Offseason narratives: Buffalo embarks on a recurrent quest to address its Mahomes predicament, and general manager Brandon Beane of the Bills had better fasten his chin strap. When the Chiefs in Las Vegas were dousing each other in Super Bowl confetti, he was looking at a cap deficit of approximately $40 million. A couple of over-30 veterans will probably be let go, but there isn’t enough room in the couch cushions to add a big free agent without clearing out another contract. With ten draft selections available to Buffalo, Beane is under pressure to select impact players frequently.
Increased pressure could lead to ever-better coverage. Personnel could give the pass rush a more polished appearance, but given the Bills’ free agent class, improvements at those positions are imperative. Von Miller was essentially nonexistent, recording zero sacks in 257 snaps, and pass rush was an issue. Gabe Davis, the No. 2 wide receiver, might receive a better offer somewhere else. Are the Bills willing to take a chance without a reliable backup, even with their pitiful sack percentage of 3.98? The understudy position for Josh Allen is open and needs to be filled. Including the postseason, he has 96 straight starts, but he runs frequently enough that some may wonder if his recent elbow and shoulder problems are the result of taking too many hits.
Best unsigned player: DE Leonard Floyd Floyd, a late free agent acquisition from the previous spring, enjoyed playing with interior troublemaker Ed Oliver and led the team with 10.5 sacks. Floyd might receive a larger salary elsewhere, which would make Greg Rousseau the target of intense scrutiny and probably cause him to lose out.
