Free agency is just around the corner, giving the Buffalo Bills the opportunity to reload the roster with some veteran experience.
Many in Bills Mafia want to see general manager Brandon Beane swing for the fences in an effort to bring more star power to the roster, especially at the wide receiver and edge rusher positions. That said, even if the fanbase isn’t in total agreement on who to pursue in that effort, there are plenty of names that would earn a collective groan emanating from Western New York.
As such, these names are those Bills fans are hoping Beane doesn’t entertain in free agency as the new league year begins.
6 free agents Buffalo Bills must avoid at all costs this offseason
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill
It’s not lost on Bills fans that to find an immediate fix at wide receiver means putting away the trepidation of signing a veteran with the typical diva tendencies that come with the top players at the position. Former All-Pro Tyreek Hill, though, doesn’t fall in a category that fans are willing to overlook.
Hill comes with a ton of baggage off the field, and nothing he did on the field in Miami for the past four seasons is enough to overlook it all. On top of that, Hill turned 32 on Sunday, coming off his worst two seasons since 2019 and a devastating knee injury.
Hill isn’t the locker room presence nor weapon this Bills team needs. While he and Josh Allen could certainly make a dynamic pairing once upon a time, the time has passed, and so, Beane would do well to stay away from the polarizing receiver.
Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens
Speaking of polarizing, George Pickens is listed here as a technicality. The Dallas Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Pickens during Combine week; however, it was with a nonexclusive tag, giving other teams the chance to offer Pickens a competitive deal when free agency begins on March 11.
Over the Cap’s free agent valuation for Pickens projects him to earn $31.7 million annually. Whether that long-term contract comes with Dallas this summer or another franchise remains to be seen. But for all the talent Pickens carries to have earned such a large figure, like Hill, he’s not worth the headache.
While Pickens hasn’t gotten into any trouble off the field, his antics when things around him are going poorly have been well-documented, dating back to his time at Georgia. And beyond that, he hasn’t yet proven himself to be a true No. 1 WR, even if he has proven to be an elite playmaker.Â
That’s too much risk for Buffalo, even if Beane will have the means to acquire such an expensive player. Pickens isn’t a sure thing, though, and considering Dallas has set itself up to come out on top regardless of where Pickens plays next year, Beane would be better served to spend his time, resources, and money elsewhere.
San Francisco 49ers WR Jauan Jennings
Where Pickens and Hill carry large red flags, San Francisco 49ers free agent receiver Juaun Jennings does a better job of hiding his. Jennings has played five solid seasons in San Fran with Kyle Shanahan. Nonetheless, when Bills fans consider Jennings as a plausible signing, it’s probably hard to do so without painful flashbacks of the Curtis Samuel and Joshua Palmer signings.
Jennings turns 29 this summer, and his 2023 season stands out on his career stat sheet as an obvious outlier. Two seasons ago, Jennings caught 77 passes for 975 yards and six scores. In 2025, he set a new career high with nine touchdown catches, but his 53 receptions for 643 yards didn’t nearly stack up to his strongest season.
Like Samuel and Palmer, it’s not that Jennings is a bad player. He’s serviceable in most situations, and with a strong No. 1 option in place, he can really complement Buffalo’s offense. But that’s not where Buffalo is at, and considering Jennings is one of the better receivers under 30 in this less-than-inspiring free agent pool of wideouts, he’s sure to be overpaid.
Bills fans are over the idea of overpaying for a high-floor, low-ceiling player like Jennings.
Cincinnati Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson
After considering a trade for Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson for the past two seasons, the time to acquire him has passed Buffalo by. Now that Hendrickson is finally heading to free agency, even with Buffalo carrying a massive need on the edge, Hendrickson isn’t the answer.
While Hendrickson might be asking for too much money after waiting through and enduring more losses and injuries in Cincinnati, it’s not just the money that should keep Hendrickson out of Western New York. It’s the scheme.
Hendrickson has played in 3-4-like schemes and would no doubt be able to contribute positively in Jim Leonhard’s defense in Buffalo. However, the 31-year-old is reaching a stage of his career, especially after missing most of 2025 with a core injury, of playing in situational passing downs.Â
It would look too similar to Joey Bosa in Buffalo last season, where the veteran proved he still has high value, but not quite being the dynamic problem solver the defense needs at the spot. Like Bosa, the cost-to-impact ratio won’t favor Buffalo if they pursue Hendrickson.
Washington Commanders LB Bobby Wagner
For any Bills fans poring over the options at inside linebacker to potentially replace Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson, don’t forget to look at the age listings. Bobby Wagner is a future Hall of Famer, without question. But he also turns 37 this summer.Â
Nonetheless, the 14-year veteran is still playing at a high level, posting 160+ tackles for the fifth time in his career in 2025. As such, Over The Cap projects his market value to be in the $12.6 million range. Wagner might not actually get a contract worth that much, but for a contender needing a veteran presence, he seems worth a flier for his steady production and leadership alone.Â
The Bills would figure to make for a sensible landing spot with that in mind, but that doesn’t make it a good idea. Wagner might not get $12.6 million, but he might get more than either Milano or Thompson. What good does it do to sign an older, slower linebacker instead of just bringing back one of the two options who served Buffalo well last year?
Green Bay Packers CB Trevon Diggs
Cornerback isn’t a huge need in my estimation for the Bills this offseason. Sure, the team needs at least one more corner who can pick up heavy snaps, but the starting duo of Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston is one that can be trusted in 2026.
That said, an enticing name sits at the top of the cornerback free agent class, that being Trevon Diggs, who finished his 2025 season with a brief stint in Green Bay. The younger brother of ex-Bills star wideout Stefon Diggs, Trevon hasn’t proven to be quite as problematic off the field as his brother. However, he’s taken one too many steps back on the field.
Diggs has struggled to match the hype of his 2021 All-Pro season in Dallas, when he caught a league-leading 11 interceptions. He has just six since, and none came in 2025, as he started just seven games. In the meantime, his coverage has worsened, and he’s battled injuries along the way.Â
Beyond that, Diggs is a splash signing that Buffalo simply doesn’t need this offseason, even if he won’t be nearly as expensive as his last name might suggest.