The Buffalo Bills made a lot of noise this offseason, but one of their quietest moves may end up mattering plenty.
After Sean McDermott was fired just two days after the team’s playoff exit loss to the Denver Broncos, Brandon Beane turned to an in-house answer at head coach and promoted Joe Brady, who had been Buffalo’s offensive coordinator since the middle of the 2023 season. Brady’s arrival brought a full staff reset with it, and he quickly filled out the room with Pete Carmichael Jr. as the OC, Jim Leonhard as the DC, and Jeff Rodgers as the STC.
One hire that didn’t draw nearly as much attention was on the offensive line. With Aaron Kromer retiring one day before McDermott was fired, Brady had to replace him, and he landed on Pat Meyer.
Meyer is no stranger to Buffalo, having been there during the Rex Ryan era as an assistant. After stops with the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers, he is back with the Bills and back working under Brady.
That move has already been singled out as one of the most underrated decisions of the Bills’ offseason. In ESPN’s NFL Nation roundup of AFC East teams, Alaina Getzenberg highlighted the addition of Meyer as Buffalo’s most overlooked move.
" Hiring Pat Meyer as offensive line coach. Brady had a major gap to fill on his staff after former offensive line coach Aaron Kromer retired in January.
Any coach brought in would be working with a veteran offensive line that has spent significant time together. Hiring Meyer gives the team consistency.
Meyer worked under Kromer twice, and players have already noted the similarities between the two." said Getzenberg, ESPN.
That kind of continuity matters for a line that has already spent a lot of time together. Meyer also brings a familiar connection to Brady from their time together with the Panthers, which only adds to the fit.
For a Bills offense that is trying to stay at the top, the job in front of Meyer is straightforward but important: preserve the continuity in the trenches and help keep Josh Allen protected. With the additions Buffalo made on that side of the ball this offseason, his role could wind up carrying more weight than most people are giving it right now.
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The bigger question is whether that optimism can translate into something sturdier against the run and more disruptive overall. Buffalo was gashed too often last season, and the hope now is that coaching changes and player development can help the unit look less vulnerable in the trenches while the pass defense grows into one of the rosters real strengths. [Read more 🡒]