ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 19: Cody Ford #74 of the Buffalo Bills during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
Sean McDermott’s club has won the AFC East two straight years. But the Buffalo Bills haven’t reached the Super Bowl since 1993. What roster moves could they make?
It took some time for this franchise to get back on track after their glory days per say of the late 1980s and 1990s. From 1988-99, a span of a dozen seasons, the Buffalo Bills were in the playoffs 10 times. There were those four consecutive Super Bowl losses (1990-93) but this was a title contender.
That was followed by 17 straight seasons of not qualifying for the postseason. Enter Sean McDermott in 2017, who has guided the franchise to the playoff four times in five years. The team has won two straight AFC East titles but the getting back to the Super Bowl hasn’t happened just yet.
The Bills were 11-6 this season after going 13-3 in 2020. And the club was on the losing end of a heartbreaking 42-36 overtime loss at Kansas City in the divisional playoffs. What changes to the roster could we see this offseason?
3. OL Cody Ford
It wasn’t long ago that the offensive line at the Buffalo Bills was one of the team’s weaknesses. But the front office rebuilt this unit via the draft and free agency. From reliable left tackle Dion Dawkins, a first-time Pro Bowl selection in 2021 who was a second-round pick in ’17, to veteran additions such as Mitch Morse, Jon Feliciano and Darryl Williams.
In 2019, the club used a second-round selection on University of Oklahoma standout Cody Ford. He was a 15-game starter as a rookie but injuries and inconsistency have plagued him these last two seasons. He’s about to enter the final year of his rookie contract but will he still be with the club this summer?