Fan opinion: What should the Buffalo Bills do at right tackle in 2021 offseason?

Daryl Williams played 96 percent of the Buffalo Bills’ snaps on offense in 2020, but he only signed a one-year deal a year ago. Ty Nsekhe played just 5 percent of the team’s snaps as the backup swing tackle, and he is also entering free agency. Cody Ford, their right tackle from 2019, played mostly at left guard in 2020. To say the right tackle position is in flux would be an understatement.

So what should the Bills do at the position this offseason? This morning, we broke down every possible scenario from the 2020 game film, to contract extensions, to free agents, the NFL Draft, and guys on the roster. We’ve included excerpts below but really this article is about you sharing what you think the Bills should do. Vote in the poll at the bottom of the page and read through all the articles.

Excerpt: 2020 All-22 analysis of Daryl Williams

By Jeff Kantrowski

I think this is likely one of the safest conclusions of the offseason. It’d be phenomenal to keep Daryl Williams in Buffalo. It’s hard to do linemen analysis without comparing to other players so here goes. Of the players we’ve covered so far in this review series only Ty Nsekhe has a stronger push in the run game. Williams isn’t too far behind though. When it comes to pass protection, Williams is consistent and effective. Keeping Williams in Western New York should be a priority.

View all the GIFs and read the full analysis here

Excerpt: 2020 All-22 analysis of Ty Nsekhe

By Jeff Kantrowski

From my perspective the reason he has been passed over has everything to do with pass protection where Nsekhe’s height and occasional lapses against speed rushers grade him below the other two. If Buffalo needed a run-heavy game plan, I’d feel differently about who should be starting.

When you’re running a 60/40 split favored to passing the ball, it’s prudent to put the players on the field who best match the 60 percent. That said, Nsekhe is no slouch in the passing game either. If possible he’s one I’d love to keep.

View all the GIFs and read the full analysis here

Excerpt: Contract projection for Darryl Williams

By Matt Warren

Four years, $35 million
$18 million fully guaranteed

This contract makes him number seven on the list of highest-paid right tackles in the NFL. I don’t think he’s going to command the $10 million per season it would take to get into the top five.

I started it as a three-year deal worth $24.6 million and then added a team option for a fourth year at $10.4 million. The first two years are guaranteed and that allows me to play some games with the salary-cap hits, which is also why I adding the fourth year of the deal allows me to further spread out the cap hit down the line. It’s not a move general manager Brandon Beane loves to do, but this offseason is going to force some teams into deals they don’t love.

Read the entire contract analysis including yearly breakdowns and comparable contracts here

Excerpt: Contract projection for Ty Nsekhe

By Matt Warren

One year, $1.21 million
$137,500 guaranteed
$850,000 cap hit

The Bills could do worse than Nsekhe and with a gaping hole at the position, I’m interested in bringing him back on a one-year veteran minimum deal including the small signing bonus. With the veteran minimum salary benefit, he counts exactly like a second-year NFL player on a minimum salary deal. He has shown the versatility in the past at left tackle, right tackle, and kicked inside to guard. They know how far his physical skills have fallen with age, so if they think he’s worth keeping around, he’s worth the money.

Read the entire contract analysis including yearly breakdowns and comparable contracts here

Excerpt: Cody Ford, Trey Adams could be right tackle candidates this offseason

By Matt Warren

The Bills could absolutely be penciling in Cody Ford as the starting right tackle as of right now. When he was drafted in 2019, general manager Brandon Beane made it a point that Ford was a tackle. With Williams set to become a free agent, Ford could return to the right tackle spot where he spent 16 games in the year before last and played 69 percent of the offensive snaps.

Another intriguing name on the Bills’ roster is Trey Adams. An undrafted free agent in 2020, Adams didn’t have the opportunity to impress and grow during rookie minicamp, minicamps, OTAs, training camp, and the preseason due to COVID-19 restrictions. His primary position in college was left tackle, but with Dion Dawkins written in pen on that side, perhaps Adams could be urged to change sides or at least cross-train both positions.

Read the entire look at Buffalo’s players that are under contract here.

Excerpt: Free-agent options available at right tackle this offseason

By Dan Lavoie

Matt Feiler
A one-time waiver wire pickup by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Feiler fought his way into a starting role.

Kelvin Beachum
The most steadfast veteran in Buffalo’s price range would be Beachum, who has nine seasons of experience at both left tackle and right tackle.

Mike Remmers
With nine seasons of experience, Remmers has played various guard and tackle roles during his time in the NFL. Playing RT with the Kansas City Chiefs this year, Remmers revived his career after Mitchell Schwartz suffered a season-ending injury.

Germain Ifedi
A former first-round pick, Ifedi accumulated 76 starts in five years. He’s played both RG and RT.

Cameron Fleming
For most of his career, Fleming has been a backup right tackle, but this year, he was the starting right tackle for the New York Giants, and had a solid year (more because of run blocking than pass protection).

James Hurst
With Hurst, you’re getting a versatile lineman who’s played on both sides of the line at guard and tackle. His seven-year career features 102 games and 49 starts.

Sam Tevi
Tevi, a 6’5” 315-lb former sixth-round pick, hasn’t exactly netted rave reviews in his starts, but his 2020 season was less bad, and he could work as a low-cost stopgap a la Jordan Mills.

Read the entire article here with more information on each free agent.

Excerpt: Right tackle options in the 2020 NFL Draft

By Andrew Griffin

Tier I
Penei Sewell (Oregon)
Alex Leatherwood (Alabama)

Sewell has been the presumptive first tackle off the board for a while now, and given his prototypical size, his polished technique, his experience as a freshman starter and the fact that he’s only 20 should find him continually mocked as the first tackle off the board. Leatherwood doesn’t have the highest ceiling or great athleticism as a tackle prospect, so he won’t be making any eye-popping blocks you sometimes see on tape for other prospects. What he does is rarely make mistakes—and consistency is sometimes the best ability an offensive lineman can have.

Tier II
Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)
Jalen Mayfield (Michigan)
Jackson Carman (Clemson)

Tier III
Spencer Brown (Northern Iowa)
Alaric Jackson (Iowa)
Tyler Vrabel (Boston College)

For more information on the Tier II and Tier III players, read the entire article.

Excerpt: There are the three steps the Bills should take at right tackle this offseason

By Bruce Nolan

1. Leave Cody Ford at guard
2. Re-sign Daryl Williams
3. Check in with LaAdrian Waddle

Bruce explains his rationale in the full article here.

Now it’s your turn to vote, Bills fans. What do you want to do at the right tackle position this offseason? I kept the options simplified to just the starter role. You can expand on your opinion in the comments.

Editor’s note: The poll will be stripped out on most mobile device news aggregators. In order to vote, you’ll need to use a full browser on your mobile device.