At what point is change for the sake of change a good idea? For fans of the Buffalo Bills, that might be a question they are pondering ahead of the 2024 NFL free agency period.
After all, watching your dreams get stamped out by the same team three times in four postseasons has a way of creating some doubt. The Bills have lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs three seasons in a row. It's tempting to think major moves are necessary.
Buffalo, with 21 players headed for unrestricted free agency, has the chance to introduce an overhaul. Whether it's wise to overreact to losing to an offense led by a couple of shoo-in Hall of Famers is a different argument.
However the Bills braintrust decides to proceed this offseason, there are several players that should be brought back to the roster no matter the larger plan. Let's run through them, shall we?
WR Gabe Davis
Let's kick things off with the biggest wildcard of the bunch. Davis is a wildly talented player, as any Bills fan can attest.
He's also a wildly inconsistent player.
How can the same player go four games without a catch (including putting up back-to-back 0-fers in the middle of December, as the stakes rise each week) and produce three games of 100+ receiving yards in the same season? That's the boom-or-bust of Davis, to an extreme.
Davis does not display the consistency of a number-one receiver. But he is a proven deep threat, and has produced some monster playoff performances for Buffalo.
Maybe some team thinks it can harness Davis' talents better than Sean McDermott. But if not, and his market doesn't outgrow what secondary wideouts go for, the Bills should be happy to welcome Davis back.
CB Dane Jackson
Pressed into a larger role with the team due to injuries to fellow cornerbacks Tre'Davious White, Rasual Douglas, and Christian Benford, Jackson made himself into a valuable contributor to the Bills defense this season.
Originally a seventh-round pick, Jackson ended up starting six games and performing admirably. Cornerback depth is something every NFL team needs; for one that faces Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins twice a season, it's a non-negotiable.
Jackson isn't a number-one cornerback, but McDermott trusts him, he has familiarity with the team, and he has shown he belongs as a depth piece in this secondary. He'd be a wise re-sign if the numbers don't get too high.
DT DaQuan Jones
No, the Bills should not break the bank for a 32-year old defensive tackle coming off a season in which he missed 10 games due to injury. But therein lies why it might make sense to bring Jones back.
It's unlikely a bidding war breaks out for Jones. But he was solid for the Bills in 2022 and impressed in the seven games he appeared in in 2023.
In fact, his two-and-a-half sacks and four tackles-for-loss were both more than he managed in 16 games in 2022.
Jones' value comes from his ability to stuff the run, which he should still be able to do competently. On a defensive line with big names, Jones is a solid cog. Those sorts of players can be taken for granted, but Buffalo shouldn't make that mistake.
DE A.J. Epenesa
Drafted in the second round in 2020 to anchor the Bills' pass-rushing efforts, Epenesa hasn't had that double-digit sack, breakout campaign yet. But this season, his fourth in the NFL, Epenesa showed a versatile side that may hint at more productivity to be unlocked.
Epenesa has been decent at getting to the quarterback, tallying six-and-a-half sacks in each of the last two seasons. In 2023, Epenesa flashed some coverage abilities. He recorded a career-high eight passes defended, and intercepted two passes after having done so zero times in three prior seasons.
Having a rotational edge rusher of Epenesa's caliber is more necessity than luxury in today's NFL. If this is what he is, that's a player with some value. If Buffalo can unlock even more of Epenesa's potential, they'll be very happy they kept him around.
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