Bills suggested to attack 2025 free agency with acquiring former first round pick

Every team in the NFL goes into each season with some sort of weakness. No matter how great a roster is, there is always room for improvement. The Buffalo Bills are no exception to this setup, as they always seem to have some sort of weakness on the roster. Despite Brandon Beane putting together a solid roster each year, he still has challenges to put together the “perfect” roster.

When you factor in contracts, injuries, and even fits, Beane can’t make every single position perfect from top to bottom. Heading into the 2024 season, the Bills have a great amount of question marks at various positions. Whether you want to say it is on the roster overhaul from free agency or the injuries that have come up in training camp/preseason, the Bills are not looked at as a powerhouse team as they once were.

With the preseason concluded, the Bills will now focus on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. Fans and coaches will be focused on the moment as the season approaches, but the front office will start to look ahead of schedule into next season. While Beane and his staff will still be living in the moment with the current roster, they need to be scouting college prospects and even monitoring other situations with teams that have players that could hit free agency next offseason.

The Bleacher Report (BR) NFL Scouting Department from Bleacher Report created a list of team needs for each NFL team going into this season, but then even added on how each team could address atleast one position next offseason in free agency, as well as the draft. 

For the Bills, their number one ranked weakest position was edge rusher. This is a bit surprising, considering the fact that Buffalo has Greg Rousseau who has improved each season since his rookie year and A.J. Epenesa has been dominant the last two seasons which earned him an extension with the Bills. However, Bleacher Report took it one step further on how the Bills can address this position next offseason.

The Buffalo Bills are suggested to sign defensive end Chase Young

"They need to get younger at the position and the draft should be a consideration. However, there could be room for a free-agent signing and Chase Young would be an optimal candidate. The 25-year-old still has a high ceiling."

- BR NFL Scouting Department, B/R

We still haven’t had a single snap of the 2024 season and yet there are people out there already thinking about next offseason. Maybe it is a bit premature, but it will be here before we know it. Buffalo’s pass-rush group isn’t the weakest on the roster, but maybe it could use more depth.

Young was the number two overall pick in 2020 to Washington and he had a phenomenal rookie season (44 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries), which helped him win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Despite a strong start to his career, Young has gone downhill in production due to injury. He has not been the same force he once was.

In the middle of last season, Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in hopes of getting into a new situation to flourish. However, he did not re-sign with the 49ers and instead went to the New Orleans Saints on a one-year deal.

Depending on how Young performs this year with the Saints, he could be back on the free agent market and if Buffalo is in the market for another edge rusher, he could be a viable option because he is entering the prime of his career.

At the same time, the main focus should be on the 2024 roster and see what improvements need to happen from now until the end of the regular season.