Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has been busy this offseason. In their recent overall offseason grades for NFL teams, Bleacher Report said the Bills are currently “better now than they were during the 2019 playoffs.”
Not a bad start right there.
B/R did go through Buffalo’s offseason moves from free agency, to trades to the draft and landed the Bills at a mark of A-minus for the team’s overall work this offseason.
Here’s the breakdown:
Buffalo needed a true No. 1 receiver to pair with developing quarterback Josh Allen. It got one by trading for Minnesota Vikings wideout Stefon Diggs. The Bills needed cornerback depth behind All-Pro Tre’Davious White. They got it by adding Josh Norman and E.J. Gaines for a second stint.
Signing Mario Addison will help boost Buffalo’s pass rush, as will adding second-round pick A.J. Epenesa. The former Iowa edge-rusher should be an early impact player and was the 23rd-ranked prospect on Miller’s big board. Getting him at 54th overall was a steal.
The Bills drafted a complementary back to pair with budding star Devin Singletary by taking Utah’s Zack Moss in Round 3. Taking Georgia’s Jake Fromm in Round 5 won’t provide immediate value, but it should give them a long-term backup quarterback.
Things look good on paper for the Bills, at minimum. All these pieces have to come together, though. The current virtual offseason throws a curveball in regard to getting all the new pieces for the Bills to mesh.
But there’s an optimistic silver lining. The Bills very much already have their team’s foundation in place with two playoff berths in three seasons under head coach Sean McDermott.
In regard to the rest of B/R’s grade, not everyone nabbed stellar marks, either. Along with the Bills, the Cardinals, Browns, Saints, and Buccaneers were the only teams to earn an A-minus grade.
The Bengals were the lone, flawless A grade given out.
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