The Buffalo Bills are losing depth in the trenches after a young player unexpectedly decided to call it quits.
The team has made moves in the offseason to bolster the strength of the offensive line, re-signing Jon Feliciano and Daryl Williams while bringing in some battle-tested free agents. But the team now has another hole to fill after a returning player announced his retirement at the age of 24.
The latest Bills news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bills newsletter here!
Bills Lose a Tackle
Trey Adams joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft and had a strong showing in offseason activities. He ultimately ended up on the practice squad last season, but there were hopes he could make the 53-man roster and bring some much-needed depth to the position.
Now, Adams has decided to hang up the cleats. He took to Instagram to announce his retirement, sharing a picture of himself as a ball-carrier in his youth and writing a heartfelt note about his decision to quit the game for good. Adams thanked the Bills for believing in him and for the coaches who had an impact on his game along the way.
As the USA Today’s Bills Wire noted, Adams was once a highly regarded prospect, but suffered an ACL injury in college and fell out of the draft. Though it once appeared he had a shot to make the team’s active roster, Adams faced an uphill battle to make it ahead of those in front of him.
“This offseason, Adams was potentially going to compete for the Bills’ swing-tackle spot behind starters Daryl Williams and Dion Dawkins. But he was not the favorite to win that job. Former Bengals and Giants tackle Bobby Hart was signed by the Bills recently. Considering his experience in the NFL as a starter, Hart fully had a leg-up on Adams on paper.”
Bills Could Add More Depth
With Adams gone, Bills Wire predicted that the team would look for another player to compete with Hart for the backup role. Many expect the Bills to add more depth through the draft, with SI.com’s Fan Nation predicting that Buffalo will select multiple offensive linemen, including potentially using the No. 30 overall to take one. The outlet speculated that he could either trade up or trade back, either snagging one of the top prospects or loading up on options.
“If they go in that direction, keep an eye on Michigan’s Jalen Mayfield, Ohio State’s Wyatt Davis and Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood in the first round, not to mention Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who is not afraid to wheel and deal on draft day,” the report noted.
Others see the offensive line as an area of need. ESPN’s Todd McShay broke down the biggest holes for all 32 teams, and for the Bills identified offensive tackle as one of them. He predicted the Bills could go a different way with their first-round pick, potentially snagging one of the top-rated running backs to add a new dimension to the offense.
READ NEXT: Analyst Shares Bold Prediction for Bills QB Josh Allen in 2021
Comments
Bills Lose Depth at Key Position After Unexpected Retirement