The Buffalo Bills have come up just short in their hunt to reach the Super Bowl with Josh Allen at quarterback. As the Bills look to maximize Allen's potential, Buffalo has taken a page out of the Miami Dolphins playbook.
The Bills are planning to sign offensive tackle Brandon Shell, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. While the deal is not officially done, all signs point to Shell signing in Buffalo.
Shell spent last season with the Dolphins, appearing in 13 games and starting 11. He allowed three sacks and accrued four penalties while on the field. Overall, Miami allowed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to be sacked just 21 times over his 13 games under center. The Dolphins allowed 35 total sacks, tied for ninth-lowest in the league.
The Bills were one of the few teams better than the Dolphins in that regard, only allowing 33 sacks. However, Shell's addition should only make Buffalo's offensive line more stout. Alongside his time with the Dolphins, Shell has appeared in 83 games since joining the NFL in 2016. With 72 starts under his belt, Shell comes to Buffalo with plenty of experience.
Which will be crucial come playoff time. The Bills have been knocked out of the postseason in the Divisional Round the past two seasons. They reached the AFC Championship Game in 2020, but couldn't get past the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brandon Shell won't immediately make the Bills world beaters. But he's a sensible addition this last in the free agency process. Shell might not have the most name value, but he's a veteran offensive tackle who knows what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Josh Allen will at least be excited to have another strong lineman in front of him.