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The Buffalo Bills are approximately $20 million over the salary cap for next season which means the front office has their work cut out in deciding which players they can afford to re-sign and which areas they can improve through the 2023 NFL draft.
While most analysts are trying to determine where this year’s top first-round prospects will land, CBS Sports reporter Cody Benjamin drew up a mock draft for the league’s pending free agents. In this “dream” scenario, NFL teams select players in the same order as the NFL Draft. Benjamin drew up this “fun” experiment “because it actually helps identify the year’s most valuable free agents, as well as teams’ top offseason needs,” he wrote.
With the Bills’ No. 27 overall pick in this mock draft, Benjamin has Buffalo signing the Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, who led the NFL in rushing yards (1,653), recorded the most scrimmage yards (2,053), and recorded 12 touchdowns last season.
“Like Saquon (Barkley), Jacobs’ individual talent warrants a much higher pick here. But as a bruising, occasionally nicked-up vet at this position, he’s potentially more of a short-term investment,” Benjamin wrote. “In Buffalo, Jacobs would be an imposing addition to an offense begging for more balance on the ground, pairing with Josh Allen to create one of the NFL’s most formidable rushing attacks.”
The Bills haven’t had a running back hit 1,000 rushing yards in a season since LeSean McCoy in 2017. While Ken Dorsey runs a very pass-heavy offense, adding the 5-foot-10, 220-pound workhorse could relieve some of the pressure from Allen, who regularly takes the game into his own hands. Allen already ranks as the 11th leading rusher in franchise history with 3,087 career rushing yards, a concerning stat for the team’s $258 million franchise star.
Can the Bills Afford to Sign Josh Jacobs?
While a free agency mock draft of course doesn’t exist, the idea of Jacobs, 25, joining the Bills is an attractive prospect. It remains unknown if the Bills will re-sign their No. 1 running back, Devin Singletary, and the team’s second-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, James Cook, doesn’t seem quite ready to take on the lead role.
According to Spotrac.com, Jacobs is expected to receive a four-year, $51.4 million contract, which would earn him approximately $12.8 million salary. For a cash-strapped team, that’s difficult to manage, however, it’s not impossible. Buffalo could save approximately $20 million by restructuring Allen’s contract alone.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said during his end-of-year press conference that they need to get “creative” in rebuilding for the 2023 season since they’re approximately $24 million over the salary cap. “There’s not going to be a Von Miller signing,” Beane said, referring to the $120 million they plunked down for the veteran edge rusher last year, but that doesn’t mean Buffalo won’t be active in the free agency market. “We’ll do things. We may have to rework a few contracts.”
Nyheim Hines Is Expected to Have a Bigger Role in 2023
GettyNyheim Hines #20 of the Buffalo Bills scores a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins at Highmark Stadium on December 17, 2022.
If the Bills let Singelary walk, and don’t splurge to land an elite running back in free agency, all signs point to Nyheim Hines having a breakout year next season. When Beane was asked if Allen needs more weapons around him to succeed, he specifically mentioned Hines, a player they acquired from the Colts just before the NFL trade deadline, as having a bigger role next year.
“I’d love to have the perfect line and I’d love to get as many weapons,” Beane answered. “We’re always looking. We added Nyheim in season. In which, it was to help our offense, as well, another weapon for Josh and also give us a weapon on special teams. I think Nyheim will be a guy in particular, having an offseason to learn.”
After assessing the Bills’ financial state, however, The Athletic‘s Joe Buscaglia deemed Hines as the most “realistic” cap casualty, not due to a lack of talent, but the way his contract was set up. Hines’ deal has no guaranteed money following the conclusion of the 2022 NFL season, so Buffalo could release him and save nearly $5 million without any dead money on the books.
But after receiving Beane’s nod of confidence, it seems likely that the Bills will figure out a way to restructure his deal and keep him. The 26-year-old had a total of 13 touches on offense in 11 game appearances, but his breakout two kickoff return touchdowns against the New England Patriots proved he can be a key factor on special teams, too.
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