Free agency is approaching and the Buffalo Bills have a number of decisions in what unrestricted free agents they want to bring back. Some players are worth bringing back as they are at their very best playing for the Bills while others outplayed their contracts and need to cash in elsewhere. But there are others that simply did not work out.
Today’s article will look at the players that are up for new contracts in 2026 and how the Bills should move forward from an injury perspective. Factors such as money, scheme fit, and age will be considered, but the main focus will be injuries.
Already Signed
OL Alec Anderson
Anderson was brought back on a one-year deal as the Combine kicked off after seeing most of his work as a utility lineman, filling in when necessary.
He has the potential to step up into a starting role should the Bills not bring back David Edwards or Connor McGovern. Anderson has no concerns injury wise as he didn’t appear on the report this year other than missing several weeks in training camp due to a knee scope.
DT Phidarian Mathis
Mathis was brought in just after the season started initially on the practice squad before injuries on the defensive line forced him into service. As a former second round pick, he didn’t work out in Washington and was worth kicking the tires.
He was brought back on a one-year deal as the NFL Combine started. He continues to be a developmental project and is a low risk injury wise after only suffering a shoulder injury back in Week 10, forcing him to miss two games.
S Sam Franklin
Franklin signed a three-year extension towards the end of the NFL Combine. As an ace special teamer, Franklin carved a nice role out this past year after being brought in right before the start of the regular season.
He managed to avoid the injury report besides an illness in Week 10. Franklin will continue to contribute on special teams for the next several years.
Bring Back
CB Tre’Davious White
After an ACL tear in 2021 and Achilles tear in 2023, White battled through a subpar 2024 season with the Rams and Ravens before he came back to Buffalo this year. He was largely healthy all season, only suffering a groin strain prior to Week 1 that slowed him down briefly. He was a steady presence as Maxwell Hairston worked through his LCL sprain and rookie growing pains.
Health-wise, the Bills should bring back White on a year-by-year deal. He will likely never regain his All Pro status, but he could be a fine depth option as Hairston steps into a bigger role in year two. Money won’t be an issue as he would likely play on a cheap contract but if he’s not in Jim Leonhard’s plans, then that’s the only reason I could see him not returning.
CB Cam Lewis
Lewis has been a mainstay on the roster since 2020 after spending time on the practice squad prior to that. He has played in 76 games and started 14, including 10 over the last two seasons.
He battled through several smaller injuries this year including a shoulder in Week 2, calf in Week 10, left hamstring in Week 15, and left toe in Week 18. Despite all the injuries, Lewis still did not miss any time.
He has been a Swiss Army knife of sorts for the Bills and I would hope he could continue to do the same. He has been rather durable and I would expect that he comes cheap. Unless he thinks he can get considerably more elsewhere or the Bills don’t see him as a fit at all, I would expect that he looks to return.
Update: Lewis has signed with the Bears
FB Reggie Gilliam
What do the kids say? He has that dawg in him! That’s what Gilliam is. He does much of the dirty work on offense and special teams each and every week.
Going back to that dawg in him, he appeared in 17 games this past season. He did not appear on the injury report in 2024 season but it has been reported that he played through two groin tears last season and a herniated disc in 2023. The groin tears that required a core muscle repair isn’t a long term concern and is actually more common than I had previously thought. His herniated disc does give some minor cause for concern, but he did have it addressed with surgery and he’s shown he’s willing to play through various issues.
Give this man his money unless someone wants him that much more.
Update: Gilliam has signed with the Patriots
OL Ryan Van Demark
RVD has carved out a solid role as a backup lineman who has stepped up when called upon including six starts over the last two years. He has not appeared on the injury report and has been very durable otherwise.
The only way he doesn’t come back is if he gets better offers elsewhere or the chance to start. He is in an excellent position to make some real money this year.
Update: Van Demark has re-signed with the Bills
C Connor McGovern
McGovern is one of the top centers in free agency this cycle and will command a top salary. Since signing in 2023, McGovern has not missed a game and has only been on the injury report three times, 2024 Week 7 right shoulder, 2024 AFC Championship game, and 2025 Week 12 right ankle.
He has been one of the more durable players over the last three years and a constant on the offense line except when he occasionally comes out for an injury check. He proved this when in an article at The Athletic, he revealed to Tim Graham that he broke his middle knuckle and tore several ligaments in his snapping hand in Week 5. He also tore his left triceps in Week 13 which is impressive considering how much elbow extension strength is necessary to block defensive lineman.
The Bills need to bring him back, but it will come down to whether they can afford him.
Update: McGovern has re-signed with the Bills
WR Brandin Cooks
Cooks is an intriguing option because he still has something in the tank despite all his years in the league and injuries. He didn’t show up on the injury report at all during his brief time in Buffalo and his prior injury despite his concussion history wasn’t all that concerning. Keep in mind, he hasn’t had a concussion since 2019.
He’ll be entering his age-33 season which means a shorter contract is necessary, ideally a one-year deal would be best suited for him. I wouldn’t be opposed to a two-year deal but he could be a strong veteran presence as they turn over the wide receiver room.
WR Gabe Davis
Yes, I believe the Buffalo Bills should re-sign Gabe Davis. No, I’m not crazy. You have a player that is a favorite target of Josh Allen. His production was minimal while he was here, securing 14 receptions for 143 yards and 1 touchdown in eight games including playoffs. And he’s only entering his age-27 season.
The Bills can sign him and place him on PUP to begin the season. He can rehab with the team and be activated to the roster when he’s ready, which could be sometime in December or January. It would be otherwise hard to find a receiver who knows the offense and would be healthy for the final stretch going into the playoffs.
I don’t think you give up on him yet and considering his injury, it’s not as though other teams would be clamoring to sign him. The only negative is that he takes up a 90-man roster spot which is valuable during the preseason. If the Bills need the roster spot, I could see them having Davis rehab on his own until he’s ready. I don’t think they should give up on him just yet.
G David Edwards
Edwards is another player that will be entering free agency as a highly coveted player looking to cash in on steady play. Since he came to Buffalo, he has not appeared on the injury report and has appeared in every game except the season finale against New England Patriots when he was active but did not play. This is remarkable considering he had concussion issues his final season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Like McGovern, he is someone that Buffalo should bring back but it will come down to whether they can afford him.
Update: Edwards has signed with the Saints
LB Matt Milano
This one I thought long and hard about. Initially, I thought, he’s older and he has a long injury history. But he’s been a constant through and through since 2017. He’s worked hard to come back from each and every injury.
This year, he battled through an injury sustained in the Wild Card round, a right pectoral strain suffered in Week 2 that cost him a total of four games. He dealt with the left biceps tear in 2024 that cost him 11 games along with a groin that cost him 1 game. He also had the right tibial plateau fracture in 2023 that cost him 14 total games.
He’s worked hard to get back to this point and play effectively. There are many more injuries to list but I could see a scenario where Milano comes back on an incentive-loaded deal. He’s made his money, he’s settled down in the area, and he has a medical staff he trusts. He’s known for being reserved and minimalist, I could see where he decides to stay out of convenience rather than look elsewhere. The business side of football is tough but I think Milano could still contribute in 2026.
Possibly Return
DE AJ Epenesa
Epenesa is a toss up for me. He produces, but not as much as you’d like. He stays relatively healthy, but has still missed key moments. He overall has stayed fairly healthy, never missing more than two games in a season. This past season, he dealt with a concussion in Week 9 that cost him a game, a pectoralis minor strain in Week 3, and neck injury in the Wild Card round. He has also dealt with a rib cartilage injury in 2023 that cost him two games, but otherwise he doesn’t have much to be concerned about healing wise.
He has been a fine player, he may just get better offers elsewhere. The Bills have several young defensive ends that will be more cost controlled versus paying for market rate for Epenesa. There’s no injury risks bringing him back, but there’s always younger and cheaper talent.
QB Mitch Trubisky
Trubisky has been a steady backup for the last two seasons, appearing in 13 total games with no starts. He has played extensively in the season finales of each year due to the seeing having already been locked up by that point.
His only injury during his time in Buffalo the last two years has been a left MCL sprain from the 2024 preseason that lingered for the first half of the season. Trubisky’s future will come down to whether he wants to stay in Buffalo as a backup or look to compete elsewhere.
Update: Trubisky has signed with the Titans
S Jordan Poyer
Poyer is at his best when he is in Buffalo. That much is true. But how much football does he have left in him going into his age-35 season? He has battled so many different injuries throughout the years and a Week 16 left hamstring strain came at the worst possible time. He missed Week’s 17 and 18 before returning for the playoff game against Jacksonville where he re-injured the muscle again, forcing him out of the following game.
Looking back through the other injuries in his career including the punctured lung, the hyperextended elbow, rotator cuff tear, MCL sprains, and so many more, how much more does his body have left? He’s a great story and a valued member of the team. But what does he have left physically? If he wanted to do the practice squad route again, sure, but is that taking away from a developmental guy?
I like the nostalgia, I like his knowledge, it comes down to what does he have left in the tank?
LB Shaq Thompson
Thompson is a real curious case. He rebounded nicely for the Bills this year after missing most of 2023 with a broken fibula and 2024 due to an Achilles tear. He was able to appear in 12 games this year and two more in the playoffs. He battled through a neck injury in Week 16, a right hamstring strain and broken right hand in Week 1 along with another hamstring in Week 8.
He had stated that he would like to return but is looking to start. His health improved this year but as he goes into his age-32 season, it will depend on how he fits into the new defensive scheme. Do the Bills pay him to start or does he stick around at a lesser rate? He was a fine linebacker this year but his needs vs what the Bills want out of him will determine whether he returns in 2026.
S Darnell Savage
I originally thought no, he wasn’t here long enough and didn’t do much when he was on the field. Picking up an NFL defense can’t be easy and this may have reflected in the play we saw from Savage.
He hasn’t really been healthy the last two years, dealing with a variety of injuries that I highlighted in early December. He is entering his age-29 season as a former first round pick. I’m not sold on the idea of Savage being a big part of the Bills future, but it’s not unreasonable to think he could sign and fight for a roster spot. Especially with the change in defensive scheme, this could work to his benefit if the money is right too.
Update: Savage has signed with the Steelers
Move On
DE Joey Bosa
This one was almost in the possibly return, but how Bosa finished the season really sealed his fate. He was actually relatively healthy this year as compared to previous seasons, but a left wrist injury, suspected as a fracture in Week 8 followed by a left hamstring strain in Week 13. He simply became less effective once injuries began to happen. I don’t expect anyone to play at 100% of production in the presence of injury, but his prior injury history and what he did this season doesn’t justify this cost moving forward.
If he wanted to play on a cheap contract, sure, come back. But if he re-signed at a similar number or even less, I think you get more out of your younger players you’re trying to develop at a cheaper cost. I know Bosa said he had fun playing here which means he could take a reduced contract, but it’d have to be incredibly team friendly to make it worth it. Otherwise, it was an experiment that didn’t work out knowing the risks coming into the season.
S Darius Slay
He didn’t report. Nope.
DT Daquan Jones
Jones is entering his age-34 season and coming off progressively worse injuries over the last few years. He had a calf injury in 2022 that led to him missing the divisional round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He then suffered the right pectoral tear in 2023 that cost him most of the season before returning late for a playoff run that ended in the divisional round.
2024 saw him work through a foot injury for a portion of the season that slowed him but didn’t force him to miss time other than sitting out the season finale. 2025 had him dealing with the left calf strain suffered in pregame warmups prior to Atlanta in Week 6 that cost him initially three games before re-injuring it in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns.
He may still have some football left in him but I’m not certain it’s good business to bring him back. He provides an excellent veteran presence, but what could the Bills expect to get out of him at this point? I’d thank him for his contributions and move on.
DT Larry Ogunjobi
He missed six games due to a failed drug test, the Bills honored the contract despite that and he gave them 19 total tackles including 4 tackles for loss with no production in the playoffs. He was a healthy scratch at times too.
This was a signing that just didn’t work out. Healthwise, he didn’t appear on the injury report, but I don’t see a world where you entertain the thought of bringing him back.
S Damar Hamlin
This is a complex decision due to the history of Damar Hamlin. He comes in as a sixth-round pick in 2021 and then is thrust into the starting lineup due to Micah Hyde’s neck injury in early 2022. That night in Cincinnati leading to commotio cordis changed his career arc drastically.
Despite returning in 2023, it was quite uneven as he worked through the prior year’s event, a healthy scratch most weeks. 2024 saw him return to fairly consistent play but he was slowed by a rib injury in Week 14 that cost him three games. Heading into 2025, he was a free agent and tested the market, ultimately coming back on a minimal one-year deal.
Unfortunately, he suffered a left pectoral tear in practice ahead of Week 6 that required surgery and cost him the rest of the season despite returning to practice during the playoffs.
The market told him what he was worth last year. He’s coming off an injury this year that shouldn’t affect future performance but a lost year of football. He may find a home either in Buffalo as he fights for a roster spot but most likely elsewhere. His talent may be what ultimately holds him back.
He’s a great story in perseverance, but that doesn’t equate to earning a roster spot in the NFL.
K Matt Prater
I love what Prater did this season coming in at the last second to kick as well as he did after Tyler Bass went down with his core muscle injury. He did suffer his right calf injury in Week 8 followed by his right quad injury in Week 15 that cost him two games.
He can still play, but he’s 41 and the Bills have Tyler Bass expected to be healthy along with Maddux Trujillo on a futures deal, I just don’t see why Prater would want to come back.
P Mitch Wishnowsky
Another situation like Prater, Wishnowsky came in after ineffective play from Brad Robbins and an injury to Cam Johnston. Other than a right knee injury in Week 15, Wishnowsky was healthy during his time here. He stepped up for kickoffs when Prater couldn’t during games as well.
I’m not opposed to him being here, but this is a position the Bills could get cheaper at and draft someone or sign a UDFA.
Update: Wishnowsky has re-signed with the Bills
DT Jordan Phillips
Another fan favorite that has played his best ball in Buffalo. But he’s entering his age-34 season and he has had a variety of health issues over the last several years. He was pretty healthy until he signed his free agency deal with the Arizona Cardinals in 2020. Since then, he dealt with ankle, foot, and hamstring injuries that cost him seven games that year. 2021 saw him deal with COVID, back, groin, and knee injuries costing him nine games. 2023 saw him injure his hamstring early in the season costing him two games and later shredding his right shoulder rotator cuff and labrum late in the season, costing him another two games.
In 2023, he suffered a dislocated right wrist late in the season that cost him a total of five games. It then lingered into the next season when he bounced around to the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, missing another five games. Those issues continued to follow him into 2025 landing him on the injury report for several weeks before a right ankle injury in Week 15 ended his season missing five games.
He plays an incredibly challenging position and injuries do happen. But at what point is it not worth it for the player anymore? I think the availability and production tell you all you need to know. Could Phillips play in 2026? Possibly, but I don’t see how it should be with the Bills.
LB Baylon Spector
Spector has been in the league since 2022 with injuries following him around constantly. His rookie year, he didn’t play much except on special teams. 2023 he dealt with multiple hamstring strains along with a back fracture that limited him to nine games. 2024 saw him deal with calf strains that had him placed on injured reserve twice even though he started four games. 2025 was more of the same with a preseason calf injury that led to an injury settlement before he later returned to sign on the practice squad.
As a former seventh-round pick, Spector has been asked to step up more on defense when other injuries occur. He may also be getting the absolute most out of his body which means he is more likely to suffer injury. Whether he re-signs or not may be telling if he was a McDermott favorite or if Beane still sees value in him. There are younger and healthier guys that can take the role that Spector does such as Keonta Jenkins and other young UDFA’s.
Final Thoughts
Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills have a lot of tough decisions to make but focusing on cost, culture, and future projections will help mold this roster into hopefully a championship roster.
Some of the decisions will be rather straight forward while others have more nuanced discussions and are tied directly to costs. Roster churn is needed every year but with the money already allocated in key areas, finding value in developing players or cheap free agents is crucial to keep as much talent as possible.
Top Photo Credit: Bryan Bennett/Getty Images
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