While the NFL Combine dominates the headlines with its dazzling displays of speed and athleticism, teams are simultaneously juggling the crucial task of preparing for free agency, which looms just under two weeks away. The buzz around Relative Athletic Scores (RAS) and player comparisons is undeniable, but the business of building a roster doesn’t pause.
Buffalo Bills‘ GM Brandon Beane, is hard at work scouting prospects, but make no mistake, he’s still working behind the scenes regarding the Bills’ pending free agents. He must determine who to re-sign and who to let walk. The players themselves have similar question to answer as they weigh testing the market.
Fox Sports has compiled a list of the Top 100 free agents that are due to hit the market this month, and the Bills have two players oof interest.
Coming in at No. 30 is wide receiver Amari Cooper.
“After a midseason trade, Cooper didn’t find his way in Buffalo’s offense. In his absence in Cleveland, Jerry Jeudy emerged in a way that we really hadn’t seen in his career. All that reflected poorly on Cooper. Given what we’ve seen of the receiver market, however, Cooper will find an optimistic team that thinks the 30-year-old still has juice. He’s just one year removed from a 1,000-yard season and, in 2024, he had to contend with bad Browns QBs — and then midseason acclimation to a new playbook. If you squint, you can still see a high-end WR2 and maybe even a low-end WR1,” said Fox Sports.
The decision to retain Cooper is a tough one. He had moments in the Bills offense, scoring a couple of touchdowns while hauling in 20 receptions and 297 yards, but an injury slowed things down. Does he still have enough left in the tank to be a top receiver and what would a full offseason with Allen and the Bills offense do for his production? If the price is right, he could return in a Bills uniform in 2025.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas came in at No. 57 overall. Fox Sports had this to say, “After playing lights-out in 2023 for both Green Bay and Buffalo, Douglas gave up too many big plays in 2024. You could say that he got a few unlucky breaks here and there, but that’s not really how cornerback life works. You’re either a lockdown No. 1 or you’re the leaky pipe. Douglas might be best served moving into a No. 2 role as the 30-year-old faces the early signs of age.”
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Christian Benford is the Bills’ No. 1 corner, and it hasn’t been determined yet if Douglas will re-sign with the Bills. Given the drop-off in his play last season and the lack of depth, don’t be surprised if the Bills’ cornerback room looks significantly different in 2025.
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