The Buffalo Bills have an intriguing offseason ahead of them. General manager Brandon Beane has several holes to fill on an otherwise championship-level team. Of course, that’s in large thanks to quarterback Josh Allen– and who Beane surrounds him with determines whether the Bills can finally get over the hump and reach the Super Bowl.
That’s where the hard work of the offseason comes in. It’s crunching numbers and fitting roster pieces into the proper spot, sure, but it’s also a long list of difficult decisions. The NFL is a business, but locker room relationships and roster continuity are incredibly important aspects to building a championship team.
That said, Beane has a list of hard decisions to make, even if the answers on how to handle some of them are glaringly obvious.
Four offseason moves that make the most sense for Buffalo Bills' 2026 offseason
Let Joey Bosa walk
Joey Bosa revived his career to a point in one season with the Bills in 2025. He had five sacks on the season, so his elite production days may be behind him, but he’s certainly a suitable veteran peice for a championship contender at this stage of his career.
It’s just not in Buffalo anymore.
Bosa has long had the physical tools to play in a 3-4 scheme, which Buffalo will move to in 2026 under the direction of new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. In fact, Bosa did play in a 3-4 during his time in Los Angeles. But that doesn’t make him a fit for the new defensive vision coming to Buffalo.
Bosa wasn’t as impactful a pass rusher as the Bills needed, especially down the final stretch of the season. He was largely unproductive in the postseason, too, grabbing just three tackles and a single QB hit. Asking Bosa, who turns 31 this summer, to be anything more than a situational pass rusher in this new scheme is asking for trouble.
Bosa will be better served to take his next payday with another championship contender, where he can put his hand in the dirt on third downs and get after the quarterback anyway. Likewise, the Bills would be better off finding the future of the edge position in the draft, building this new defense with cornerstone pieces.
Re-sign Connor McGovern, let David Edwards walk
Brandon Beane can’t turn off the salary cap, so he’ll have to choose between two of his top interior offensive linemen ahead of the start of free agency. While both David Edwards and Connor McGovern would be welcomed back with open arms in different circumstances, the choice between the two is obvious.
Edwards may come away as the top-earning guard on the open market, and if he doesn’t, he’ll be mighty close. Edwards is projected to earn $19.9 million per year, ballparking his potential free agent contract at three years for $60 million. That’s too rich for the cap-strapped Bills.
Instead, preserving the quarterback-center exchange is in Buffalo’s best interest. McGovern will still get a strong payday, likely becoming one of the five highest-paid centers in the league. While center might not earn the same money as the other offensive line positions, it’s one of the most valuable spots on the field, and having continuity at that position is a huge safety net for any team.
Re-sign Matt Milano, let Shaq Thompson walk
Again, Beane doesn’t have all the money in the world, and he’s going to have to spend a lot of resources in re-shaping the defense, including its depth. Still, continuity at linebacker can be preserved by keeping one of the veteran backers set to hit free agency. To that end, it should be Milano.
Thompson played well in his lone season with Buffalo, but that one season is dwarfed by the years that Milano has spent giving the defense everything he has to offer. Both players are 32, and Thompson was a tinge better overall last season. But the team can likely bring Milano back on a team-friendly deal and allow him to serve as a buffer for the next linebacker to take his place.
Reach for the stars at wide receiver
Bills Mafia wants to see Beane swing for the fences at wide receiver, but within reason. A.J. Brown is probably out of the question. Drafting a wide receiver in the first round seems enticing, but that isn’t a sure-fire way to solve the gaping void at the top of the depth chart, as Keon Coleman proved.
Beane needs a reliable No. 1 target for Allen and Brady to get the most out of the offense. Whether that means taking a shot on a proven veteran free agent like Mike Evans or a promising upstart like Romeo Doubs, or trading some assets for the likes of Brian Thomas Jr. or D.J. Moore comes down to preference.Â
Either way, he can’t wait for the right opportunity to come to him. Beane will have to lean into his aggressiveness to solve the issue.