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The Buffalo Bills just handed a massive extension to wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and the new deal could help the team fill another hole.
The Bills have made several moves on defense this offseason, including the addition of edge rusher Von Miller, and the deal for Diggs could give the team cap space to go after another former All-Pro to address one of their most pressing remaining needs.
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Bills Need Help in the Secondary
The Bills have been conspicuously quiet in the secondary this offseason, losing Levi Wallace in free agency and adding no players to fill the hole. With All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White still recovering from a torn ACL and expected to miss some part of the season, the Bills will need to address the secondary through some combination of free agency and the draft. Bills general manager Brandon Beane said earlier this month that it will likely be both.
“We’re always looking,” he said. “After the draft, we’ll be looking. Like, you know, we’re never satisfied.”
One option could be three-time All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, currently a free agent. As Nick Wojton of USA Today’s Bills Wire noted, Sherman already has a connection to Beane.
“Sherman has had some recent off-field issues but he’s still very respected around the NFL,” Wojton wrote. “His best years are behind him, but Sherman has a relationship with the Bills–kind of. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane did appear on his podcast.”
Beane has also shown a tendency to value experience in the secondary, bringing in veteran Josh Norman in 2020 after he was cut by the Washington Commanders.
Other Options Remain for Bills
The new deal for Diggs could help give the otherwise cash-strapped Bills some room to bring in a player like Sherman. Field Yates of ESPN reported that the contract extension freed up $6.18 million in cap space for the upcoming season.
Insiders have floated other options for the Bills at cornerback, including another All-Pro and former Bills draft pick. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that the Bills are among the teams interested in Stephon Gilmore.
“Kansas City Chiefs have done their homework on him; there’s interest there. Philadelphia Eagles need a starting corner — there’s belief to be interest on him around the league with the Eagles,” Fowler said, via Bleacher Report. “There’s some other wild-card teams. Buffalo Bills, they’ve been looking at some starting cornerback help. He played there as a rookie; maybe there’s a reunion in the works potentially. But nothing really cooking right now. He’s also like [Tyrann Mathieu]—willing to take his time if he has to.”
Gilmore is coming off a season where he was hampered by a quad injury that held him to just eight games. He was still able to make a significant impact during the season, which was split between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers. Gilmore made 16 tackles and two interceptions, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Others have suggested that the Bills could target former Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Steven Nelson. The Bills were reportedly interested in Nelson last offseason before he decided to pick the Eagles, and could get a second chance at him this year.
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