Some
Buffalo Bills fans are hoping that an All-Pro running back could be the next player coming down the Carolina-to-Buffalo pipeline.
Reports this week indicated that the Panthers are willing to entertain offers for Christian McCaffrey, who has struggled with injuries and could be looking for a fresh start. That sparked some immediate speculation among fans that the Bills could be interested, especially given the team’s need for improvement in the running game and the penchant for head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane to target players from their former team.
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McCaffrey Could Find a New Home
Joseph Person of The Athletic reported this week that he believes McCaffrey will be suiting up again for the Panthers next season, but a trade isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
“The Panthers would listen to offers for McCaffrey, who’s one of the league’s most versatile players,” he wrote. “But it’s hard to imagine teams would give up much for a player who’s missed 23 of the past 33 games and still has $44 million left on his contract.”
The contract hit could make him a difficult addition for the Bills, who are expected to be tight against the salary cap and will need to make decisions on some of their own free agents, including pass rusher Jerry Hughes. But many Bills fans still speculated about whether the team could make a run at McCaffrey, who would add an explosive element that the offense is currently lacking.
This isn’t the first time that Bills fans have mused about snagging a top running back. After New York Post reporter Mark Cannizzaro tweeted on December 29 that Giants running back Saquon Barkley “sounded like he’s absolutely had it” after a difficult season for him and the team, some Bills fans and reporters speculated that Buffalo could target him.
McCaffrey has been named as a potential Bills target in the past as well. In a report last offseason identifying five stars who could be traded before the current season began, the NFL.com’s Adam Rank suggested that the Bills could make a run at him.
“What about CMC to Buffalo? That’d not only give the Bills a much-needed rushing attack, but another stellar pass catcher for Josh Allen,” he wrote.
Bills Running Game Rebounds
Given the team’s salary cap and needs spread elsewhere, it may not be likely that the Bills target a top running back this offseason — especially after a late-season rebound for Devin Singletary. The Bills have still both Singletary and Zack Moss on rookie contracts.
Josh Allen has been singing Singletary’s praises, especially after the third-year running back rushed for 110 yards on 23 carries in Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. Singletary also scored twice.
“When you’ve got a guy that just wants to do the right thing and help the team win, typically those guys are going to make the plays when they’re called upon,”
Allen said. “He’s been really big for us the last few weeks and we’re going to need him going forward and he knows that. But to see him kind of take the next step in his career, catching balls out of the backfield and you saw him running the ball, he runs extremely hard.”
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