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The Bills' excellent free agency adventure

Roar Rookie
14th January, 2016
6

Seemingly overnight, the Buffalo Bills have gone from a team consistently missing the playoffs, to a powerhouse in the AFC East.

They have grabbed hold of opportunities that have come along this NFL offseason and aren’t showing signs of slowing down.

Last season, the Bills finished with a 9-7 record, and were beginning to improve as a franchise with the groundwork of running back CJ Spiller and an unexpectedly productive season from veteran quarterback Kyle Orton.

After a 2-2 record as a starter, quarterback EJ Manuel was benched, which would end up sparking the 7-5 playoff-missing end to Buffalo’s season. Buffalo made improvements, but knew changes were needed.

When an organisation is not doing as well as expected, the first person blamed is the coach, and Doug Marrone was fired after a season and a half and a 15-17 record. Rex Ryan, who had been recently fired by the New York Jets, replaced Marrone and was charged with turning the Buffalo roster into a playoff team.

To make his job easier, Buffalo’s front office decided to use this free agency to make their team one that could compete with the rest of the AFC.

With the Jets acquiring Brandon Marshall, the Dolphins Ndamukong Suh, and the Patriots re-signing Devin McCourty, the Bills needed to do something about their lacklustre roster. So far, they have been successful in that task, making several beneficial free agent additions.

According to CBS Sports, the Bills have signed two players out of the NFL Top 100 Free Agents for their 2015-2016 squad – former Miami Dolphin Charles Clay, and re-signing Jerry Hughes.

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Additionally, although they lost Spiller to free agency, they gained former Philadelphia Eagle running back LeSean McCoy to take his place. Although they have some confusion as to who is going to start as quarterback between Matt Cassel, EJ Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor, once that situation is figured out they’ll have plenty of healthy options to throw the ball to. The Bills now have depth at wide receiver, with last year’s rookie Sammy Watkins, veteran Percy Harvin, 2013 rookie Robert Woods, and recent signings like former Pittsburgh Steeler Justin Brown.

Ryan’s track record in six seasons with the New York Jets included two trips to the AFC Championship, but he suffered constant criticism by Jets fans. However, with a new start, new players, and new organisation, Ryan can prove he is capable of taking an NFL team to the promised land. His relentless defensive coaching style should translate well with the Bills’ defensive end big bodies such as Pro Bowlers Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, and Marcell Dareus.

After this free agency, the Buffalo Bills have the opportunity to go from a team that frequently misses the playoffs, to one that could compete for the Super Bowl.

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