Buffalo Bills: 4 ripple effects of Brandon Shell retiring

2.) Lack of depth for protection for Josh Allen

The Bills went out this offseason to acquire protection upfront for their franchise quarterback, which included signing Shell at the right tackle position. Now that this retirement is in effect, that leaves one less body to keep defenders off of Allen.

Part of his journey, since he was drafted to Buffalo, is showing his ability to make plays with his legs. Whether it was a designed run play or if he had to make a play that was broken due to lack of time in the pocket. This is not to say that this trend will continue, but should an injury occur or if a player is not living up to his starting status, this leaves uncertainty at what the Bills will need to do on the offensive line. 

1.) Less competition for Spencer Brown

When the Bills signed Shell in the offseason, there was an argument to be made that this could provide potential competition for third-year right tackle Spencer Brown. In the last two seasons, Brown has been hit with injuries and inconsistency within his play.

While his run-blocking abilities are getting the job down, his pass protection is shaky at best. If you watch film, look for Brown dropping back in the pocket but the edge rusher sometimes dips down under Brown to create pressure on Allen. 

With Brown now more than likely set to start at right tackle, the presumed backup will be David Quessenberry.