Two high-profile free agents fit Bills’ desire to add ‘heavier’ RB

The Buffalo Bills have just two running backs under contract for 2023, and both players don’t exactly fit the mold of a traditional downhill runner.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane acknowledged the lack of size regarding his team’s running back depth, and his recent comments could signal Buffalo as a serious player for one of two tailbacks recently linked to the team: Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette.

“Right now, (we have) just a couple backs on the roster, so we’ll continue to add there and look for different skill sets,” Beane told reporters. “Yeah, we’ll monitor (size), and (I’m) totally aware that we’ve got a couple guys that are around 200 (pounds). So yeah, we’ll probably add somebody that’s a little heavier than that at some point between now and training camp.”

Both James Cook (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) and Nyheim Hines (5-foot-8, 198 pounds) are shorter, lighter backs who add speed over power. Both Elliott (6-foot, 225 pounds) and Fournette (6-foot, 228 pounds) have larger, stronger frames conducive to short-yardage and goal-line situations — both areas Buffalo could stand to improve in.

Per OddsChecker, the Bills have the second-best odds (+350) of landing Elliott, who led the NFL in rushing twice (2016, 2018) and has four 1,000-yard seasons since entering the league in 2016.