Pro Football Focus ranked the Buffalo Bills’ offensive line just within the top half of the league’s best units, slotting the Bills unit in 14th place among the position group in the league prior to the start of training camp next week.
In 2021, Buffalo into returns all five players from last year’s group. Tackles Daryl Williams and Dion Dawkins, guards Jon Felciano and Cody Ford, and center Mitch Morse will being the trenches for Buffalo’s offense this fall.
PFF was particularly impressed with the Bills’ tackles, describing them as “one of the league’s best” tandems. The analytics organization added:
They [Dawkins and Williams] finished 14th and 22nd, respectively, in overall grade last season. Dawkins has been incredibly consistent in his four NFL seasons, especially in pass protection, where he’s graded between 76.0 and 79.2 every year.
PFF sees the interior of the line as a place where the unit can improve.
Ford has recorded mediocre grades via PFF for years, while Morse and Feliciano have different aspects of their game that may be improved. Morse stands to strengthen his game in the run attack, while Feliciano looks to be a bit stronger in pass protection.
Ford returns from a season-ending knee injury, one which he suffered in late November 2020. Ford enters a pivotal third season in the league.
The Bills also have several options in case of injury on the line. Buffalo added two massive offensive tackles in the draft this season, Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle Both players will have time to develop into specific roles on the line if called upon.
The Bills also have Ike Boettger, Ryan Bates, Jamil Douglas, and Forrest Lamp who can step in if necessary as well.
Overall, PFF’s rankings see the Bills’ recent status from the outlet up and down. A year ago last offseason, PFF ranked Buffalo’s O-line as the 18th best in the NFL. While the Bills are on the rise in that aspect, in January 2020, PFF tabbed the Bills’ line at the No. 10 spot.
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