Some really tough news for the Buffalo Bills, just one day ahead of players reporting for training camp. We learned Monday morning that Bills RB, Nyheim Hines, was injured on a jet ski. Initial reports are that while the injuries are severe, they are not life-threatening. That is the good news, and before I get into the implications of this for the Bills I want to wish Nyheim Hines and his family all the best and a speedy recovery.

Implications:

The Bills traded for Hines last year, and while they struggled to get him involved in the offense, he immediately impacted special teams as one of the best returners in the league. Who can forget his game against the Patriots? Coming off all the emotions surrounding the Hamlin situation, taking the opening kickoff back for a touchdown in a play that will be on Bills highlight reels forever. While this will certainly be a loss for the team, especially in the special teams department, I think that Beane has set this roster up so that it does not feel like the sky is falling.

Options:

I was really excited to see what Hines could look like in this offense, given full off-season to really gel with the team. I had visions of two tight end sets, with Diggs out wide and Hines and Cook in the backfield, and what kind of options would give the team. While we won’t get to see that, the Bills did bolster the running back room this year. With Cook slated to take on a bigger role, the Bills added a couple more bruising backs in Damien Harris and Latavious Murray. The loss of Hines may create an opportunity for Jordan Mims to make an impact, but I think Beane would more likely add another veteran to the room if anything. Despite this loss, the running back room will still be strong. The impact will likely be felt more in the return game, but the team is not without options here. Shakir spent some time returning punts last year, and Harty can be a very electric return man for both punts and kickoffs. My biggest concern is what either of those player's roles looks like on offense, as we have seen the team be reluctant to have their primary returners be too involved in the offense. I will be happy if whoever takes over the return duties safely gets the ball into 17’s hands.

Possible Additions:

If the Bills look to add another player to the group, there are plenty of intriguing options out there. The team has already brought in a few players for workouts, but at the time of writing this, no one has been signed. With all the talk of running backs being underpaid and teams not willing to budge, there are some interesting names on the market:

Ezekiel Elliott

Kareem Hunt

Dalvin Cook

Darrell Henderson

Kenyan Drake

J.D. McKissic

Ameer Abdullah

The Bills had allegedly acquired McKissic last year in an attempt to get a Hines-like running back. I think that some of the bigger names will command more money than the Bills are willing/can afford to pay. If the Bills do decide to add to the running back room, I would predict that McKissic is someone they’re making a call to.