Buffalo Bills: Richie Incognito’s retirement leaves big hole

After a 12-year career filled with ups and downs, Buffalo Bills guard Richie Incognito has announced his retirement from the NFL.

The Buffalo Bills received some bad news regarding their offensive line on Tuesday. Guard Richie Incognito announced his retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons. Incognito had been with the Bills for the past three seasons, and has made the Pro Bowl each season he played in Buffalo.

Incognito has had an up-and-down career to say the least. He was drafted by the then-St. Louis Rams in the third round in 2005. Many scouts had him graded as a second-round prospect, but a knee injury during the Combine and a perceived anger issues deterred some teams from drafting him higher.

He played five seasons with the Rams before finding a home with the Miami Dolphins. He excelled in Miami after he signed there in 2010 and received a new three-year deal to start the 2011 season. He went on to make the Pro Bowl in 2012 and became considered as one of the best guards in the NFL.

Incognito ran into trouble midway into the 2013 season when he was suspended by the Dolphins for his actions in the “bullygate” scandal. Incognito was said to have bullied teammate Jonathon Martin to the point where he was forced to leave the team. Text messages and voicemails from Incognito to Martin were given to the Dolphins, and the organization ultimately decided to suspended him for the remainder of the 2013 season.

After not playing or signing anywhere for the 2014 season, the Bills signed Incognito as a free agent, and it turned out to be a home run for the team. He signed a three-year contract in 2015, and made the Pro bowl in each of his three seasons with the Bills.

He announced his retirement due to medical issues, as the stress of playing in the NFL has taken a toll on his body. The 34-year old has always been praised for his workout regimen and how good he takes care of his body.

Incognito announcing his retirement comes as a huge blow to the Bills, especially considering they will most likely be going into the season looking to heavily rely on the run. Incognito is considered one of the best run-blocking guards in the league. If you need any evidence of how valuable he is, Bills running back LeSean McCoy has offered Incognito $300,000 if he stays in Buffalo and does not retire.

Now the Bills find themselves in a tough spot heading into the draft regarding their offensive line. The Bills have already lost center Eric Wood to retirement, and Cordy Glenn was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this off season.

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The Bills currently own the 12th and 22nd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. They also own six of the top 100 picks in the draft. The Bills are also reportedly aiming to trade up into the top five to take a quarterback, so replacing Incognito with a high draft pick seems unlikely.

Buffalo will now be looking to replace Incognito in the draft or with a veteran free agent. At this point, signing a veteran free agent to replace Incognito seems more likely.