By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
“The Process” is officially entering its third year in 2019, and it’s a big one.
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane aren’t in a make-or-break year, but “The Process” needs to show some progress. Josh Allen isn’t going to be a rookie. The defense has been waiting two years for the offense to catch up.
Can the Bills finally take a legitimate step forward in 2019? There’s work to be done, if they plan to.
With that, here are 13 things to watch for during the 2019 offseason:
Offensive line adjustments
The weakest point of the entire roster for the Bills in 2018 was the offensive line. Other groups were a close second, but some of those eventually showed some progress. The trenches on offense didn’t. For most of the 2018 season, Buffalo ranked as the second-worst run-blocking line, via Pro Football Focus.
They showed promise at times as pass blockers, but were far from perfect. Beane said wants to attack free agency and if he’s true to his word, he’ll make multiple additions along the line. Wyatt Teller showed potential as a pass blocker and Dion Dawkins had a good rookie season. That’s about it for the positives in this group.
Pass rush additions possible
Let’s stay in the trenches.
The glaring needs are on the offensive line, but some are needed on the defensive line, too. Buffalo’s pass rush wasn’t great in 2018, despite the addition of Trent Murphy (four sacks), who was oft-injured. Jerry Hughes got pressures, but only seven sacks, in total. As a team, Buffalo struggled with 36 sacks, ranking 26th in the NFL. That’s bad. Now there’s no Kyle Williams, either. If Buffalo can find its way to a solid pass rusher this offseason, it’d be a good idea.
Will Lorenzo Alexander return?
Just because Williams is gone doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing at a high level. He was, so there’s a void. The same can be said if 35-year-old linebacker Lorenzo Alexander doesn’t return. Alexander had 6.5 sacks last season and while it wasn’t his 12.5-sack 2017 season, he’s still a utility type of player for the Bills that plays all over the defense and special teams units. He even improved in some aspects, recording a career-high in passes defended (9) and interceptions (2). And no numbers can show his leadership. Alexander said he wants back, so the Bills need to get it done.
What will happen with Charles Clay?
Charles Clay is a huge question mark. Second-year pro and former undrafted player Jason Croom severely cut into his playing time down the stretch. At one point, Clay was even a healthy scratch. The 29-year-old tight end’s game dropped off badly. He played 13 games in each of the past two seasons. In 2017, Clay had 49 catches for 558 yards and two scores. This season, he was at a 21-184-0 clip. That’s a terrible drop-off. His dead cap hit is only $4.5 million. With near $90 million in cap space, the Bills could cut him.
New coaches?
So far, per reports and team confirmation, the Bills have decided to fire special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, offensive line coach Juan Castillo and wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie. All three saw their units and players struggle in 2018. Another potential watch could be quarterbacks coach David Culley. While Allen eventually played well down the stretch, Culley has spent most of his NFL coaching career as a wide receivers coach, not a quarterbacks coach. So … that’s who you want grooming your young QB?
Safe to say Sean McDermott is expecting better from all three of those vacant positions in 2019. The players should be on their toes, but stand by to see who’s going to be coaching them. That news could come in short time.
What happens at the draft?
As previously mentioned, Beane plans to, at minimum, address as many needs as possible during free agency. That’s what he said at his end-of-season press conference and that’s what comes before the 2019 NFL Draft. Free agency, that is. So when the draft does roll around, what will the Bills do once Beane attacks the free agent pool? With the way the roster sits now, the offense needs the most help. Buffalo has 10 total draft picks.
But maybe no matter what, the offense should be addressed. Outside of Allen, the Bills have no solid second-year prospects on offense. Allen might not even be “solid” himself yet. Zay Jones and Robert Foster flashed, but only briefly. The Bills should use high picks to solidify their offensive line with a blue-chip talent, or do that for their receiving room. The defense already has young studs such as Tre’Davious White, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano, and even Shaq Lawson is a former first-round talent.
Playmakers need to be added
Whether it’s the draft or free agency, the Bills just didn’t cut it playmaker-wise in 2018. Clay’s struggles were mentioned, Jones doesn’t seem like he’d be more than a No. 2 wide receiver at this rate while the same can be said for Foster. That’s not bad, those two would be perfect with a guy like Antonio Brown (who could be traded, for what it’s worth), or just any No. 1 receiver in general. Josh Allen can’t do it alone anymore. Give him some guys to throw to.
Allen’s next step
Allen, you say? Bills fans should already be excited for training camp. All observers of the team will be waiting to see where Allen’s accuracy is and if he’s improved in other areas heading into the 2019 season. Help around him will make him better, but Allen appeared in 12 games as a rookie and has plenty of areas he needs to work on before the season starts. Football is over for Bills fans, but it’s just starting for Allen, and that’s exciting.
Where’s the run defense?
We mentioned the pass rush, but how about the run defense? Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei is Buffalo’s highest-paid player and the Bills typically play him less than half the snaps in a game, which is puzzling – even if he is doing a good job in what he’s asked to do. Also with that tag in mind, Buffalo gave up 114.9 yards per game on average. That’s 16th best in the NFL. Don’t forget, there’s a hole with Kyle Williams, too. Should the run defense have been better with a first-round pick (Edmunds) and $50 million man in Lotulelei in the middle? It could improve in 2019.
Do the Bills trust Levi Wallace?
Levi Wallace was a pleasant surprise for the Bills. After Vontae Davis, Phillips Gaines and Ryan Lewis didn’t work out, Wallace did. The undrafted rookie actually finished as Pro Football Focus’ best rookie corner in the NFL this season. Most would consider that to be him locking up his job next season, but you never know. Wallace didn’t face the best competition by the time he got in there, but he can only play the hand he’s dealt and he did well at that.
Will Hauschka be OK?
Stephen Hauschka struggled late in the season. He was injured, hurting his hip and back against the Jets in Week 14 when Henry Anderson ran him. He couldn’t make a kick past 40 yards for the final few games of the season, so why he was even out there is mind-boggling. But kicking is a mental game, too. Hauschka will tell you that. After coming up short – literally – on a lot of kicks at the end of the year, will he return to form?
Are the young linebackers for real?
Unfortunately for Edmunds and Milano, they play in Buffalo. White could tell you that minimizes your chances of being noticed nationally. That appeared to be the case for Milano, at least. Edmunds had some struggles as a rookie but ended his season as December’s Defensive Rookie of the Month. Milano barely got noticed, but boy did Buffalo notice him. Pass, run – whatever. He had it against everything this year at times. Regardless of what the national attention says, the Bills need these two to be staples once again next season and take a step forward. Or in Milano’s case, heal up this offseason.
Can Shady have a bounce-back season?
On second thought, will LeSean McCoy even be a Buffalo Bill next season? Beane and McDermott both say yes, but they said that about Tyrod Taylor around this time a year ago, too. So what’s going to happen with McCoy? Will he be in Buffalo? If he is, can he do … anything? He had a career-worst 3.2 yards per carry this season and will be 31 next year.