The Buffalo Bills made some key additions on defense through the first week of free agency, while also trading for D.J. Moore and extending Connor McGovern for the offense. Right now, the defense has been the main concern for the Bills to take care.
The new additions include Dee Alford, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone, and Bradley Chubb. The secondary looks a lot better (but still more room for improvement), and the addition of Chubb doesn’t just bring pass rush but it also helps with the run-defense.
Brandon Beane got off to a slower start in free agency, and there were moves that were made that made fans wonder why the Bills couldn’t pull off certain deals that were given out.
In a few months, Bills fans may be looking back on some free agency deals and wonder why Beane didn’t make those same types of investments.
4 free agency deals Bills should have made in first week of free agency
LB Leo Chenal
Signed a 3-year, $24.7 million deal with the Washington Commanders
Lots of fans had thought that Chenal was a perfect fit for Jim Leonhard’s defense, especially when you consider that Chenal played under Leonhard at the University of Wisconsin. He was one of the best off-ball linebackers that hit the free agent market and it was the Commanders who gave him his first big contract.
At just over $8 million per year, the Commanders may have got themselves a huge steal if Chenal plays well. The Bills may have missed big on adding him.
EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson
Signed a 1-year, $11 million deal with the Washington Commanders
After a rough first four years in Jacksonville, K’Lavon Chaisson has played some solid football over the last two seasons with the Raiders and Patriots. In New England last season, Chaisson had 7.5 sacks and over 30 total tackles. He was a key component in the Patriots defense and rather than going back to New England, he also heads to Washington on just a one-year deal.
The Bills do have Bradley Chubb now, but they still need another pass rusher at Chaisson would have been a great steal for the Bills.
CB Cam Lewis
Signed a 2-year, $6 million deal with the Chicago Bears
The Bills have yet to keep any of their pending free agents on the defensive side of the ball. Some remain unsigned up to this point, and one key defender has already landed somewhere else. Defensive back Cam Lewis had been with the Bills since 2020, and he even played his football at the University at Buffalo.
After growing as a player over the past two years, the Bills let him walk and he landed with the Chicago Bears on a very cheap contract. Fans know that Buffalo’s defense is set to look a lot different in 2026, but Lewis is a versatile defender who had some great plays throughout his tenure. Losing Lewis could be a huge mistake for the Bills.
DL Javon Hargrave
Signed a 2-year, $23 million deal with the Green Bay Packers
The Vikings were set to release defensive tackle Javon Hargrave at some point leading up to free agency, and they eventually did. Buffalo’s run-defense was horrendous last season and while they do have upside with Deone Walker in the middle of the trenches, adding Hargrave would have been a huge landing for the Bills.
Instead, he stays in the NFC North and will now be with the Green Bay Packers. From a run-stopper point of view, he would have been excellent in Bills blue.