Entire scouting staff also let go in major changes.
After weeks of reports and rampant speculation, Doug Whaley’s tenure as Bills general manager officially came to an end on April 30, less than 24 hours following the conclusion of the NFL Draft.
Analysis
“The decision was made now because this is the end of the scouting year for our pro personnel departments,” Bills owner Terry Pegula said. “We ran a process after the season ended and made the decision at this time.”
Whaley, 44, had a rocky four-year stint as GM that featured plenty of high-profile hits and misses. Before being named general manager in May 2013, he was an assistant general manager in Buffalo under Buddy Nix.
Here’s a look at some of highlights and key moments that took place during Whaley’s time as GM.
THE GOOD
Big trades
Player-for-player swaps aren’t particularly common in the NFL. But Whaley pulled off a pair of lop-sided deals that paid off in spades for the Bills.
Shortly before Whaley was named GM, the Bills sent Kelvin Sheppard to Indianapolis in exchange for Hughes. Though Whaley was not GM yet, he played a big role in the deal. Sheppard was a disappointing former third-round pick who has bounced around the league in recent years; Hughes had two double-digit sack seasons under his belt in Buffalo and has proven to be a legitimate threat off the edge.
Whaley acquired an even bigger piece in March 2015 when Buffalo acquired running back LeSean McCoy in exchange for Kiko Alonso. While Alonso has been a productive player in Philadelphia and Miami since then, McCoy has been Buffalo’s MVP on offense over the past two seasons.
That can’t all be home runs, of course. Matt Cassel was acquired for a late-round pick and under whelmed before being released early in the regular season. But the Hughes and McCoy trades sit at the top of Whaley’s Bills resume for good reason.
Denne historien er fra June/July 2017; Vol. 14, No. 3-utgaven av Bills Digest.
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Denne historien er fra June/July 2017; Vol. 14, No. 3-utgaven av Bills Digest.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
TRACKING TRAINING CAMP
Bills Digest was there for all the big moments at training camp. Here are some observations …
‘We're constantly trying to evolve'
For more on what’s happening within Buffalo’s offense, here are some highlights from offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s recent press conferences.
‘On the field you must flip that switch'
Here are some highlights from head coach Sean McDermott’s recent press conferences.
ALLEN GETS HISTORIC DEAL
Bills QB now under contract through 2028
Right back in the swing of things
It’s fair to say that this year’s Bills training camp looks wildly different from those of the past.
1st & Ten with STEFON DIGGS
Stefon Diggs had one of the best seasons ever by a Bills receiver in 2020, and he’s looking for an encore. Diggs was clearly amped up and ready to go as the Bills began their preparations for the new season, leading the huddle and supporting his teammates as they kicked off training camp in Orchard Park. Diggs recently touched on his goals for the upcoming season for both himself and the team in an informative discussion with members of the media. Here are the highlights from that discussion.
RUNNING BACKS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Aaron Jones, Packers 5-9 • 208 pounds • 27 years old A fifth-round steal in the 2017 draft out of UTEP, Jones is equally proficient in the running and passing games. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards the last two years, and caught 49 and 47 passes, respectively. He’s also a touchdown machine with 30 TDs the last two years (25 rushing and 5 receiving). The son of two career Army officers, he’s a tough, driven player and the kind of guy players want on their team.
THE RIGHT STUFF?
Keeping two important starters is a priority as the right side of the O-line hits free agency
QUARTERBACKS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Dak Prescott, Cowboys 6-2 • 235 pounds • 27 years old A solid starter who has a nice TD-INT ratio over his first five seasons (104-40), Prescott is an accurate thrower and very mobile. However, he’s coming off a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle, so it remains to be seen if this will impact his game moving forward.
TIGHT ENDS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Hunter Henry, Chargers 6-5 • 250 pounds • 29 years old A very talented player, Henry has had issues staying healthy, unable to complete an NFL season, including missing the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL. But when healthy, he’s a terrific all-around tight end who really connected with Justin Herbert in 2020 with 60 catches. Henry is very good at finding holes in zone coverage.