Buffalo Bills: 5 Offseason moves the team needs to make

The Buffalo Bills failed to score more than three points in their first playoff appearance in 18 years. Here are five moves the team needs to make in the offseason.

It was a great story for the Buffalo Bills. Despite low expectations coming into the season, despite glaring holes on the roster, and despite even playing poorly at various points throughout the 2017 season, they made the 2018 NFL Playoffs, breaking their record-long drought.

Unfortunately for them, though, a berth and a Wild Card Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars was all they got to experience. In a slog of a game, the Bills couldn’t manage more than field goal as it pertains to scoring, falling 10-3.

Now it’s into the offseason with general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott as they look to improve their fortunes. Here are five moves that they need to make in the 2018 offseason.

1. Find Tyrod Taylor’s replacement

Many took the fact that head coach Sean McDermott benched Taylor in favor of rookie Nate Peterman for a game earlier this season as a sign the coach lacks faith in Taylor. Of course, Peterman’s five interceptions in the first half of his NFL debut didn’t inspire faith either. If McDermott feels that Tyrod is not the future for the team then finding the next quarterback needs to be the team’s top priority. Luckily for the Bills, this is the perfect offseason to do so.

Both free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft is stacked with quarterback talent. It remains up to the Bills to decide which path to take. If they want Taylor gone as the starter, big name free agents will be available to sign. Players like Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, and possibly even Blake Bortles are expected to be available for either trade or in free agency and could come in as immediate starters. All three quarterbacks for the Minnesota Vikings are also set to hit free agency and it seems highly unlikely Minnesota will sign them all back as all three could be starters at the NFL level.

If the Bills are looking simply looking for the future and willing to give Taylor another season, drafting a quarterback and giving them a year to develop could be huge for this franchise. Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, and Heisman winners Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson are all expected to be first-round picks this season. Wyoming’s Josh Allen could also find himself taken in the first round depending on how needy teams are to fill holes at the position.

Taylor is perhaps one of the more underrated players at his position in this league and perhaps should get another opportunity to start for the team. Still, if Taylor doesn’t have the support of his head coach it is best for both the team and Taylor for them to part ways.