Another playoff appearance, another heartbreaking loss for the Buffalo Bills and their fans. There was no Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow this time, but it didn't change the ending: This time it was Bo Nix delivering daggers in the fourth quarter and overtime, as Buffalo's defense couldn't hold on late in an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round.
This felt like the last gasp for this iteration of the team. Time will tell whether Sean McDermott is around to coach this team moving forward, but no matter what decision gets made at head coach, Allen needs better talent around him to finally get over the hump while he's still in his prime. And that means some tough decisions regarding some long-time Bills.
EDGE Joey Bosa
Bosa was a pleasant surprise on the whole this season, staying largely healthy and contributing some much-needed juice to Buffalo's pass rush. But as the Bills look to get younger and more athletic, he doesn't seem to really fit into the team's future, especially not on a one-year contract that could climb north of $15 million or so based on the year he just put on tape. The value and fit just don't align given the cap realities Buffalo will be facing.
Predicting where Joey Bosa signs: New England Patriots
Bosa is going to want to go somewhere he can contend in the twilight years of his career, and New England can use as much talent on the edge as it can get as it looks to continue improving this defense moving forward. The Patriots have the depth to take some of the burden off of his body and keep him healthy in a rotational role, and he'll come in handy come playoff time.
LB Matt Milano
Milano played in more games this season than in 2023 and 2024 combined, but at 30 years old and with a lengthy injury history, he's just not the same sideline-to-sideline player he was for Buffalo in his prime. The Bills need to find an upgrade in the middle of their defense, and a reunion with Milano just wouldn't make a ton of sense.
I guess it's possible that Milano's market is low enough for Buffalo to bring him back on a low-risk deal, but what would really be the point? This is a position the Bills need to attack aggressively, either in the draft or free agency, and Milano will likely be looking for more playing time than Buffalo can offer.
Predicting where Matt Milano signs: Carolina Panthers
Christian Rozeboom is off to free agency, and Trevin Wallace has alternated between injured and inconsistent during his time in Carolina. If the Panthers don't want to spend a ton of money here and are looking more for an insurance policy than a replacement for Wallace, Milano could make some sense as a buy-low option compared to the bigger names on the market at the position (Alex Singleton, Devin Lloyd, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker).
TE Dawson Knox
Knox has done yeoman's work as an all-around tight end during his time in Buffalo, but he's on the wrong side of 30 now, and the Bills can save some $11 million in cap space by cutting him this offseason. That feels like a necessary if difficult choice, given the emergence of Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo's needs elsewhere and the ability to find a blocking TE2 for relatively cheap.
Predicting where Dawson Knox signs: Denver Broncos
Denver needs a steady option on the cheap to both provide a safety blanket for Bo Nix and help blocking in the run game. Dawson isn't a primary option at this point in his career, but he's a helpful and versatile piece, one that Sean Payton should know what to do with.
C Connor McGovern
The problem with assembling arguably the best homegrown line in the league is that eventually it becomes awfully expensive to keep together. McGovern has been a stalwart at the pivot in Buffalo for the last couple of years, but he's not even the best Bills lineman set to hit the market in free agency, as guard David Edwards will also need a new contract. It feels like it'll be hard for Brandon Beane to keep both, and of the two, I think McGovern is the one who will be allowed to leave for a payday elsewhere.
Predicting where Connor McGovern signs: Cincinnati Bengals
Ted Karras is not the long-term answer at center for Joe Burrow, and Cincy needs to invest in keeping its quarterback healthy and upright. Alongside Dylanl Fairchild and Amarius Mims, this would give the Bengals a solid core around which to build moving forward, and they should have enough cap space to get it done with Trey Hendrickson almost certainly moving on.
EDGE AJ Epenesa
It's been a frustrating tenure for Epenesa in Buffalo. He flashed as a rotational player in 2022 and 2023, but since making a transition to the starting lineup he just hasn't made the sort of impact the team expected when it spent a second-round pick on him back in 2020.
He came on strong down the stretch of the regular season only to disappear in the Divisional Round loss to Denver, and at this point, with Greg Rousseau locked up and Landon Jackson and Javon Solomon both emerging as younger and cheaper options, another extension doesn't seem like it'll be in the cards. It's time for an upgrade, and to let some other team bet on his potential.
Predicting where AJ Epenesa signs: Dallas Cowboys
This just feels like a Jerry Jones move, doesn't it? Epenesa still has plenty of tools, and on the right day he'll look like a complete player. Dallas is desperate to find something on the edge, and they could take the bet given how relatively little it should cost to sign the Iowa product compared to some other options in free agency.