Post Classifieds
Bills to make splash in free agency
By A.J. Speier
On March 25, 2012
The Buffalo Bills started the 2011 season by winning five of their first seven games and had the whole
city believing that this might be the first time since the Music City Miracle that the Bills would make the
playoffs.
However, the Bills disappointed their fans and finished the season 6-10 as injuries piled up and
quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick became inconsistent as the season carried on.
Some of the blame can be credited to Fitzpatrick, but he lost two of his most important offensive
linemen to injury in left tackle Demetrius Bell and center Eric Wood. He also lost starting running back
Fred Jackson and wide receiver Donald Jones, who periodically struggled to overcome ankle sprains and
failed to help the offense late in the year.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bills couldn't generate a pass rush and when they couldn't force
turnovers in games, opposing offenses went to work on them. The Bills allowed their opponents 31.9
points-per-game in their last nine games of the season.
Heading into free agency, the Bills will have only a few holes to fill and it's obvious that they need
another weapon for Fitzpatrick to throw to. They also need a pass rusher who can help take pressure off
the Bills' cornerbacks, who were exposed last season because opposing quarterbacks had all day to sit
back in the pocket.
The Bills went into last season utilizing a 3-4 defense, banking on the injury-prone Shawne Merriman
and the inconsistent Chris Kelsay to fulfill their pass rush desires with Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus
responsible for stopping the run and taking on double teams. The defense allowed a franchise-worst
5,938 yards and 434 points, the second most in team history.
In order to address some of those issues, the Bills have already made some moves this offseason by
getting rid of defensive coordinator George Edwards and promoting Dave Wannstedt in his place.
Wannstedt will be in charge of bringing back the 4-3 defense as he looks to improve upon the struggles
of last season.
The Bills' defense appears to be set at linebacker and defensive tackle, but in order to have a solid 4-3
defense, a team has to have a good pass rush and the Bills' currently don't have that.
The free agent market for quality pass-rushing defensive ends isn't that deep, though, which may lead to
them resorting to the draft to fill that need.
Mario Williams is the player getting all the hype and attention, and while the Bills are rumored to be
front-runners for the former No. 1 overall draft pick, other options such as John Abraham, Andre Carter,
Jeremy Mincey and Mark Anderson seem more the Bills' style.
The Bills have plenty of cap room, though, and due to the post-lockout rules, they'll have to spend
accordingly. Look for that money to go to a proven wide receiver since that appears to be the Bills' next
biggest need.
Options at wide receiver include Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd, Reggie Wayne, Mario Manningham,
Laurent Robinson and Robert Meachem.
It should be safe to assume that the Bills will find an upgrade at their wide receiver position to
complement Steve Johnson, who recently resigned with the Bills after posting back-to-back 1,000-yard
seasons.
If you trust Bills' general manager Buddy Nix, who has kept true to his word so far, the Bills should make
some sort of splash in free agency.
A.J. Speier can be reached by email at speier.record@live.com.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The Record News Articles
Runge's on-court progress parallels off-court success
Buffalo State men's basketball coach Fajri Ansari remembers his decision to recruit Seth Runge out of Springville-Griffith Institute ...
Bashore Baltimore bound after finding success in fashion field
Kelsey Bashore opened her email over spring break and glanced over one particular message several times to confirm what she was ...
Ladies win OT thriller to close season
After being eliminated from the playoffs last week, the Buffalo State lacrosse team knew Saturday's game at Potsdam would be its last ...
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE RECORD NEWS
- We've Moved to www.buffstaterecord.com!
- Obama divulges new higher education initiative during visit to UB
- Ailing Podolefsky steps down as president
- SUNY appoints Cohen interim president
- President Podolefsky announces leave to fight cancer
- Rappers put Pepsi in a bind
- Congrats to grads: take next step with gratitude
RECENT THE RECORD CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- Tips For Improving Mental Health
- New Writers and Illustrators Win Decades-Old Science...
- Moving Resources For Military Families
- Historic Agreement Signed By Red Cross and Armed Forces
- Salonpas® Brand Stands the Test of Time
- Tips to “Yard Your Way” This Spring
- Upgraded Upstate Power Grid Will Deliver a Smarter,...
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- The Untold Story of GoDaddy Founder’s Traumatic Life a...
- La Semana del Aprendizaje Juvenil destaca las oportunidades
- BookTrib's Bites: Four Captivating Spring Reads
- Moms Kick Back with Mamaritas
- Generac Urges Americans to Prepare for Power Outages Early
- Youth Apprenticeship Week Spotlights Opportunities
- New Expo Showcases AI Innovation
- Self-Care and Mental Health Tips for Caregivers
- Adventure Awaits: Discover the Playset that Brings...
- Need Auto Glass Repair? Don’t Despair
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- NOW Available: Comcast Launches NOW Brand Prepaid Internet and Mobile Services Nationwide
- Guidenar Launches New Career Test for Gen Z
- GotIt! Education Offers MathGPT Free to All State & Community Colleges
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
