Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane may not have spent the most money during NFL free agency in the 2025 offseason, but he spent it the best, according to the ESPN power rankings. NFL analyst Ben Solak praised Buffalo for its moves thus far, ranking the team No. 1 for its offseason retentions and acquisitions.
This offseason, the Bills re-signed key free agents such as wide receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard, and defensive end Greg Rousseau. They also brought in pass rushers Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht along with WR Joshua Palmer.
“I loved: How the Bills retained their own talent before markets got set,” Solak writes. “The Shakir extension is only $15 million per year. Rousseau got $20 million per year. Bernard is at $12.5 million per year. Those are three young cornerstones of a perennial contender, and they’re staying in Buffalo for remarkably less than their open market number. The Bills were right to retain the players who helped get them to the AFC Championship Game, even if they haven’t yet slayed the dragon that is the Chiefs.”
Everything wasn’t perfect for Brandon Beane and the Bills in free agency, though.
“I didn’t love: How expensive Palmer was,” Solak continues. “Palmer is going to fill the Mack Hollins role, but I’m not sure he’s going to elevate it much — certainly not for double the price tag. He is a good dirty work receiver and should be considered a glue guy on a healthy offense, but if he was a truly dangerous pass catcher, he would have already broken out in Los Angeles. Still, this is a small complaint in an otherwise great class.”
Ultimately, overpaying for Palmer is a small complaint amidst all the excellent things Beane did this offseason. And because he wasn’t a free agent, this doesn’t even take into account extending MVP quarterback Josh Allen with a cap-friendly deal, which may be the most important move in franchise history.
Bean takes heat—and deservedly so sometimes—from Bills Mafia for things like his penchant for trading up in the draft, singing Von Miller to a six-year deal at 33 years old, and for having drafted precious few Pro Bowlers in the last half-decade.
But for Bills fans who are down on the GM, Beane’s free agency moves in 2025 may restore a little faith.
