Buffalo Bills free agency preview (Offense)

By Connor Byrne  |   Tuesday, March 07, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

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With yesterday's Buffalo Bills defensive free agency gameplan in the books, it's time to talk about which offensive free agents the Bills ought to be pursuing that are on the open market. There are a lot of established players out there that the Bills could certainly find starting spots for.

Buffalo's main needs rest at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, left guard and offensive tackle. Tight end could also be a need position for the team, but I have them drafting Maryland star Vernon Davis with the eighth overall pick in April's draft.

Quarterback-

The Bills already have youngster J.P. Losman on the roster, as well as veteran Kelly Holcomb. You'd think they'd just need someone to solidify the No. 3 spot; however, GM Marv Levy basically made it clear that the Bills will be getting someone to come in and push Holcomb and Losman for the starting job. Here are some realistic, cost-feasible options...

--36-year-old St. Louis Rams quarterback Jamie Martin. Given the fact that ex-Rams offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild is now in Buffalo, this move makes sense. Martin put up a QB rating of 83.5 with a completion percentage of 70.1 in eight games last season. He has the ability to perform at a decent level and could pressure Holcomb and Losman.

--26-year-old Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown. The former third-round pick has performed at a below-average level for the putrid Cardinals over the last few seasons. In fairness, he didn't have a good running game the last four years; however, that can be countered with the fact that McCown couldn't even succeed with the league's best receiving duo at his disposal. The fact that McCown came to Buffalo in 2004 and couldn't throw the ball at all in the windy conditions really hurts his chances of coming to Western New York. Also, he may be a candidate for the Detroit Lions' starting job, so why should he come to Buffalo and possibly be a third-stringer?

--26-year-old Green Bay Packers quarterback Craig Nall. In my opinion, Nall would be a great option for the Bills. In limited duty last season, Brett Favre's backup went 23-of-33 for 314 yards and four touchdowns. He compiled a QB rating of 139.4 and tossed no interceptions. Although a quarterback can't be judged on 33 pass attempts, it would be smart for the Bills to bring Nall in with hope that he'll become something special. After all, current star passers such as Tom Brady, Jake Delhomme and Matt Hasselbeck were once thought of as nothing but backups.

--28-year-old Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tim Rattay. Much like Nall, Rattay would also be a wise pickup for the Bills since he's thrown 24 touchdowns and 18 interceptions with a rating of 81.6 in his career with the San Francisco 49ers and Bucs. Rattay also has the ability to legitimately push Holcomb and Losman for the starting job.

--31-year-old Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brian Griese. Of this class of five quarterbacks that would fit with the Bills, Griese is easily the most accomplished. In his career with the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Bucs, Griese has heaved 103 touchdowns to go along with 78 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 63.1. I can say with confidence that Griese is currently a better quarterback than Holcomb and Losman. Tampa is likely to cut him because of cap constraints at some point in the next couple of days.

Running back-

With Willis McGahee holding down the Bills' No. 1 running back job, the team is in search of a solid backup. The fact that Shaud Williams isn't good enough to get consistent touches really manifested itself last season. Williams could be released if and when the Bills find themselves a better option. McGahee seems to get hurt for a few plays every game, so it's imperative that Buffalo finds itself a capable back to carry the ball 5 to 10 times a game. With that said, here are two good choices for the Bills...

--27-year-old Minnesota Vikings running back Michael Bennett. The former first-round pick back in 2001 fell out of favor with the Vikings and may be looking for a change of scenery in 2006. Bennett is a burner who would fit in great with the Bills as a situational running back. Remember how well the Bills' offense ticked during the early '90s with Kenny Davis backing up Thurman Thomas? When Thomas was injured, the Bills' offense still seemed to perform at a level higher than most. Bennett has averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his career and is definitely a proven entity at this point. The fact that Bennett is a better receiver than McGahee certainly doesn't hurt. That makes him a great option on third downs.

--29-year-old Detroit Lions running back Shawn Bryson. In 2004, Bryson averaged 5.3 yards per carry for the Lions; he followed that up last season by gaining 4.8 per carry. Thus, he's definitely a solid alternative to McGahee a few times per game. Bryson entered the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2001 with the Bills and may be looking to go back to the organization that first welcomed him. Bryson has also averaged 45 receptions per season since 2003. Buffalo's new head coach, Dick Jauron, was the Lions' interim coach at the end of last season, so he likely has some sort of relationship with Bryson.

Wide receiver-

With Buffalo's likely release of veteran Eric Moulds on the way, the Bills needs to get themselves a starting receiver immediately. Lee Evans can handle the No. 1 position, but what about the other starting position? Roscoe Parrish didn't show nearly enough last season to make anyone think that he's anything more than a slot receiver for now. Also, the Bills' third-leading receiver last season, Josh Reed, is currently an unrestricted free agent and probably won't return next season. Thus, receiver is a major need position and here are some likely options for the Bills...

--24-year-old Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Bryant. In a stunning turn of events, Bryant, a former second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, compiled 1,009 receiving yards in a breakout 2005 season. Unfortunately, that came with some bumps in the road as Bryant consistently dropped passes. However, that kind of production can't be ignored by a Bills team in dire need of a good wideout. A former standout at the University of Pittsburgh, Bryant has the potential to be a big-time receiver at the NFL level. There have been some questions about Bryant's attitude, but Levy and Jauron could probably do enough to quell those problems. Bryant could command a somewhat large salary that may stop the Bills from pursuing him.

--30-year-old Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Brian Finneran. After having the displeasure of spending the last few years with putrid passer Michael Vick at the helm, Finneran is ready to shift to a team with a quarterback who can actually throw the football. Finneran still pulled in 50 catches last year, which shows that he has the ability to catch a respectable amount of balls with a less than qualified passer at the controls. At 6-5, he could be a solid option to replace the physical Moulds in Buffalo.

--25-year-old New England Patriots wide receiver David Givens. After winning three Super Bowls with the Patriots, Givens and the organization are parting ways. He's familiar with Buffalo and would be a good choice in the frigid atmosphere of Western New York. Givens caught 59 passes with the Patriots last season in a system that doesn't properly award really good receivers; he easily could have caught upwards of 80 passes in another system last season. Although Givens' likeliest suitor is the Browns, don't rule the Bills out of the equation.

--34-year-old St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce. In the first 12 years of his career, Bruce was the most prolific receiver in Rams history. Unfortunately, "The Reverend" was released on Monday, forcing him to catch on elsewhere. He already has a connection with Buffalo offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild and could be the type who could mentor Lee Evans and put up nice numbers for the next couple of years. He's an affordable option for a couple of years with the Bills.

Left guard-

The Bills are currently drawing a blank on this position as former starter Bennie Anderson is either on his way to the bench, or on his way out of town. With second-year man Duke Preston likely starting at center next season, the Bills are in major need of someone to put next to him on the left side. There aren't a great deal of options out there, but here are a few capable of starting for the Bills.

--25-year-old Washington Redskins left guard Derrick Dockery. After starting all 16 games in Washington last season, Dockery is an unrestricted free agent and may be on his way to a good-sized payday. Dockery, a former third-round pick, would fit in perfectly with the Bills. Standing 6-6 and weighing in at 335 lbs, he can bulldoze opposing defensive linemen as he did last season for star runner Clinton Portis. The upside for this youngster is incredible and that makes him a legitimate possibility for Buffalo.

--24-year-old Minnesota Vikings left guard Toniu Fonoti. Subsequent to spending his first couple of seasons with the San Diego Chargers, Fonoti --a former second-round pick-- was traded to the Vikings last October. Weighing in at 350 lbs, Fonoti is also a much better option for the Bills than anything on their current roster.

--28-year-old Carolina Panthers left guard Tutan Reyes. In 2005, Reyes started all 16 games for the Panthers and performed at a high level. Now, he's looking to cash in and may find that the land of opportunity is Buffalo. At just 312 lbs, Reyes is a much smaller, quicker player than Dockery or Fonoti. Although he isn't necessarily well-known, Reyes is thought of in high regard by many around the NFL.

--29-year-old New England Patriots left guard Stephen Neal. Neal has started in 30 of the Patriots' last 32 regular season games, while emerging as a favorite of head coach Bill Belichick. He would bring experience and a winning attitude to the Bills' beleaguered line. Neal won't come cheap, but he definitely is a good fit in Buffalo.

Right tackle-

Bills' offensive line coach Jim McNally has made it somewhat clear that the young Jason Peters will be starting at left tackle next season. Thus, the Bills will be in the market for a solid right tackle to be a bookend opposite Peters. Here are a few that may tickle the Bills' fancy...

--28-year-old New England Patriots right tackle Tom Ashworth. After starting 30 of his first 37 games in a Patriots uniform, it is more than likely that Ashworth will seek a large payday elsewhere. Why not Buffalo? Much like Neal, Ashworth has the experience and winning attitude that would be welcome additions to the Bills' line.

--28-year-old Detroit Lions right tackle Kyle Kosier. A relative unknown at the moment, Kosier is expected to rake in some pretty big money from someone in free agency because of his versatility. Kosier can play both tackle and guard positions. Does that make him a good fit in Buffalo? Absolutely. The last time they had such versatility from a solid player was back in 2004 with Ross Tucker on the line.

--32-year-old Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Jon Runyan. After a rookie season in Houston that included no starts, Runyan moved on to Philly and has since started in 144 consecutive games. If that doesn't symbolize durability and toughness, then I don't know what does. Runyan would the best example of hard-nosed, tough, experienced player that the Bills could possibly add. If the team does add a well-known free agent, don't be surprised if it's Runyan. Bills assistant GM Tom Modrak sang the praises of Runyan a few weeks ago and that is an obvious symbol of the Bills' interest in him.

The Bills' offseason ought to be both eventful and interesting. If a new Collective Bargaining agreement is reached between the NFL owners and players, the cap will be set around $105 million. If the Bills release Eric Moulds, they will find themselves around $25 million under the cap with more than enough to spend on solid free agents. With the right moves, the team could become a contender in a suddenly shaky AFC East. If the Buffalo Bills' new regime pushes the wrong buttons, they may be looking at 5-11 once again.

- Connor Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com
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