Buffalo Bills: Le’Veon Bell must be a top target in free agency
By James Reeve
Le’Veon Bell is a free agent this upcoming off-season and the Buffalo Bills should make him one of their top targets.
There are questions around the long-term future of Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who had a down season and suffered with injuries at times.
The Bills have had one of the better rushing offences in the NFL for the past few seasons and need to continue this trend as they continue to build for the future.
McCoy’s 488 yards on the ground, along with two touchdowns, are the worst of his career with the second-round (53rd overall) selection in the 2009 NFL Draft turning 31 before the start of the 2019 season.
Quarterback Josh Allen has rushed for 536 yards and six touchdowns in just 80 attempts and adding another top-level running back can seriously boost the team’s offence.
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The Bills are expected to target a wide receiver in the early rounds of the 2019 draft and even free agency, with tight end Jared Cook expected to be a target as a long-term replacement for Charles Clay.
Running back should also be a big position that they upgrade, with Pittsburgh Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell being the biggest name available at the position.
The soon to be 27-year-old has made three Pro Bowls and been named an All-Pro twice in his five full seasons, having sat out the entirety of the 2018 season.
The 6-foot-1, 225 pounds back would be a huge addition to the Bills, forcing opposing teams to be wary of the rush while freeing up the team’s young receivers to make plays deep down the field.
With Allen also showing his ability to be mobile, the Buffalo Bills could develop one of the trickiest offences in the NFL – much like the Seattle Seahawks when Marshawn Lynch played behind dual-threat QB Russell Wilson.
The Bills are also one of the few NFL teams that will have plenty of cap space to spend on high-profile free agents, with Spotrac listing the Bills as having just under $90 million available next season.
With McCoy still on the books for one more season, he could be a useful player in support of Bell or used as a bargaining chip in a trade to help bolster a different area of the team.
The Bills have struggled to get the passing game going this season, but with a few moves they could become one of the most talented young teams in the AFC.
Sean McDermott‘s team might not be the most appealing for Bell, but with the team performing well in the run game as well as being able to offer the big running back what he wants financially, could go a long way to persuading him to take his talents to upstate New York.
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What do you think Bills Mafia? Should the Bills target Bell in free agency? What players would you like to see the team make? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!