The Buffalo Bills will always be among the top Super Bowl contenders for as long as Josh Allen is playing […]
The Buffalo Bills will always be among the top Super Bowl contenders for as long as Josh Allen is playing at an MVP level. Brandon Beane, the GM, has the task of building a competitive roster around his Superman, and that starts up front. Buffalo’s offensive line protects the franchise.
Bills Sign Departed Viking
On Monday, the club added a former Viking to that group. Dan Feeney, a depth player of the 2024 Vikings, will meet Allen in the locker room from now on.
Bills play-by-play broadcaster Chris Brown reported: “The #Bills have signed free agent OL Dan Feeney. The 8-yr vet has played C & G in the league. To make room on the roster, the Bills released G Rush Reimer.”
Feeney, a 2017 third-rounder, signed with the Vikings in March of last year and spent the entire season on the roster. Throughout the year, the backup appeared in eight games, playing 40 snaps on special teams. The interior of the offensive line stayed healthy with Garrett Bradbury and Blake Brandel playing every game and Ed Ingram and Dalton Risner sharing the right guard reps.
The blocker quickly earned a role with the Chargers in 2017, starting nine of 15 games. In the following three seasons, he started all 16 games each year and tabulated nearly 4,000 offensive snaps in his tenure with his first employer.
His next stint led him to the New York Jets, where he was a backup for two seasons and started seven games. In 2023, he appeared in 16 games with the Chicago Bears, also in a reserve capacity, before heading to Minneapolis in 2024.
Feeney might not be a superstar by any means (his PFF resume is filled with 40s and 50s, which is pretty underwhelming), but his versatility makes him a decent backup. He can play center and both guard spots. Teams have only a limited number of players available on game day, so having flexible linemen is crucial.
The Vikings, meanwhile, have completely overhauled their interior offensive line this offseason. Will Fries and Ryan Kelly were signed in free agency, and the former Colts duo brought their familiarity to the Twin Cities.
Fries missed the offseason program due to his fractured tibia suffered last season, but he is now back in practice and is looking quite good in camp. The large human being has the talent to be Minnesota’s best interior blocker in years.
Kelly’s presence helps young starter J.J. McCarthy, as he has played a ton of football in his career. He can help set the protections and take some weight off McCarthy’s inexperienced shoulders.
The interior trio will be completed by rookie first-rounder Donovan Jackson, who arrived with the 24th overall pick and has already established himself as the team’s starting left guard. Last year’s starter, Blake Brandel, is still around, but he was demoted to the second unit. He, however, can play tackle and guard, and is likely to be a key backup.
Feeney’s second-team center position could be occupied by 2024 seventh-rounder Michael Jurgens, whom the Vikings secured out of Wake Forest. His first preseason was shaky, but the decision-makers seem to trust him, considering they didn’t bring another high-profile center in, despite Kelly’s recent injury struggles.
Buffalo’s new blocker will aim to sneak onto the 53-man roster. The Bills have one of the better units in the entire NFL.
Feeney is 31 years old.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
