The Buffalo Bills have become a powerhouse team in the AFC over the past three seasons. But in those past three seasons, they have consistently failed to make it to the Super Bowl. That happened again in 2022 after they were easily dispatched by the Cincinnati Bengals in their Divisional Round matchup.
The final score of 27-10 doesn't underscore how bad the Bills looked in this game. The Bengals controlled the proceedings from the opening snap, and never let their foot off of the Bills neck. As a result, Buffalo was humbled once again, and it looks like there is a pretty sizable gap between themselves and the Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs right now.
With Buffalo entering the offseason a lot earlier than they would have liked, it's clear that they have their work cut out for them this offseason. With many big decisions to make on the horizon, let's take a look at three players who the Bills should be moving on from this offseason, and see why that's the case.
3. Jamison Crowder
The Bills signed Jamison Crowder over the offseason with the hope that he could become a solid secondary target in the passing game behind Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. It's safe to say, though, that Crowder's one season in Buffalo will likely be his only season, as he played in just four games, and didn't do much when he played.
Crowder suffered an ankle injury in Week 4 and ended up being placed on injured reserve, ultimately never returning. Even in the four games he played in, though, Crowder was largely a nonfactor, as he had just six catches for 60 yards this year. Considering the production we have seen from Crowder throughout his career, that just isn't good enough.
At this point, there's really no reason for these two sides to reunite this offseason. The Bills could look for a better replacement, or just roll with Isaiah McKenzie or Khalil Shakir instead, as both guys have shown flashes of potential early in their careers. Sometimes free agent signings just don't pan out, and that's what happened here with Crowder, making it unlikely he will return in 2023.
2. Shaq Lawson
After two seasons away from Buffalo, Shaq Lawson returned last offseason, and seemed set to play a big role in the team's pass rush alongside Von Miller. Instead, Miller ended up tearing his ACL on Thanksgiving Day, forcing Lawson to take on a bigger role. But it was a role he wasn't ready for, and it led to a rather disappointing season from Lawson.
Lawson's numbers on the season aren't necessarily bad (30 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one pass defended, one fumble forced, six tackles for a loss, nine quarterback hits) but with Miller going down, the Bills needed more from him. Lawson proved that he couldn't hold up as a lead pass rusher, which was already somewhat known, but he wasn't very good even when Miller was healthy and playing this season either.
Lawson has some value as a situational pass rusher, but the Bills are aiming to be a Super Bowl team. There is simply no reason for them to dish out money to Lawson if he isn't going to produce as expected, and for that reason, after a tough 2022 campaign, it makes a lot of sense for Buffalo to explore other options this offseason.
1. Devin Singletary
Devin Singletary's strange tenure with the Bills continued in 2022, and now that he's set to hit the open market, it seems like his time in Buffalo is over. Despite being a fairly efficient runner, Singletary could never fully take control of the Bills backfield, and there's a pretty good chance he will be able to find a team that will give him the majority of their carries.
Singletary's numbers on the 2022 season on the ground (177 CAR, 819 YDS, 5 TD) and in the air (38 REC, 280 YDS, 1 TD) were very good, making it the second straight season he picked up over 1000 total yards. But with James Cook waiting in the wings and Nyheim Hines taking more snaps as a pass-catching back, it seems like Singletary doesn't have a role with this team anymore.
Considering all the other needs on this team right now, spending money to bring back Singletary when you already have a capable running back duo of Cook and Hines seems pointless. Singletary is an effective back, but there are other teams that need him more than Buffalo does, and we will likely see that this offseason. Losing a good player hurts, but at this point, it's best for both the player and the team to move on here.
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