The Bills had some in-house help in getting running back Matt Breida to sign on the dotted line.
Quarterback Josh Allen’s breakout last year? Nope. The process factory built by Sean McDermott? Close, but someone else.
Kicker Tyler Bass made a bit of a difference for Breida.
“Just by him saying how much the coaches and team is very close,” Breida said on Monday via video conference. “I go back to my days when I was with the 49ers. I think that was a part of the big reason why we went to the Super Bowl and I feel like that’s part of the big reason why the Bills had so much success last year going until the end of the season. They were one game away from the Super Bowl. I feel like they have the right chemistry, they have the right guys on the team. I think it’s a good fit for me.”
Bass and Breida go back. The two played together in college. It’s not a powerhouse, but Georgia Southern football has two alums that are now on the Bills.
Despite Breida’s good first impression of Buffalo thanks to Bass, he’s still very much going to have to earn his spot on the Bills’ roster. Breida has a fast track at one position, but not exactly a prominent one.
Some speculation insists that the Bills could add a running back with a high pick at the 2021 NFL Draft. If that happens, it’ll be an even more of an uphill battle for the 26-year-old. But as things currently sit, TJ Yeldon’s job as the No. 3 running back on the roster is wide open for Breida.
Devin Singletary and Zack Moss will currently slot in as the top-two backs for the time being.
For his career, Breida, who signed a one-year deal, has averaged 4.9 yards per carry. However, his 2020 average in Miami was 4.3. In 12 games with the Dolphins, he had a down year. Breida had only 254 rushing yards and just nine total catches.
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