PFF grades the Bills’ work in free agency

PFF grades the #Bills’ work in free agency:

The Bills have been active in the first wave of NFL free agency, addressing roster needs with players who can be valuable contributors and rotation players in all three phases.

Similarly, letting some players walk in free agency while releasing and trading others has created cap relief and added draft capital while freeing up money to add cost-efficient talent.

Headlined by the additions of WR Curtis Samuel and LB Nicholas Morrow, a mix of new and familiar faces have been signed and re-signed.

While it’s worth noting that additional signings have taken place, including DE Casey Toohill and S Mike Edwards, with more potential moves on the way as the team has reportedly met with S Julian Blackmon and DE Austin Johnson on free agency visits, and still have a number of their own free agents available as well.

Had they been factored in, Toohill, who’s had solid numbers as a depth and rotation player, and Edwards, who has the second most defensive TDs in the NFL since 2021 (5) and two Super Bowl championships with Tampa and Kansas City to his name, may have affected the grade.

Nonetheless, here is the Bills 2024 free agency grade prior to those additions, according to Pro Football Focus

BUFFALO BILLS

Epenesa has two straight seasons with strong production as a pass rusher, notching pressure rates above 10% and pass-rush grades above 70.0. He’s a big edge who has gotten faster off the ball as he’s developed, and he’ll still be just 25 in Week 1 of 2024, so there could be more improvement ahead.

Jones came out of the gates of the 2023 season on fire as an interior pass rusher, and the continued growth of Ed Oliver has enabled the two to work off each other and weaponize twists and stunts on the interior more effectively. Oliver still has a quick get-off and a bursty second step in his 30s, and Buffalo needed to add more defensive linemen, so why not retain a player you know is a fit as a three- to five-technique?

Buffalo looks ready to move on from the dynamic duo of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, who had an incredible run as the starting safety tandem for years. Rapp is a good box defender, and the Bills structured this deal in a way that they can approach it year to year while also buying out two additional years from Rapp.

PFF FREE AGENCY GRADE: B-

[lawrence-related id=133176,133144,133117]

WATCH: Bills’ Dalton Kincaid talks Josh Allen when the play breaks down

Dalton talks Josh:

Even heading into the second year of his NFL career, it doesn’t sound like tight end Dalton Kincaid is fully ready for what Bills quarterback Josh Allen can do on the football field just yet.

Kincaid, appearing on the Up & Adams Show, said he knows the QB is always willing to give a teammate a chance to make a play… but then again, you never really know what he’s thinking, either.

“With Josh… having that in-game experience, figuring what he likes to do,” Kincaid said. “It doesn’t matter where the hell you are.”

For more from Kincaid, see the attached Up & Adams clip below:

[lawrence-related id=133020,133014,132973]

10 Bills players who could have bigger roles in 2024

10 #Bills players who could have bigger roles in 2024:

Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane made headlines as of late by pointing to where the Bills need to get younger at key positions and hit on their upcoming NFL Draft picks.

He also forecasted a 2024 roster in which younger players may need to step in and step up to play more hands-on roles than the team usually asks of them early on in their professional careers.

Without knowing who this offseason’s new additions might be via the draft and free agency, some players already on the Bills depth chart could prove to be contributors this upcoming season.

Here are 10 Bills players who could have bigger roles in 2024:

Roster decisions the Bills must make for 2024, and advice on each

Roster decisions the Bills must make for 2024, and advice on each:

The Buffalo Bills 2023 season concluded with an 11-6 record, another AFC East crown, a No. 2 playoff seed, and another division-round exit.

GM Brandon Beane is looking to improve and help get the Bills into the Super Bowl in 2024.

To do so. this offseason, he’ll aim to get Buffalo’s roster younger at key positions and to hit on draft picks for more immediate contributors. He’ll also restructure contracts and look at extensions to get under the salary cap.

Buffalo has another long list of players poised to hit free agency and some who could be cap casualties, so they’ll need to make a call on which of those players could factor into the team’s long-term plans to know who to prioritize.

From potential cut candidates to re-signings, to whether to let some players walk as free agents, here are some roster decisions the Bills must make for 2024…

PFF: Dalton Kincaid’s five worst-graded games for Bills in 2023

PFF: Dalton Kincaid’s five worst-graded games for #Bills in 2023:

Dalton Kincaid was a highly-anticipated prospect for the Buffalo Bills in 2023.

After being a surprise first-round selection of the Bills at the 2023 NFL draft, the tight end came along slowly. Once he eventually hit his stride, Kincaid started to look like a playmaker that could work alongside quarterback Josh Allen in Buffalo for years to come.

But in terms of his not-so-good outings as a rookie, which were considered those by Pro Football Focus?

Here are Kincaid’s five-worst games in 2023, according to PFF:

PFF: Dalton Kincaid’s five highest-graded games for Bills in 2023

Kincaid’s best games of 2023, according to PFF:

Dalton Kincaid was a highly-anticipated prospect for the Buffalo Bills in 2023.

After being a surprise first-round selection of the Bills at the 2023 NFL draft, the tight end came along slowly. Once he eventually hit his stride, Kincaid started to look like a playmaker that could work alongside quarterback Josh Allen in Buffalo for years to come.

In terms of his very best outings as a rookie, which were considered those by Pro Football Focus?

Here are Kincaid’s five-best games in 2023, according to PFF:

Best photos from rookie season of Bills 2023 draft class

Best photos from rookie season of #Bills 2023 draft class:

The Buffalo Bills did not have the biggest of draft classes in 2023 but their haul from it ended up being an impactful one.

At the top, tight end Dalton Kincaid slowly came along during his first year in the pros after being a first-round pick. Then as a surprise selection in Round 2, offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence became a Day 1 for Buffalo.

On the flip side, some players from the Bills’ recent draft class were even too good to stick around. The likes of seventh rounder Nick Broeker now lines up on the Houston Texans’ offensive line after Buffalo had to cut Broeker and try to get him on their practice squad.

Following the conclusion of all six draft picks’ first year in the NFL, here are some of the top photos of each from their first season in 2023:

4 Bills players in line for contract extensions during the 2024 offseason

4 #Bills players in line for contract extensions during the 2024 offseason:

Again this offseason, Buffalo GM Brandon Beane and the front office have their work cut out for them.

This year, in particular, we might see offseason player personnel decisions ranging from last year’s supplemental short-term free agency additions to what could prove to be another asset packing and NFL Draft board movement masterclass to go up and get cost-controlled impact talent.

The Bills are among the teams with favorable Super Bowl odds ahead of their 2024 NFL season, this before they settle their roster via free agency and the draft.

While a number of players on the Buffalo roster are free agents, others may be up for contract restructuring or extensions.

Those extensions could be beneficial to players and the team alike, in that inking those new deals could also mean creating needed salary cap space for free-agency and draft timeframes.

With that here are four Bills players who could be in line for a contract extension this offseason:

10 Bills players who could restructure their contract during 2024 offseason

10 #Bills players who could restructure their contract during 2024 offseason :

The Buffalo Bills are over the salary cap to start the 2024 offseason and will have some financial maneuvering to do to reduce and get under while creating enough cap space to address their biggest needs.

OverTheCap.com projects a 2024 base salary cap of $242 million, which would put the Bills $50.6 million over at present.

While they’ll have the NFL Scouting Combine, College Pro Days, and player visits ahead they’ll also be tasked with getting under the cap by March 13th when the new league year begins, and before the start of free agency.

In addition to creating spending for free agency signings, they’ll also need to allocate space to sign their 2024 NFL draft class as well as to cover the cost of their practice squad.

with a number of players set to become free agents, GM Brandon Beane will be evaluating them versus talent on the market to make decisions on who to possibly sign and re-sign to improve the roster.

One way Beane has frequently freed up the necessary money to make those improvements has been through restructuring players’ contracts.

Here is a round-up of 10 current Bills players who could be restructuring candidates to help Buffalo’s salary cap situation in 2024: