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Buffalo Bills add depth to offensive line, select Spencer Brown

ByMatthew Hodowany|
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 30: Offensive Lineman Spencer Brown #76 from Northern Iowa of the National Team during the 2021 Resse's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 30: Offensive Lineman Spencer Brown #76 from Northern Iowa of the National Team during the 2021 Resse's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

With the 93rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected Spencer Brown out of Northern Iowa.

While at Northern Iowa, the 6’8″, 311 pound Lenox, IA., native held down the right offensive tackle position for the Panthers. Brown did not participate in the Panther’s 2020 season as the program deferred its fall play till the spring where Brown would opt to participate in the Senior Bowl rather than the season.

Brown selection brings depth to an offensive line that struggled to stay healthy last season. After losing Jon Felicano to a pectoral injury, forcing him to miss multiple weeks to start the season, the Bills were in scramble mode from Week 1.

After signing former New York Jet, Brian Winters to come in, the injury bug struck again. The Bills would go on to lose both Cody Ford and Mitch Morse at different points in the season which saw Buffalo trot out a make-shift offensive line at different times during the season. Felicano would return in time to take over for Morse in the dog-days of the season which meant Ike Boteger needed to fill in at guard.

The pick of Brown also spawns an interesting storyline going into the 2022 season not just the 2021 season. Though the Bills did ink Felicano to a new contract, the team does have an out at the end of the year. With a dead-cap hit of only $1.5 million, if Brown impresses the Buffalo brass enough in his rookie season either in practice or a rotational role in the upcoming season, Felciano’s time in Buffalo could come to an end and Brown could be moved to guard.

So far this draft, the Bills have emphasized depth on both sides of the line. That said, the Bills again could have used their third-rounder on a depth cornerback to bolster the position. While he did have the interception heard around the world against the Baltimore Ravens, Taron Johnson is not a reliable option at the nickel corner.

With Miami adding another weapon for Tua Tagovailoa in Boston College’s Hunter Long, stopping tight ends-which was one of the many storylines in the AFC Championship-may be a reoccurring issue.

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