mollyfamwat
Getty
Buffalo Bills goalie John Feliciano took on Lee Smith after the latter picked off a touchdown pass against the New England Patriots.
With a tight salary cap and 15 free agents, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane and the rest of the front office have some tough decisions to make, many of which involve the people they bring in for the offensive line.
Offensive linebackers Daryl Williams, John Feliciano, Ike Boettger, Ty Nsekhe and Brian Winters are all free agents this season. All five have contributed in some way this year, as injuries have forced them to be creative from the start.
Williams had one of the best seasons of his career and Buttger got into critical situations for the Bills, but Feliciano was one of the most respected players on the Bills team this season.
After suffering a chest injury and having surgery during training camp, Feliciano did not play until Week 8 for the New England Patriots in Buffalo, but when he returned, his teammates were happy to have him back.
In 12 games this season, Feliciano has played 100% offense in seven of them and has brought a different type of offensive mind to the Bills’ offensive line. He played a total of 25 games in Buffalo and started all 25 of them.
Feliciano has been on the Bills’ team for the past two seasons, but the sport has a commercial side, and with the current situation in Buffalo, the former Miami hurricane could continue in the offseason as well.
At least, we think so.
At a recent performance by Tim Graham and friends, Feliciano gave the impression that his stay in Buffalo may not be over.
“Honestly, I don’t see myself going anywhere,” Feliciano told Tim Graham and Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic when he appeared on their podcast. “I love Buffalo and I know how they feel about me. I remain optimistic and I don’t like change. Honestly, when I think about next season, I think of myself as Bill. We’ll see what happens, but I think both sides want the same thing, so it’s just a matter of time, I guess.
Along with Feliciano, Williams and linebacker Matt Milano have been chosen as Buffalo’s two main targets for return this offseason.
Follow the “Heavy on Bills” Facebook page for news, rumors and content!
Feliciano’s return will depend on salary.
Whether or not Feliciano returns to Buffalo will depend largely on the kind of deal the two sides can reach. After two good seasons in Buffalo, the interior line veteran, who has played both guard and center for the Bills this season, has been able to get paid on a free-agent basis.
According to Spotrac.com, Feliciano has a market value of $8.3 million, and Spotrac expects Feliciano to receive a contract of at least 4 years and $33 million.
At his end-of-season press conference, Beane said that Bills need to be creative in the offseason and make tough decisions. Ultimately, Feliciano could be one of those tough decisions.
Williams and Milan are in the top 40 free agents by Pro Football Focus
In a recent article in Pro Football Focus listing the top 150 free agents of the offseason, Milan and Williams are in the top 40.
After a season marked by injuries, Milan finished 37th and Williams 40th after what PFF has called a “season of reconstruction.”
READ NOW
mollyfamwat
