ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — There is little question that less than three weeks before the NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills’ roster is worse than it was at the end of the 2015 season.
Since the offseason began, the Bills cut defensive end Mario Williams, guard Kraig Urbik, cornerback Leodis McKelvin, and running back Boobie Dixon; they lost linebacker Nigel Bradham, cornerback Ron Brooks, wide receiver Chris Hogan, and defensive tackle Stefan Charles in free agency; and Buffalo opted not to tender restricted free agents Bacarri Rambo (safety), linebacker Ty Powell, and tight end MarQueis Gray, none of whom is expected to be back. Gray signed with Miami.
That’s a lot of doors being pushed out at One Bills Drive, and there haven’t been many doors swinging open. Outside of re-signing several of their own free agents, most notably offensive linemen Cordy Glenn, Richie Incognito, and Jordan Mills, the Bills have made only ripples in the free-agency pool, signing a group of non-descript players who will most likely only contend for backup and special teams roles.
Cornerbacks Sterling Moore and Corey White, safety Robert Blanton, and tight end Jim Dray all have at least four years of NFL service, but none have been impact players at their previous stops and don’t figure to win starting jobs in Buffalo. The only free-agent signee to date who could push for a starting job is linebacker Zach Brown. With Tennessee, Brown was a 2012 second-round draft pick (No. 52 overall) out of North Carolina who was a starter his first two years, lost almost all the 2014 season to a pectoral injury, and then lost his starting job in 2015 and served as a backup and special teams player.
The 6-foot-1, 248-pounder could find a spot on the inside next to Preston Brown in head coach Rex Ryan’s 3-4 defense, a scheme Brown has played with Tennessee. He has 259 career tackles in 49 games (33 starts) and also has 10 sacks, six interceptions, two touchdowns, 13 passes defensed, 17 quarterback hits, 23 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
They also added offensive lineman Fernando Velasco for depth.
The Bills were in salary-cap jail (that was the main reason why Williams was cut), so it was clear they wouldn’t be able to do much beyond re-signing Glenn and Incognito, and they haven’t. Thus, with eight picks in the draft, the Bills are going to need to hit on every one because general manager Doug Whaley and Ryan have some holes to fill.
“I’m confident that we’ll get a heck of a football team together,” said Ryan at the NFL league meetings. “And we have a lot of draft picks this year. I’m excited about it. I love the way Doug has a great eye for talent, being a leader of that. But also the way we tie in our coaches with our scouts; it’s truly a collaboration.”
Ryan acknowledged the roster upheaval, but he pointed to the Bills’ 2015 draft as a reason to believe the roster will get the necessary infusions it needs to overcome the heavy player losses. Buffalo did not have a first-round pick last year, but still came away with cornerback Ronald Darby, guard John Miller, and running back Karlos Williams, players who stepped right in and made big contributions — Darby and Miller as starters, Williams as a key backup who excelled when he was healthy.
“I only had the one-year history with Doug, but that was an impressive haul when you consider where we’re picking, we don’t have a first-round pick, to pull off arguably a kid that’s gonna be an outstanding corner in this league in Darby,” said Ryan. “And then you get a starting guard. I know he gets knocked down, but the kid played through a bunch of injuries and he’s got a chance to be a good one. And then Karlos Williams, I think he led the lead in per-carry last year. He had a bunch of touchdowns. And then we get the other two kids that are good players, too — (linebacker) Tony Steward and (tight end) Nick O’Leary. So it’s a great draft. If we can come up with that type of draft again this year, I think we’ll all be happy.”
If they hope to compete for an AFC playoff berth, they better have at least that good of a draft or the playoff drought will probably extend to 17 years.