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The Buffalo Bills focused on improving their defense and supporting quarterback Josh Allen during the offseason. ESPN raises the question of whether these changes are sufficient for a successful playoff run.
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ESPN tables franchise-altering Bills question after NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Bills' biggest needs this offseason, aside from getting Josh Allen a receiver, were to fix the defense.
For some, that had become Buffalo's Achilles heel over the past couple of seasons, and through free agency and the draft, the Bills added some nice depth and rotational pieces for Jim Leonhard.
But as we look at the work done so far to overhaul the defense, has the franchise done enough for the Bills to be content heading into what they will hope will be a deep playoff run?
For ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg, the big question aimed at Buffalo is whether the franchise did enough on defense.
"The Bills put significant draft resources into their defense, using six of the team's 10 picks on the unit," Getzenberg wrote. "Many of the team's newest players project to begin as backups. In free agency, the Bills added a few new defenders (three projected starters) and will be relying on players from last season's team to mesh well in coordinator Jim Leonhard's scheme.
"GM Brandon Beane likes to sign free agents after the draft, but how this unit comes together, or whether other investments should have been made, will be an unknown until the season gets underway."
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The biggest needs for the Buffalo Bills include acquiring a receiver for Josh Allen and improving their defense.
Jim Leonhard is responsible for overseeing the Bills' defensive overhaul this offseason.
ESPN questions whether the Bills' offseason changes, particularly on defense, are sufficient for a deep playoff run.
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Well, there was no bona fide star signed to the defensive side of the ball; instead, good depth and rotational pieces, so you could make the case that, at least right now, the Bills' defense is an unknown commodity.
With a new coordinator and a host of new players, naturally, it's going to take time for the unit to gel and to get an understanding of Leonhard's scheme.
Unfortunately for Buffalo and Josh Allen, it doesn't have time. It has to win now.
It's hard to make any sort of prediction in April as we have no idea how the draft selections and free agency signings will fare, but right now, the Bills need Leonhard's defense to come out swinging.
It can't be another season where Allen has to don the Superman cape for Buffalo to be in the Super Bowl mix.