By Justin DiLoro / Billswire.usatoday.com
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league and the 2018 NFL draft class will be tracked for years because of this. It’s already starting.
The Buffalo Bills were not only among several teams threw caution into the wind last year and selected who they hope will be their signal caller for years to come, they added a lot around their QB this offseason.
These teams are hoping their quarterback makes a major jump in their development from their first to second years in the league. Thus, in order to gain a truly accurate profile of the players’ abilities, organizations have attempted to surround players with better options.
Buffalo, in addition to the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and New York Jets, all worked to upgrade their talent on the offensive side of the ball. This can only help their quarterbacks as they enter their sophomore season in the league. Those team’s QBs are Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, and Sam Darnold, respectively.
The Ringer’s recently explored how these teams, with the quarterback position at the forefront of their minds, made decisions to benefit said players. The Bills went all in, signing several offensive linemen and inking deals for additional skill player targets for Josh Allen.
The outlet recognized how the Bills, and specifically Brandon Beane, pull these new pieces in their offense. Beane and the Bills did a low-rish, high-reward type approach, as opposed to a team like the Jets, who threw a lot of guaranteed money around. Here’s how The Ringer explained Buffalo’s approach:
“The Bills managed to pull off a tricky feat in free agency: They were aggressive without being reckless. Josh Allen had his struggles as a rookie, but the Wyoming product was also playing with one of the worst supporting casts in the NFL. Buffalo desperately needed upgrades to both its receiving corps and offensive line, and it’s gotten both this offseason without committing much long-term guaranteed money in the process.”
The upgrade for the team’s offensive line was arguably the number one need for the Bills. Buffalo tried several offensive line combinations, but the interior of the line largely struggled last year. Combined with Allen’s early-season inexperience, and it was a recipe for disaster.
Thus, Buffalo worked to revamp their line immediately, culminating with the signing of center Mitch Morse. A four-year starter in Kansas City, Morse became the highest-paid player at the position when the Bills signed him at the start of free agency. Add in the “modest” moves of signing players such as Ty Nsehke and Quinton Spain, Buffalo may have four new starters on the offensive line ahead of Allen.
This line should also benefit LeSean McCoy. The veteran is coming off the worst season of his career, averaging only 3.2 yards per carry, and finishing the season with 514 rushing yards. With an improved line, there’s no reason for McCoy to regress, unless age is catching up with him.
Getting older is not slowing down another Buffalo signing. At 36-years-old, Frank Gore just keeps churning along. In addition, he will provide a veteran presence on the offense. He can also push McCoy to regain his All-Pro form.
Finally, the Bills added help among their wide receiving corps, a group which struggled at times to produce on a consistent basis. There were flashes of very good play, but they were far too infrequent to constitute anything other than a mediocre offense.
In the end, it will all be up to Allen. The team will go as far as he does. General manager Brandon Beane has worked to make certain the former Wyoming product has all of the tools to succeed. Come September, it will be time to put it all together.