3 Former Buffalo Bills Whom Management Abandoned Too Soon

Before Brandon Beane came along, the Buffalo Bills had a history of missing out on a lot of draft picks. While they had some successes, they had more disappointments than successes. Ultimately, this played a major role in their 17-year playoff drought. Beane was hired by the Bills after the 2017 NFL Draft, but immediately began making his impact by trading players like Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby for future draft picks.

The front office did a great job of finding franchise players that helped turn the organization around. They found their franchise players at quarterback, left tackle, and potentially edge rusher. At the same time, Buffalo’s front office missed out on picks. This could be due to a lack of talent, too much depth, etc.

While the Bills have been able to build from within, there are four players who were drafted by Buffalo that management let go of too soon. We take a look at those four players who could have continued to grow in Buffalo and potentially make an impact, but left.

In the same draft class as Josh Allen, offensive lineman Wyatt Teller was selected in the fifth round out of Virginia Tech. Teller was a backup fullback for the Bills, but would start the second half of the season. He was part of a unit that was the worst offensive line Allen had ever had. Before the 2019 season, the Bills traded Teller to the Cleveland Browns for future late-round picks. Beane should be commended for getting some value out of Teller, but it turned out to be a huge mistake.

Since arriving in Cleveland, Teller has risen through the ranks to become a star player for the Browns. He has played a significant role in helping the Browns establish themselves as one of the best teams in the league. His production has been recognized and he has been rewarded with a four-year contract extension worth over $56 million.

Until last season, the Bills struggled to solidify their offensive line. Having Teller would have really helped them the last two seasons.

In 2020, the Bills were looking to create a duo in the backfield with Devin Singletary, so they chose to draft running back Zack Moss out of Utah. While Moss showed flashes of his abilities here and there, he never really got a chance to showcase the talent he had. It seemed like every time he was given the ball, he couldn’t make a big play. The Bills were counting on Josh Allen’s leg and Singletary’s involvement. As a result, Moss found himself sidelined, which led to his departure from the Bills.

Moss was traded to the Indianapolis Colts at the 2022 trade deadline and the Bills received running back Nyheim Hines. Last season proved that the Colts won that trade. After being a special teams star for the Bills in 2022, Hines missed the 2023 season due to a torn ACL he suffered in a jet ski accident. On the other hand, Moss earned playing time as a starter while Jonathan Taylor was injured last year.

In just eight starts, Moss capitalized on his opportunities by throwing for 794 yards and five touchdowns. It was a breakout year for Moss and earned him a starting role the next season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bills made the right decision in signing Harrison Phillips, as it was clear that Kyle Williams was going to retire after the 2018 season. Phillips was expected to take over the defensive line and bring a physical aspect to the Bills defense. Instead, Phillips was never able to find his groove with the Bills and Buffalo focused more on defensive tackle Ed Oliver and his development. Phillips was dealing with a torn ACL that he suffered in his second season and never made the impact that Bills fans had hoped for. However, he was a great leadership presence for the team as well as the Western New York community.

Phillips left Buffalo and signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. He has had strong years over the last two seasons in terms of sacks and tackles. Additionally, Phillips has managed to stay healthy over both seasons, which is a big factor to consider. The Bills may have made the right choice in parting ways with Phillips, but Buffalo could have used Phillips’ leadership during the adversity they have faced over the last two seasons.