Most teams in the NFL have implemented some sort of analytics department in recent years to help their franchises but for the most part, the role that they play and what exactly they do has been kept under wraps.

Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott announced that the team overhauled their own analytics department when speaking to the media Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

McDermott named Luis Guilamo as the new director of analytics while explaining that the previous regime was focused on the business side of things. Now, the Bills will be tracking ‘football-based’ data that they can use to their benefit for in-game situations as well as identifying injuries.

“It’s football-based, football analytics,” McDermott said. “It will not be involved on the business side at this point. It’s about us growing, us evolving and becoming better. It’s a part of what we’ll do. It’ll be involved, whether it’s personnel, game-management, it’s just about information gathering and building overall awareness on whatever it might be. I’m confident it’ll help us get to the next level in some areas.”

Many old-school executives have been put off by the movement of relying on analytics in decision making, even though Gil Brandt – a legendary figure in the league – has essentially been utilizing them for nearly the entire existence of the Dallas Cowboys with the development of his measurables database, The Cleveland Browns made a splash by hiring Sashi Brown and a front office that would largely rely on analytics in their personnel department.

McDermott explained that while the analytics department would play a big role in decision-making, it is only part of the full equation.

“You always enter into that conversation with overload,” McDermott added. “It’s a component or variable in the equation. I don’t think analytics in my case doesn’t make the decision for me but it’s part of the equation.”

The biggest disconnect with the old guard and new is how much influence these departments have on actual football moves – both in terms of play-calling and player acquisition. However, it is a bit ironic that the NFL Scouting Combine, which has become a major event, plays a major role in shaping the opinions of draft prospects based on analytical data – isn’t realized.

When WKBW’s Joe Buscaglia interviewed McDermott, the coach couldn’t have explained things better. More data to assist the team in getting better can only be beneficial.

“This is important for us as we look forward to growing, making sure that we are staying out in front of things as opposed to be late to the party…”

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