Bill's Free Agents 2025

[Donuts and Doritos]

Bill's Free Agents this off-season (post news here about Bills free agents and targets):

 

Unrestricted Free Agents

 

WR Amari Cooper

 

CB Rasul Douglas

 

OT Tommy Doyle

 

LS Reid Ferguson

 

FB Reggie Gilliam

 

S Demar Hamlin

 

WR Mack Hollins

 

DT Quinton Jefferson

 

DT Austin Johnson

 

RB Ty Johnson

 

DT Jordan Phillips

 

DE Dawuane Smoot

 

Restricted/Exclusive-Rights Free Agents

 

OT Alec Anderson

 

QB Shane Buechele

 

OT Ryan Van Demark

 

TE Quintin Morris

 

 

Bills' 2025 Free Agents, Targets and Draft Needs After NFL Playoff Loss https://search.app/BBMp8aLwP5Yvh7sf9

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:58 AM by Donuts and Doritos

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Van Demark was signed today.

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-announce-the-signing-of-ol-ryan-van-demark-seven-reserve-future-signings

Edited Wednesday at 01:01 AM by EasternOHBillsFan

[Sojourner]

IMO, Absolute musts:

Reid Ferguson

Mack Hollins

Wouldn’t be opposed:

 

Ty Johnson

Reggie Gilliam

 

The rest? They can be replaced. Amari and Douglas had their moments but for their price tags I feel you can do better for absolute key needs. 

 

[Snappysnackcakes]

3 minutes ago, Sojourner said:

IMO, Absolute musts:

Reid Ferguson

Mack Hollins

Wouldn’t be opposed:

 

Ty Johnson

Reggie Gilliam

 

The rest? They can be replaced. Amari and Douglas had their moments but for their price tags I feel you can do better for absolute key needs. 

 

If they didn’t come up big in the title game, move on. This makes Hollins the only must sign. Ferguson is fine to sign, but the world doesn’t stop if he retires. 

[Sojourner]

2 minutes ago, Snappysnackcakes said:

If they didn’t come up big in the title game, move on. This makes Hollins the only must sign. Ferguson is fine to sign, but the world doesn’t stop if he retires. 

Agree. 
Ferguson is a must sign imo. Special teams rarely see the field, if a player has been on that unit for years with little to no error you don’t get rid of him. Guy has been a great long snapper for us going on 9 seasons now. 

[Alphadawg7]

Hollins, Ty Johnson, and Gilliam will all likely be back.  

Edited Wednesday at 01:13 AM by Alphadawg7

[Wizard]

I would keep Alec Anderson for tackle depth and he fits well in the 6 OL package. I would keep Ty Johnson. I would keep Mack Hollins on a 2 year deal for him to be our 5th receiver behind (someone we bring in or draft, Shakir, Samuel, and Coleman).

 

I would keep Ferguson at LS unless someone else is just as good but cheaper.

 

Time to get a Pro Bowl level DE, and then a solid DE prospect for cheap, a 6'3 330 true NT, a WR with upside with 1st or one of the 2nd round picks, or a trade  that is not going to cost $20+million, and then competitive CB/Safety depth.

 

Anyone else can go: Miller, Cooper, Douglas, many of the other DE/DT backups/rotation pieces. 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:55 AM by Wizard

[Snappysnackcakes]

1 minute ago, Wizard said:

I would keep Alec Anderson for tackle depth and he fits well in the 6 OL package. I would keep Ty Johnson. I would keep Mack Hollins on a 2 year deal for him to be our 5th receiver behind (someone we bring in or draft, Shakir, Samuel, and Coleman).

 

I would keep Ferguson at LS unless someone else is just as good but cheaper.

 

Of course, price matters. There are some other good Bills FA's left but price point matters as does if they are a solid upgrade.

 

Time to get a Pro Bowl level DE, and then a solid DE prospect for cheap, a 6'3 330 true NT, a WR with upside with 1st or one of the 2nd round picks, or a trade  that is not going to cost $20+million, and then competitive CB/Safety depth.

 

 

Corner projects and DL should be the focus in the draft. If we sign Hollins, a WR with developable talent, but not an early pick. Allen doesn’t trust rookies enough to warrant a very early pick. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

These are non-essential pieces.

 

The bigger moves will be the guys who are in line for extensions. Who does Beane see as a priority? 
 

Groot

Benford

Bernard

Shakir

Cook

 

These moves will mold the future. Which of these guys do we see locked up long term? Which will hit their contract year playing out their final deal? 

 

My guess if they extend Groot and Benford, Shakir would be the next one on my list. I think they’ll play out Cook and Bernard.

 

 

[mannc]

I would not be opposed to Cooper at the right price.  This passing offense has issues and I don’t blame him for the lack of production.

[Aussie Joe]

5 minutes ago, mannc said:

I would not be opposed to Cooper at the right price.  This passing offense has issues and I don’t blame him for the lack of production.

What’s the lowest price he might agree to take   on what is likely his last deal ?

 

Doubt it’s single digits …so I’m probably not going to pay it …

 

This is the downside for the players in respect of everybody eats .… nobody gets paid …

 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 01:30 AM by Aussie Joe

[Snappysnackcakes]

But all of the restricted guys need to be re-upped. That’s roster development and I should’ve been more clear. 

[Aussie Joe]

Jordan Phillips wants to come back …. 
 

Probably chuck him a few hundred grand guaranteed and see if he can make the team… or is it time to cut bait ?

[mannc]

14 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

What’s the lowest price he might agree to take   on what is likely his last deal ?

 

Doubt it’s single digits …so I’m probably not going to pay it …

 

This is the downside for the players in respect of everybody eats .… nobody gets paid …

 

 

 

 

Something like what Samuel got.  But for 1 or 2 years

[Sojourner]

26 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

These are non-essential pieces.

 

The bigger moves will be the guys who are in line for extensions. Who does Beane see as a priority? 
 

Groot

Benford

Bernard

Shakir

Cook

 

These moves will mold the future. Which of these guys do we see locked up long term? Which will hit their contract year playing out their final deal? 

 

My guess if they extend Groot and Benford, Shakir would be the next one on my list. I think they’ll play out Cook and Bernard.

 

 

What you’ll pay for Groot in an extension would be a mistake. Dude isn’t living up to the bill on a team friendly price. $20m+ is unjustifiable for a quality run setting edge. Even then, he wasn’t that great at containing and holding the edge in the biggest game of his life. You want to pay him more?

 

Shakir. Definitely. Dude has a knack for catching and getting yards. Reminds me of a Maurice Jones-Drew but WR form. Small, compact and is trying to go through defenders. Love to see it. 
 

Cook absolutely got himself an extension over the last season if not the playoffs alone. One of few guys who showed up to the highest requirement for playoff football. 
 

Benford? He’s decent. I don’t agree with a lot of our fans who pencil him in as this stud CB. But would definitly extend him as it stands for the right price. 
 

Bernard? Another quality season back to back but missed some games. What are you paying him on an extension is the question. You can’t pay him and Milano $10m+ a year. So it’s either a drastic reduction for Milano and pay Bernard or you let one of them go. 

Edited Wednesday at 01:51 AM by Sojourner

[The Jokeman]

42 minutes ago, Sojourner said:

Agree. 
Ferguson is a must sign imo. Special teams rarely see the field, if a player has been on that unit for years with little to no error you don’t get rid of him. Guy has been a great long snapper for us going on 9 seasons now. 

I can't see Ferguson going anywhere. LS are usually long time players unless the team doesn't want them anymore and can't see us parting with him.

[harmonkillebrew]

30 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

These are non-essential pieces.

 

The bigger moves will be the guys who are in line for extensions. Who does Beane see as a priority? 
 

Groot

Benford

Bernard

Shakir

Cook

 

These moves will mold the future. Which of these guys do we see locked up long term? Which will hit their contract year playing out their final deal? 

 

My guess if they extend Groot and Benford, Shakir would be the next one on my list. I think they’ll play out Cook and Bernard.

 

 

Might be dictated partially by cap hit in final year of rookie deal.  Groot is the only one that will have a significant hit, but extending him will also be costly. 

I'd personally like to see more consistency into the playoffs. See if he can become a real impact player

 

Shakir and Cook deserve it for sure. Benford too. But those rookie contracts are just too sweet for cap space

32 minutes ago, mannc said:

I would not be opposed to Cooper at the right price.  This passing offense has issues and I don’t blame him for the lack of production.

I don't know. Cooper did virtually nothing and looked slow.  I'm not sure he is good enough at this point in his career to keep Keon off the field, who should get better. Mack too deserves more playing time.  But I'd really like them to use any $$ on Amari to sign Tee Higgins, or a higher end WR, or to get a FA that allows us to invest draft capital in a more explosive WR.  Keon was a bit of a whiff in terms of a chance to get more speed on the field. 

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Bernard, Shakir, Cook, Roussou and Benford all get extended. Not sure when but none of them are leaving Buffalo without playing on a second contract.

 

Von is likely a cap casualty unless they can restructure to a very Bills friendly deal.
 

Hollins is a guy who I believe needs to be resigned. He meant a lot to this team in a lot of different ways on and off the field.

 

Ferguson, Gilliam and Ty Johnson are also likely to be back. Johnson and Gilliam contributed on several ST units and had roles on Offense. Ferguson still getting the job done as a LS and no need to mess with the operation.

 

I’d like Smoot back.

 

Big Phillips I’d welcome back as well. Maybe with the understanding that he might be a Parking Lot guy some weeks.

 

Exclusive Rights FA are tied to the team. They either sign with their current club and play or they don’t sign and don’t play. I’d expect all of those guys back for Camp battles at the very least. 

 

If Amari Cooper and the Bills can get to a number that works I would say a year or 2 year deal at Maximum would be good. I wouldn’t include Void years if possible on a Cooper deal. 
 

Douglas only comes back on a very small deal for a year and probably only after testing FA.

 

Hamlin is probably in the same boat as Douglas. Good on him for winning the job and being a solid player this season but he is a replacement level player. He can find a place to compete for a starting role. I think Buffalo wants Bishop and Rapp as the primary safeties going forward.

 

Targets should be a pass rusher and a top speed WR. I like the idea of “prove deals” for Elam type guys from other teams. Maybe it didn’t work where they were drafted but maybe it could work here. I haven’t really looked at potential targets yet, but I think Buffalo will be spending in FA this March unlike previous years.

[The Jokeman]

18 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

Jordan Phillips wants to come back …. 
 

Probably chuck him a few hundred grand guaranteed and see if he can make the team… or is it time to cut bait ?

He's a 4th/5th DT. Personally I'd prefer getting younger. If we get an Edge defender in free agency I could see us taking a DT like Tyleik Williams possibly in Round 1.

[Sojourner]

4 minutes ago, harmonkillebrew said:

Might be dictated partially by cap hit in final year of rookie deal.  Groot is the only one that will have a significant hit, but extending him will also be costly. 

I'd personally like to see more consistency into the playoffs. See if he can become a real impact player

 

Shakir and Cook deserve it for sure. Benford too. But those rookie contracts are just too sweet for cap space

I don't know. Cooper did virtually nothing and looked slow.  I'm not sure he is good enough at this point in his career to keep Keon off the field, who should get better. Mack too deserves more playing time.  But I'd really like them to use any $$ on Amari to sign Tee Higgins, or a higher end WR, or to get a FA that allows us to invest draft capital in a more explosive WR.  Keon was a bit of a whiff in terms of a chance to get more speed on the field. 

The money better be going to a proven guy who isn’t on this roster at one of the following positions. 
 

DE

CB

WR

 

They’ve all shown me enough who are warranting sizable contracts that they’re not worth it sadly. 
 

(Groot/Douglas/Amari)