The NFL free agency period officially begins at 4 p.m. March 13. With the Buffalo Bills expected to be active in their pursuit of free-agent offensive linemen, what better time for host John Boccacino and co-host Anthony Marino to break down the best options on the latest episode of Billieve: A Buffalo Bills Fan Podcast.
There are a slew of talented centers, guards, and tackles available for the Bills to go after with their nearly $80 million in available cap space.
The head of the class and the number-one target the Bills should pursue is former Denver Broncos center Matt Paradis, 29, who started 57 straight games before missing the final seven games of 2018 with a broken leg. Paradis, who allowed only five pressures and one sack last year, is expected to make a complete recovery, and the Bills should do everything they can to ink Paradis to a lucrative free-agent contract. He was the second-ranked center in the league according to Pro Football Focus.
If the Bills miss out on Paradis, former Kansas City Chiefs center Mitch Morse would make for a nice consolation prize.
At tackle, former Carolina Panthers lineman Daryl Williams and former New England Patriots lineman Trent Brown headline the free agent class, and both would make sense for the Bills. Williams missed all but one game in 2018 thanks to a knee injury, but he was named second-team All-Pro in 2017 after an outstanding season.
Signing Brown would take away from a divisional rival, but the fact that the Patriots are willing to let a talent like Brown walk away should cause GM Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott to think twice before making Brown a lucrative offer.
At guard, among the available options, Buffalo would be wise to kick the tires on former Los Angeles Rams star Rodger Saffold, PFF’s seventh-ranked guard after another great season for the dynamic Rams’ offense. Other solid options include former Tennessee Titans lineman Quinton Spain, and former Seattle Seahawks lineman D.J. Fluker.
Our podcasters also break down the one-year contract signed by defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and examine what it means for Leslie Frazier’s 4-3 defense, and recap the NFL Combine.
What do you think, Bills fans? Which offensive linemen would you like to see Buffalo go after in free agency? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section, and check out our podcast for thoughts on these topics and more on the latest Billieve: A Buffalo Bills Fan Podcast.
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