Buffalo Bills: 10 free agents to consider signing in 2018

A familiar face

3) Zach Brown
A report surfaced not too long ago that Preston Brown would like to play in New England. If those rumors are true, then the Bills will be in the market to replace him.

Zach Brown was a late addition to the 2016 Bills but ended the season with a Pro-Bowl bid.

The seven-year pro racked up 94 tackles and three turnovers in his lone season with the Bills. He carried that success to Washington this past season with 84 tackles in just 13 games.

Brown is a run-stuffing inside linebacker with a nose for the ball. He’s been productive everywhere he’s gone. He made 140 tackles in his first two years in the league before suffering an injury and was later released by Tennessee.

A reunion in Buffalo would be nice for both sides.

Nickel corner is a glaring need

Buffalo is in a major need of an upgrade in the nickel corner position.

 The Bills used Leonard Johnson as their slot cornerback last season. He played 423 snaps in the slot and allowed a league-high 59 catches on 82 targets and had a QB rating of 99.6 when thrown at. He also led all nickel corners in yards against (603) and yards given up after the catch (355).

There are two players the Bills should target as Johnson’s replacement as the slot corner.

4) Patrick Robinson

Robinson had a similar type breakout season that Lorenzo Alexander had in 2016.

Robinson is a health concern. He’s missed 31 games over his career, but was able to stay on the field all of last season. A season where he became a vital part of the Eagles Super Bowl-winning defense.

Robinson played 363 snaps from the nickel position in 2017.  According to Pro Football Focus, the veteran DB had the third-best passer rating against among all slot corners at 65.2 percent.

The eight-year corner had a career-high 18 passes-defensed and four interceptions last season, including one in the NFC Championship Game to solidify the Eagles’ chances of a Super Bowl berth.

I would be wary to offer Robinson a multi-year contract due to his health and inconsistencies. But a one-year prove-it deal with a higher dollar figure may be worth the gamble.

5) Aaron Colvin

Unlike most of the players on this list so far, Colvin is looking to cash in on a lucrative, long-term, contract.

The former fourth-round pick of the Jaguars was one of the NFL’s most elite slot corners in the game last season. He played 342 snaps in the nickel position and only allowed 0.76 yards-against-per-snap, third among all slot corners. In comparison, Colvin allowed 20 fewer catches and 326-yards less than Johnson.

An even more impressive stat is that Colvin leads the league in cover snaps per touchdown since 2014, and didn’t allow a single touchdown in 2017.

With 2017 first-rounder Tre’Davious White readying himself for a sophomore push, and the signing of Davis, Colvin would be a monster add to solidify the Bills secondary.