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Grading the offseason: Buffalo Bills
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Posted: March 17, 2009
St. Patrick’s Day marks the beginning of what NFL people call Phase 3 of the free-agency period. It also means all the good Irish-Catholic folks in hard-working Buffalo, N.Y., spent a good portion of Tuesday celebrating the arrival of Terrell Owens.

Here’s a look at how the Buffalo Bills came out of the gates this offseason, and what they still need to accomplish over the next couple months:

  
Best free-agent move

Clearly, the signing of Owens is the big news. With him and playmaker Lee Evans on the perimeter and Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish working the slots, the Bills have the makings of the most explosive offense seen in Buffalo since the days of Jim Kelly.

QB Trent Edwards is becoming a polished NFL starter, and now he has the weapons to take the next step. For those who fret over the potential distractions of Owens’ antics, he never has been a problem anywhere in Year 1, so the one-year contract is a key to this signing.

Worst free-agent move

The Bills should not have allowed cornerback Jabari Greer test free agency. Greer was not the team’s top cornerback, but he had 17 passes defended and four interceptions the last two seasons. He emerged as a bona fide NFL starter last season, returning two interceptions for touchdowns.

Not only did the Bills lose a good player — he signed with the Saints — but they left themselves with little leverage in negotiations next offseason when No. 1 corner Terrence McGee’s contract comes up. The team has no choice but to match his asking price, and McGee and his agent surely know it.

The signing of free agent Drayton Florence to replace Greer was an equally bad move. After losing his starting job to a rookie in San Diego, he bombed last year in the Jaguars’ zone scheme, which is similar to the one Buffalo uses.