As testing commences on Thursday for NFL Combine prospects, One Bills Live is hosting some of the top names in NFL media to discuss upcoming free agency and the NFL Draft. Here are some of the storylines and buzz coming out of Indianapolis this week.
Buffalo may lose several talented free agents this offseason as they work to become cap compliant. However, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network believes that the Bills’ success in finding and integrating young players into their schemes bodes well for the future.
According to Rapoport, “The Bills are in a really, really good place. When you’re consistently good, what happens is you have a quarterback, and they did already. You have a bunch of young stars that you need to pay, and they’ve actually done that with a lot of their really good players. And so the only way to sustain it is you let guys go … The Bills happen to have a really good personnel department and I trust [they] can replace [their really good players].”
While some of Buffalo’s free agents may receive more lucrative offers elsewhere, Rapoport suggests that the culture built by head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane may entice veteran players to take less money in order to play for a contender.
According to Rapoport, the Bills have a unique situation where players are eager to remain with the team due to its positive culture and environment. This can make contract negotiations more complex as players may be willing to accept lower salaries in order to continue playing for the Bills.
