Buffalo Bills

• General Manager: Brandon Beane
• Head Coach: Sean McDermott
• Offensive Coordinator: Brian Daboll
• Defensive Coordinator: Leslie Frazier
• Fan Base: The Bills Mafia

The Buffalo Bills are a serious contender to win the AFC East, after a 10-6 season and making the playoffs last year, who can argue that the Bills have done a great job of rebuilding their team over the last 3 seasons and it all centers around the 2018 NFL draft when they choose QB Josh Allen the 3rd QB taken in that draft with pick #7.

Josh Allen is 23 years old and already has accomplished more than the other 3 QB’s taken high in the 2018 draft (Baker Mayfield, Cleveland, Sam Darnold  Jets, Josh Rosen  Miami) all of whom takes a backseat to Lamar Jackson Ravens the 4th QB taken in that draft.

Josh Allen played well down the stretch of the 2019 season and helped lead his team to the playoffs, where his inexperience and room for development finally caught up with him. It’s not just about the Bills Offense as they also had the 2nd best defense in the NFL last year that complements their offense and support their developing QB.

Off Season Moves

Notable Free Agent Departures: RB Frank Gore, (Fee Agent) DT Jordan Phillips, (Arizona) DE Shaq Lawson (Miami)

Free Agency Additions

• E.J. Gaines, cornerback
• Vernon Butler, defensive tackle
• Mario Addison, defensive end
• A.J. Klein, linebacker
• Quinton Jefferson, defensive tackle
• Josh Norman, cornerback
• Quinton Spain, guard
• Jason Croom, tight end
• Tyler Matakevich, linebacker
• Taiwan Jones, running back

The biggest off season move was the trade, Buffalo traded a 2020 first-round pick, a 2020 fifth-round pick, a 2020 sixth-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Vikings for WR Stefon Diggs and a 2020 seventh-round pick.

The Bills get a legitimate Number 1 receiver but at a heavy price, it what is a curious move considering how deep this years WR’s class was in the draft, but who can argue against getting a proven player? Diggs is also just 26 years old. It’s just a move I would not have made because I value draft picks way to much. They could have drafted a WR with each of the picks they gave up. (a first, a fifth and a sixth) and still kept their 2021 pick.

I still can see how the fans are OK with the move.

The 2020 NFL Draft Class

• Round 2, pick 54: A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
• Round 3, pick 86: Zack Moss, RB, Utah
• Round 4, pick 128: Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF
• Round 5, pick 167: Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
• Round 6, pick 188: Tyler Bass, K, Georgia Southern
• Round 6, pick 207: Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
• Round 7, pick 239: Dane Jackson, CB, Pitt

I like the draft by Buffalo they added a young DE who many ranked as one of the top DE’s in the draft, I had him on my pre-draft Big Board as my 29th ranked player in the draft. I also had RB Zack Moss, at a higher grade than he was drafted by Buffalo. Adding a couple of WR’s in a deep class is also a move I strongly agree with. Grade B+

The Bills are well coached and have seemed to hit it right on the hire of GM Brandon Beane who, since he’s been in Buffalo has done a great job in putting together his team through both free agency and the draft. They are a Power team that focuses on a strong defense and a solid run game with a young QB to grow in the system and eventually be in position to expand beyond the system as he develops.

They have added some weapons on offense to help in Josh Allen’s development and as he works on his accuracy and get chemistry with his new weapons the Bills offense will eventually match the play of their defense.

As a long time Dolphins fans I fear history can repeat itself as the Bills were the team that kept Miami from achieving their goals during Marino’s illustrious career.  They have a head start in their rebuilding process and the Dolphins have yet to catch up. But they seem to have closed the gap some.