Bills allow defensive tackle Justin Zimmer to reach unrestricted free agency

The team made that decision Wednesday when it failed to tender a contract offer to Zimmer as a restricted free agent ahead of the 4 p.m. start to the NFL's new league year, a league source told The Buffalo News.

Zimmer, 29, is a 6-foot-3, 300-pounder who played in the first six games of the season, but had his season cut short by a torn ACL suffered in Week 6 against the Titans. He finished the year with eight tackles, six quarterback pressures and one sack before getting hurt.

Not tendering an offer to Zimmer does not necessarily close the door on his return. He is now an unrestricted free agent, and can re-sign with the Bills if the two sides are interested. Zimmer impressed the coaching staff with his work ethic before getting hurt. 

As reported earlier in the week, the Bills did tender an offer to their other restricted free agent, guard Ryan Bates. The deal, which is for one year, is worth $2.433 million and gives the Bills the right to match any offer sheet Bates possibly receives. Bates, 25, is a 6-foot-4, 302-pounder who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. That meant the Bills had three options when it came to making him an offer as a restricted free agent. They could have put a first- or second-round tender on Bates, which would have meant another team would have had to give the Bills a first- or second-round pick as compensation had they signed him. The cost of those tenders, however, $5.562 million and $3.986 million, respectively, made it highly unlikely that would occur.

Bates has until April 22 to either sign an offer sheet with another team, which the Bills would have five days to match, or play on his one-year deal.