One year ago, the Buffalo Bills made a trade that would change the course of the franchise.
Brandon Beane went for the jugular and dealt four draft picks, including a first round selection, for then-disgruntled wideout Stefon Diggs. The All-Pro went on to lead the league in receptions and yards in 2020, serving as the focal point of one of the most explosive offenses in franchise history.
So it’s fitting that on the exact anniversary of the Diggs trade, Beane pulled off another coup at receiver, reportedly netting veteran Emmanuel Sanders.
Just three years ago, Buffalo featured one of the worst receiving groups in the league, trotting out the likes of Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. Now, Diggs and Sanders will line up beside each other, with Cole Beasley in the slot.
And the free agent party should only just be getting started. Blessed with a franchise quarterback still on his rookie deal, otherwise known as the NFL’s holy grail, the Bills are in prime position to keep adding.
It’s time to turn this division champion into a super team.
Of course, the Bills don’t have many holes to fill. Through the first two unofficial days of free agency, they’ve watched the New England Patriots shell out over $137.5 million in guaranteed money — placing them second in NFL history — while enjoying the luxury of picking their spots. Beane has been after Sanders since the 2019 trade deadline, and now, he’s landed his man.
But the work isn’t done. A dynamic tight end should be next on the list.
Reports suggest Beane is one step ahead of us. NFL Network’s Michael Silver reported on Tuesday the Bills made a run at Rob Gronkowski, offering the future Hall of Famer and Buffalo native a one-year deal worth around $10 million. Gronkowski wound up re-signing with the Buccaneers for similar terms, killing our dream of seeing the "Gronk Spike" unleashed in Buffalo red, white and blue in Orchard Park.
But the reported interest in Gronkowski shows the Bills aren’t content with keeping Dawson Knox at the top of the depth chart.
While the Patriots gobbled up Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry for nearly $90 million, multiple veterans, including Gerald Everett and Kyle Rudolph, are still available. Both of them would look great catching passes from Josh Allen in the red zone. Everett came on strong with the Los Angeles Rams last season, recording career-highs in receptions and yards. Rudolph, meanwhile, has reeled in more than 55 receptions three times over the last five years, including an 82-catch campaign in 2018.
The Bills can create the cap space to bring in another notable free agent — or two. They just have to restructure some contracts, probably beginning with Tre’Davious White ($8.5 million) and Diggs ($7.5 million). Other veterans, such as Jordan Poyer and Beasley, could be restructured as well.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, this will probably be the last time in Allen’s career he’s not taking up a sizable percentage of the salary cap. The MVP contender is projected to eat up only $6.9 million in cap space this season, and though an extension is inevitable, it will probably wait. During a recent appearance on Cris Collinsworth’s podcast, Beane said he wouldn’t hesitate to invoke Allen’s fifth-year option.
With the salary cap down to $182.5 million (an 8% decrease from 2020), Allen’s cost-effectiveness couldn’t come at a better time. The onus is on Buffalo to take advantage of this rare opportunity.
Look no further than the Seahawks, who rode their flexibility from Russell Wilson’s rookie deal to two straight Super Bowl appearances, including one win. The Chiefs also milked all they could from an underpaid Patrick Mahomes, before inking him to a mega-deal last offseason.
Fresh off an early free agency spending spree, Bill Belichick is seemingly a quarterback away from whipping the Patriots back into contention. The AFC East may not be wide-open for much longer, and Beane must act accordingly. Landing Sanders is a nice start. Now, it’s onto the next complimentary piece.
A Super Bowl run is riding on it.
