NEWSLETTER
The Bills were knocked out of the NFL playoffs by the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10 in the Divisional Round. A disappointing end to a 13-3 season. The focus turns to free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft. Here’s what you need to know about the Buffalo Bills free agency situation for 2023.
Buffalo Bills 2023 NFL Free Agents Overview
On defense, key players including starting safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds are impending 2023 free agents. Also, defensive end Shaq Lawson will enter the market. He wasn’t a starter but had a solid year with 30 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 11 quarterback pressures.
The Bills may face offensive challenges as they risk losing not only starting left guard Rodger Saffold but also valuable backups David Quessenberry, Bobby Hart, Ike Boettger, and Greg Van Roten. In addition, starting running back, Devin Singletary, is a free agent.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been durable, but it’s still important to have a solid backup. Case Keenum is one of the better backup QBs in the league, but his contract expires as well.
Salary cap projections show the team over the cap. However, the Bills can’t sit still during the open market. Expectations are high. The fans want an AFC Championship and their first Super Bowl title.
Unrestricted Bills Free Agents
To be an unrestricted free agent a player must have four years of experience. Also, their contract has to have expired. They can negotiate with any team without any restrictions or draft-choice compensation. Here’s a list of players for the Bills who are unrestricted free agents.
Quarterbacks
Case Keenum – QB
Running Backs
Taiwan Jones – RB
Devin Singletary – RB
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Jamison Crowder – WR
Jake Kumerow – WR
Tommy Sweeney – TE
Centers, Guards, and Tackles
Rodger Saffold – G
David Quessenberry – RT
Greg Van Roten – G
Ike Boettger – G
Bobby Hart – G
Justin Murray – T
Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, and Edge Rushers
Jordan Phillips – DE
Shaq Lawson – DE
Linebackers
Tyler Matakevich – ILB
Tremaine Edmunds – ILB
A.J. Klein – OLB
Cornerbacks and Safeties
Jordan Poyer – FS
Dean Marlowe – SS
Jaquan Johnson – S
Special Teams
Sam Martin – P
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted free agent is a player who has played for three or fewer accrued seasons and has an expiring contract. The team can assign a tender to the player, which allows them to match any offer the player receives from other teams. The team receives draft compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
2023 NFL restricted free agents for the Bills:
Tyrel Dodson – LB
Dane Jackson – CB
Cam Lewis – CB
Salary Cap and Roster
The team has to make moves to clear cap space. They are projected to be over the cap. The NFL salary cap is $224.8 million for next season. Josh Allen commands almost a $40 million cap hit. Stefon Diggs is second at over $20 million. He’s followed by Von Miller at $18.6 million. Miller is recovering from a torn ACL.
General manager Brandon Beane has his work cut out for him. To save money, he could consider trying to restructure the contracts of Diggs, Allen, or Miller this offseason. There are also potential cuts to save money. The Bills will likely end up cutting players like Nyheim Hines, Isaiah McKenzie, or Tim Settle.
Bills Free Agency 2023 FAQs
NFL free agency will commence on March 15, 2023. It begins at 4 p.m. eastern time. The date signifies the start of the new league year and the end of all player contracts. Many players are set to hit the market and gain free agency status.
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired, and they have no ties to their former team. Starting on March 15, they are free to negotiate with any team in the league without restrictions.
A restricted free agent can be extended what is called a qualifying offer. If offered, they are still allowed to negotiate with other teams around the league. Their current team is allowed to match any offer.
There is a “legal tampering” period that begins on March 13. Teams can talk to certified agents but no signings can be made until free agency is official.
