ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane publicly committed to keeping running back LeSean McCoy on the roster next season.
Beane told The Buffalo News that McCoy is “definitely” in the team’s plans for next season, the final season of a contract extension McCoy signed upon being traded from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015. McCoy will count $9 million against the Bills’ salary cap in 2019.
“LeSean is still a very good player in this league,” Beane said. “Our offense is not where we want it, but LeSean is still playing well. He’s a talented player. We like what he brings, to the point we’ll have him back in 2019. He’ll definitely be a part of that.”
McCoy, 30, who is on pace for a career-low 514 yards this season, has averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry and has not scored a touchdown since Week 15 of last season. His rushing average ranks 41st this season among NFL running backs with a qualifying amount of carries, and he has gained first downs on 13.3 percent of his rushes, which ranks 47th among qualifying running backs.
After rushing 12 times for 13 yards in a 25-6 loss Monday night to the New England Patriots, McCoy expressed frustration with his performance this season.
“I ain’t expect to have no season like this,” he said. “I’m not really playing well at all. We’re not doing much on offense. … What do I got, [257] yards? In the [eighth game]? That’s never happened to me. Yeah, it’s different. It’s a different season. I’m 30 years old, playing since when I’ve been in high school. This stuff [has] never happened to me. It is tough.”
However, McCoy believes his skills have not declined.
“I still can play,” he said. “Defenses know I still can play. You see the way they approach me when I’m in the game.”
Sources told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that several teams reached out to the Bills about McCoy prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline. Buffalo decided not to trade him.
“There was definitely interest out there [in our players],” Beane told The Buffalo News. “I think there’s naturally going to be interest in players on teams that are not doing as well as they hoped. At the end of the day, you have to listen — that’s my job, to listen — but at the same time, we’re trying to win here, not only now, but win in the future. The guys that they were asking about I felt were part of what we’re still going to be doing as we build into 2019.”
The Bills’ 2-6 record is the team’s worst start since 2010. Their 87 points scored is the fewest through eight games in franchise history.