The Buffalo Bills, in 2019, were able to win 10 games in a season for the first time since 1999. Even though the Bills were unable to advance beyond the Wild Card round in the playoffs, there's still a reason to believe that the franchise is heading in the right direction.
Over the past three seasons, Buffalo has made the playoffs twice under Sean McDermott. While they haven't won a playoff game, the core of the roster is still relatively young and is continually getting better.
Just like the other 31 teams in the NFL, the Bills are going to spend this offseason trying to improve the roster for 2020. Before making any roster moves, the Bills begin the offseason with $81 million in cap space, per Spotrac.
Given the amount of money they have, Buffalo will be well-prepared for free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft. For the Bills to evolve into a contender, they'll need to have a productive season. With that being said, here are three moves that the Bills must make during the offseason.
3. Retain Spencer Long
As the Bills head into the 2020 season, the most important player on the roster is Josh Allen. With Allen being the hopeful quarterback of the future, Buffalo needs to do anything they can to keep him upright.
When the new league year begins in March, Spencer Long could become a free agent if the Bills don't pick up his club option. Despite Long not being a starter for the Bills, it'd be wise for them to bring him back in 2020.
In his first season in Buffalo, Long didn't start in any games and suited up in 14 games. Even though it's not a flashy move, keeping Long would continue to give the Bills a reliable depth option on the offensive line.
2. Re-Sign Jordan Phillips
Unlike Long, Jordan Phillips will immediately become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins. Seeing how Phillip played in 2019, there are going to be teams that express interest in signing him.
Before allowing him to test the market, the Bills should offer him a contract to keep him in Buffalo. In his second year in Buffalo, the fifth-year defensive tackle recorded 9.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 2019.
The Bills would be best to move forward with Ed Oliver and Phillips in the interior of their defensive line. If Buffalo can re-sign Phillips to a reasonable long-term deal, that'd be a huge win for a team like the Bills.
1. Draft Tee Higgins
Last offseason, the Bills signed John Brown and Cole Beasley to provide Allen with more weapons in the offense. There's no doubt that Brown and Beasley were huge reasons why Allen performed better in his second season in the NFL.
At the same time, Buffalo was clearly lacking a big-bodied wide receiver that Allen could target. Currently, the Bills have Brown, Beasley, and Isaiah McKenzie as their top three receivers on the depth chart. Furthermore, all three of those wideouts are also listed as 5-foot-10 or under.
Luckily for the Bills, there is a healthy amount of tall wideouts available in this year's draft. Among them, Tee Higgins would be a perfect fit for Buffalo's offense as a talented pass-catcher for Allen.
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