With a quarterback on a rookie contract, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has had complete freedom to shape this roster for the last four years. However, in 2023 Josh Allen’s cap hit will jump from $16 million to $39 million.
Additionally, Stefon Diggs’s cap number will jump from $11 million to $20 million. So, for the first time during his tenure, Beane will face some difficult choices as some of his top defenders get ready to test the open market.
In this article, I will be making the tough decisions on behalf of Brandon Beane and deciding if upcoming Bills free agents on the defensive side of the ball should stay or go.
Stay or Go? Projecting the future of the Buffalo Bills 2023 free agents on defense
Tremaine Edmunds
Tremaine Edmunds’s best assets are his age (still just 24 despite already playing four seasons) and his size (6’5″, 250 pounds). However, his raw traits haven’t translated on the field. Edmunds has good speed but doesn’t get to use it because he is slow when it comes to processing plays.
Edmunds has struggled to disengage from blocks and has been a liability in pass coverage during his first four seasons. He has made 2 Pro Bowl appearances due to his counting stats, but the former first round pick fails the eye test. Quarterbacks completed 46 out of 59 passes in 2021 when Edmunds was the closest defender.
Because of his age, draft profile, and accolades, Edmunds will probably come with a pretty high price tag. And if I were the Buffalo Bills, I would be unwilling to pay that price tag, especially at one of the more replaceable positions.