2011 NFL Offseason: A Controversial Approach to Buffalo Bills Free Agency

Consider this column the Over the Rainbow version of the Buffalo Bills free agent shopping list. It is controversial, not because of the players highlighted, but because of the audacity of the approach.

Audacity is not normally something Bills owner Ralph Wilson is accused of, but his new team led by general manager Buddy Nix needs to unleash their inner Jerry Jones and pursue the best free agents available at the key positions, while also hoping to score major wins in the draft.

The Bills need to court the best in the business and pay whatever it takes to anchor each of their weakest positions: offensive and defensive line, quarterback, tight end and linebacker.

The Buffalo Bills face the same challenge in evaluating free agents as they face in evaluating their draft picks. I would recommend that they take parallel tracks in doing this rather than using free agency to compliment the draft.

If the Bills make key free agent signings at the same positions they address in the draft, they will have a better chance of acquiring players who can make immediate impact at key positions. If the draft is a bust, at least perhaps the free agent will carry the load. In many cases the veteran free agent can mentor the rookie in the same position.

Quarterback: The Bills should make it a point to sign either Matt Leinart or Kerry Collins. Despite the “loser” rep that Leinart seems to have developed, he has achieved good stats under less than ideal circumstances at Arizona.

Collins seems to have one good season in him whenever he moves to a new team. He has led teams deep into the playoffs before fizzling in subsequent years, but for a team that has missed eleven consecutive playoff campaigns, Buffalo would celebrate such success.

Either player would be expected to back up Ryan Fitzpatrick, but should Fitz be injured or should his performance drop off, it would be extremely helpful for Buffalo to have one of these proven veterans in the stable. If, as expected, the Bills draft a quarterback in the first or second round, either of these, along with Fitzpatrick, would provide quality mentoring to the rookie.

Offensive Line: The Bills should make it their crusade to steal Logan Mankins from division rival New England. Mankins production has dropped off slightly compared to his first year with the Patriots but he is still one of the staples in a line that has helped create New England’s running and passing success. Winning him away from their arch rivals in Boston would make the acquisition especially sweet for Buffalo.  

Tight End: Desmond Clark has been productive in Chicago. The Bills should pursue him, as he may be the best unrestricted free agent tight end available. He is at least a step or two above the Bills’ current tight end corps.

Defensive Line: The Bills should sign Haloti Ngata away from Baltimore. The Ravens will no doubt make him a great offer, which is exactly why the Bills should bid him up. Baltimore’s signature defense could be a great source of the next-level reinforcements that the Bills will need to take their season to the next level or two in order to make the playoffs in 2011 (should there be a season).

This aggressive big spending, courting of free agents is not standard operating procedure in Buffalo, which is what makes these recommendations controversial. Nothing controversial about the contribution Ngata has made to the Ravens.

Plan B should be to pursue the Giants’ Mathias Kiwanuka, who will not be as expensive, and who will likely not be brought back by the Giants. Either player will greatly enhance the Bills pass rush. Both players are effective in the 4-3 defense.

Linebacker: The Packers will want to keep Chad Greenway but the Bills should make an attempt to outbid them. Greenway will provide what Takeo Spikes never lived up to and will make Paul Poluszny expendable. This is a position the Bills need to upgrade, among the many others, and Greenway is a simple solution, should they be able to acquire him.