Buffalo Bills Free Agency Update: Friday, March 24th

The free agency period has really slowed down this week, but the Buffalo Bills continue to make announcements.

The Buffalo Bills have been on a mission this offseason and they are only about halfway through it. With a new coaching staff in place and a lot of additions through free agency, the team is closer to being ready for the NFL Draft.

Coming into the offseason, the team had heavy needs at virtually every position, whether it be a starting role or depth. It didn’t come as a surprise, as the team knew what they were getting themselves into when they had 24 unrestricted free agents.

Surprisingly, there are still a large number of those free agents that are still available on the market. Usually this means the Bills can bring them back at a decent price, especially if no one else is interested in them.

Either way, the Buffalo Bills have already addressed a lot of the positions that needed improvement. Before we get into the newer announcements, let’s take a look back at the additions and releases that we’ve already covered so far this offseason:

Additions: Andre Holmes, Jeremy Butler, Ryan Davis, Ryan Groy, Mike Tolbert, Patrick DiMarco, Vladimir Ducasse, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Corey Brown and Steven Hauschka. Players that re-signed were Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Mills, Lorenzo Alexander and Colton Schmidt.

MUST READ: Top 6 Free Agents Still Available to Sign

Departures: Marcus Easley, Marquise Goodwin, Robert Woods, Aaron Williams, E.J. Manuel, Percy Harvin, Garrison Sanborn and Stephon Gilmore, Corey Graham, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Dan Carpenter and Lerentee McCray.

Alright, now let’s get into the new announcements that we haven’t mentioned yet.

WR/KR Brandon Tate

The Buffalo Bills announced that they re-signed Brandon Tate to a one year contract worth $900,000 (minimum salary). He will not only help add depth at the receiver position, but will retain his duties as the main kick returner for Buffalo.

One of the better kick returners in the league, Tate finished with an average of 22.83 yards per return last season with the Bills. He ranked seventh in that category and was even named a second alternate for last year’s Pro Bowl.

LB Zach Brown

Zach Brown continued his string of visits with one back to One Bills Drive. His offseason hasn’t gone super smooth, having announced he switched agents halfway through the process. So far, he has visited the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders.

All we know up to this point is that he will be “exploring all options,” according to his agents. There has been speculation that things didn’t go as planned with the Bills’ visit, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of him returning.

If not, the Bills will need to search for a linebacker that could replace him.

LB Keenan Robinson

The Buffalo Bills hosted Keenan Robinson for a visit a couple of days ago. With Zach Brown’s status still up in the air, the Bills will need to look for a linebacker that works well in coverage — something Zach Brown excelled at.

Keenan Robinson brings that talent. He can still enjoy some of his prime at 27 years old and played well in coverage last season. In the six games he played for the New York Giants, he totaled 7 passes defensed.

I assume this will be an option if Zach Brown doesn’t pan out in negotiations.

WR Andre Holmes

The Buffalo Bills announced that Andre Holmes’ three-year contract is worth $5.15 million. It will include $2.45 million guaranteed, Here’s more about the contract:

Cap hits: $1.45 million (2017), $1.75 million (2018), $2 million (2019)
Base salaries: $800,000 (2017), $1 million (2018), $1.25 million (2019)
Roster bonuses: $150,000, due on fifth day of 2018 and 2019 league years.
Other bonuses: $1.65 million signing bonus, $50,000 workout bonus every season.

LB Lorenzo Alexander

We also learned more about Lorenzo Alexander’s new contract, which is worth $5.95 million over the next two years. Here’s more on that contract:

Cap hits: $2.55 million (2017), $3.4 million (2018)
Base salaries: $2 million (2017), $2.45 million (2018)
Roster bonuses: $300,000 on third day of 2018 league year and additional per-game bonuses of $6,250 in 2018.
Other bonuses: $1.1 million signing bonus
Incentives:. $850,000 (2017) and $1.25 million (2018) for playing time and making Pro Bowl.

CB Leonard Johnson

More contract news and another cheap depth signing that I completely approve. Leonard Johnson’s deal will be for the minimum salary over the next year. His cap hit will be $695,000 next season ($775,000 base salary) and will earn $80,000 if he makes the 53-man roster.

QB Tyrod Taylor

Last bit of contract updates comes with our starting quarterback. Mike Rodak of ESPN noted that Tyrod Taylor’s $6 million roster bonus in 2018 will be due on the third day of that league year. If Taylor struggles to prove that he can be a franchise quarterback, that third day could be another important date for Buffalo Bills‘ fans to remember.

Hopefully it doesn’t get to that!

Cap Space

The Buffalo Bills currently have roughly over $10 million in cap space, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN. They still have over 20 roster spots to fill to get to the maximum allowed of 90 before cuts. With only 6 draft picks, fans will probably see the Bills look at a lot of undrafted free agents and veteran free agents.

Next: New Additions at WR Will Help Tyrod Taylor Succeed

Would you rather have Zach Brown (most likely at a high price) or Keenan Robinson (most likely at a cheaper price)? Leave your thoughts below!

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