The NFL made it clear this offseason that the Baltimore Ravens were one of the league's most talented teams; Top-level contracts were handed out to the bulk of their players in free agency, with elite players like Tyler Linderbaum departing. A majority of their free agents are already on lucrative new deals. On the other end,, the Buffalo Bills aren't experiencing this open season.
Despite their 8-9 record, the Baltimore Ravens roster has been taken apart via free agency. The Buffalo Bills went 12-5, beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, and went blow-for-blow with the Denver Broncos. Surely, following the departure of a long-time coach, you would think that the Bills free agents would be picked up immediately. Instead, that has not been the case whatsoever.
Buffalo Bills departed free agents
The Bills were not a bad team in 2025, not by any stretch. They were effective on offense, showcasing a premium run game, and often won games in a compete fashion. They weren't perfect, with flaws like a lack of WR depth or struggles stopping the run. Still, with a new head coach and coordinators, there's expected to be roster turnover. So, why are these Buffalo Bills so undesirable? There is only one outgoing free agent from the Bills to be signed to a major deal this offseason; offensive guard David Edwards.
Those few other players who have been able to secure contracts don't make headlines. The Bills 2nd-highest paid free agency departure was FB Reggie Gilliam for a 3-year, $10.8m deal with the Patriots. The highlight of Buffalo's talent drought is a fullback who had 4 touches in 2025.
The rest of the group is comprised of four backups and a punter the Bills kept. World class, that.
The unsigned players
There are some common denominators, of course. What do Joey Bosa, Matt Milano, Curtis Samuel, Tre'Davious White, DaQuan Jones, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Poyer, Larry Ogunjobi, Shaq Thompson, Taylor Rapp, and Jordan Phillips have in common? Their best football is most likely behind them. All of them contributors to the Bills season, but none of them are still at the top of their game.
Of the 15 players on the market who were Bills last season, 13 of them started. Of those 13 players, 9 are aged 30 or older. Of the remaining Buffalo Bills free agents, the average age is 31.7 years old. It's a problem rooted in player availability, and the willingness of a front office to swing for younger talent.
Even the youngest of the class, Gabriel Davis, isn't a desirable player on the market. Even before his torn ACL in the Wild Card round, Davis was playing on a league-minimum contract as a practice squad callup. Players don't get in that position with rosterable prospects.
The Buffalo Bills of 2025 were often injured, and never in their prime, but it's clear that the team got the best out of them. If every single franchise out there agrees they can't do more, that says a great deal.
Success without talent
Bills owner Terry Pegula commented, after firing Sean McDermott, that he hadn't done enough with the talent at his disposal. The NFL as a whole seems to disagree.
The mass of Buffalo starters from last season still on the market after nearly two weeks of free agency is baffling. Rather it would be, if we didn't already know why. The Bills' talent level simply wasn't half as high as it's age. Both of those were problems.
It perhaps lends credit, even now, to former Bills head coach Sean McDermott. The league was stunned by his firing. Following his departure, neither the Bills themselves nor the rest of the NFL seem to want the talent Sean McDermott was stuck with.