There is a certain contingent of Buffalo Bills fans who want to move on from Mitch Morse this offseason. We are analyzing that move this week and now it’s your turn to vote. Read the excerpts from our articles then you make the call.
All-22 Analysis: Mitch Morse played well in 2020
From a play standpoint this is one of the easiest summaries I’ll do this offseason. KEEP MITCH MORSE!
Check out all of Jeff’s GIFs and analysis for Morse here
With no upcoming guarantees, cutting Mitch Morse now doesn’t make sense
Strictly speaking financially, the Bills could release Morse to open up $5.5 million in salary cap space in 2021. The timing of it wouldn’t make sense, though, because he is not scheduled to make any significant money for another six months.
Read the entire financial breakdown of releasing Morse here.
Free-agent interior offensive linemen to consider
Dan Feeney
For the last four years, Feeney’s been the starting left guard and center for the Los Angeles Chargers. 57 starts in 63 games played, to be precise. The 6’4” 310-lb guard has been a remarkably consistent player for one of the most injury-plagued, inconsistent offenses in the league.
Pat Elflein
Elflein was drafted out of Ohio State, where he looked like a rising center prospect. But he struggled from the get-go the Minnesota Vikings’ starting center in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, rookie center Garrett Bradbury took his spot. Elflein then flexed between left and right guard, never finding his comfort zone, and the Vikings waived him in 2020—leaving him to finish his season with the New York Jets.
Joe Looney
In 2021, Looney will be 31 years old and entering his tenth NFL season, having spent the last five with the Dallas Cowboys. He’s affordable—his last contract was one year, $2.4 million—but also spent most of his career as a top reserve. He was the starting center for the Cowboys this year.
Read the entire mini scouting reports on each player in the full article here
2020 NFL Draft: Building toward the future at center
Tier I
Alijah Vera-Tucker (USC)
Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)
Creed Humphrey (Oklahoma)
Although he played left tackle this season, rather admirably, Vera-Tucker would fit well inside. Not only is his flexibility valuable, it proves that he has the movement skills and agility teams want in their guards. His tape is loaded with some highly athletic blocks that few interior lineman could attempt. The same goes for Slater, who has rare movement skills for a tackle, but shorter arms that may prevent him from excelling in that area. Humphrey isn’t the most athletic player, but he’s completely battle-tested and has the flexibility to start in a man-heavy or zone-heavy blocking scheme.
Tier II
Drake Jackson (Kentucky)
Josh Myers (Ohio State)
Landon Dickerson (Alabama)
Tier III
Ben Cleveland (Georgia)
Jimmy Morrissey (Pittsburgh)
Read more about the Tier II and Tier III players here
Opinion: Bills shouldn’t create another hold by releasing Mitch Morse
In theory, I’m okay with a Feliciano-for-Morse swap, but it’s a lot more complicated than that. Buffalo doesn’t have a right guard or right tackle currently on their roster for the 2021 season. Re-signing Feliciano would solve one problem, but then cutting Morse to move Feliciano would reopen that hole at right guard. It’s a lateral move.
Read the entire rationale for sticking with Morse here
Now it’s your turn to vote. What should the Bills do this offseason at the starting center spot?
Poll
What should the Bills do at center this offseason?
This poll is closed
-
35%
Keep Mitch Morse
(130 votes) -
44%
Keep Mitch Morse, draft an eventual replacement
(161 votes) -
14%
Cut Morse, sign Feliciano to play center
(54 votes) -
1%
Cut Morse, sign a free agent to replace him
(4 votes) -
3%
Cut Morse, draft a replacement starter in the first three rounds
(13 votes)