1 – Brandon Beane: Sole focus is to build the Bills into championship contender
General manager Brandon Beane penned a letter sent out to season ticket members earlier this week. Beane expressed his disappointment for the Bills' final record, but quickly expressed his optimism for the future of the franchise.
"The sole focus is to build the Buffalo Bills into a championship contender and help create a culture aimed at long-term, sustained success," Beane wrote.
Beane then outlined the plan for the offseason.
He stated that while he is encouraged with the development and growth this past year there are areas of need on offense, defense, and special teams. He emphasized the importance of the Bills continuing to "draft, develop and sign our own players."
Buffalo has 10 draft picks this year giving them the opportunity to add more young talent to a group that already includes Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds and Tre'Davious White.
The Bills intend to be active in free agency this year with an improved salary cap situation. It was a "strategic move" to have the amount of dead cap space to put the team in a better position moving forward. Buffalo however, will be calculated in its decisions on signing players.
"We have opportunities to improve our team this offseason and the Pegulas, Sean (McDermott) and I are all on the same page and determined to bring winning football to the city of Buffalo," Beane wrote.
2 - PFF: Micah Hyde makes list of Top 101 players
Micah Hyde led the way for the Bills' secondary this season as they finished as the top-ranked unit in the NFL after allowing only 179.2 yards per game through the air. Pro Football Focus released its initial list of Top 101 players counting down from 101 to 76. Hyde is the first Bill on the list, checking in at number 90.
As one of the league's premier playmakers in coverage, Hyde didn't disappoint in 2018. He finished with the third-highest coverage grade among safeties at 88.6 and finished with five combined pass breakups and interceptions, PFF wrote.
This was Hyde's second appearance on the Top 101 list after placing No. 97 in the 2017 edition. Hyde produced a Pro Bowl worthy season in 2017 with 5 interceptions, 13 passes defended and 82 tackles while starting every game.
Hyde was targeted by opponents less this season but still produced quality numbers with 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended and 58 tackles in 15 games.
3 - Where did some notable Bills rank on their national signing day?
Today, recruits from around the nation finalize their college commitments for where they will play the next four years. Bills players have had different paths to making it to the NFL since then. Some were five-star recruits, some went the JUCO route and others had to make a position change.
Josh Allen: Shocking to some but the ninth overall pick in 2018's draft had no major college offers coming out of high school. Allen spent time at Reedley Community College before signing his offer to Wyoming in 2015, Eastern Michigan pulled their offer.
Allen was a 3-star product from Reedley, according to 247sports.com.
He just made the cut into the top 200 JUCO players at 199. Allen was the fifth-best dual-threat quarterback, while Buffalo native, Chad Kelly, currently a free agent, was the first.
Tre'Davious White: Same with Allen, White only had one college offer. White, born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana decided to remain home and ended up at LSU as the No. 18 prospect in the country.
White was a five-star recruit and teamed up with current Jets safety Jamal Adams to form one of the best secondaries in all of college. White has yet to disappoint in any level of football being a key component to the best secondary in the league this past season.
Matt Milano: Second-year outside linebacker Matt Milano originally committed to Boston College but not for his current position. Milano was the No. 25 best safety in the country and No. 65 overall player in Florida.
Milano made the switch to linebacker after his freshman year where he totaled 103 tackles and one interception in three seasons at linebacker. He has 127 tackles and four interceptions through two years with the Bills.
