The Buffalo Bills have 12 unrestricted free agents inching their way toward free agency which opens on March 18. On March 16, the Bills can start negotiating with other team’s players and then two days later, the club can officially ink players to deals (although, reports of signings will start on the 16).
On the flip, the Bills’ pending free agents can do the same and sign with another franchise. With the clock ticking, the Bills still have a chance to sign their own free agents to contracts, and might even do so after the market opens. Bills Wire will run a 12-part rundown of each of Buffalo’s pending free agents leading up to that “tampering period.”
Here’s Bills Wire’s free agent profile for Bills free agent safety Kurt Coleman:
Stats
2019: 14 games played, 3 tackles
Bills: 14 games played, 3 tackles
Career: 146 games played, 554 tackles tackles, 36 passes defended, 2 sacks, 21 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles
How acquired
Signed via free agency, July 2019
Previous contract
One-year, $940K (current age: 32)
Breakdown
Coleman was a staple on the Bills roster as a special teamer in 2019. He signed a one-year deal with the team a year ago having experience playing in Sean McDermott’s defense while in Carolina from 2014-2017. That’s an overlying reason the Bills sign plenty of players, but certainly it applied for Coleman because he signed in July, not March. He could come in during training camp and pick things up quicker, and he did so, keeping his roster spot heading into the regular season.
What are the Bills’ options?
Buffalo is likely going to let Coleman hit free agency. As a 32-year-old, Coleman’s got a lot of tread on his tires. But where he might lack in youth, he certainly was a character player and veteran leader for the Bills.
What should they do?
The Bills should just let Coleman walk. McDermott has already said this offseason that it’s time players that have been around to start stepping up as leaders, such as Josh Allen, Micah Hyde or Tremaine Edmunds. In terms of playing time, the Bills have nine draft picks and can start grooming a depth safety that way. Also to consider are Jaquon Johnson and Siran Neal. Pending some injuries that could happen later in the offseason or during the 2020 season, that’s probably the only way you’ll see Coleman back with the Bills, a similar scenario to bringing him in last offseason because he could pick things up fast.
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