Who is left in free agency? Has Free Agency changed the Bills Draft Strategy?

[GASabresIUFan]

https://www.nfl.com/news/top-101-nfl-free-agents-of-2025-who-are-the-best-players-available

 

I was looking at this list and a few names stuck out.

 

CB - Asante Samuel and maybe Kristian Fulton

 

S - Justin Reid - He just seems like a Bill.  Justin Simmons for depth?

 

Edge - Azeez Ojulari - I admit he's a Bulldawg, but he would be an excellent compliment to Groot.

Edited 17 hours ago by GASabresIUFan

[oldmanfan]

I wouldn’t mind bringing Gilmore and Campbell here.  I think Gilmore could fill the spot opposite Benford and help younger guys like Ingram.  Same with Campbell since I assume we’re drafting a big DT this year.

[ngbills]

DB - Reid, Fulton, Simmons, Slay, Gilmore, Samuel

DL - Bosa, Campbell (Calais), Lawrence, Ojulari, Koonce, Z Smith, P Smith, 

WR - Lockett, Patrick, Hopkins, Cooks 

[Virgil]

There was a fake account out there saying that the Bills are in on a bidding war for Samuel.  I do find it interesting that Samuel and Douglas have not found teams yet.  

 

I expect a few 1-year deal depth guys, but nothing crazy, unless Beane has a trade up his sleeve.  

[strive_for_five_guy]

7 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

I wouldn’t mind bringing Gilmore and Campbell here.  I think Gilmore could fill the spot opposite Benford and help younger guys like Ingram.  Same with Campbell since I assume we’re drafting a big DT this year.

Hard to believe these guys are still playing. Campbell almost 40!

[Brand J]

I didn’t realize the number one DT in run stop win rate, Tedarrell Slaton, signed with the Bengals on a 2 year $15M deal. I thought he was still unsigned. A 6’4 330lb run stopping behemoth is exactly what this DL needed. 

[harmonkillebrew]

We need a starting CB still. can't expect to get that from the draft.

 

Other needs - DE, DT - could probably be draft priorities.

 

Assume they'll roll with Rapp and Bishop at S.

 

Kind of disappointing they didn't swing a little harder for real impact guys at WR and Edge. Not sure our pickups so far really get us closer to the top.

 

2 minutes ago, Brand J said:

I didn’t realize the number one DT in run stop win rate, Tedarrell Slaton, signed with the Bengals on a 2 year $15M deal. I thought he was still unsigned. A 6’4 330lb run stopping behemoth is exactly what this DL needed. 

Bills don't seem to think what the rest of us do - that Daquan had a bad year and a new impact starter is needed.  Unless they think round 1 is the best option

[GASabresIUFan]

I amended the title to reflect that the signings the Bills have made and their lack of signing (so far) in other areas may also illustrate how they might approach the draft.

 

For example: They signed Palmer which indicates to me that WR is no longer a priority early in the draft.  There are some burners mid draft that remain interesting like Tai Felton, Arian Smith or Kyle Williams.

 

Hoecht is a hybrid player who can LB, DE or DT. I like the signing but don't think it changes our continued need for DT help and a pass rusher both in free agency and/or in the draft.

[LEBills]

Unfortunately, I think the Palmer signing pushes WR to day 3 of the draft. The first two days look like DT, CB, and DE in any order.

[GreenMtnBillsFan]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I amended the title to reflect that the signings the Bills have made and their lack of signing (so far) in other areas may also illustrate how they might approach the draft.

 

For example: They signed Palmer which indicates to me that WR is no longer a priority early in the draft.  There are some burners mid draft that remain interesting like Tai Felton, Arian Smith or Kyle Williams.

 

Hoecht is a hybrid player who can LB, DE or DT. I like the signing but don't think it changes our continued need for DT help and a pass rusher both in free agency and/or in the draft.

Beane must really like the DT and DE's in this draft, because it feels like they're really aiming to target there right now. Obviously things could change and I'm sure he'll sign some vets for cheap deals to help round out depth, but I think he's aiming to get "younger and cheaper" at the DT and DE position overall. That doesn't necessarily help the fact that we could use a game wrecker at those positions, but it seems like they're trying to reset the defense as a whole by letting go old contracts the past two years (Hyde, Poyer, Tre, Von) and locking up Bernard, Rousseau, and hopefully Benford. 

[GASabresIUFan]

2 minutes ago, GreenMtnBillsFan said:

Obviously things could change and I'm sure he'll sign some vets for cheap deals to help round out depth, but I think he's aiming to get "younger and cheaper" at the DT and DE position overall.

Allegedly the depth in this draft is at DT and Edge.  Allegedly.  There are some interesting CBs as well.  

[RyanC883]

of this list, I would really like Hargrave, Onwuzurike  at DT; Ojulari or Fowler at Edge; Reid or Blackmon at S; White at LB; and if he ends up being bizarrely inexpensive, JK Dobbins at RB--who is somehow only 26.  

[GreenMtnBillsFan]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFan said:

Allegedly the depth in this draft is at DT and Edge.  Allegedly.  There are some interesting CBs as well.  

Definitely, I'm no GM but the more mock drafts I do, there seems to be a lot of interesting options for all 3 of those positions at various points throughout the draft, which hopefully means we have more chances of hitting on a player that'll be productive and serve as good depth. 

[RyanC883]

1 hour ago, harmonkillebrew said:

We need a starting CB still. can't expect to get that from the draft.

 

Other needs - DE, DT - could probably be draft priorities.

 

Assume they'll roll with Rapp and Bishop at S.

 

Kind of disappointing they didn't swing a little harder for real impact guys at WR and Edge. Not sure our pickups so far really get us closer to the top.

 

Bills don't seem to think what the rest of us do - that Daquan had a bad year and a new impact starter is needed.  Unless they think round 1 is the best option

 

Bean is clueless at assembling a DL.  It's starting to show and costing us games.  I used to think it was just McD blowing the playoffs, it's likely both.  That, and letting Sweat go to AZ for 19 mill/year seems absurd.  The bargain hunting at DL continues.  

[Charles Romes]

Every day Amari’s price comes down 1.5M 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, harmonkillebrew said:

 

Bills don't seem to think what the rest of us do - that Daquan had a bad year and a new impact starter is needed.  Unless they think round 1 is the best option

 

DT is the deepest position in the entire draft. They could get a guy day 3 who could start early IMO. That is the position that waiting for the draft makes sense. Corner much less so.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

38 minutes ago, Charles Romes said:

Every day Amari’s price comes down 1.5M 

I actually can see this happening in a few weeks or after the draft. 

[gonzo1105]

No matter who the Bills add to this point, besides maybe Asante Samuel, will not change their minds on what they need anyways at this point. I still fully expect the top 3 picks to be DT, CB, and either DE/WR/S. Could see them doubling up at these positions throughout the draft as well.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

2 hours ago, Virgil said:

There was a fake account out there saying that the Bills are in on a bidding war for Samuel.  I do find it interesting that Samuel and Douglas have not found teams yet.  

 

I expect a few 1-year deal depth guys, but nothing crazy, unless Beane has a trade up his sleeve.  

I have zero interest in seeing Douglas return at CB due to his declining athleticism, however his skill set translates to safety very well, and we need meaningful competition there.

[BuffaloBillyG]

47 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

Bean is clueless at assembling a DL.  It's starting to show and costing us games.  I used to think it was just McD blowing the playoffs, it's likely both.  That, and letting Sweat go to AZ for 19 mill/year seems absurd.  The bargain hunting at DL continues.  

What was the Bills offer to him? Did they make one? Did Sweat decide weather was a factor in where he wanted to go? 

 

Other than driver to Philly and throw him in a trunk, players have free will and can sign wherever for whatever reason. They didn't "let" him go. He chose to