The Buffalo Bills are in the throes of free agency, with general manager Brandon Beane continuing to make moves in hopes of finally getting Buffalo back to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 30 years. The early focus has been re-signing their own players, and adding new talent along the defensive line. The Bills have also brought a new wide receiver to town in hopes of giving quarterback Josh Allen a more efficient deep target who also works a complete route tree.
The grueling process of adding players is never-ending, and with that comes laying out a depth chart. In some cases, starters are obvious. Others? It’s up for debate. While no one has hit the field to show their current worth, here’s how I see the team’s offseason roster constructed.
In total, I accounted for 64 players, which includes tight end Armani Rogers (season-ending Injured Reserve) and Travis Clayton (NFL International Player Pathway Program).
Quarterback
Starter: Josh Allen
Backups: Mitch Trubisky, Mike White, Shane Buechele
Josh Allen just signed a new contract and he’s here to stay. You can’t ask for anything better than the Bills’ situation with Allen. Trubisky, White, and Buechele are all athletic clip holders, none of whom Bills Mafia hopes to ever see play meaningful snaps. It wouldn’t surprise me to see general manager Brandon Beane consider a late-round developmental prospect in this year’s draft.
Running Back
Starter: James Cook
Backups: Ty Johnson, Ray Davis, Frank Gore Jr., Darrynton Evans
As was the case last season, the running back room should be a strength in 2025. Cook is of course the top dog, but his recent contract musings have some concerned about his future in Buffalo. Ty Johnson is really talented, and good enough to start for most NFL teams. Davis showed why he belongs in the NFL as a rookie; Gore has premium blood lines and plenty of potential; while Evans is a player the Bills have highly regarded in past seasons.
Fullback
Reggie Gilliam
The conversation about fullback starts and ends with Reggie Gilliam. There is no plan B, and there needn’t be. Though he’s an immensely valuable special teams player, Gilliam’s role on offense is perhaps overlooked. There’s a reason Buffalo continues to roster him.
Wide Receiver
Starters: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel
Backups: K.J. Hamler, Tyrell Shavers, Jalen Virgil
Shakir just signed a four-year contract extension — Josh Allen’s guy is here to stay. Coleman will look to rebound from a disappointing finish to his rookie season with a strong 2025. Josh Palmer is the new face in the room, signed as a player who can hopefully help stretch the defense. Samuel will count on health this summer/fall so he can provide more of spark we saw during this past season’s playoff run.
Tight End
Starters: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox
Backups: Zach Davidson, Armani Rogers (out for season)
The Bills have prioritized athletic tight ends in recent seasons, selecting Kincaid in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft. There is concern from Beane and head coach Sean McDermott about his frame. The team wants him to get bigger and stronger to hold up better. Fans complain about Knox’s contract, but he’s an important player on offense who’s built solid chemistry with Allen. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady just needs to figure out how to better utilize Knox, and Kincaid with the investments made to roster them.
Zach Davidson was one of the first players to receive a future deal with the Bills this offseason. Like Kincaid and Knox, he’s a receiver first, but perhaps a more willing and able blocker in the mold of Knox. Armani Rogers won’t suit up in 2025 after tearing his Achilles tendon. Buffalo could still re-sign Quintin Morris, who is an exclusive rights free agent.
Offensive Line
Starters: Dion Dawkins (LT), Spencer Brown (RT), Connor McGovern (C), O’Cyrus Torrence (RG), David Edwards (LG), Alec Anderson (swing/sixth lineman)
Backups: Tylan Grable, Ryan Van Demark, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Richard Gouriage, Mike Edwards, Travis Clayton (NFL International Player Pathway)
The Bills are set here, which is fantastic given the special talent who lines up behind McGovern. Though they have zero need at the moment to search out new starters (and perhaps even reserves), teams always need to be on the lookout for premium O-line talent. Don’t be surprised if Beane adds a rookie or two to this mix at the end of April.
Defensive End / Edge Rusher
Starters: Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa/Michael Hoecht
Backups: A.J. Epenesa, Javon Solomon
One of two positions that needs to showed marked improvement to anyone paying attention to the Bills. Rousseau just signed a four-year contract extension, and he’s a still-ascending talent. With Von Miller off the roster, Beane made headlines signing a pair of defensive studs out of Los Angeles in Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht. With Bosa, the concern is about durability, but he’s in Buffalo to be a starter. Pairing Bosa with Hoecht should allow the Bills to limit wear and tear, prioritizing Bosa in clear passing situations.
Epenesa is an underappreciated player who makes huge waves when given the chance to rush the quarterback. His penchant for knocking down passes and causing turnovers speaks to a unique skill set that needs to be further utilized. Javon Solomon showed flashes late as a rookie, but he remains largely a mystery within the defense.
Despite the heavy investments in free agency, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Beane select a rookie pass rusher within the first three rounds next month.
Defensive Tackle
Starters: Ed Oliver (3-tech), DaQuan Jones (1-tech)
Backups: DeWayne Carter (3/1-tech), Larry Ogunjobi (3-tech), Zion Logue (1-tech), Branson Dean (3-tech)
The other half of a highly scrutinized defensive line. Ed Oliver’s contract was just restructured to open up cap space in 2025. When he’s on, Oliver is nearly unstoppable. Jones is a grizzled vet who in previous seasons paired well with Oliver — has time caught up with Jones at this point?
Carter enters year two, having shown strong flashes before falling off the radar at season’s end. What’s his role in 2025? The Bills signed Ogunjobi in free agency, and he could push for starting reps next to Oliver, even though he’s a 3-tech. Logue is the only other true 1-tech, and a natural backup to Jones. Dean provides decent depth in a rotation-heavy scheme.
Linebacker
Starters: Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano
Backups: Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Edefuan Ulofoshio, Baylon Spector
Zero surprises here. One might also pencil in Williams with the starters, depending on scheme.
The Bills boast a terrific, if underrated, linebacker core. The main issue has been availability, with both Bernard and Milano missing time in recent seasons. Bernard just signed a four-year extension, which is fantastic news for the defense, while Milano played like his former self during the team’s playoff run. If they remain healthy, this duo should make plenty of noise in 2025.
Milano’s extended absence carried a positive effect in that Dorian Williams gained valuable starting reps earlier than perhaps expected, and could find his way to a starter’s role depending on scheme. While Buffalo’s nickel defense fields only two true linebackers at the same time, they did show more 3LB sets in 2024.
Rounding out the group is the gritty Andreessen, Ulofoshio, and Spector. Whether this group is set remains to be seen — especially when considering how oft-injured Spector has proven in previous seasons. Andreessen has shown that ability lives separate of university, while Ulofoshio should at least continue finding work on special teams.
Nickel Cornerback
Taron Johnson
Johnson is as good as nickel corners get, yet he’s perhaps still underrated by his peers. He’ll look to bounce back from an injury-plagued campaign in 2024 that saw him miss the first month with a forearm injury.
Outside/Boundary Cornerback
Starters: Christian Benford, Ja’Marcus Ingram
Backups: Daequan Hardy, Te’Cory Couch, Brandon Codrington
There are far too many questions regarding this room to feel comfortable about the roster situation right now. Benford is a stud, whose only questions regard when a new contract might happen — and, unfortunately, if he can kick the injury habit.
Ingram is this team’s starting CB2 at the moment. Let that sink in. No matter how much potential Ingram shows, his best role is as a reserve. Behind him, there’s Hardy (who excelled in a collegiate nickel role and as a returner), Couch, and Codrington (who is the team’s featured return specialist).
Until proven otherwise, CB2 is the Bills’ biggest concern, should be its main priority, and could be their path early and often in the draft. There is potential for them to re-sign Rasul Douglas as an unrestricted free agent. Perhaps they look for a reunion with Dane Jackson or even Tre’Davious White, both being free agents. It would be great if Beane landed Asante Samuel Jr. Expect an addition to this room in the coming days ahead of April.
Safety
Starters: Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin
Backups: Cole Bishop, Cam Lewis
Depending on who you ask, you’ll find differing opinions on its state. That’s also true about who starts. I see this room as stronger than given credit for, and I have Rapp and Hamlin as the starters. That’s likely to cause conflict in the comments, but Hamlin didn’t relinquish his hold on the job last season.
It’s not as though Bishop wasn’t given a chance, either. So maybe he makes huge strides in year two and claims the job over Hamlin, who just signed a one-year contract to return this season. Further down the chart is Cam Lewis, who in reality is closer in ability to his peers than some understand.
All that said, Rapp is the the best safety in the room right now, with Bishop holding the most potential and athleticism. As with others, I wouldn’t complain to see them add to this room with a focus on an elite prospect. However, I don’t see this unit as the extreme liability others complain that it is.
Don’t discount his experience in the system when wondering why the Bills brought Hamlin back. Hamlin minimally provides a high floor as an astute tackler able to lead and call out protections in the defensive backfield. He makes up for his lack of athleticism with heady play.
There are very few elite safeties and you remember their names because of that fact. There are perhaps even less elite safety tandems, especially ones as accomplished as Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde were for so many years. As such, I feel this room is overly criticized with observers expecting the same level of play the team had with Poyer and Hyde.
Kicker
Tyler Bass
The way a situation can change in a calendar year. At this point last offseason, Bass was a hot topic among Bills Mafia thanks to his struggles in 2023, none bigger than missing a kick many believed would have been the difference in Buffalo winning at home against the Chiefs during the playoffs.
Now, Bass is fresh off a season where he re-gained his confidence. Interestingly, his numbers in 2024 were very similar to his stats in 2023 — further proof that understanding kickers’ value is more nuanced than other positions.
Bass is back with swagger in 2025.
Punter
Jake Camarda
The Bills will field a new punter in 2025. After letting Sam Martin go this offseason, it’s Jake Camarda’s job to lose.
Camarda is a former fourth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. He’s looking for a fresh start with a team that was ready to move on from its second-oldest player in Martin (despite a decent season).
It’s going to take time for us to get a good read on Camarda, so it’s a position to keep an eye on during spring workouts and camp. Keep this in mind: You never know if a rookie finds his way to town this spring after the draft. Yes, Camarda was a Day 2 draft choice, but the Bills shouldn’t spend any time thinking about drafting a punter next month.
Long Snapper
Reid Ferguson
Ferguson just signed a new contract, which keeps him in Buffalo moving forward. A popular player with Bills Mafia, Ferguson is a guy most don’t consider on game days, thanks to his high level of play that affords him invisibility.
Punt Returner
Brandon Codrington
Codrington will look to run it back in 2025 after a strong rookie season following his trade to Buffalo before the season opener. The Bills clearly prioritized him for a reason: He’s a confident returner who understands that moving “north” quickly better serves the potential for a huge return. Speed kills on returns, and Codrington gets there in a hurry, instead of spinning and dancing like it’s a goal-to-go situation.
Well, that’s how I see things shaking out with the understanding that much of the roster is a moving target at this point in the offseason. What’s you take on the Buffalo Bills’ roster almost midway through March?