After one year of the Sean McDermott era in Buffalo, the Bills successfully ended the playoff drought, shed some cap space, and implemented a new culture. From the beginning McDermott stated that this season wasn’t about tanking or playoffs, but building a culture.
The free agent signings and draft picks last year held high values on character. The Bills removed on-field talent by trading away former high draft picks, Sammy Watkins, Marcel Dareus, Reggie Ragland, and Ronald Darby.
In all the trades, the Bills never truly made a ‘tanking’ decision, they received on field assistance, and opened future cap space to keep guys who would fit their long-term culture better.