Let's not knock the Buffalo Bills. New head coach Rex Ryan has gone out and acquired some impressive offensive talent with LeSean McCoy, Percy Harvin and likely Charles Clay. But the team's offensive line is still an issue. No one in the organization believes the addition of Richie Incognito is a cure-all. As such, the team is still looking to add talent up front.
"As of now, that leaves the Bills with likely four players to be in the mix to start at the two guard spots - Kraig Urbik, Chris Williams, Richie Incognito and Cyril Richardson," Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News wrote. "Urbik carries a $3.75 million cap hit, making him a prime candidate to be released if the team needs more cap space. If he were released prior to June 1, the move would save $2.35 million against the 2015 cap, or the move could come after June 1, which would save $3.05 million.
"Williams, who is coming off back surgery that ended his 2014 season, will count $3.35 million against the cap in 2015. If he were to be released after June 1, it would save $2.475 million."
Unfortunately for Buffalo, the free agent market of offensive linemen is not deep with talent. While there are a handful of players left that the Bills could consider, none of them are slam-dunk signings.
"There are several veteran options still on the market, including Miami's Darryn Colledge, New England's Dan Connolly, Minnesota's Vladimir Ducasse, Atlanta's Justin Blalock and Detroit's Rob Sims," Skurski wrote. "Should the Bills be interested in any of them, they should come cheap."
Now is the time when most fans would ask, "Why don't they just take an offensive lineman in the NFL draft?" Well, thanks to the Sammy Watkins trade from last year, the Bills are without a first-round pick. Can a second- or third-round choice be counted on to start right away?
Regardless of how the team goes about it, Buffalo absolutely needs to upgrade along the O-line. Ryan's offensive scheme practically demands it.
"If new coach Rex Ryan's newly-enhanced ground game is going to succeed - as much as it can when most teams win by throwing - the Bills will need to improve an offensive line that run-blocked poorly in 2014, ranking 26th in Adjusted Line Yards (ALY)," Andrew Healy of Football Outsiders wrote. "The Bills struggled most on the outside and particularly behind rookie right tackle Seantrel Henderson. They ranked dead last in ALY both on runs outside left end (2.02 yards) and outside right end (1.61 yards)."
