The first week of the NFL free gency frenzy is coming to an end, but there are still plenty of free agents who remain unsigned. No one can say that the Buffalo Bills didn’t make their mark on the free agent market. While they haven’t made the biggest move of the offseason, a lot of their moves are being overlooked a lot and that gives them a huge advantage.
Buffalo is filling in the gaps that they have in order to finally get over the playoff hump that they keep falling short in front, which has been very frustrating to Bills Mafia. It’s still well early in the offseason to make a final grade on the Bills’ overall offseason but it’s not too early to gives each signing a grade for Brandon Beane.
Grading the Bills' first wave of free agency signings
WR Joshua Palmer
The Bills kicked off their free agency frenzy with the signing of wide receiver Joshua Palmer to a 3-year, $36 million deal. Palmer joins the Bills after spening the last four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
When you look at the contract, it’s fair to think that it might be a little bit of an overpay for a guy that’s only had a season-high 769 yards. Let’s not forget that he only gets $18 million guaranteed and Palmer can separate from defenders, which is something the Bills receivers struggled to do last season. Palmer joins an offense where everybody eats and this could easily be a very underrated signing for the Bills.
Grade: B
DL/LB Michael Hoecht
The acquisition of Michael Hoecht provides immediate versatility for Buffalo’s defense. The Bills signed Hoecht to a 3-year, $24 million deal. He can play in the trenches and outside linebacker. He’s never missed a game since entering the NFL and he can be a fantastic rotational player on the defensive line. In addition, Hoecht has been known to make some fantastic clutch special teams plays that has helped the Rams over the last couple of years.
Adding Hoecht to this defense gives Bobby Babich another piece to work with to try and rush the quarterback, as well as provide some run-stop support. However, Hoecht will miss the first six games of the season due to violating the league's PED policy.
Grade (pre-suspension news): B
Grade (post-suspension news): C+
RB Darrynton Evans
Darrynton Evans has never played a regular season down for the Bills, but was with Buffalo throughout two preseasons in 2023 and 2024. Evans signed a one-year, $1.21 million deal to rejoin the Bills. He has had a solid preseason outing before, but Evans just hasn’t been able to make it to the final 53-man roster. Now that Ty Johnson was signed back to the roster, and already having James Cook and Ray Davis, Evans more than likely will be out of the room again come Week 1. It feels like the Bills wasted a roster spot with this signing.
Grade: D
RB Ty Johnson
Fans outside of Buffalo don’t understand just how truly valuable Ty Johnson is to the Bills. He is a little bit of a fan favorite and he’s a solid third-down back. He can be bruiser and he can be shifty when needed. While the spotlight has belonged to James Cook, Johnson is always reliable to do his job and pick up the extra yards.
I would even make an argument that Johnson is the true RB2 and not Ray Davis. We’ll find out if he is. Either way, bringing back Johnson on a two-year, $5 million deal was a great move by Beane.
Grade: B+
DE Joey Bosa
Right now, this is hands down Brandon Beane’s best free agency move for the Bills. Out of nowhere, after speculation of the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers having interest in Joey Bosa, the Bills swooped in and signed Bosa to a one-year, $12.6 million deal to bring the ferocious pass rusher to Buffalo.
Having spent the last nine seasons with the Chargers, Bosa has established himself as one of the best pure edge rushers when he’s on the field. However, there is a fair concern for this signing as Bosa has had some trouble staying on the field due to injuries. The good news for Bosa is that the Bills are huge rotational team off the defensive line so Bosa won’t need to play every snap.
The five-time Pro Bowler will replace Von Miller’s veteran presence and guys like Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa will heavily benefit from having Bosa next to them. Again, as long as Bosa stays healthy, this will be Buffalo’s best offseason move and it’s not even close.
Grade: A-
DT Larry Ogunjobi
The morning after the Bills signed Joey Bosa, they turned around and attacked the defensive line again with the signing of Larry Ogunjobi to a one-year, $8.3 million deal. Ogunjobi has spent his entire career with the AFC North, having played for the Browns, Bengals, and Steelers.
Ogunjobi joins a defensive line room that had trouble stopping the run last season and he comes in to help support DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver, while also having the chance to do a little bit of mentoring to DeWayne Carter. It’s not the flashiest signing for the Bills, but it’s a neccesary one. Just like Michael Hoecht, Ogunjobi will miss the first six games of the season due to violating the league's PED policy.
Grade (pre-suspension news): B
Grade (post-suspension news): D
S Damar Hamlin
Surprisingly, Damar Hamlin opted to stay in Buffalo for atleast one more season despite having teams interested in him. Hamlin had a solid season last year and he truly was able to unleash his potential as a defender. The interesting part of Hamlin coming back is that it’s only a one-year deal for him and only worth $2 million.
The Bills will more than likely go with Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop (atleast for now), as their starting safety duo. I get the re-signing of Hamlin because of the history between him and the Bills, but this doesn’t feel like the most solid signing the Bills made.
Grade: C
S Darrick Forrest
Bills fans should become very familiar with Darrick Forrest. Even though the safety room as Rapp, Bishop, and Hamlin, don’t be surprised to hear Forrest’s name be mixed into the conversation as a potential starter. Coming from Washington, Forrest was once a potential franchise player for the Commanders, but then injuries kicked in and Washington’s new regime came and Forrest just didn’t get the chance to get back to who he once was.
Now he joins a Bills safety room and can provide physicality against the run. The Bills signed Forrest to a one-year deal so it’s a low-risk, high-reward deal for Buffalo.
Grade: B+
WR Laviska Shenault
Thursday night, the Bills got back into the frenzy by signing wide receiver/return specialist Laviska Shenault. It hasn’t been a stable career for Shenault, who was drafted to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round in 2020. He’s bounced around the league a little bit, having played for the Carolina Panthers, and then both the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks last season. Now he joins the Bills on a one-year deal.
Shenault might be potential depth at wide receiver for the Bills, but its’ more likely that he comes in to compete for a special teams role with Brandon Codrington. Competition is always good, so we’ll see how it goes.
Grade: C
CB Dane Jackson
News broke yesterday that the Bills made a cornerback signing, but it was a player that Bills fans could have easily guessed. Mike Garafolo from NFL Network reported that the Bills and cornerback Dane Jackson agreed to a one-year deal that reunites both sides. Jackson was drafted by the Bills in 2020 in the 7th round.
The signing of Jackson, who spent last season with the Carolina Panthers, should be nothing more than depth addition. Buffalo should not be hoping that he is the answer for the CB2 job opposite of Christian Benford. It’s not surprising to see Jackson back in Buffalo, but the Bills have more work to do in their secondary.
Grade: C-
OL Kendrick Green
In addition to Jackson being signed, the Buffalo Bills PR team announced that the Bills agreed to a one-year deal with offensive lineman, Kendrick Green. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, Green has only had one full year as a starter under his belt. He has spent the last two years with the Houston Texans.
Injuries have played a role in Green’s career, but bringing him in as depth on the offensive line is a good move for the Bills. He’ll more than likely be competing for a roster spot rather than a starting job.