Per reports on Monday, the Bills showed interest in offensive lineman Brian Winters. Bills general manager Brandon Beane commented on those reports during an interview with WGR on Tuesday morning. Beane mentioned they have looked into the option of adding Winters and would like to get him to Buffalo. This is a longer process than usual because due to COVID protocols there's a lot more that goes into getting him into the facility.
"We definitely have inquired about him and are working on scheduling a visit for him but people jump to conclusions on things," Beane said. "A guy like that you do have to talk parameters of what a deal would look like generally with the agent before you get him up here. So we'll see.
"I was explaining in my press conference the other day, it's such a long process right now. Before we can even physical him, he has to come up here and get at least one negative test on the COVID test. We physical him in another facility, not in our place and then test him again. It takes time to do any of these transactions, so we're optimistic but until guys get through all that process it'd be premature to say he's a Bill."
Scroll through to see the top photos from Bills walk-through on Monday, Aug. 3.
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Zach Specht
Buffalo Bills training camp on-field walk through, August 3, 2020. Photo by Bill Wippert
Winters became a free agent this week after being released by the New York Jets on Sunday, August 2. The guard was drafted by the Jets in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Winters has started in 79 of the 89 games he has played in during his seven years in the league. The former Jet could add depth to right guard after the Bills announced Jon Feliciano would be out indefinitely due to a torn pectoral injury.
To Beane and his staff, regardless of who joins the offensive line, one of the most important skills is versatility.
"We'll move all of our guys around," Beane explained. "Rarely do we have a guy that is a one-hole player. Mitch Morse is probably one of the only ones that will play center only and Dion Dawkins is going to play left tackle. But the rest of those guys are going to move around and play both guards or guard and tackle, center and guard. Ryan Bates plays tackle and center, which is a rarity for us. We like versatility."
Throughout last training camp and last season, the offensive line spent plenty of time rotating players through positions. This allows backups at multiple positions if a starter goes down with an injury and the ability to change positions based off of an opposing team.
