Bills’ Draft Board Not Aligning At WR Led To Elijah Moore Signing
The Bills took some criticism after waiting until Round 7 to draft a wide receiver. One such instance prompted Brandon Beane to address the matter in a radio interview. But the ninth-year Buffalo GM did have the position on his radar during the draft.
Although the Bills gave Josh Palmer a three-year, $29MM deal in free agency, they were in on receivers during the draft. The team’s haul included a pick at the position — No. 240 overall pick Kaden Prather (Maryland) — but it certainly sounds like an earlier add was strongly considered. The team felt it needed to make a post-draft move to address the position.
Signing Elijah Moore after the draft, the Bills added a player who is likely a fifth roster lock at the position. But Moore’s fully guaranteed $2.5MM contract came about because the team’s draft board did not align with its receiver interests, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes.
It is not as though the Bills lack young talent at receiver; they drafted Keon Coleman 33rd overall last year. Coleman, 22, joins three second-contract players — Palmer, Moore, Khalil Shakir — and third-contract veteran Curtis Samuel at the receiver position in Buffalo. The Bills will not lack for experience at the position this season, effectively swapping out Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins for Palmer and Moore. Hollins signed with the Patriots in March; Cooper remains in free agency.
Stefon Diggs was a crucial part of Josh Allen‘s progression from a raw but ultra-talented prospect into perennial MVP candidate. The reigning MVP enjoying the season he did without Diggs certainly bodes well for the Bills’ latest receiver cast, though the team still likely will need Coleman to take a step forward. Moore and Palmer have proven to be complementary cogs to date, though the former will soon see a major QB upgrade after toiling on Jets and Browns rosters during his rookie contract.
The above-referenced quintet will almost definitely break camp as the Bills’ top five receivers, potentially leaving one spot remaining. If the Bills keep six wideouts, Buscaglia adds Laviska Shenault should be considered the favorite to nab the other spot. This would stand to leave Prather as a more likely practice squad stash, provided he clears waivers. Shenault’s return ability stands to bolster his chances of making the 53-man roster.
A former Jaguars second-round pick, Shenault showed some early-career promise at receiver by posting 600-plus-yard seasons in 2020 and ’21. This Bills regime liked the Colorado alum’s skillset entering the 2020 draft, per Buscaglia, and the NFL’s emphasis on increasing kick-return volume works in the veteran returner’s favor.
Shenault has caught just 15 passes over the past two years, but he has logged 22 kick returns in that span. Last season’s dynamic kickoff debut preceded Shenault returning 16 kicks. With the NFL moving the touchback line to the 35 in order to increase return numbers this offseason, the journeyman presents an intriguing option for the Bills. Splitting time with the Seahawks and Chargers last season, Shenault notched a 97-yard return TD under the updated kickoff setup.
The Bills will need to make multiple moves based on the suspensions handed to D-linemen Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht. Both players received six-game PED bans this offseason, which will lead to both being stashed on the reserve/suspended list. A No. 6 WR spot could be a place Buffalo targets to find roster space for the D-linemen, per Buscaglia. Shenault is a vested veteran and would not need to clear waivers — until the trade deadline, at least — to pass to the practice squad, though other teams dangling an active-roster spot in the event of an October release would be a variable the Bills would have to navigate in this scenario.
The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches
By the end of the 2024 regular season, the Bears, Jets and Saints had already moved on from their head coaches. Those teams were joined by Cowboys, Jaguars, Raiders and Patriots in making a change on the sidelines. 
After their midseason terminations, Matt Eberflus, Robert Saleh and Dennis Allen each landed defensive coordinator gigs during the 2025 hiring cycle. The staffers who remained in place through the end of the campaign have yet to line up their next NFL opportunity, however. Mike McCarthy withdrew from the Saints’ search, setting the 61-year-old for at least one year out of coaching (just like the pause between his Packers and Cowboys stints).
Meanwhile, Doug Pederson was unable to parlay interest in an offensive coordinator position into a hire this spring. The former Super Bowl winner is thus set to be out of coaching for 2025. The same will also be true of Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo after their one-and-done stints as full-time head coaches did not go as planned.
While recent months have brought about the latest round of changes, many of the longest-tenured head coaches around the league remain in place. McCarthy was the only staffer within the top 10 on last year’s list in that regard who has been replaced. In all, nine head coaches hired at the beginning of this decade (or earlier) will carry on with their respective teams in 2025.
Six of those reside in the AFC, with Mike Tomlin – who became the league’s longest-tenured head coach last year in the wake of Bill Belichick’s Patriots departure – once again leading the way, albeit with questions about his future beyond this season present. The NFC will include Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur handling their familiar roles in 2025, although the latter (who has two years left on his deal) will not receive an early extension.
Here is a look at how the league’s head coaches shape up entering the 2025 campaign:
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2027
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2028
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2029
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2027
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2027
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: extended through 2026
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020; signed extension in June 2024
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021; extended through 2027
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021; signed offseason extension
- Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
- Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022; signed offseason extension
- Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022; extended through 2028
- Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022; extended through 2028
- Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
- DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
- Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
- Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
- Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans): January 22, 2024
- Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers): January 24, 2024
- Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers): January 25, 2024
- Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons): January 25, 2024
- Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks): January 31, 2024
- Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders): February 1, 2024
- Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots): January 12, 2025
- Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears): January 20, 2025
- Aaron Glenn (New York Jets): January 22, 2025
- Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 23, 2025
- Pete Carroll (Las Vegas Raiders): January 24, 2025
- Brian Schottenheimer (Dallas Cowboys): January 24, 2025
- Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints): February 11, 2025
Bills Optimistic About James Cook Extension; Unclear If RB Will Hold In
The Bills have not made significant headway in extension negotiations with star running back James Cook, but the team is still hoping to get a deal done before the regular season.
“I still think the door is open,” said ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on the team’s One Bills Live podcast. “Last I checked, there wasn’t a lot of progress, but there was still some optimism in the big picture that maybe they could figure something out.”
Cook’s desire for a new contract has been one of the Bills’ main offseason storylines, especially as the team rewarded several other 2022 draftees with long-term extensions. However, those players – WR Khalil Shakir, CB Christian Benford, and LB Terrel Bernard – did not land anywhere near the top of their respective positional markets.
Cook has previously stated a desire to reach $15MM per year on his next contract, which would match Derrick Henry for the third-highest APY for a running back. Statistically, though, Cook does not appear to belong in that group. He tied Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead with 16 touchdowns last year, but his 2,131 rushing yards and 4.8 yards per carry since 2023 only rank eighth among all ballcarriers.
“He’s been ultra productive,” continued Fowler, “but the only running backs that are really getting paid at a high clip as we’re seeing is the top of the top.”
Cook skipped the Bills’ voluntary OTAs, but participated fully in mandatory minicamp last month. There, he also announced his intention to report to training camp, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, though he did not say if he would participate in practice or stage a ‘hold-in.’
“I don’t know, man. We’ll see when camp comes,” said Cook. Bills general manager Brandon Beane previously expressed confidence that Cook would be “ready to roll whether there’s a deal or not.”
Bills’ Maxwell Hairston Accused Of Sexual Assault In Civil Suit
Bills first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston has been accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit filed in Kentucky, according to WKBW News in Buffalo.
The case stems from a 2021 allegation during Hairston’s freshman year at the University of Kentucky that drew little attention during the pre-draft process. Hairston was 17 at the time of the alleged incident, per Jana Bardahl and Tim Graham of The Athletic. The alleged victim, an Ohio woman, eventually transferred out of the school.
In the suit, the unnamed woman accuses Hairston of sexually assaulting her in her dorm room on March 25, 2021. The suit alleges Hairston removed the woman’s pajamas, after she had indicated she was tired and uninterested in sexual intercourse, and assaulted her. The woman filed a police report at the time, according to Bardahl and Graham, and went through a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner exam at a hospital.
Shortly after selecting Hairston, Bills general manager Brandon Beane called him “an impeccable kid” and said that the incident was “fully investigated” by both the university and his own staff in Buffalo.
“It was one of those where there was zero — zero — information saying that this actually happened,” Beane said in April (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). Today, the University of Kentucky and the Bills both declined to comment on the lawsuit, per WKBW.
As of 2023, the NFL’s personal conduct policy includes language that allows the league to investigate and discipline players for conduct from before they were drafted, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. That would include the allegation against Hairston, though the league may wait for the civil proceedings to play out before making a determination of its own.
The Bills chose Hairston 30th overall, making him the second pure cornerback taken in this draft. His rookie contract — worth a fully guaranteed $15.28MM — runs through 2028 and includes a fifth-year option for 2029.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Offense
Last offseason brought about a record-breaking jump in the salary cap. This year, the ceiling rose to $279.2MM, another notable spike. The market at a number of positions will benefit from the ongoing surge in spending power available to teams, with quarterbacks obviously the largest standout in that respect.
In 2024, a pair of signal-callers surpassed the $50MM mark in terms of cap charges for the season. That will not be the case this time around, but to little surprise quarterbacks once again lead the way in terms of representing the largest share of many teams’ financial commitments for 2025. Positions such as receiver and offensive tackle have also generally not reached the same peak in terms of cap commitments as last year.
Leading up to training camp, are the NFL’s top 25 cap charges for offensive players:
- Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $50.52MM
- Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $47.47MM
- Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $46MM
- Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $43.5MM
- Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $43.33MM
- Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $40MM
- Geno Smith, QB (Raiders): $40MM
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Dolphins): $39.18MM
- Justin Herbert, QB (Chargers): $37.35MM
- Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $36.34MM
- Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $35.97MM
- Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $32.6MM
- Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $31.35MM
- Jordan Love, QB (Packers): $29.69MM
- Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $28.06MM
- Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans): $28MM
- Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $27.7MM
- Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $27.39MM
- Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers): $26.48MM
- Terry McLaurin, WR (Commanders): $25.5MM
- Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $25.36MM
- D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $24.9MM
- Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals): $24.06MM
- Ja’Marr Chase, WR (Bengals): $23.57MM
- Trey Smith, RG (Chiefs): $23.4MM
Prescott’s last-minute 2024 Cowboys extension made him the first player in NFL history to carry an AAV of $60MM. That pact will have lasting impacts well beyond the coming campaign, as the team looks to also fit in the big-ticket extension CeeDee Lamb inked last summer and the one Micah Parsons is in position to sign at some point before Week 1. 
Once again, Stafford and the Rams entered the spring with plenty of uncertainty. Retirement was a consideration quickly done away with in the case of the 37-year-old, but it remained to be seen if he would remain in Los Angeles. Trade offers came in from numerous suitors, and the chance existed for Stafford to land a more lucrative deal elsewhere. In the end, though, team and player reached agreement on another reworked pact. Stafford is now in line to receive $84MM over the next two years, including guaranteed money in 2026. A bit of continuity will thus be in place under center for the Rams.
2020 draft classmates Burrow, Tagovailoa and Herbert are understandable top-10 players on this list given their respective deals. All three are on the books for years to come as they look to unseat the Chiefs atop the AFC. Burrow spoke about restructuring his pact to create the cap space necessary for the Bengals to retain or extend each of their key in-house players this offseason. That has yet to take place, and it will be interesting to see if a reworking is explored while talks on the Trey Hendrickson front continue.
The Ravens have worked out a few extensions on offense already (Derrick Henry, Rashod Bateman) but Jackson looms as a candidate for a new deal. Three years remain on his pact, but starting in 2026 his cap charge is scheduled so spike well past its current figure. The two-time MVP has discussed a new arrangement this offseason, and a bump in guarantees and overall compensation similar to what the Bills did with Allen would come as no surprise.
Cousins’ figure stands out, of course, given the fact he is slated to operate as Atlanta’s backup this season. With no release coming and no trade imminent, the four-time Pro Bowler is set to stay in place behind Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has made progress in his rehab from shoulder and ankle injuries suffered prior to his benching midway through his debut Atlanta season. With $10MM already guaranteed for next year, it will be interesting to see if a trade market develops in the coming months in his case.
With the exception of Watson – whose second Achilles tear is set to sideline him for most or all of the coming campaign – the remaining quarterbacks on the list are positioned to serve as starters for their respective teams. Only Geno Smith will be suiting up for a new organization after he was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders. That swap was followed up by a two-year, $75MM extension and allowed him to reunite with head coach Pete Carroll. A short-term upgrade under center will be key as Vegas looks to find stability on the sidelines and in the front office.
Moton’s cap figure was a talking point earlier this offseason, but the Panthers are content to avoid a fourth restructure in his case. The pending free agent hopes to finish his career in Carolina, but an extension would have helped ensure that while lowering his immediate cap charge. In the absence of such an agreement, it will be interesting to see if Moton, 30, can deliver another strong showing in 2025.
Ridley is perhaps a surprising figure to lead the way in terms of cap charges at the receiver spot. He will operate as a key member of the Titans’ offense, a unit whose success will of course depend in large part on the play of rookie Cam Ward. Ridley has two more years left on his deal beyond 2025, but with limited guarantees owed over that span his Tennessee future could be greatly impacted by who this season plays out. 
The likes of Hill, Evans and Moore are not currently the subject of speculation regarding their future. McLaurin, however, was absent from much of the Commanders’ spring practices with little progress being made at the negotiating table. Plenty of work is still required at this point to avoid a potential free agent departure next spring. Coming off a career-high in touchdowns while thriving alongside Jayden Daniels, the two-time Pro Bowler is in line for a raise which will likely lower his cap hit this season.
Chase and Higgins inked their deals simultaneously, putting an end to questions regarding where the latter in particular would play on his second contract. Those two, together with Burrow, will serve as foundational players for years to come in Cincinnati. It will be interesting to see how long Chase (with an AAV of $40.25MM) remains the league’s top earner in that respect for non-quarterbacks.
Kansas City’s offensive line faces questions entering the season. Despite his big-ticket contract, Taylor is not a lock to remain a starter at this point. With no guaranteed left on the final year of his deal (2026), a parting of ways could be in store next spring if a backup gig ensues. Trey Smith, meanwhile, remains attached to the franchise tag although an extension is among the team’s remaining offseason priorities.
Ryan Van Demark On Bills’ Roster Bubble
The Bills have enjoyed good health along their offensive line over the past two seasons, largely using the same unit during that span. Mitch Morse‘s March 2024 exit represented a change, but David Edwards filled the void (as Connor McGovern shifted to center). Buffalo is returning the same starting five O-linemen from last season.
As the Bills have assembled one of the NFL’s top O-lines, they have prioritized their swingmen as well. The team will return Alec Anderson, who operated as a frequent sixth O-lineman (291 offensive snaps) despite having spent his first two NFL seasons without playing a down. As Anderson became a recurring character up front, the Bills also extended Ryan Van Demark shortly after their AFC championship game loss.
Van Demark received a one-year add-on, though that early move effectively bought out an ERFA year. He will only be a restricted free agent in 2026. But Van Demark’s spot with the Bills appears vulnerable, as The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia’s roster projection leaves him off the final 53. The former Colts UDFA’s issues at right tackle have largely made the fourth-year blocker a one-position backup, Buscaglia adds, leaving him at risk of being usurped by someone with more versatility.
Van Demark did log more time at RT than LT in 2024, playing 154 snaps on the right side and 43 at the other O-line edge post. The Bills also drafted Chase Lundt in the sixth round this year and Tylan Grable in the 2024 sixth round. All 74 of Grable’s rookie-year snaps came at left tackle. A UConn alum, Lundt will turn 25 as a rookie. He also does not, in terms of game action, bring much positional flex. The Huskies used Lundt as their RT starter in four seasons, providing extensive experience ahead of a training camp battle with a (slightly) older performer.
The Bills are in the unusual position of not only returning all five O-line starters, but having two swing tackles in place for an extended run. Van Demark, 27, arrived as a practice squad presence in September 2022; he joined Anderson on that 16-man unit. Van Demark beat out David Quessenberry for Buffalo’s OT3 job in 2023, and played ahead of Anderson that year. Both have been developed in the Bills’ system, creating extreme tackle continuity for a team that has also extended starters Dion Dawkins (twice) and Spencer Brown. Lundt’s arrival, though, may bring change. While Anderson is considered a roster lock (per Buscaglia), Van Demark will be in for a camp battle.
Bills CBs Tre’Davious White, Maxwell Hairston To Compete For Starting Spot
The Bills have one perimeter corner spot accounted for in the form of Christian Benford. He received a multi-year extension this offseason, something which was the case one year ago for slot man Taron Johnson. 
Benford and Johnson will be key figures on defense once again in 2025, but it remains to be seen who the other starting corner will be for Buffalo. The team reunited with Tre’Davious White in free agency, bringing back a former All-Pro who battled injuries during the end of his initial Buffalo tenure. He is a candidate to see first-team action during his second stint with the Bills.
Maxwell Hairston is of course in position to compete for an immediate starting role, though. The Kentucky product was selected 30th overall, making him Buffalo’s top draft choice. It came as little surprise a corner was targeted on Day 1 given the team’s need for another long-term (and comparatively inexpensive) investment at the position. According to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, White and Hairston are the leading candidates to earn a starting spot during training camp (subscription required).
Describing the competition as “wide open” at this point, Buscaglia adds veteran Dane Jackson and sixth-round rookie Dorian Strong are in the mix as well. It would come as a surprise, though, if either of those two played their way into a first-team position ahead of Week 1. Nevertheless, training camp and the preseason will be key in determining how the team’s secondary takes shape.
White began last season with the Rams, but after starting each of the team’s first four games he found himself out of the lineup. The 30-year-old was then traded to the Ravens and he handled part-time defensive duties through the end of the regular season and the team’s divisional round loss to the Bills. Following that game, White made it clear he would welcome a return to Buffalo. That was indeed arranged via a one-year deal featuring $2.2MM in guarantees.
Hairston made little impact during his redshirt freshman season, but in 2023 he showcased his playmaking skills with five interceptions and six pass deflections. Limited to only seven games by a shoulder injury last year, he was unable to duplicate that production but remained a strong Day 1 candidate based on his speed (demonstrated by a 4.28 40-yard dash time at the Combine). Even if he is unable to earn an immediate starting gig, Hairston will be expected to emerge as a key figure in the secondary for years to come.
Buffalo traded away former first-rounder Kaiir Elam and elected not to re-sign Rasul Douglas this offseason, leading to changes at the cornerback spot. The Bills ranked 24th against the pass last year, and improvement in that area will be a goal for 2025. The pending competition will thus make for a notable training camp storyline.
Elijah Moore Not Likely To Land On Bills’ Roster Bubble
Brandon Beane gave a notable post-draft interview taking exception to radio criticism of his team’s wide receiver depth chart. The Bills may not have a true No. 1-level wideout post-Stefon Diggs, but they did do some work at the position this offseason.
Buffalo signed Josh Palmer early in free agency, and while the ex-Charger’s contract details revealed a more team-friendly structure (three years, $29MM) than initial reports indicated, he will be expected to play a central role in an attack that will see heavy involvement from Keon Coleman and the recently extended Khalil Shakir. Curtis Samuel remains on the team as well, as the ex-Panther is tied to a guaranteed 2025 base salary ($6.91MM).
After the draft, though, the Bills made a modest investment in a fifth wideout. They signed Elijah Moore to a one-year, $2.5MM deal that came fully guaranteed. That figure would not make Moore bulletproof on cutdown day, but Moore does not appear in danger of being a quick cut. The ex-Jets and Browns contributor is “close to a lock” to land on the Bills’ 53-man roster, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes, adding that Samuel will be a lock to make the team.
Moore landing in Buffalo is interesting given the QB hands the former second-round pick has been dealt. Arriving in New York a round after the Jets chose Zach Wilson, Moore ended up in Cleveland as Aaron Rodgers (feat. then-GM Joe Douglas) pieced together a depth chart that included ex-Packer wideouts Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. The Browns did not have a reliable quarterback targeting Moore, as it turned out, with Deshaun Watson becoming a spectacular trade bust. Cleveland slogged through a 3-14 2024 season, and Moore did not generate too much free agency interest.
The Browns still applied a rarely used UFA tender to Moore before the late-spring deadline. This came before Cleveland’s Diontae Johnson signing, but the Browns’ Moore move ended up pertaining only to the 2026 compensatory formula after the slot weapon’s Bills signing. Moore is part of an interesting Buffalo receiver depth chart that now includes three slot types (along with Shakir and Samuel), while Palmer has some slot experience as well. Despite this heavy commitment to inside playmakers at the position, it appears the Bills — who did not re-sign Amari Cooper and saw Mack Hollins sign with the Patriots — are prepared to roster Moore and use him as a tertiary option.
ESPN’s Open Score metric ranked Moore 22nd in separation in 2021 and 37th in 2023. His other two seasons, marred by Wilson (and a clash with the Jets’ staff) and then the Browns starting four QBs, brought much worse rankings here. But the Ole Miss alum still produced 538 yards in 11 rookie-year games and then a career-high 640 in a mostly sluggish (pre-Joe Flacco) Browns attack in 2023. Going from this collection of QBs to Josh Allen could give the Bills an interesting weapon and provide Moore with a chance to boost his value for a 2026 free agency bid, though how the Bills divvy up playing time and targets to their bevy of slots — in an offense that also features receiving tight end Dalton Kincaid — will be an interesting subplot to follow.
Shaq Thompson Unlikely To Start For Bills
New Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson has been a full-time starter for most of his career. A veteran of 10 years, Thompson started double-digit games in each of his first eight seasons and entered each of his last two seasons as the starter, as well. For the first time in his career, though, it’s considered likely that Thompson will consistently be coming off the bench throughout the 2025 NFL season, per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. 
This week saw Thompson reunited with his former defensive coordinator in Carolina — now Bills head coach — Sean McDermott and a man who helped in drafting him to Carolina, Bills general manager Brandon Beane. That familiarity with McDermott’s system will almost certainly help the 31-year-old defender earn a role on the defense, but Buscaglia posits that Thompson’s ceiling could be as LB4 on the depth chart.
In 2025, Buffalo hopes it will see the return of three healthy starters in Matt Milano and Dorian Williams on the outside and Terrel Bernard in the middle, and per Buscaglia, the three “all seem relatively entrenched in their spots.” To be fair to Thompson’s chances, though, none of them had very good individual performances in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF graded Williams as the best of the three, ranking him at 61st out of 84 players graded at the position. Milano came in at 73rd, while Bernard slotted in at 80th.
To be fair to Williams, Milano, and Bernard, though, the three only got four games together in the regular season. Once they got to the playoffs, the three worked extremely well together in slowing down a potent Ravens offense to advance to an AFC Championship matchup with the Chiefs.
If Thompson can get back to his pre-injury level of play, though, there’s certainly a chance he can earn some starting time, should any of the current first-team stumble. That’s a big if, though. With his 2023 season ending due to a fibula fracture and his 2024 campaign cut short due to a torn Achilles tendon, it’s been nearly two years since we’ve seen Thompson at his best. Primarily an outside linebacker during his time in Carolina, Thompson could push the weak link in the rankings, Bernard, by shifting inside for some potential playing time, as well.
Ultimately, Thompson will need to show he’s healthy, and he’ll need to show that he still is capable of running in McDermott’s defense, but Thompson has every chance at making the roster and earning a strong role. Turning that strong role into a starting one may be a tougher task for Thompson to tackle.
Players Interested In Olympic Flag Football
Since the announcement that the NFL’s ownership group would allow active NFL players to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics’ flag football event, there’s been plenty of speculation on which players might find themselves representing the US of A. While Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made it known that he had no intentions of playing, and Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill claimed he’d rather do track, there have been some players who have expressed interest. 
If Team USA is looking for a quarterback, it needn’t look past last year’s MVP. According to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, Bills quarterback Josh Allen is prepared to throw his hat in the ring. In a quote to the media, Allen made sure not to disrespect the current quarterbacks of the flag football community but claimed that he “would absolutely love to” play if the opportunity presented itself.
While we haven’t seen any other offensive weapons volunteer themselves to potentially play with Allen, Team USA has a few offers on defense. If they play their cards right, the country’s national flag football team could land the two cornerbacks that topped Pro Football Focus’s positional rankings in 2022.
The Jets released a video this week of star cornerback Sauce Gardner expressing his interest in playing. Gardner told reporters that he “definitely would be interested in…being able to play for (his) country.” The third-year cornerback had a relatively down year after two first-team All-Pro seasons to open his career, but I imagine Team USA would at least do their homework to see how he’d fit on the team.
If the Olympic team really wants to create a shutdown cornerback tandem, Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain has also offered his services. According to Luca Evans of The Denver Post, Surtain spoke at an event for his foundation earlier this month and told the media he has “definitely high interest” in playing, calling the possibility a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Ultimately, it’ll be a couple years before we truly know who all could be participating. Each team will be able to send one player to the flag football tryouts whenever they take place. At the moment, it sounds like Allen, Gardner, and Surtain are making bids to be the representatives from Buffalo, New York, and Denver.