The Buffalo Bills' offseason focus was on adding speed and getting younger on defense to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs, and they accomplished just that.
They spent six of their nine selections in the NFL Draft on defense and used free agency to build the defensive line. Buffalo added key players, including Larry Ogunjobi, Michael Hoecht, and Joey Bosa.
Bosa's signing caught the most attention because of his success with the Los Angeles Chargers, but the struggles he has gone through over the last few years with staying healthy. That's while he's got a lot riding making a good first impression and performing well in 2025.
Bleacher Report writer Gary Davenport shared his list of the eight veteran NFL players with the most on the line this season entering minicamp. As he hits the most critical year of his NFL career, Bosa made the list with plenty to prove.
"The third overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Bosa topped 10 sacks in three of his first four seasons, making the Pro Bowl three times. But in the five seasons since, Bosa has hit the 10-sack mark just once, and that was back in 2021. Since then, Bosa has missed 23 games and amassed just 14.5 sacks."
"Bosa’s 10th season may be the most important of his career. It’s not so much a matter of money—Bosa has plenty of that. It’s a matter of his legacy as a player—whether he goes down as a borderline Hall of Famer or a 'What If?' player."
"Never mind that helping the Bills win a Super Bowl would immortalize him in Western New York."
Last season, Bosa played in 14 games, the most he has played since 2021. However, it was also one of his least productive seasons, as he only made five sacks.
Durability will be his No. 1 question entering the season, and whether, or not, he can stay available for the Bills. Bosa's skill set is not a problem, as he has been among the best in the NFL in the past decade.
One-year contracts are usually an indicator that a player has to go all out and prove themselves before earning a big contract again. Bosa has some work to do in Buffalo, but the upside potential of how dangerous he can be outweighs the risk of injury.
