Free Agency Starts At Home: The Buffalo Bills' Five Biggest Player Decisions

Assuming they get a new collective bargaining agreement done, NFL Free Agency is scheduled to begin on March 3, 2011.  I'm going to go through every team between now and then and identify their top five free agents and try to determine what should be done with each player, be it resign them or let them walk.  I'm going team by team in draft order and currently am at the third pick in the draft, the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills had a rough start to the 2010 season.  Starting quarterback Trent Edwards was ineffective for two games before being cut.  They attempted run a 3-4 for the first half of the season before abandoning it in the second half because they couldn't stop the run with the 3-4.  They started the season 0-8 before finally getting a win over the Lions in week 10.

Fortunately, they looked better later in the season.   They closed out the year 4-4 and their defense looked better after switching back to the 4-3.  Ryan Fitzpatrick emerged as a serviceable starter at quarterback and Stevie Johnson appeared capable of being the number one receiver in their passing attack.

While Chan Gailey is an offensive coach, it will be the decisions he and Bills GM Buddy Nix on the defensive side of the ball that make or break their 2011 season.  The Bills were the worst team in the league against the run last year.  They have to improve their run defense to have any shot of competing in the NFL.