Two Bills Drive

'“McCoy was kept in to block 92 times this season, and earned a pass-blocking grade of 37.1 — the worst mark of any running back in the NFL. On those 92 snaps, he allowed 13 total QB pressures,” Monson wrote. “McCoy was certainly in the conversation in the latter stages of the list, and would be among the next few names to go on it, but was ultimately kept off by his blocking performance.”'

'Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus sits at the top of the payroll, one spot above Taylor, with a $16.4-million cap number. Given his less-than-stellar production the past two seasons, and off-field conduct/injuries that resulted him missing more than half of the 2016 campaign, Dareus is one player whose deal would figure to offer ample opportunity for restructuring.'

'McCoy has a right to be angry about not being recognized as one of the league's best players, but calling the graders "nerds" won't help his cause.'

'Here's a look at the last 10 drafts to get an idea for the type of player the Bills could land and the standard they have to live up to.'

'Of course, finding a comparable player — to have this kind of signature pass rush season at this stage of his career — isn't particularly easy. Alexander's agent, Peter Schaffer, surmised his client will land "between $5 million and $10 million per year" on a short-term free agent deal, understanding this is a unique case which explains that wide range.'

'Make Woods an offer of $5-6 million per year knowing full well he will most likely get much more elsewhere. Then don't match.'

'These days Kelly is busier than ever. He is deeply involved in his charitable foundations, he travels the country as a motivational speaker and has his own company handling his appearances and other ventures.'

'“I think you don’t have to play the position to be a good coach at it, but when you played the position, you get a lot more respect a lot quicker from your players,” Mitchell said. “And when you get that respect a lot quicker, you can get past a lot of the silly things early.".

'A year ago, when he was defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, his top cornerback, Josh Norman, was about to enter free agency. Now, as head coach of the Buffalo Bills, his current top cornerback, Stephon Gilmore, is also about to become a free agent.'

'"McCoy was kept in to block 92 times this season, and earned a pass-blocking grade of 37.1 — the worst mark of any running back in the NFL. On those 92 snaps, he allowed 13 total QB pressures. McCoy was certainly in the conversation in the latter stages of the list, and would be among the next few names to go on it, but was ultimately kept off by his blocking performance."'

'"Until this team finds its quarterback, management will keep making shortsighted head-coaching hires every two or three years. Tyrod Taylor is not the solution," Benoit writes. "He's mobile — and that's it. He doesn't have the anticipatory instincts or accuracy to compensate for mediocre throwing velocity. Taylor's also not comfortable in the pocket, which leads to his breaking down before the pressure even arrives and renders him unable to see open receivers. If the Bills wind up riding Taylor one more year — unlikely, given they'd save $13 million in cap space by cutting him — then he'll need weapons. Every receiver except Sammy Watkins is now a free agent."'

'"He had without a doubt an excellent season, but fell short of the 101 list by a narrow margin," PFF's Sam Monson wrote in an article explaining 10 notable snubs. "The single biggest thing that kept McCoy out was his performance as a blocker. This may seem like an insignificant thing for a running back, but in today’s league, backs need to be able to pass block, or their quarterbacks are in trouble. That’s why rookie runners often don’t see the field in passing situations, and it’s why complete backs are still such a valuable commodity — they can be trusted to keep their QBs upright.'

'"A lot of work and money have been invested in the stadium in recent years," said Zemsky, a Buffalo resident who also heads Empire State Development, the state's development arm. " I think there would be a partnership if there ever were a new stadium led by the team, the state and the county. "That isn't an item of keen conversation this year.'

'The Bills will deed the land to Erie County, which owns New Era Field.'

'"It's real simple," Edwards said. "(Jerry Jones) mentioned it. He said this Dallas Cowboy team is built for Tony Romo. Well if it's built for Tony Romo a couple of things come into mind. What team is similar to this that needs help? Buffalo Bills."'