Bills' Last-Minute Guide to 2024 NFL Free Agency
The Buffalo Bills have been more worried about becoming salary cap compliant in recent days than signing the top free agents.
Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer led the number of high-profile releases that helped the Bills cure some of their salary cap woes.
Buffalo is in decent shape at safety because of Taylor Rapp's new three-year deal, but it is more vulnerable in other spots of the roster.
The impending loss of Tre'Davious White opens up a hole on the outside of the secondary and there should be some concern at linebacker, where Matt Milano is coming back from a long-term injury.
Buffalo also needs to upgrade at wide receiver, where Gabe Davis will most likely depart. The wide receiver market is perfect for Davis to explore and that will leave the Bills searching for a No. 2 wide out behind Stefon Diggs.
Secondary Needs to Be Rebuilt
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Hyde, Poyer and White, three staples of the Buffalo defense, will not be members of the team in 2024.
That fact probably stings most Bills fans, but that is the direct consequence of the salary cap trouble the franchise finds itself in.
Rapp gives the Bills a good roster starting point at safety, but they need more depth there. They will not be after the high-profile safeties on the market, but they could add some veteran depth there.
Rasul Douglas and Taron Johnson are the top corners on the roster after White's release.
The Bills could feel comfortable with that duo as their starting corners in 2024, but they could also look to bolster depth with a veteran signing or two.
The Bills must be shrewd with their free-agent moves, so they will likely add low-cost players to fill back end roles in the secondary.
New No. 2 Wide Receiver
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The Bills probably can't afford Davis' salary demands.
Davis' market grew in recent weeks with Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr. and Mike Evans coming off the list of top-tier wide receiver free agents.
After Calvin Ridley and Marquise Brown, there are no clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver options on the free-agent market.
Davis should benefit from that and land a large contract with a team willing to pay a ton for an upgrade at the position.
Buffalo's cap situation makes it difficult for it commit a ton of money to wide receiver, so it may be forced to bring in a player on a cheap deal.
D.J. Chark might fit that billing after a disappointing season with the Carolina Panthers. Odell Beckham Jr. and Michael Thomas both come with injury risks.
Buffalo could be patient and wait to land a wide out in the 2024 NFL draft, but it should at least sniff around some of the second tier free agents.
Fill Defensive Line Holes
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The Bills could lose as many as seven defensive linemen in free agency.
Da'Quan Jones, A.J. Epenesa. Shaq Lawson and Jordan Phillips are among the players who could depart Buffalo in the next few weeks.
Buffalo's cap situation makes it impossible to retain a majority of those players, so it must be selective with which players it chooses to re-sign.
The defensive line situation could be viewed as more dire than the one in the secondary because the Bills at least have a bunch of starters lined up to replace Hyde, Poyer and White.
Von Miller, Gregory Rousseau and Ed Oliver are still on the roster, but there is little help beneath them on the depth chart.
The Bills need to piece together some decent depth in free agency before filling out the rest of the depth chart in the draft.
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