Re-sign or not? Expiring contract profile: Bryan Scott

Bryan Scott is a unique player for the Bills.  He is unique because he is actually a hybrid in Buffalo’s defensive system.  Not a true safety as he lines up closer to the line of scrimmage on run downs and passing downs to bump and cover the opponents TE’s. This season marks the end of his contract with the Bills. He is currently earning 1.15 million this season.

Scott came into the league out of Penn St. as a safety that was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. He played in all but 1 game his first 3 years in the league for the falcons and played well. he averaged over 65 tackles with at least 1 sack and 1 Int in each of those 3 years. His best year with the Falcons he mustered up 96 tackles 2.5 sacks and 1 Int. After 3 years in Atlanta he moved on to the Saints were he only appeared in 9 games with only 16 tackles to his credit. After his 1 season stint in the Big Easy he signed a contract with the Bills and though he appeared in 15 games he had only 28 tackle all season. The following season is where Scott found his niche with the team when injuries forced the Bill’s to you him as a LB in their Cover 2 scheme that was being implemented at the time. From that 2008 season till now his role has been a hybrid and when coach Gailey became coach the new 3-4 system helped Scott tremendously.  this system puts Scott in position to not only make tackles but to create pressure on the QB (his sack numbers increased each year till last year he had 3 as a sub package safety/LB, this year he has 1 to his credit so far), and also be around the ball on intermediate routes (he has 2 Int’s already this season).

Bryan Scott’s value to any other team might not be more than a 3rd safety but the Bills have a very defined role for this hybrid player. Da’Norris Searcy was drafted to play as a SS but also to play the hybrid role that Scott now plays which leads me to the big question, do the Bills attempt to re-sign Scott or not? In my opinion the answer is NO unless he would be open to a veteran league minimum salary. I do not see the Bills paying the 1.15 million they are paying Bryan this season again next season especially after a few more extensions are handed out given his age and the young player in Da’Norris Searcy we have at the position that will need more playing time.

I believe that Searcy will be the guy next season that fills this hybrid role that the Bills have created for Scott. In fact i believe that Searcy has better ball skills than Scott has and could very well take the role to a whole new level. With this team getting younger with the “build through the draft” mentality and already having a 30+ year old safety in Wilson starting i do not think that Scott comes back. Now again this is not to say that Scott does not love this city and his role on the team and would not want to take peanuts to stay in Buffalo. I just have a gut feeling that this is the last season we see Bryan Scott in a Buffalo Bills uniform.