The Buffalo Bills lost yet another heartbreaker in the playoffs to the Kansas City Chiefs, and now face an offseason where changes must be made. While the powers that be in Western New York should focus on finding a new head coach, that’s unlikely to happen. So, with the roster guaranteed to change at least a bit, let’s look at the best players the Bills must re-sign in 2025 NFL free agency.
The Bills head into the 2025 offseason with -$2 million in cap space. However, by restructuring a few key players, possibly cutting high-priced veterans like Von Miller, and giving Josh Allen the biggest extension in NFL history (at least until the next star QB gets re-upped), Buffalo can create plenty of cap space to sign and re-sign players in NFL free agency.
While the Bills will have some money to play with, they are a contending team without a ton of money to spend. That’s why general manager Brandon Beane needs to be smart about how he spends money, focusing on proven veterans who play defined roles on the team.
With that in mind, here are the best X players the Bills must re-sign in 2025 NFL free agency.
CB Rasul Douglas
The Bills’ cornerback situation was one of the biggest reasons the team lost in the AFC Championship Game. Once Christian Benford went out with his second concussion in two weeks, the defense fell apart as Patrick Mahomes and company continually targeted his replacement, first-round bust Kaiir Elam.
Buffalo should cut Elam at this point, even though it won’t save them any money, and they have to be worried about Benford’s future after the back-to-back brain injuries. That makes CB Rasul Douglas the Bills’ top priority in NFL free agency.
Douglas is 30, but he still has a few good years left in him, and as long as the team doesn’t have to pay top CB money for him, he is worth re-signing. This past season, he played 15 games with five passes defended and a forced fumble but failed to record an interception. PFF graded him as the 101st-ranked corner in the league last year.
The Bills need to address the position in the draft, too, but keeping Douglas on a reasonable deal should happen.
WR Mack Hollins
Mack Hollins had an incredible year for a player making just $2.6 million. He was the team’s fourth-leading receiver and was huge in the AFC Championship, catching a key touchdown pass.
The other Bills WR free agent this offseason is Amari Cooper, and if the choice is paying Hollins 1/10 of what Cooper would make, keeping the latter is a no-brainer.
The Bills have a nice, young WR corps base with Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir. Curtis Samuel will likely be back as well, and if you keep Hollins and add one more wideout in the draft, Allen should be good with his pass-catchers for another season.
There is an option for the team to go after a proven, explosive playmaker (ala DK Metcalf) via trade, but Cooper is not that guy, so the Bills should prioritize bringing back Hollins over the five-time Pro Bowler.
RB Ty Johnson
This is a deep running back draft class, but the Bills already have two young ball-carriers in James Cook and Ray Davis. Sure, they could add another cheap option at tailback, but Ty Johnson was great at his third-down back role this season, and if he’ll come back on another million-dollar-or-so deal, he’s a steal.
Johnson ended the season with 41 carries, 213 rushing yards, 18 receptions, 284 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. He is a true jack-of-all-trades and a perfect veteran to support the Bills’ two young RBs.
DT Jordan Phillips
This is the easiest one of all because veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips already said that he wants to come back. In fact, he said that while he is not retiring, he will not play for another franchise for the rest of his career, but if the Bills want to bring the 10-year veteran back, he would happily come back.
Phillips has rubbed some of his teammates and his organizations wrong over the years, but for whatever reason, Buffalo loves him and he loves Buffalo. And despite being 32, the 330-pound monster can still make plays when it counts. The Bills will address DT in the draft, as they do in the first round of our latest mock draft, but having a proven vet like Phillips on the roster always helps.
Beane actually doesn’t have to bring Phillips back during the NFL offseason free-agency period, but around Week 9 or 10 next season the DT’s phone should ring and the GM should tell him to break out his warmup parka and head back to Orchard Park.
