Just about six weeks after the Buffalo Bills’ season came to a devastating end, free agency is set to begin.
In an ideal world, the Bills could upgrade or add depth to every position, pay everyone fairly, win every game and never worry again. That will not happen.
The Bills need to create salary cap space while maintaining a high-caliber roster. That they have their franchise quarterback in Josh Allen is excellent news, but comes with some financial gymnastics for the rest of the team – or at least more than the previous offseason, following Allen’s extension.
Allen's salary cap number jumps from $10.2 million in 2021 to $16.4 million in 2022 before blossoming to $39.8 million in 2023. Still, the structure of his contract does provide general manager Brandon Beane with some flexibility.
Last year, the emphasis revolved around continuity, and the Bills re-signed their most prominent free agents in linebacker Matt Milano and offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Daryl Williams. The Bills would love to get a number of free agents back, and those players know that the Bills will be contenders again, making Buffalo an attractive place to be.
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For the next stretch of the offseason, Beane will see where the Bills’ needs, free agents’ skill sets and justifiable contracts all line up.
Here’s a look at the Bills' priorities, starting with positions of most need, in advance of the start of the league year March 16.
Cornerback
Levi Wallace is an unrestricted free agent, and he might have priced himself out of Buffalo after a solid season. Standout cornerback Tre’Davious White is still recovering from tearing his ACL on Thanksgiving in New Orleans. Though the Bills held up better than expected in White’s absence, if he’s not ready to start the season, as expected, and if Wallace is gone, they need to find players to step in immediately.
Defensive line
The defensive line is sprinkled with unrestricted free agents and veterans. There are five UFAs, and Justin Zimmer, coming off a torn ACL, is a restricted free agent. Mario Addison, Jerry Hughes, Vernon Butler, Efe Obada and Harrison Phillips are all unrestricted, with Phillips the most crucial to re-sign. He had a strong season, and is the type of player and person the Bills look for. They’d like to keep him in Buffalo if it works out, and will need to see what other veterans might come back. Beane said last week at the scouting combine that the Bills were open to bringing back either Addison or Hughes or both, and he added that both had expressed interest in continuing to play.
Quarterback
This is not a declaration that the Bills need to bring in someone to compete with Allen. Allen is very, very good. Instead, they’ll need to bring in a backup quarterback, with Mitchell Trubisky expected to end up elsewhere.
Beane has openly acknowledged the team needs a solid backup due to Allen’s punishing style of play. The Bills should be able to find a suitable option in free agency.
“We know the quarterback position is the ultimate in all sports. It'll be our job to find a suitable replacement, assuming we're not able to get Mitch back,” Beane said at the combine. “But we definitely need to find that piece, because we know how Josh plays."
Wide receiver
The wide receiver corps could shift quite quickly. Isaiah McKenzie, Emmanuel Sanders and Jake Kumerow are unrestricted free agents. Sanders may retire. The Bills have given Cole Beasley permission to seek a trade. Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, who ended the year with his best performance, are primed to lead whatever next year’s group shakes out to be. The Bills will want plenty of options for pass catchers for Allen.
Tight end
Dawson Knox’s breakout season in 2021 bolstered the group, but the Bills could certainly use depth at tight end. Beane acknowledged that, pushing tight end perhaps further up this list, saying the team might look to bring someone in to compete with Knox, the only specific group he named when asked about priorities.
“Dawson did really well. Maybe some depth there to compete with him,” Beane said. “But I’m going to look at every position.”
There’s also just plenty of interest in tight ends, given some of the notable free agents. Perhaps you’ve heard there’s a Western New York native who might be available?
Offensive line
While there’s always room to build, the offensive line is in a decent spot. The unit looked better as the year went on, finally solidifying the lineup. Ryan Bates is a restricted free agent, and Beane said Tuesday on WGR that the Bills are still deciding whether they will tender a contract offer to him. Ike Boettger is still rehabbing an injury, but the other starters are back. Feliciano could be a candidate to be released to provide cap flexibility.
Running back
The Bills could still upgrade, but this no longer feels as high a priority as other positions. If Devin Singletary can start around the level he finished this past season, the Bills will begin the year without as much pressure to get the run game going. They could still bring in someone for competition, especially with Zack Moss, but if Singletary can maintain his end-of-season production, signing a running back is less urgent.
Specialists:
All three specialists – kicker Tyler Bass, punter Matt Haack and long snapper Reid Ferguson – are under contract. Bass is certainly solid, and Ferguson has worked nicely with both. Beane was candid at his end-of-season news conference that Haack’s inconsistency was a concern.
Linebacker
Linebacker will be an eventual need, but it’s not the highest immediate priority. Tuesday’s release of A.J. Klein means the Bills could use a little more depth, though they’re already spending a good bit at linebacker.
The team still has to sort out a bit on the Tremaine Edmunds front for the long term, which Beane discussed at the combine. The GM said they’ve had some discussions with Edmunds’ camp about an extension. The Bills picked up his fifth-year option. While Beane understands some of the critique of Edmunds’ play, he views the now fifth-year linebacker as a key part of the team.
“Yeah, we definitely do,” Beane said. “We drafted him as high as we did, and he’s been a captain. He continues to ascend.”
Linebacker Matt Milano signed a four-year extension in 2021.
Safety
With Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer under contract, they are set at safety.
