2025 NFL Offseason Primer: Buffalo Bills

Logan Ulrich

February 11, 2025

Buffalo Bills

Projected Cap Space: -$13.2 million

Draft Picks: 10

1st (No. 30)
2nd (No. 56, MIN)
2nd (No. 62)
4th (No. 108, CHI)
4th (No. 131)
5th (No. 171, comp)
5th (No. 175, comp)
6th (No. 178, NYG)
6th (No. 205, DET)
6th (No. 207)

Notable Free Agents:

WR Amari Cooper
CB Rasul Douglas
DT Austin Johnson
S Damar Hamlin
DT Quinton Jefferson
DE Dawuane Smoot
WR Mack Hollins
RB Ty Johnson
LS Reid Ferguson

Top Three Needs

1 – Defensive Line

If there’s one theme running through the many, many losses the Bills have accumulated against the Chiefs in the playoffs to this point, it’s that Kansas City’s offense has consistently been better than Buffalo’s defense, especially when it mattered most. The Bills have largely been great on defense in the regular season but have lacked that extra oomph to get over the hump. The best way to get that extra punch is by juicing the defensive line.

The Bills didn’t have a bad defensive line last year but it certainly wasn’t great. They were middle of the pack with 39 total sacks, but No. 10 in pressure rate despite ranking just 27th in blitz rate. No one on the team had double-digit sacks. Starting DEs Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa had eight and six respectively, about in line with their career averages. Bills DT Ed Oliver dropped from 9.5 sacks last year to 3.5 in 2024.

Rousseau is in the last year of his contract and is an extension candidate. He and Epenesa would be great No. 2 and No. 3 edge rushers, but Buffalo needs a game-wrecker on its front four. Von Miller was supposed to be that player but due to age and injury, that swing hasn’t worked out. Elite pass rushers are hard to find but finding one would be the simplest way to take the Bills to the next level. Maybe Rousseau or Oliver can take their games to another level, but more than likely the Bills will have to look externally.

2 – Cornerback

The Bills got a much-needed developmental win when CB Christian Benford took a major leap this past year, establishing himself as a bonafide starting caliber corner. Finding Benford in the sixth round was a big win for Bills GM Brandon Beane and the front office and the type of hit they have to have with limited financial flexibility.

Unfortunately former first-round CB Kaiir Elam has not met expectations so far, and with Douglas set for free agency, that leaves a hole at the other cornerback spot across from Benford. The Bills could also use better depth in the secondary, as Elam got exposed when Benford was concussed for the second time in a week in the AFC title game.

3 – Safety

Buffalo held things together at safety by hitting on the low-cost signing of S Taylor Rapp and watching Hamlin develop into a legitimate starter-in-a-pinch. Still, safety was the weakest point on the defense in 2024. Rapp is under contract for another year and the Bills will look for a step forward from 2024 second-round S Cole Bishop. Re-signing Hamlin as a depth player isn’t out of the question either. But Buffalo should be looking to upgrade here.

One Big Question

Can the Bills get over the hump?

This is realistically going to be the big question about the Bills until they do it. Buffalo should get credit for making it to the AFC championship game in a year where many people expected them to take a step back and potentially even miss the playoffs with renewed competition in the AFC East. Once again, the Bills showed they’re a cut above the rest of the division and that should be the case for another year at least.

Buffalo is returning nearly every key player from the No. 2 scoring offense in football, as well as OC Joe Brady. The offensive line is in good shape, and while QB Josh Allen doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver, there’s not a shortage of weapons. Buffalo found a lot of success this year by diversifying the offense and leaning more on the running game. They have to stay sharp and ahead of the curve but continuity is a real advantage in the NFL, especially on offense.

There’s a reason all three needs listed above were on defense. If the Bills maintain their offensive production from last year, they should be right in the mix at the end again. The most room for improvement is on the defensive side, and that feels like the problem that has to be solved for the Bills to stop being the team that knocks at the door and become the one that finally kicks it down.