Buffalo Bills: Grading every 2019 free agent addition so far

SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 25: Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin #77 of the Seattle Seahawks battles Mitch Morse #61 of the Kansas City Chiefs at CenturyLink Field on August 25, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

The Buffalo Bills were active throughout the first two days of the legal tampering period before free agency, securing a number of players.

This isn’t a surprise. They had lots of money to spend and plenty of areas on the roster that need help. They certainly didn’t show any fear, shelling out millions of dollars in less than 48 hours on both sides of the ball. What everybody in western New York wants to know though is were the moves any good and can they push the team back towards playoff contention?

Here’s a quick review of each notable signing to this point and a grade for how the Bills did.

Kevin Johnson (CB) – Unknown

Second chances are a big thing in the NFL, especially in regards to former 1st round picks. Johnson came into the league with so much potential but he was constantly upended by injury problems during his time in Houston. They finally ran out of patience. Now it appears the Bills are bringing him on as sort of a fresh start in hopes he can at least be good depth with a chance for more. Grade: C

Mitch Morse (C) – 4-year deal, $44.5 million

Offensive line play was a huge part of why the Bills offense struggled so much. It needed to be improved in order for them to take a step forward. Grabbing Morse is exactly the sort of move that was demanded. The former Chiefs starter was excellent in 2018, not allowing a single sack on Patrick Mahomes. He should be able to stabilize the interior immediately. Grade: A+

Mitch Morse (the center) is a beast in the middle pic.twitter.com/Pb2unbZMEl
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) September 8, 2017

Frank Gore – 1-year deal, $2 million

People always say this is a bad move because Frank Gore is so old. Then he ends up running for 900-1,000 yards for them. The man is a machine and appears to laugh in the face of Father Time. Jokes aside, Gore should be able to provide a nice piece to their backfield combination. Somebody who runs hard and with good power. Grade: B-

Tyler Kroft (TE) – 3-year deal, $18.75 million

Nobody will accuse Kroft of being a hidden gem. However, he has an all-around value that teams like. He can be good for a few key catches a game, is a committed blocker in the running game and also serves his role well on special teams. The Bills need assistance in each of those areas. So in that context, this is a move that will help, even if it doesn’t move the needle much. Grade: B

John Brown – 3-year, $27 million

When you have a quarterback like Josh Allen who could probably throw it 100 yards through the air? It makes perfect sense to surround him with weapons that have vertical speed. The Bills weren’t able to do that much last year but that’s about to change. John Brown is one of the best deep threats in the league. He has health concerns but defenses worry about him. His speed is rare. Grade: B

Cole Beasley – 4-year deal, $29 million

Probably one of the most underappreciated wide receivers in the NFL. He’s consistently been one of the best slot targets out there, producing respectable numbers despite some highly inconsistent play from his quarterbacks and some even more questionable play design from his coaches. Beasley understands how to find open space. Grade: B+

Ty Nsekhe (OT) – 2-year deal, $14.5 million

Offensive line depth is every bit as important as having good starters. Ty Nsekhe proved he’s at least good for the former last year in Washington. He looked pretty good at left tackle in limited snaps last year, not allowing a sack despite numerous quarterback issues. This feels like a testing of the waters to see if he’s trending up in his career. Grade: B

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