Head coach Sean McDermott and General Manager Brandon Beane have spent a lot of time overhauling the Bills roster since joining the organization in 2017, but McDermott’s hope for this offseason isn’t centered around bringing new faces to Buffalo.
McDermott said at a Tuesday press conference that a team picks up a different identity every year, but that he hopes to “keep as much of this team intact as possible” heading into next season. He said that his experience with the Panthers after Super Bowl 50 has colored his thinking on the subject.
“One of the things that happened when we came off the Super Bowl in Carolina is we probably let too many of the leaders out of the building,” McDermott said, via the Buffalo News. “Some of that comes with retirements and other factors. That’s part of what I meant with keeping as much of this team intact as possible. Each team is different but you give yourself a better chance if you keep the team intact.”
Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander has already announced his retirement, so that’s one leader that won’t be back with the Bills for the 2020 season. Running back Frank Gore said after the playoff loss to the Texans that he’s not sure if he’ll play this year. Defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson and left guard Quinton Spain are other impending free agents of note in Buffalo this offseason.