In a move out of left field, the Buffalo Bills are reportedly finalizing a five-year, $27.5 million contract with former New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan.
Ryan agreed to a second interview with the Bills Saturday night after the Atlanta Falcons didn’t pull the trigger in hiring Ryan last week. Buffalo is expected to retain Jim Schwartz as their defensive coordinator and hire former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Roman and Ryan were both members of the Baltimore Ravens staff during that team’s first Super Bowl run in 2000.
The Bills have been without a head coach since Doug Marrone opted out of his contract due to an ownership change and disagreements over personnel moves, like trading two first round picks for Sammy Watkins last season. Ryan was fired by the Jets on Black Monday at the end of the regular season. Ryan was 46-50 with the Jets with two AFC Championship game appearances.
Ryan’s choice to join the Bills is an odd one since his inability to field a consistent offense is what doomed him with the Jets. While the Bills are in better shape, they’re a far cry from the offensive powerhouse that would have been waiting on him in Atlanta. With no first round pick this season and as many as four quarterbacks presumably taken in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Ryan may be stuck with E.J. Manuel and a journeyman free agent behind center.
Also at issue is the 4-3 defensive scheme that Schwartz ran to near perfection with Buffalo last season and how different it is to the hybrid 3-4 strategy that Ryan has preferred.
The hire keeps Ryan in the same division with the New England Patriots, a team he always seemed to cause problems for and his former team, the Jets, who he will most likely dominate for years considering its decimated roster.
