Bills GM Brandon Beane, echoing the remarks he made in the 2023 offseason, said that his club is unlikely to hand out any especially lucrative contracts in free agency this year. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required) observes, Buffalo is projected to be roughly $49MM over the 2024 salary cap, which obviously puts a damper on the team’s spending ability.
“I don’t think you’re going to see any splashes,” Beane said. “Even if I found something that was exciting to me, I don’t think it would fit within our cap parameters. I think everyone needs to understand that we’re going to be shopping at some of those same stores we were shopping last year. We’re not going to be on Main Street of New York City or whatever all those high-end shopping centers are. It’s not feasible to where we’re at.”
In Buscaglia’s view, the only surefire way to alleviate the Bills’ cap problems would be to undergo a full roster overhaul as they did in 2017 — the year before quarterback Josh Allen was drafted — and 2018. However, with a star QB like Allen in place, the team is not going to punt on a season just to get right with the salary cap, as Buscaglia opines.
As a result, Buffalo will not be able to swim in the deep end of the free agency pool, and the team may also be forced to part with some of its own top free agents. Indeed, Buscaglia expects most of Buffalo’s high-profile FAs to at least test the open market.
That list includes wide receiver Gabe Davis, who emerged as a key big-play threat for Allen after being selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. Over his four-year tenure in western New York, Davis posted 27 touchdowns and a 16.7 yards-per-reception rate (though that comes with a modest 54.5% catch percentage, which is typical for a home run hitter). Unfortunately, Davis was forced to sit out the Bills’ two playoff contests at the end of the 2023 campaign due to a PCL injury sustained in the regular season finale against the Dolphins, and even before that happened, 2022 fifth-rounder Khalil Shakir had shown an ability to serve as a capable, cost-controlled complement to Stefon Diggs.
Davis, who will turn 25 in April, confirmed that he plans to test free agency next month (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). He suggested that he would be receptive to a new deal with the Bills, but he said that there were no extension talks between him and the club last season.
Notably, while Davis’ injury was originally classified as a PCL sprain, Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News says that the UCF product actually suffered a torn PCL. There is presently no indication as to whether that ailment will impact Davis’ free agent prospects.
Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, meanwhile, is one of a number of Bills defensive linemen who are out of contract, and like Davis, he said he has not had any talks with the club about a new deal (as relayed by Buscaglia). Jones signed a two-year, $14MM contract with Buffalo in March 2022, and after playing 16 regular season contests in his first year with the team, he was limited to seven games in 2023 thanks to the pectoral injury he sustained in Week 5. The 32-year-old veteran, who has been a consistently strong and mostly durable starter throughout his career, returned to play the final two games of the regular season and both of Buffalo’s postseason matchups, and he said he is looking forward to his return to the open market.
Jones’ fellow DT Jordan Phillips, on the other hand, is considering retirement, per O’Halloran. Phillips, who stepped into the starting lineup following Jones’ injury, suffered a dislocated wrist in a Week 15 win over the Cowboys and ended the season on IR as a result. Now 31, Phillips enjoyed his finest season as a member of the Bills in 2017, posting 9.5 sacks over 16 games (nine starts). He parlayed that performance into a lucrative three-year contract with the Cardinals the following offseason, but his time in the desert was marred by injury, and he was released in March 2022. He has spent the last two seasons back in Buffalo, but he conceded that “this might be it” for his playing career.
Safety Micah Hyde may also hang up the cleats, as Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News reports. Hyde, a Packers draftee who began a long and productive stint as a member of the Bills in 2017, played in 14 games in 2023 after being limited to just two contests the year before as a result of a neck injury. In the view of Pro Football Focus, he was not quite as sharp as he had been throughout most of his time in Buffalo, though he was still an above-average defender.
Hyde, 33, said he had no issues with his surgically-repaired neck over the first half of the 2023 season, but he sustained a stinger in Week 9 and another in Week 14, and he conceded that it was a difficult year for him physically. Although he has medical clearance to play, he has not yet decided if he wants to do so.
The Bills also have several key edge rushers on expiring contracts: Leonard Floyd and A.J. Epenesa. Floyd, who signed a one-year contract with the team in June, posted 10.5 sacks in his first Buffalo season, the fourth consecutive year in which he has recorded at least nine sacks. As he prepares for his age-32 campaign, Floyd acknowledged that he will follow the money in free agency, though he still wants to sign with a contender.
Of all of the soon-to-be FAs mentioned above, it could be that Epenesa has the best chance to return to the Bills. The 2020 second-rounder has posted 6.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, and as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in a subscribers-only piece, Buffalo — in keeping with its usual desire to retain homegrown talent — may talk extension with Epenesa before free agency opens.
Better start making a splash in the draft. Recently, they’ve been off on their picks. That’s why it’s an older roster. New blood isn’t able to take over for the expensive vets.
Recently they’ve drafted Cook, Shakir, Bernard, Benford, Rousseau, and Torrence. These were all 1st or 2nd year guys who not only started this season, but played extremely well – the first few could be stars in this league. Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector looked good in short duty after Milano and Bernard went down. Justin Shorter was hurt for the season but was a late round WR pick just like Shakir, and could replace Gabe next season if things go well. Elam looks like a huge miss, and there were a handful of misses in the years after Josh was drafted.. but the last two years have landed some very strong youth on this team.
Dear Brandon Beane:
Trade back and get extra picks.
Draft two outside WRs and get a few defensive linemen.
Slight step back, but still competitive. Need some cheap contracts ASAP.
Obviously depends how the real life draft board shakes out, but if I were them, I would strongly consider taking another shot at corner in the first round or after a modest trade down into the early second. There should be good value there, and I think they need to try to find a high end player there, between White’s injury woes and Elam’s troubles, whether you think he’s more bad schematic fit or more just a bust (I have a pet theory that Elam belongs in Minnesota with Flores’ scheme, while Andrew Booth would do better in McDermott’s).
Sure. The board makes all the difference, but this years WR class is supposed to be stacked.
I just think McDermott is mostly able to find production in the secondary. Hyde and Poyer were not the same players before Buffalo. Players like Dane Jackson and Levi Wallace were great contributors for low draft position.
We also have Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford, so I would prioritize WR help. Over a third/fourth corner.
The offense was the issue for most of the year – and Bills need to start considering post Diggs depth. It’s a problem. Plus – losing Gabe Davis.
Mcd is defensive minded, smart so Im concerned we dont help Josh and continue to try and rely on him being awesome all the time.
All draft picks are crap shoots – they just are. So even drafting a WR high isn’t a sure thing, but I wanna take our shot.
With their cap situation, I think Douglas is gone, and I wouldn’t be shocked if White’s days on the roster are numbered. They’re going to need to make some tough cap decision. I agree that they need another receiving threat, but once you get past the top three receivers or so, I think there’s a big second tier of receivers in this draft who could help them, ones you’ll find even in the third or fourth round, whereas there’s a good crop of corner talent, but I think there will be a drop-off before their second rounder rolls around. But point taken about McDermott getting good production out of later round corners, even if I think they would be well served by adding a high end talent there.
Douglas is signed for another year.
He isn’t going anywhere.
They need to make some tough decisions and he can be let go with zero dead money.
Its not going to be Rasul. 100 percent guaranteed.
Allen restructure and Tre White can do alot of work.
I think Knox is traded too.
There will certainly be restructures. That might be what happens with Douglas. I highly doubt they just keep him on the one year and nearly ten million he’s due. Trading Knox might be a bigger dead cap hit than it’s worth.
CB isn’t a major need, especially with cap considerations. Bills need at least one WR and then D line/safety as priorities.
Lol
Lol?
Wow over the cap that much. Could the window be closing faster than expected? Burrow healthy next year Could be a problem and Harbaugh in San Diego Could help them as well.
Chargers are over about the same amount and Cinci is going to tie much of its cap into its own free agents. If Von Miller gets suspended by the league Buffalo could recoup half the amount with one roster move.
I think von miller is worn out.
Bills are up against it, and this is when Beane is really going to earn his money. He’s got to draft his rear-end off and make some savvy moves in free agency if they’re to stay atop the AFC East!
It’ll definitely be interesting to see how they’re abke to somewhat overhaul their defense, because the facts are they can’t just keep them all.
This offseason, the Bills should really start charging Patrick Mahomes some kind of rent. He’s been living rent-free in Josh Allen’s head for way too long.
So we can expect a Brandon Beane sighting at the Dollar General store on Main Street in Buffalo? That’s exciting news.