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-

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Contract details for Bills TE Dawson Knox restructure

Contract details for #Bills TE Dawson Knox restructure:

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox did his team a nice favor this offseason. In a salary cap jam, the Bills needed help and Knox provided it.

The tight end reworked his contract with the team. His new contract in Buffalo helped by shifting around his dollars in a new way on his deal.

The 27-year-old’s prior contract had him making $10.5 million in 2024, all of that was guaranteed. But in 2025, he had nothing guaranteed.

Now he has $4.5M guaranteed in 2025.

Knox’s salary of $10.5M was cut down by $2M in 2024, and he also had a $2.5M salary cut in 2025. That’s where the $4.5M that’s now guaranteed to him comes from.

In addition, there was part of Knox’s 2024 salary and other bonuses converted into a signing bonus which helped save further dollars on the salary cap.

At the end of the day what is most concerning to fans and the team is the cap.

There, Knox’s 2024 cap hit drops from $14.3M to $7.7M, according to Spotrac. In 2024, there’s only a slight drop from $15.4M to $14M, however, there are no saving for Knox if Buffalo were to cut him in either of the next two years.

The Bills would save around $10M by releasing Knox in 2026, or they could just restructure his contract once again if the team wants to keep him around. That insurance of being locked in for the next two years would have been appealing for Knox, too.

Bills Wire will continue to bring all roster updates throughout the 2024 offseason.

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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…

Studs and duds from the Bills 2023 season

Studs and duds from the #Bills 2023 season:

The Buffalo Bills and their 2023 season, like most of them, had its ups and downs.

Another AFC East title in the bag is a great achievement. Ultimately, it felt for many like the Bills fell short since Buffalo fizzled out in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs.

For the season that was, for better or worse, multiple players on the team made their impact felt.

With the offseason underway, here are Bills Wire’s studs and duds from the 2023 season:

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:

Exploring the Bills’ biggest offseason needs in 2024

Exploring the #Bills’ biggest offseason needs in 2024:

The Buffalo Bills enter the offseason in an all-too-familiar place, coming off a third consecutive division-round exit from the NFL postseason.

With areas to strengthen and to improve upon from their 2023 campaign, GM Brandon Beane and the team’s front office are facing one of the most crucial offseasons of his tenure.

Beane will once more be tasked with ingenuity in creating the financial space off the field while adding talent and filling positions to improve the team.

With free agency, the NFL Draft, and big financial decisions on personnel and committing dollars ahead, here is a look at the biggest offseason needs for the Bills in 2024:

Josh Allen, Bills teammates support Joe Brady for offensive coordinator

Josh Allen, #Bills teammates support Joe Brady for offensive coordinator:

The Buffalo Bills have a hole at offensive coordinator–for now.

During the 2023 season, Joe Brady replaced Ken Dorsey as OC. Over the course of his tenure, Brady held the job on an interim basis.

One of the main questions going forward this offseason is whether or not Brady will be named the full-time offensive coordinator. Will he? Or could the Bills look outside of Buffalo for a new offensive coordinator?

Brady has had plenty of support from inside the Bills locker room, at least.

Here’s a rundown of what was said about Brady potentially being the offensive coordinator moving forward (video clips via Bills Live):