1. Bleacher Report gives the Bills this offseason grade
Even though the NFL offseason isn't close to being over, Bleacher Report handed out report cards to all 32 teams based on any moves made since free agency. B/R gave the Bills a B for re-signing key starters and adding to the defensive line. They didn't receive a perfect grade due to some question marks surrounding the cornerback and running back position.
Buffalo Bills
Key Additions/Re-Signings:_ WR Emmanuel Sanders, QB Mitchell Trubisky, TE Jacob Hollister, OT Daryl Williams, G Jon Feliciano, LB Matt Milano, WR Isaiah McKenzie, LB Tyrell Adams, OT Bobby Hart, CB Levi Wallace
Key Draft Additions: Edge Gregory Rousseau, Edge Carlos Basham Jr.
Key Departures: WR Andre Roberts, WR John Brown, OT Ty Nsekhe, DE Quinton Jefferson, G Brian Winters, LB Del'Shawn Phillips_
It was a relatively quiet offseason for the Buffalo Bills, which isn't a bad thing when you're a prime Super Bowl contender coming off a breakout season.
The Bills have quality veterans on the edge and at cornerback, but they brought back key starters in Williams, Feliciano, Milano and Wallace, and they smartly complemented veteran pass-rushers Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison with intriguing entry-level projects in Rousseau and Basham.
The former could need time but will get it in Buffalo, while the latter is more refined after a strong run at Wake Forest.
... It wasn't a home run offseason but it was safe and smart for a team on the right track.
Grade: B
2. What holes are left on Buffalo's roster?
With draft picks added to the Bills roster, it's not too easy finding any immediate position needs. Buffalo added depth to their defensive line room by drafting Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham. They strengthened their offensive line by selecting Spencer Brown, Tommy Doyle and Jack Anderson in the Draft. Football Outsiders points to guard as a possible hole on the Bills roster at this point.
Biggest Need: Guard
Trying to find a hole on the current Bills roster is difficult; this is a very well-built team. We'll point to the question marks at the guard position. Buffalo added a pair of mid-round tackles to bolster their offensive line, and both Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle are solid depth options. They're definitely tackles, however; the only interior lineman the Bills drafted was Texas Tech's Jack Anderson in the seventh round. ... . [Cody] Ford is only 24 years old, so there's still reason to hope that a fully healthy season will result in some improvement, but Ford should at least be challenged by Forrest Lamp for a starting job in camp.
Buffalo continued to add to their roster after the draft by picking up several undrafted free agents. Here are two that could make an impact according to Football Outsiders.
Notable Undrafted Free Agents
You could make an argument for cornerback to be the Bills' biggest need instead of guard, and yet they didn't add a player to their secondary until the sixth round. That opens up a potential opportunity for USC corner Olaijah Griffin to potentially make an impact right away. Griffin went undrafted because he's small and lean (5-foot-11, 176 pounds) and had some lackluster pro day results. But on the field, he excelled in man coverage against players a good 30 pounds larger than he was, with great quickness and strong press reps. He needs to bulk up if he wants to play against NFL receivers; there isn't exactly a surplus of 175-pound outside cornerbacks dotted around the league. But if he can gain a little mass, the son of Warren G has coverage skills to regulate opposing receivers (sorry, not sorry). San Diego State safety/slot corner Tariq Thompson also falls into that mold of "great-looking on the field, sorry physical attributes." He's a candidate for a dimebacker and special teams maven role.
3. Who's the most underrated player on the Bills?
PFF put together a list of the most underrated player on each NFL team ahead of the 2021 season. Sam Monson thinks the most underrated player on the Bills is wide receiver Cole Beasley. Beasley finished 2020 by posting a career-high 82 receptions and 967 receiving yards.
Buffalo Bills: Cole Beasley
Beasley is one of the most underrated players in the game; he is a phenomenal receiver and a great example of why you should focus on what a player can do rather than his limitations. Already one of the league's best route-runners, Beasley also caught nine of the 11 contested targets sent his way in 2020, the best rate in the NFL.
