The Buffalo Bills are another team with a ton of needs, but as usual, evaluating the biggest team need is a bit tricky.
Here’s the setup.
The Buffalo Bills have roughly $20 million dollars in cap space to fool around with.
This is a team in desperate need of an outside receiver opposite of Stevie Johnson, a quarterback that is more reliable than Ryan Fitzpatrick and ANY linebacker that is capable of stopping the run.
And boom goes the dynamite; we have the Buffalo Bills’ biggest need.
This is actually easier than you think.
The Buffalo Bills ranked 18th in total sacks and 31st against the run. They ranked DEAD LAST in rushing TDs allowed.
The pool for hybrid linebackers capable of stopping the run and getting to the quarterback isn’t very deep, and it seems as if every team has a need for such a player.
This raises the sense of urgency to acquire a player of the future with their first round pick.
So who is this pick?
I really believe the Buffalo Bills look beyond the hype and find through the evaluation process that Notre Dame's Manti Te’O is the player they’re searching for.
Te’O is a dual threat linebacker.
He can play as an outside backer and an inside backer without any deviance in performance. Te’O is a very aggressive linebacker who excels as an assignment backer.
He has the range and speed to cover sideline to sideline, and the tenacity to be not only an immediate starter, but an immediate impact backer against the run for Buffalo.
He’s the total package.
As far as those other positions, the Bills are likely to target a WR through free agency (they almost had Robert Meachem a while back). Of course, who they target will depend on just how much money they have left over.
The biggest internal concern is what they are going to do with FS Jarius Byrd and LG Andy Levitre—two players who are expected to draw heavy interest from potential suitors.
As far as a QB, the Buffalo Bills are expected to utilize the draft for that—possibly FSU’s E.J. Manuel or N.C.State’s Mike Glennon.
This concludes the AFC East. Next up I'll have the AFC South starting tomorrow, followed by the AFC West soon there after!
| NFC North 2013 team Needs: | GREEN BAY PACKERS MINNESOTA VIKINGS CHICAGO BEARS DETROIT LIONS |
| NFC East 2013 Team Needs: | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES DALLAS COWBOYS WASHINGTON REDSKINS NEW YORK GIANTS |
| NFC South 2013 Team Needs: | ATLANTA FALCONS NEW ORLEANS SAINTS CAROLINA PANTHERS TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS |
| NFC West 2013 Team Needs: | ST. LOUIS RAMS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS ARIZONA CARDINALS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS |
| AFC North 2013 Team Needs: | BALTIMORE RAVENS CINCINATTI BENGALS CLEVELAND BROWNS PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
| AFC East 2013 Team Needs: | NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS NEW YORK JETS MIAMI DOLPHINS BUFFALO BILLS |
| AFC South 2013 Team Needs: | INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HOUSTON TEXANS JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TENNESSEE TITANS |
| AFC West 2013 Team Needs: | DENVER BRONCOS SAN DIEGO CHARGERS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS OAKLAND RAIDERS |
