Bills Rumors: BUF Eyed by Insiders as Team That Could 'Make a Big Free-Agent Splash'

NFL insiders have reportedly identified the Buffalo Bills as a team that could make a "big free-agent splash" when the new league year gets underway March 16.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Sunday not only are the Bills trying to keep their Super Bowl window open, but they're also closing in on an agreement for a new stadium that will include taxpayer funding, which increases the pressure to provide a winning product.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Buffalo native, said Friday the sides are having "very productive conversations" and she expects a deal to wrap up before the state budget is finalized in April.

"There are issues to work through, but I feel very confident that they'll be resolved in time to have conversations during the budget process," Hochul told reporters. "As everyone knows, this is a very important priority to me and this community, but also the entire state."

Jason Wolf and Tim O'Shei of the Buffalo News reported Sunday the current projection calls for $350 million in private funding—$200 million from team owners Terry and Kim Pegula and $150 million via an NFL loan repaid through visiting ticket revenue—which leaves around $1 billion in public funding for the $1.4 billion project.

That's a sizable ask (between 70-75 percent of the total cost) for a Buffalo region that ranks 49th in U.S. population based on the 2020 census, which as Graziano pointed out places the onus on the Bills to provide fans with bang for their buck.

Buffalo is coming off three straight playoff appearances for the first time since the early 1990s, when it lost for consecutive Super Bowls, and it finally found a long-term answer at quarterback in the form of Josh Allen.

Now, the goal is winning the franchise's first Super Bowl title and first championship of any kind since winning the AFL in 1965.

The Bills enter the offseason with a roster primed to contend again in 2022 after going a combined 34-15 over the past three years. There's still room to upgrade, though.

Most notably, the Bills could benefit greatly from improvement to both their offensive and defensive lines. Wide receiver and cornerback are a couple other areas of need.

Tight end isn't necessarily a must-add position following a breakout year from Dawson Knox, but it's a position already gaining traction for a possible marquee signing. Tim Graham of The Athletic reported the team is interested in future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski, who grew up in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst.

Gronkowski would make even more sense as a possible over-the-middle target if the team eventually grants the trade request of Cole Beasley, one of the NFL's top slot receivers.

All told, the Bills are absolutely in win-now mode, and it makes sense for the front office to do everything possible to put the maximum amount of talent around Allen in the coming years.

The stadium situation merely adds another layer to that sense of urgency.