With a league-high number of potential free agents this offseason, the Buffalo Bills will obviously have more decisions to make than other teams. One player who would appear to pose somewhat of controversial decision is linebacker Lorenzo Alexander.
According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, Alexander has said that his agent will meet with representatives of the Bills in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine to see if they can come to an agreement on a new contract. Alexander, who has a role with the NFL Players Association, is currently at the event himself.
"We haven't talked any numbers yet," Alexander said.
Alexander, who will be 34 when the 2017 season begins, had a coming out party last season, his tenth in the league. Undrafted in 2005, the veteran linebacker had mostly served as a special teams player prior to his arrival in Buffalo. From 2005 to 2015, Alexander made only 16 combined starts on defense, totaling just nine sacks and never amassing more than 34 tackles in a season. Last year with the Bills, he sent his career numbers skyrocketing with 12.5 sacks (tied for the third in the NFL) and 50 tackles, while starting all 16 games.
Despite his age, with the success he had last season, Alexander seems primed for a huge salary bump. But with a new head coach and defensive staff in Buffalo, who will most likely employ a different scheme on that side of the ball, it seems risky to think that Alexander could once again be a vital contributor. Not only that, but he may no longer even be a fit in their new defensive scheme.
Nonetheless, the Bills’ decision makers rightfully have to do their due diligence on Alexander and as such he’ll be one of the first big-name players that they’ll choose to deliberate on.