Bills offseason tracker: Where will Buffalo's cap space be spent in a pivotal offseason?

Follow every signing and trade with The Athletic’s live coverage of 2025 NFL free agency

After plenty of buildup to the new league year, NFL free agency is officially underway for the 2025 offseason. The Bills were as close as they’ve ever been to a Super Bowl berth with the trio of quarterback Josh Allen, head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane leading the way.

The 2025 offseason is also quite a bit different than the one the Bills had in 2024. They’ll have some easily accessible cap space to work with, and don’t have nearly as many starting positions to fill as last year. However, every move they make can get them that much closer to finally getting to the top of the AFC, and potentially even the entire NFL.

This offseason tracker will be updated with every Bills re-signing, restructured contract, release, external signing and trade — along with analysis, reactions and more to each.

Bills additions

QB Josh Allen (re-signed): Six-year, $330 million deal ($250 million guaranteed)

OL Alec Anderson (re-signed): One-year deal

LB Terrel Bernard (re-signed): Four-year, $50 million deal

DE Joey Bosa (free agent): One-year, $12.6 million deal

RB Darrynton Evans (free agent): N/A

LS Reid Ferguson (re-signed): Four-year deal

S Darrick Forrest (free agent): One-year deal

FB Reggie Gilliam (re-signed): One-year, $2 million deal

G Kendrick Green (free agent): One-year deal

S Damar Hamlin (re-signed): One-year, $2 million deal

DL Michael Hoecht (free agent): Three-year deal, up to $24 million

CB Dane Jackson (free agent): One-year deal

RB Ty Johnson (re-signed): Two-year deal

DT Larry Ogunjobi (free agent): One-year, $8.3 million deal ($8 million guaranteed)

WR Joshua Palmer (free agent): Three-year, $36 million deal

DE Greg Rousseau (re-signed): Four-year, $80 million deal

WR Khalil Shakir (re-signed): Four-year, $53-million deal

WR Laviska Shenault (free agent): One-year deal

Still available (from The Athletic‘s top 150 list) 

WR Amari Cooper

CB Rasul Douglas

Edge Von Miller

March 18

Matt Milano’s contract adjustment helps Bills gain cap space, future flexibility

The Bills pulled a familiar move on Tuesday, agreeing to an adjusted contract with longtime starting linebacker Matt Milano, who turns 31 this summer. With his new contract adjustment, Milano took a pay cut while removing the final year of his contract in 2026, according to OverTheCap.com. Milano has the opportunity to earn back all his originally owed money before the pay cut through hitting incentives. The deal opened up a little over $3.63 million on the 2025 salary cap, which brings his new cap figure down to $12.16 million.

This is one of those moves that doesn’t have any hidden angles. It provides the Bills cap flexibility along with compelling the player to hit his markers in the upcoming season. The Bills wanted to keep Milano, but also likely wanted to get him closer to fair market value given his age and injury history. However, Milano needed the incentive to do just that. By agreeing to a pay cut with the ability to earn it all back, that’s one incentive. And now as a free agent in 2026, Milano has the definitive incentive of playing for a new contract. It seemed unlikely the Bills would have brought him back on his current deal in 2026, so now that just gets that unknown out of the way. The contract adjustment does not impact the 2026 salary cap negatively at all. In fact, by getting Milano’s 2026 money off their books, it created $5 million in cap space in 2026. Above all else, this cements Milano returning to the team in 2025, and now he has added financial motivation as the team’s starting outside linebacker.

March 13

March 12

Bills trade CB Kaiir Elam to Cowboys

Trade details, according to a team source: Bills receive 2025 5th round (No. 170) and 2026 7th round picks

Cowboys receive CB Kaiir Elam and 2025 6th round pick (No. 204)After failing to come through atop a summer starting competition in consecutive seasons to begin his career, and then being a healthy scratch more often than not in his third season, the writing was as clear as day on Elam’s future in Buffalo. The 2022 first-round pick, a player the Bills traded up to select, just never looked comfortable in the team’s zone-based defensive scheme. He was outplayed early in his career by 2022 fifth-round pick Christian Benford, and Benford has since charged forward as the team’s clear top cornerback and is knocking on the door as one of the best at his position in the NFL. The Bills did go to Elam in the starting lineup when there was an injury to one of Benford or starter Rasul Douglas, but he mostly turned into a target for opposing offenses. When Benford suffered a concussion early against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, Elam had a day to forget as the Bills switched to primarily man coverage, which on paper suits Elam’s skill set a bit better.

For Elam, he gets a change of scenery and a new defensive scheme, which he sorely needed. Even though Douglas is a free agent, the Bills were unlikely to have Elam be a starter in 2025. For the Bills, they leveled up on a draft choice and now have three picks in the fifth round this year, which will likely aid them in their trade-up opportunities, along with a future seventh-round pick. They also cleared a little over $2.5 million on the 2025 salary cap to do so, which was as big of a win as the draft compensation acquired.

S Darrick Forrest agrees to terms on 1-year deal, according to a league source

The Bills quickly filled out their safety room on Wednesday, first with the re-signing of Hamlin and then by adding another player with starting experience in Forrest to round out the group. The starting safety duo for the Bills is likely to be Taylor Rapp at strong safety, along with 2024 second-round pick Cole Bishop at free safety, though the Bills may want to make Bishop earn the starting job in camp. That’s where Forrest and Hamlin come into the picture. After falling out of the Commanders’ rotation last year, the one-year deal is a way for Forrest to reset his market in 2026 if he makes some starts. At the very least, as long as Forrest sticks on the 53-man roster, he should have special teams value on game days. He turns 26 in May.

This time last year, Hamlin was on the roster bubble heading into the final year of his rookie contract. The 2023 season was all about Hamlin returning to the playing field after his life-threatening event the prior season, and he was a non-factor on the field all of 2023. But in 2024, he showed up with a renewed determination, which the coaching staff quickly saw during offseason workouts. Hamlin then had some good fortune during an open starting competition at training camp. The two players he was up against were favorites for the job. However, 2024 second-round pick Cole Bishop and veteran Mike Edwards each suffered a multi-week injury early into camp, which put both players well behind in the competition. All that missed practice time, along with Hamlin’s three-year knowledge of the scheme pushed him into the starting role to begin the year. Even through some struggles, Hamlin held onto the job all season.

However, Hamlin’s return in 2025 could be under different terms, especially with Bishop impressing the franchise over the last few months of his first season. The team has high hopes for Bishop, likely viewing him as a starter alongside Taylor Rapp in 2025. Hamlin returns, possibly as their top reserve at safety to help the depth at the position. Hamlin was likely hoping for a starting safety job through free agency, but the market wasn’t there. General manager Brandon Beane has always kept the door open on outgoing free agents should their market not be where they hoped it would be. In the meantime, Hamlin can serve as depth and special teams help in a scheme he knows well, with another crack at free agency in 2026. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they used Hamlin to make Bishop ‘earn’ the starting job in training camp.

The Buffalo Bills and edge rusher Joey Bosa agreed to terms on a one-year, $12.6 million deal, league sources told The Athletic on Tuesday, edging out the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins for his services. Joey Bosa steps in for Von Miller, whom the Bills released on Sunday. Bosa, who turns 30 in July, was the No. 8 edge rusher and No. 34 overall on The Athletic’s NFL free agency top 150.

Bosa enters the equation for the Bills as the bigger splash at edge rusher they so desperately needed this offseason. As the Bills’ 2024 season unfolded, it became painfully obvious that the team needed more from their pass rush. A.J. Epenesa wasn’t cutting it as a starter, and they could only rely on Miller for 15 to 30 snaps per game, limiting his overall impact on the game. Bosa instantly becomes a starting piece for the franchise in 2025 and one they hope can put their pass-rushing group over the top.

Bosa has had a great career with the Chargers since entering the league in 2016, with a reputation as one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL at one time. All the injuries have taken their toll on him, which led to not only his release but the Bills being able to get him at a manageable price point, given his past production. If they can get a full season out of Bosa without injuries, the one-year investment will be worth the modest price tag for his position.

Bills bring back FB Reggie Gilliam on a 1-year deal

One of the mainstays of the Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane Bills, Gilliam returns for his sixth season in Buffalo after making the team as an undrafted rookie in 2020. Gilliam saw his offensive involvement increase as the season went on in 2024. On top of that, he was one of their best special teams players and was on the field for nearly every punt, punt return, kickoff or kickoff return last season. He’ll be depended on greatly by new special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. Gilliam’s multi-functional role, his fit in the locker room as a trusted voice and his relatively low cost made this re-signing an easy one for the Bills. NFL Network reported the one-year deal is worth $2 million.

Bills awarded two compensatory picks in the 2025 NFL Draft

After losing a bevy of players last offseason, the compensatory formula was kind to the Bills in 2025. Due to the losses of wide receiver Gabriel Davis and pass rusher Leonard Floyd, the Bills gained two more selections in this year’s draft — a pair of late fifth-round picks. Getting those two selections, along with having the top pick in the sixth round, gives the Bills three picks in a nine-pick span on Day 3.

They now have 10 selections total:

• No. 30 (Round 1)
• No. 56 (Round 2)
• No. 62 (Round 2)
• No. 109 (Round 4)
• No. 132 (Round 4)
• No. 169 (Round 5)
• No. 173 (Round 5)
• No. 177 (Round 6)
• No. 204 (Round 6)
• No. 206 (Round 6)

By the time the Bills are through with free agency, they are unlikely to have 10 roster spots open for all of their draft picks in 2025. It would not be a surprise if general manager Brandon Beane either attempted to consolidate some of those picks to move up on draft day for a more impactful player at a position of need or to package some picks for a proven veteran that can help them in 2025. Either way, with that many picks, it seems like something has to give.

RB Ty Johnson agrees to terms on a 2-year deal

Analysis: With the running back market drying up in free agency, the Bills were able to get their trusted third runner from the 2024 season back in the fold. Johnson, who was essentially the 1B to James Cook’s 1A in a committee-type approach, is back with the team on a two-year deal. The Bills’ faith in Johnson grew throughout his time in Buffalo, to the point where they made him their clear third-down back in passing and two-minute drill situations. His explosiveness skills were clear and evident, and he even gave them some great runs against light boxes. Johnson’s new contract with the Bills takes him through his age-29 season in 2026.

Johnson’s return may not be great news for Cook, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has insinuated this offseason that he’d like to hit $15 million per season. Last season, the Bills gave Cook 47.5 percent of snaps in the games he was active for, with Johnson hitting 30.9 percent on the year. Now with Johnson on the team in 2025, and both Ray Davis and Johnson signed with the team in 2026 as well, the Bills officially have an insurance plan should Cook leave in free agency next offseason. Johnson’s arrival also may keep them from drafting a running back at some point this April, despite the strength of that position in this year’s class.

NFL Network reports the deal is worth a total of $5 million.

RB Darrynton Evans agrees to a new deal with the Bills, according to his agency

Analysis: Evans returns to the Bills for his third stint with the franchise. His first time in Buffalo began as an early training camp add in 2023, and ended in his release heading into final cuts. Evans returned to the Bills in 2024 on a reserve/futures deal last offseason, was placed on Injured Reserve ahead of final cuts, and was released by the team in October. He’s mostly been a practice squad type for the last few seasons, and that could be his best chance to stick in Buffalo in 2025. With Ty Johnson still a free agent, the Bills have an opening for a third running back on the 53-man roster. Evans’ chances will improve should the Bills neglect the position the rest of the offseason. However, with some free agent values out there and a strong rookie class of running backs, it remains likely the Bills add at least one more to the position.

Greg Rousseau’s contract details and how to interpret them

Analysis: The details of Rousseau’s new four-year contract extension are in from a league source, and there weren’t any inflated numbers on the originally reported value of the deal. Rousseau is under contract through the 2029 season. He was originally scheduled to make $13.387 million in 2024 before the extension, so he’ll get that money plus an additional $80 million, bringing his five-year total to $93.387 million — $49 million of it guaranteed straight away. Rousseau received a $17.5 million signing bonus, he’ll get a $14 million option bonus due in the 2026 offseason and the Bills added a void year in 2030 for salary cap purposes. Rousseau can earn up to $1 million extra per year from 2026 through 2029 by hitting a sack incentive.

Rousseau’s cap hits with his new deal

2025: $5.88 million
2026: $11.81 million
2027: $23.3 million
2028: $24.3 million
2029: $25.3 million
2030 (void): $2.8 million

Rousseau’s contract has a few different elements. The first is the immediate cap savings they receive to help with their offseason business. The Bills saved $7.51 million on the cap with the new contract for Rousseau. The team also stuck with their usual operating procedure on long-term deals by having a manageable cap hit in the second season before the cap hits go way up in year three.

As for a commitment level, due to the guarantees on his deal that include over $10 million of his base salary in 2027, Rousseau’s new contract is effectively a guaranteed three-year pact for the Bills through the 2027 season. After that season, the Bills can decide each offseason if they’d like to continue with the agreement. Over those three seasons, Rousseau will be paid $56.39 million total for a yearly average of $18.8 million. The deal has a ton of backloaded money in 2028 and 2029 that Rousseau may never see. There is no guaranteed money over those final two years. If the Bills moved on in 2028 without touching Rousseau’s contract in the first three years, they would save $8.9 million on the 2028 salary cap.

There is also some cap flexibility in 2027 for the Bills if Rousseau lives up to the deal. As currently constructed, he has a $23.3 million cap hit that season, but if they convert all but the veteran minimum of his base salary, they could create substantial savings. It would yield over $11 million in cap savings, but to do it, it would effectively lock in Rousseau for another year in 2028. The Bills would still be able to get out from the deal with good cap savings in 2029, even after a potential 2027 restructure. All in all, this deal follows the trend of getting a young player signed to a slightly below-market deal based on his age, position and potential.

March 10

WR Mack Hollins agrees to terms with Patriots, according to multiple reports

Analysis: After the Bills agreed to terms with Joshua Palmer on a three-year, $36 million deal, the next step was to see if they could get Hollins back under contract for 2025 in a reduced role. Given how much he played on offense for the Bills throughout the 2024 season, the team had to be hoping they could get the 31-year-old Hollins signed to another low-cost, one-year deal. However, with a reported two-year, $8.4 million deal given to him by the Patriots, that was likely too rich for what the Bills wanted to pay this offseason to effectively have him be their fourth or fifth wide receiver.

While they lose Hollins, it opens up a spot to add at least one more receiver, whether through free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft. As it stands, the Bills only have four receivers on their team who are safe bets to make the 53-man roster in Palmer, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel. The Bills usually carry at least five, and sometimes six at the position. If the Bills go through the rest of free agency without adding a substantial wide receiver, picking a boundary player as early as the first round would remain a distinct possibility.

Bills agree to terms with DL Michael Hoecht; 3-year deal worth up to $24 million

Analysis: With several rotational defensive linemen becoming free agents this offseason, the Bills struck for their second free agent deal to add to the depth of their edge rusher group. Hoecht arrives to the Bills from the Rams, where he was a trusted piece of their pass rush, taking 1542 snaps over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Hoecht has generated nine total sacks in the previous two seasons, with a pressure rate of 11.2 percent. The Rams used him rushing from both the left and right side, and in more of a rotational role in 2024. Hoecht is likely to be a rotational player for the Bills based on his contract, but because they didn’t have much pass-rushing success from starter A.J. Epenesa last year (5.8 percent pressure rate), anything is on the table if the Bills don’t add any other pieces to the defensive end room.

Hoecht got his start with the Rams as an undrafted rookie, worked his way in as a rotational defensive tackle, and then became an outside linebacker/pass rusher as his NFL career continued. He has also been a core special teams player in Los Angeles. Due to his extremely versatile skill set, it also would not be a surprise if the Bills looked at him as a potential replacement for Dawuane Smoot’s role last season. On early downs, Smoot would work at defensive end, but on obvious pass-rushing downs, Smoot would slide inside to defensive tackle to give the Bills more of a pass-rushing push. Smoot failed to make the impact they were hoping for and is a free agent, but it’s a role they still would likely want to be filled, and Hoecht seems like an ideal candidate. As for the contract, the words “up to” usually mean the total amount agreed upon for salary cap purposes has a lower amount than the original report, so this is to be continued until the contract details emerge in the next week or so. Hoecht is 27 and turns 28 in October.

Bills, WR Joshua Palmer agree to 3-year, $36 million deal: reports

Analysis: After most of the boundary receivers struggled down the stretch of the season, the Bills had a significant need for a player at that position who could separate well enough in the intermediate to deep areas of the field, and that’s where Palmer’s skill set can help them the most. His mark of 15.26 air yards per target, along with his separation metrics, give the Bills something they did not have in 2024. That lack of separation skills was especially evident in the AFC Championship Game, as the Bills had to routinely settle for shorter targets, limiting their offense’s overall scope. Even though Palmer has modest statistics year over year throughout his career, and an average of 45.5 receptions for 571.8 yards per season, the Bills are investing in a still 25-year-old player who they likely believe has his best years ahead of him. Due to roster turnover, with both Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins becoming unrestricted free agents, Palmer won’t push anyone out of the starting lineup as it stands today.

Palmer isn’t a game-changing acquisition for the offense, but he is the piece they needed in so many different spots for their receiver room last year. Because of his background as a mostly rotational receiver in his time before Buffalo, the Bills will likely utilize him in a similar manner to help keep the full group fresh. Palmer does not, however, rule the team out from using an early draft pick on a receiver to complete their room. Regardless of the draft, having a receiver in Palmer who can separate and win vertically is a welcomed addition and one that could help bring some of that deep-ball magic Allen is known for back into the picture in 2025.

March 9

Josh Allen agrees to terms on 6-year, $330 million contract, $250 million guaranteed

Analysis: It was only a matter of when, not if, the Bills and Allen would have a new deal in place. Before the two sides reached the new contract agreement, Allen’s deal carried a $43 million per year average, which was 14th amongst quarterbacks in the NFL. When it comes to Allen, their franchise player and one of the best players in the league, the Bills have been extremely proactive throughout his career in taking measures to stay ahead of any potential frustrations. Whether it’s through player acquisition or now staying ahead of the curve on two separate contract extensions, Beane has made it a point to take care of Allen. The newest extension is no different, now placing Allen tied for second in APY at $55 million, but easily eclipsing the previous high NFL mark for most guaranteed money.

Allen, the regular season MVP of 2024, easily had his best year to date with a receiving room he had to carry at times. He limited his turnovers, made great decisions, made it a habit to carve up whatever defensive approach teams used against him, and was a threat through the air and on the ground. Allen is firmly in the prime of his career, falling just shy of the Super Bowl in a three-point loss to the rival Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills know that they are in the golden years of Allen’s career right now, and all the contract extension moves they made this offseason to secure their young core around Allen aim to maximize their quarterback’s winning window through his early 30s. Even though he’s still right in the middle of his prime, Allen has already made the case that he’s the best quarterback in franchise history.

The new contract will run through the 2030 season, which will be Allen’s age-34 campaign. Before the deal was reached, Allen had a scheduled cap hit of $44.73 million in 2025. It would not be a surprise if, through this negotiation, they created cap space for the upcoming season. Of that cap hit, $28.73 million was already there in prorated bonuses already paid out from the previous deal and can’t be moved to a different year, so the new contract won’t have a landslide of cap savings. However, based on how Beane has handled past contract extensions, it would not be a shock if the move helped create $10 million or more in cap savings. It’s a home run to have this deal done now, especially with more quarterbacks about to hit a payday around the league with the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

Bills release DE Von Miller

Analysis: Just one day after the Bills extended edge rusher Greg Rousseau through the next five seasons, the Bills waved goodbye to their big splash pass-rushing signing from the 2022 offseason. The team released Miller as a means to open up cap space in 2025, and they’ll get an immediate boost of $8.4 million to their spending amount this offseason. With Miller accounting for a $23.8 million cap hit in 2025, and without any guaranteed money, the role the soon-to-be 36-year-old played didn’t warrant that type of cap commitment. Something had to give with Miller’s contract, whether it was him being released by the team or a massive pay cut.

Miller’s tenure with the Bills will be mired in a what-could-have-been. Knowing they needed a huge boost to their pass rush, the team signed Miller to a big free-agent deal despite the player heading into his age-33 season. Despite the risk, the returns were immediate. In 2022, the Bills’ pass rush was as potent as it had ever been since McDermott and Beane arrived in Buffalo. Miller was constantly getting into the backfield in his first Bills season, racking up eight sacks in his first 10 games. 20 snaps into his 11th game with the team, a road game against the Lions, Miller tore his ACL and was out the rest of the season.

Because the injury happened so late in the year, his 2023 campaign was derailed by rehabbing the injury. He didn’t return until Week 5, though he was not the same player. Miller ended the year without a sack and with massive questions about whether he had anything left in the tank. 2024 was a bounce-back season for Miller, though in a muted role. The Bills limited him to 15 to 30 snaps per game, mostly in a third-down role. He had six sacks and put together some good pressures, but the days of him being on the field nearly the entire game were long gone.

Even if the Bills were to bring back Miller on a low-cost one-year deal following the release, the Bills’ defensive end room is ripe for a notable addition this offseason, whether through free agency, trade or the 2025 NFL Draft.

March 8

Analysis: Rousseau was undoubtedly one of the Bills’ best and most consistent defenders in 2024. He was on the field constantly and was one of the key pieces to their pass rush, working from both the left and right defensive end positions. Although he has never hit the double-digit sack marker in a year, his pressure rate has consistently been on the higher side over the last few seasons. Beane said at the NFL Combine that he believed Rousseau was an ascending player, though they mentioned that they’d like him to be a consistent double-digit sack pass rusher.

The contract extension is a humongous vote of confidence that he’ll be able to get there.

The numbers on the deal are surprisingly on the low side, considering he turns 25 in April and remains a high-ceiling type of player. If Rousseau’s final APY is $20 million, that would make him the 12th-highest among edge rushers in the NFL, which will assuredly be topped by some free-agent deals in the coming days. For the Bills, they are hoping they got ahead of the player’s true prime on a contract that will look good in a few years. That’s how they approached the deal with right tackle Spencer Brown ahead of the 2024 season, and it worked out well.

They are also likely to get some cap space relief in 2025 as part of the deal. Rousseau cashes in before ever having to think about the open market on a contract that is higher than some of his stats would have pointed to. Either way, it’s a leap of faith by both player and team, but Rousseau has enough of an all-around game to make sure he remains a core starter through the length of the deal.

LS Reid Ferguson signs a four-year deal through 2028

Analysis: Just two days after the team released punter Sam Martin, one of their specialist trio, the team decided to bring back their long snapper Ferguson, a locker room mainstay. Ferguson was due to become an unrestricted free agent, but instead, avoided the open market and stayed with the only team he’s ever played for. He was already the longest-tenured player within the organization, having started his Bills career in 2016 when Rex Ryan was still the head coach. With new special teams coordinator Chris Tabor taking over the unit in 2025, Ferguson will likely continue his role as a leader within the locker room and that group. Ferguson will turn 31 later this month.

March 7

Analysis: Bernard took over the starting middle linebacker role in 2023 after Tremaine Edmunds left in free agency that offseason and burst onto the scene. Bernard compiled several flash plays and helped force turnovers, establishing his importance within the organization without delay. The 2022 third-round pick went on to be named the lone defensive captain for the 2024 season, a role he’s expected to carry now for the long term. McDermott has lauded Bernard for his leadership, so it was extremely clear that the Bills viewed him as a core piece moving forward if the money made sense.

There is still room for improvement with Bernard, too. His run defending was a bit inconsistent early on as a starter, though it improved, specifically near the end of the 2024 season.

One of the biggest points of emphasis for getting Bernard to agree to a long-term contract is that longtime starting outside linebacker Matt Milano is likely nearing the end of his tenure with the Bills in the next year or two. Milano is signed through the 2026 season, though he turns 31 in July and has endured multiple long-term injuries throughout his career. Milano returned from an August torn biceps injury in December and started to look more like his pre-injury self with the more reps he took. However, 2025 could be Milano’s last year with the Bills, as they could release him next offseason and save over $5 million on the 2026 salary cap. With all that uncertainty, having Bernard in place for one of their two key linebacker positions was critical to them.

Bernard’s new contract terms has him, on average, making $12.5 million per season, which is now tied for the sixth-highest contract for an off-ball linebacker. Although it’s a higher figure relative to his position, it’s still well below the deal Edmunds signed with the Bears in 2023 and nowhere near Baltimore’s Roquan Smith ($20 million APY) at the top of the market. However, some of Bernard’s total figure could have some performance incentives that wouldn’t immediately impact the cap hits, which would then drive the APY down once the deal is signed. That was the case with wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who signed a contract extension recently. Originally reported with an APY of just a shade over $15 million, the contract came down to $13.25 million once the full details came out a few days later. The details of Bernard’s deal will be very important for a Bills team that is routinely close to the salary cap with a franchise quarterback signed on a massive contract.

The two most significant moves of the Bills offseason thus far have been to extend two players who wouldn’t have hit free agency until 2026. First, it was Shakir, and now it’s Bernard, with both now under contract for the next five seasons. Getting the 2026 class of free agents was a pressing issue for the Bills, given that they had seven starting players with expiring contracts — Shakir, Bernard, cornerback Christian Benford, defensive end Greg Rousseau, running back James Cook, center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards. It would not be a surprise if the Bills continued to attack this list of key starters in setting up the franchise with their core starters through the remainder of Josh Allen’s prime.

March 6

P Sam Martin released

Analysis: The Bills lacked clear cut candidates this offseason, but Martin stood out. The move will save the Bills just under $1.9 million on the 2025 cap. Martin turned 35 at the end of February, was entering the final year of his contract and had a $500,000 roster bonus due just a few days after the start of the new league year on March 12. Of 34 qualifying punters with 20 or more punts, he had only the 20th-best punting average and the 27th-best net average. The Bills may have tipped their hand by signing Jake Camarda, a fourth-round pick in 2022 who spent two-plus years as the Buccaneers’ punter, to a reserve/futures contract in early January. They could also use a late-round pick on a punter. It’s their chance to get better and cheaper at the position and to give everyone the #Puntapalooza we (I) so desperately desire.

March 5

Khalil Shakir’s contract details emerge

Here are the details of Shakir’s new contract extension, according to a league source.

Shakir will carry an average per year of $13.25 million over the four-year extension. He received a $7 million signing bonus, which prorates over five years, he’ll get a $9.1M option bonus in 2026, which will also prorate over five years after it triggers, and the contract has a void year in 2030 for cap purposes.

Shakir’s cap hits by year:

• 2025: $2.59 million
• 2026: $6.79 million
• 2027: $13.92 million
• 2028: $15.02 million
• 2029: $15.97 million
• 2030 (void year): $1.82 million

Analysis: All in all, this appears to be an extremely team-friendly deal for the Bills to secure one of Allen’s most trusted targets. The APY landed him as the 27th-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, and that ranking is likely to go down as soon as free agency opens up. The Bills structure the vast majority of their long-term extensions similarly, which features short-term cap relief, with backloading the cap hits for later in the deal.

Shakir’s 2025 cap hit actually went down from where it was before the contract ($3.41 million) and saved just shy of $1 million. The 2026 cap hit is extremely manageable, considering they have several players they can release in 2026 to create ample cap space. Then, in 2027, if the Bills were to do a simple restructure without adding another void year, they could save $6.5 million on that year’s salary cap. The Bills did very well on this deal.

March 3

TE Quintin Morris doesn’t get a restricted tender, according to a team source

Analysis: Although the Bills could have kept the right of first refusal option for Morris, it likely would have been well higher than his open market value. The lowest tender level would have been for $3.26 million. The likely outcome is the Bills hoping to bring Morris back on a more cost-effective deal. Morris proved his value on special teams over his three seasons in Buffalo, and he’s a bit underrated on offense as both a pass-catcher and a blocker. But without the offensive experience, it limits his open market value. Somewhere around $2 million seems like the sweet spot for Morris.

February 25

Analysis: The Bills entered the 2025 offseason knowing they’d have more cap space to work with than last offseason, but they also need to address their hefty group of five young upcoming free agents with rookie deals set to expire in 2026. In signing Shakir, they started to solve that 2026 issue as the NFL Scouting Combine began to ramp up. Even if his stats weren’t among the highest in the league, Shakir became one of the most important pieces of the Bills passing attack in 2024.

Playing primarily as the slot receiver, Shakir led the team in receiving yards in Josh Allen’s MVP season and became a critical target in late down and clutch situations for the franchise quarterback. The four-year deal keeps one of Allen’s most trusted targets in-house for the long term, and in a booming receiver market in free agency, what should be a modest cost. Once the deal is signed, Shakir will be under contract through his age-29 season, establishing him as one of the core pieces for the rest of Allen’s prime.

What stands out most about Shakir’s on-field ability was his consistency, dependability when targeted and underrated run-after-catch ability. While Shakir primarily lined up as the slot receiver, he also did much more than just work the middle areas of the field. He was a critical target on wide receiver screens to try and spread out a defense. When plays broke down, and Allen needed to improvise, Shakir showed a terrific knack for finding open space and, even at times, getting behind the defense for a big play. On top of all that, his contact balance to fight through tackle attempts is one of the best in the league.

While he isn’t the flashy receiver with gaudy stats, his consistency reflects the perfect embodiment of the type of glue guy the Bills have tried to keep since head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane arrived in 2017.

February 12

OL Alec Anderson re-signs for one year

Analysis: Anderson was an exclusive rights free agent, and it was an easy decision for the Bills to issue him the one-year tender. Anderson served as their jumbo package sixth offensive lineman all year, so he’ll retain that role and value heading into the 2025 season. Internally, the Bills have optimism that Anderson could develop into a starting option down the line. While there isn’t a pathway for that to happen this season without an injury, though both starting center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards are free agents in 2026. Anderson has experience at both guard and center. Anderson will be a restricted free agent in 2026.

(Top photo of Greg Rousseau: Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images)