Many, the Buffalo Bills included, were hopeful that linebacker Tremaine Edmunds would return to the team this offseason.
That didn’t happen and Pro Football Focus has a spin zone: That’s a good thing.
The Chicago Bears ended up swooping in to sign Edmunds to a massive four-year deal worth $72 million. The contract is the largest four-year contract handed out to an inside linebacker in the NFL.
Edmunds, 24, has a lot of career left in his tank. PFF even admits that he’s coming off his best season in the pros.
What PFF reminds us of is the past before then.
In May 2021, Buffalo picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. At the time, it was a split between fans on whether or not Edmunds was worth that massive pay day.
The reason PFF says Buffalo made a good choice in not re-signing Edmunds to such a large deal is because he only had one very strong season in the NFL. Edmunds could go on to prove with the Bears that he’s well worth the price of admission, but that’s not guaranteed.
Here’s how PFF makes their case on Edmunds in their breakdown of every NFL team’s positive takeaway during free agency:
Edmunds was regarded as one of the top linebackers in free agency and was the second-highest-ranked linebacker in PFF’s free agent rankings. However, this was very much due to a breakout 2022 season in which he became one of the top coverage defenders in the entire league. Still, it is risky business to give out a big contract based on one good season, especially when a player is helped by a solid unit around him and an elite linebacker playing next to him in Matt Milano. Buffalo decided to not take that risk, allocating those resources elsewhere on the roster, such as the offensive line, which seems to be a good business decision when a team already has a linebacker of Milano’s caliber.
Follow the Bills Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[lawrence-related id=115270,115258,115256]
[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw1j59gmjw5gdj player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]