasley (who excelled in the slot last year), the Bills have the best receiving corps in the AFC East and arguably one of the best in football.
Not to mention, the team upgraded from Lawson to Mario Addison, who has recorded at least nine sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in each of the last four seasons. Yes, Addison is seven years older than Lawson. However, he has been more productive for a longer period, and his three-year deal (worth just over $30 million) has an out after 2020, with just $4 million in dead cap money, per Spotrac.
The loss of Alexander may hurt from a coverage perspective, but the Bills will still rely on a stiff pass rush after getting both Butler and Jefferson.
While the New England Patriots lost Tom Brady and face more uncertainty than they have in decades, the Bills’ moves could make them the best team in AFC East. That deserves a winning grade.
Really the only knock the Bills get here is their comparison via Hopkins. The Cardinals paid a much smaller price for him, running back David Johnson and a second-round pick, and he’s considered one of the league’s best wideouts. However, Hopkins is looking for a new deal from his new team. It doesn’t appear to this point that Diggs is.
Along with the Bills, the Broncos, Colts, Raiders, Chargers and Saints all also received an A mark. The only team B/R thinks knocked it out of the park with an A-plus is the Buccaneers, who landed quarterback Tom Brady.
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