A year ago, the Buffalo Bills rolled the dice by signing veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa to a relatively inexpensive one-year contract. He had struggled to stay healthy with the Los Angeles Chargers, allowing Brandon Beane to buy low.
The move worked out for Buffalo, as the defender provided starting-caliber play throughout the season. But instead of bringing Bosa back, the Bills chose to let him enter free agency once again. The veteran was expected to command a price that Buffalo wasn't willing to pay.
Over two weeks after the start of free agency, Bosa remains unsigned. Despite his impactful campaign in 2025, NFL teams don't seem to be lining up to give him a big contract. As the days go by, it's looking like the Bills made the right decision by letting the edge rusher leave.
Bills looking smarter by the day for letting Joey Bosa leave in free agency
The Bills needed a win this offseason. After the drama surrounding the firing of Sean McDermott, the franchise's reputation took a significant hit. It would be easy for Beane to overreact by bringing back a productive player, but he chose to wait it out.
While teams have been hesitant to sign Bosa, they've been more than willing to dish out cash to younger edge rushers. Players like Jaelan Phillips and Odafe Oweh have received massive contracts despite having concerns attached to them. Even former Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa already got scooped up by the Cleveland Browns.
Spotrac estimates that Bosa's market value is around $13.7 million this offseason. While he was effective in a specific role in Buffalo, he likely isn't worth paying that much at this point in his career. The 30-year-old had just five sacks in 2025 and struggled to defend the run consistently.
Especially considering his extensive injury history, Bosa may not be more than a rotational edge rusher in 2026. He is still a useful player, but he's not the superstar edge rusher that fans may expect.
Clearly, teams around the NFL aren't willing to gamble on Bosa. When he does get signed, expect the number to be significantly lower than Spotrac's projection.
The Bills could even look to bring him back if the price drops enough. They could still use depth on the defensive line. But Bosa's slow market makes it clear that Beane made the right choice by letting him hit free agency.