Ryan Van Demark and Tyler Bass
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Ryan Van Demark received a heartwarming message from a fan after leaving the Bills in free agency
The Buffalo Bills have been hard at work this offseason after coming up short in the playoffs once again last year. While the Bills have been looking to find new players to bring to town, they have also had to make some tough decisions on their own free agents. One guy in that club is offensive lineman Ryan Van Demark, whose time with Buffalo has come to an end.
A restricted free agent, Van Demark signed a one-year, $4.2 million offer sheet from the Minnesota Vikings. The Bills’ front office opted not to match the offer, allowing Van Demark to head to the Vikings. In the wake of this move being made official, Van Demark received a heartwarming message from a young fan and her family that has caught folks’ attention.
Young Bills Fan Bids Farewell to Ryan Van Demark
Van Demark went undrafted in 2022, and after initially latching on with the Indianapolis Colts, he ended up getting scooped up by the Bills after the Colts released him. For the past four seasons, Van Demark has worked as a reserve offensive lineman, often filling in at one of the tackle positions.
All in all, Van Demark suited up for 43 games with Buffalo, six of which were starts. The Bills were expected to be interested in re-signing Van Demark in order to keep their offensive line depth in good shape, but the Vikings came in with an offer that the front office was not willing to match. Now, Van Demark will likely have an opportunity to fill a bigger role with his new team.
Off the field, Van Demark was generous with his time, as he frequently gave back to the community and connected with fans. Along the way, he ended up befriending Bryn, a six-year-old girl who is battling leukemia. In the wake of Ven Demark’s decision to sign with Minnesota, Bryn’s mother, Erica Ailinger, shared a heartwarming goodbye message for the offensive lineman in a post on Instagram.
“From the beginning of Bryn’s story—during some of the hardest, scariest, most uncertain moments of her life—you were there,” Ailinger wrote as part of her message. “Not just as a player, not just someone passing through, but someone who truly showed up and stayed … To Bryn, you were never just football. You were part of her story. And you will always be part of her heart.”
How Will the Bills Replace Ryan Van Demark?
Ryan Van Demark and Tyler Bass
GettyRyan Van Demark received a heartwarming message from a fan after leaving the Bills in free agency
It’s always awesome to see professional athletes give back to the community they play for, and Van Demark managed to make quite a friendship in the process. Losing him will not only hurt Buffalo’s depth along its offensive line, but it will also have to replace the impact Van Demark managed to make off the field.
At the tackle spots, the Bills have their starters, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, in place. With Tylan Grable, Travis Clayton, and Chase Lundt currently making up the depth chart behind them, Buffalo isn’t in an awful spot here. However, they could use some help along the interior, so look for the team to target this area of need when the 2026 NFL Draft rolls around.