The news surrounding LeSean McCoy is not good. The running back is involved in an investigation surrounding a brawl in Philadelphia that sent two off-duty police officers to the hospital. McCoy has yet to be arrested for the incident, but is a suspect in the investigation which puts the Buffalo Bills in a tough spot. This is certainly not the first off-the-field issue the running back has had which could push the patience of the franchise heading into the offseason.
According to Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News, releasing McCoy is not worst idea for the Bills calling the running back overpaid and not worth the hassle. The issue is the contract to the running back. McCoy is currently playing out a five-year, $40.5 million deal given to him upon arrival in Buffalo and almost $20 million of that remains guaranteed. Cutting McCoy before spring workouts would mean Buffalo has to absorb a lot of that contract while suffering a $13 million cap hit. If he stays on for the season, he is just under an $8 million cap hit.
The Bills released a statement saying they were gathering information on the incident and would not rush to make a decision. That is certainly wise considering an arrest warrant has yet been issued for the running back. It could turn out that nothing comes from this, but something might and the Bills need to look at their options. First thing, having Karlos Williams coming off a success rookie season affords the team some flexibility and patience. Williams was comfortable as a starting back and that could easily continue in 2016 if McCoy is out. However, he cannot do it alone.
If McCoy was out for any period of time, the Bills would have Williams and Mike Gillislee as their rotation. That might not be enough for the Bills. Their schedule in 2016 is tough against the run as they will face five of the top seven rush defenses in the NFL according to the Buffalo News. Adding someone to the rotation will be a priority, but do not expect Buffalo to spend big. Players like Bilal Powell, James Starks or Ronnie Hillman could be targets. Stevan Ridley, Matt Asiata and Chris Johnson would be solid veteran additions.
The Bills are comfortable with Williams. He proved last season he can handle additional workload. The chances McCoy is out-right released are slim. Head coach Rex Ryan is the king of second chances. He will look to retain McCoy should the running back avoid major issues from the incident. However, if McCoy is arrested he faces suspension from the league which means the Bills must replace him.
