It’s (sort of) a new era in Western New York as the Buffalo Bills have moved on from Sean McDermott and now have former offensive coordinator Joe Brady running the show. A new head coach means major changes may be in store for the Bills roster this offseason, starting with NFL free agency. Who will stay and who will go? Well, to start, here are the five players the Bills must let walk in free agency during the NFL offseason.
DE Joey Bosa
Having a new head coach is an opportunity to change the way a franchise does things, even if the new coach has been there for several years and the general manager is, somehow, still in place. The first new thing the Bills should do this offseason is stop signing over-the-hill pass rushers.
Joey Bosa looked electric early in the season, but as with most 30-year-old (or older) players, he broke down as the season went along and delivered almost nothing in the playoffs (three tackles, one QB hit). This was Von Miller all over again.
The Bills are up against the salary cap to start the offseason, so they have to make smart, impactful moves and prioritize young players. Bosa doesn’t fall into any of those categories, so it’s time for him to go.
LB Matt Milano, CB Tre’Davious White, S Jordan Poyer
Remember those great Bills teams of the early 2020s? Those fun, talented, but ultimately heartbreaking teams that brought Bills Mafia the likes of 13-Seconds and Wide Right II? Well, too many of those players were still on the team in 2025, and they need to go.
All three of these players had their moments last season, and Tre’Davious White was downright excellent in that playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, this trio has been ravaged by injuries, and they are no longer the players they were half a decade ago. They were also part of the Sean McDermott era and should not be a part of the Joe Brady/Jim Leonhard era moving forward.
There are a few other players who fit in this category, but Beane and the Bills shouldn’t let them walk this offseason if—and only if—they come back on incredibly cheap, team-friendly deals, and the coaching staff thinks they fit the new vision.
The players who fall into this category are EDGE A.J. Epenesa, S Damar Hamlin, FB Reggie Gilliam, WR Gabe Davis, and DT DaQuan Jones.
G David Edwards
Part of the secret to the Bills' success over the last several years is the cohesion of their offensive line. Dion Dawkins, Spencer Brown, David Edwards, O’Cyrus Torrence, and Connor McGovern have missed a combined 11 games in the last three seasons, with no games missed in 2023 (although Mitch Morse started at center and McGovern at guard that season with Edwards as a backup).
This is an incredible run of consistency that has, no doubt, allowed Josh Allen to become the MVP quarterback he is today.
The Bills have some roster decisions to make this offseason, though, as Edwards and McGovern are free agents, as are backup linemen Alec Anderson and Ryan Van Denmark, who are restricted FAs.
Due to the Bills’ salary cap constraints, re-signing both Edwards and McGovern isn’t wise. So, which one walks if the Bills decide to keep one of them? McGovern is more versatile, with his ability to play center or guard, and younger, although only by about nine months. Edwards was 22nd among guards last season with a 70.3 grade, per PFF, while McGovern was ninth among centers at 70.9.
It is extremely close between the two, but the flexibility of McGovern wins out. With former Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger waiting in the wings, Buffalo could let Edwards walk and slot Van Pran-Granger in at center or guard with McGovern taking the other spot. This is not a knock on Edwards at all, but with how the salary cap has been managed the past few seasons, a solid starting guard just has to go.
