Detroit Lions edge rusher Za'Darius Smith.
When your injury-prone top signing in free agency picks up an injury in the month of May… A Super Bowl contender like the Buffalo Bills may seriously consider double-dipping in free agency for another edge rusher.
Well, one recent NFL analyst could think Buffalo is looking for some Joey Bosa insurance by naming the Bills the ‘best fit’ for a veteran sack artist who is still a free agent ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Bills Named Best Fit for Edge Za’Darius Smith
The Buffalo Bills prioritized finding an upgrade at EDGE after releasing Von Miller by signing former Los Angeles Chargers pass-rushing specialist Joey Bosa in free agency this offseason. Unfortunately, the Ohio State product has already picked up a calf injury — which is concerning given his propensity for missing games due to injuries over the last few years.
This factored into why Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated named the Buffalo Bills the best fit for free agent EDGE Za’Darius Smith.
Manzano wrote, “Smith’s best days are behind him, but he proved last season with the Detroit Lions that he’s still capable of being a reliable rotational player for a Super Bowl contender. The Bills have already added Joey Bosa, but he has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons and recently injured his calf. Even if Bosa stays healthy when the season arrives, Buffalo still needs depth behind No. 1 edge rusher Gregory Rousseau. Smith, who’s entering his age-33 season, has 69 career sacks in 10 NFL seasons.”
Smith may be 32 years old, but he still proved last year he is fully capable of getting after the quarterback with nine sacks as a member of the Detroit Lions.
Sure, he may have lost a step in direct comparison to his early days with the Green Bay Packers — where he produced 26 sacks over a two-year stretch from 2019-2020 — but one could certainly make an argument he would be an improvement over what the team got from Von Miller last season.
One factor that will certainly be in consideration is what Smith is aiming to sign for on the open market, which could be tricky for a Buffalo organization that just signed Bosa and is currently stuck in a contract stalemate with star RB James Cook — who is aiming to sign an extension before the start of the 2025 NFL season.
How Would Za’Darius Smith Fit in Buffalo for the 2025 NFL Season?
The Bills have Super Bowl or bust written all over them entering this season, which makes adding veterans who fill a very specific role at a discounted price worth considering on a one-year deal.
If Buffalo does add Za’Darius Smith to the roster, he will likely rotate in alongside Joey Bosa opposite of star edge rusher Gregory Rousseau in 2025.
This would be the situation if the team doesn’t get much from Arkansas EDGE Landon Jackson, who the team selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, his rookie year.
Ultimately, the inability to get pressure on Patrick Mahomes consistently contributed to the Bills loss at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
If Buffalo aims to avoid history repeating itself, then adding a proven veteran like Smith may be worth serious consideration.
Derek Tate covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Heavy.com from 2022 to 2023. His bylines include Pro Football Network, The Athletic, Dr. Roto, Fantasy Focused and NewsNet. More about Derek Tate
