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Bills Roster: Buffalo’s Projected Lineup After Joey Bosa, Josh Palmer Signings

The Bills' roster received a boost with high-profile signings in free agency. How does Buffalo's starting lineup look ahead of the draft?
Bills Roster

The Buffalo Bills have been one of the NFL’s most active teams early in free agency. Most notably, the Bills filled their most pressing roster need (edge rusher) with the blockbuster signing of longtime Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa.

Bosa replaces Von Miller, who was released Sunday, as the Bills’ veteran pass-rushing specialist. He’ll see a familiar face in the locker room as wide receiver Josh Palmer, a fellow former Charger, is also making the move from the Pacific Coast to Western New York.

Here’s a look at Buffalo’s notable free-agent additions through early Wednesday:

  • DE Joey Bosa: 1 year, $12.6 million (ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
  • WR Josh Palmer: 3 years, $36 million (ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
  • DT Larry Ogunjobi: 1 year, $8.3 million (NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport)
  • DE Michael Hoecht: 3 years, $24 million (NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport)
  • S Darrick Forrest: 1 year (NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe)
  • RB Darrynton Evans: Details not announced (Priority Sports agency)

Buffalo also re-signed several players: running back Ty Johnson, fullback Reggie Gilliam, safety Damar Hamlin and long snapper Reid Ferguson.

The Bills could still make a few more signings from the open market. None of them will likely be marquee arrivals, though. General manager Brandon Beane will probably fill most of the remaining holes on the roster through the draft.

Bills Roster: Starting Lineup Projections Before Draft

Bills Offense

Quarterback: Josh Allen

The NFL’s reigning Most Valuable Player inked a six-year, $330 million contract extension Sunday that keeps him in Buffalo through 2030. He’s in the conversation as the league’s best player and his presence ensures the organization’s championship window is wide open.

Running Back: James Cook

Cook is entering the final season of his rookie contract, but he’s already laying the groundwork to seek a lucrative extension. Whether the Bills are willing to pay him his desired $15 million annually is unclear. For now, he’s given no indication a holdout is on the table for 2025.

Wide Receiver (X): Josh Palmer

Palmer didn’t post monster numbers in L.A., but his ability to create separation against man coverage caught Buffalo’s attention. It’s an area Buffalo struggled last season. He’s a clear upgrade over Mack Hollins, who left to sign with the New England Patriots, in terms of pass-catching ability.

Wide Receiver (Z): Keon Coleman

Coleman spent a lot more time in the Z alignment than the X in college. It was reversed during his rookie season, however, and that may have contributed to his lackluster performance. Moving into a more familiar role could help aid a breakout season.

Wide Receiver (Slot): Khalil Shakir

Buffalo doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver, but Shakir will likely remain Allen’s go-to target in key situations. His ability to bounce off contact to create extra yards is extraordinary. The arrival of Palmer and potential improvement from Coleman could open up more space for him in the middle of the field.

Tight End: Dalton Kincaid

Simply put, Kincaid has been a disappointment. The Las Vegas native was expected to have a Travis Kelce or George Kittle type impact. Instead, he’s recorded just 1,121 yards and four touchdowns since the Bills selected him in the first round of the 2023 draft. He must be better in 2025.

Left Tackle: Dion Dawkins

Dawkins is one of the most reliable blindside blockers in the NFL. He’s also a key glue guy in the Bills’ locker room. It makes him one of the team’s most irreplaceable players.

Left Guard: David Edwards

Edwards endured an open-and-down 2024 season. He doesn’t have any immediate competition for his starting spot, but that may change in the middle rounds of the 2025 draft.

Center: Connor McGovern

While McGovern handed his transition to center well, it’s possible a return to guard could be in the cards if Edwards struggles. Former Georgia standout Sedrick Van Pran-Granger is a candidate to take over at center in the coming years.

Right Guard: O’Cyrus Torrence

The view of Torrence depends on perspective. Has he lived up to the expectations of a second-round pick? No. That said, he hasn’t been a major weakness, either. The Bills will likely give him another full season as a starter with hope of seeing improvement.

Right Tackle: Spencer Brown

Buffalo took a risk when it signed Brown to a four-year, $72 million extension before last season. He’d endured some frustrating inconsistency throughout his first couple NFL campaigns. He took a major step forward in 2024, however, and is now locked in as a starter.

Bills Defense

Defensive End: Joey Bosa

A one-year contract is perfect for both Bosa and the Bills. The five-time Pro Bowl selection can attempt to prove he’s worth one more long-term contract at age 30. The team can benefit from a motivated star as it tries to upgrade a pass rush that’s went quiet far too often in recent years.

Defensive Tackle: Ed Oliver

Oliver is one of the NFL’s most streaky players. He’ll look like an All-Pro force for a couple games and then go invisible for the next few. That’s unlikely to change, but getting him an interior partner who can soak up the double teams would help immensely.

Defensive Tackle: DaQuan Jones

Although Jones holds down this spot for now, that could certainly change. Ogunjobi and 2024 third-round pick DeWayne Carter are among the internal options. The Bills could also target a defensive tackle early in this year’s draft.

Defensive End: Greg Rousseau

Rousseau looked ready for a breakthrough season after tallying three sacks in a Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He recorded just five sacks over his last 15 regular-season appearances, though. Having Bosa on the opposite side should help.

Linebacker: Matt Milano

Milano wasn’t his usual sideline-to-sideline force after returning from a fractured leg and torn bicep. On the bright side, he finished the season healthy and should benefit from a normal offseason. A bounce-back year is definitely possible, which would be a huge boost to Buffalo’s defense.

Linebacker: Terrel Bernard

The combination of Bernard and Milano should be one of the NFL’s best linebacker duos if they can both stay on the field. Alas, Milano’s injuries and Bernard being frequently banged up has limited their effectiveness. Dorian Williams doesn’t have the same game-changing ability when one of them is sidelined.

Cornerback: Christian Benford

Benford has quietly emerged as a top-tier corner. His 82.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season ranked fifth at the position. His ability to lock down an opponent’s top target helped take pressure off a secondary that otherwise struggled in 2024.

Cornerback: Ja’Marcus Ingram

This is the Bills’ most glaring need at the moment. Ingram played well in limited opportunities last year, but the coaching staff’s decision to instead call on Kaiir Elam, who’s now a trade candidate, after Benford got hurt in the playoffs obviously wasn’t a glowing endorsement. Buffalo may try to fill this void in the first round of the draft.

Slot Corner: Taron Johnson

Johnson has established himself as a premier slot corner. He didn’t quite play up to that high standard in 2024 because of arm, shoulder and neck injuries. The Bills will hope for a healthier 2025 for the Weber State product.

Safety: Cole Bishop

Bishop, a 2024 second-round selection, should enter the starting lineup after spending most of his rookie season as a reserve. He’s a far better option than Hamlin, who re-signed but should slide into a reserve role due to his extremely limited athleticism.

Safety: Taylor Rapp

Having a boom-or-bust safety like Rapp opposite a first-time starter in Bishop would come with some obvious risk. Nevertheless, it’s a duo that would give the secondary a lot more playmaking upside. Forrest has an outside chance to earn this spot.

Bills Special Teams

Kicker: Tyler Bass

Bass was on the verge of potentially getting released early last season. The powerful-legged kicker found his form just in time, though. His return to reliability was highlighted by a game-winning 61-yard field goal against the Miami Dolphins.

Punter: Jake Camarda

The Bills signed Camarda to a reserve/future contract in January. They proceeded to release Sam Martin, their punter since 2022. He signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Buffalo may draft a punter in the late rounds to compete with Camarda.

Return Specialist: Brandon Codrington

Codrington handled this role well in 2024 and should retain it next season. The Bills would benefit if he could start showing progress as a corner at the same time.

Long Snapper: Reid Ferguson

Ferguson has provided Buffalo with stability at the niche position since 2016. His recent contract extension puts him on track to hold the spot through at least 2029.

Main Image: Thomas Shea – USA Today Sports

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Tim Daniels

Tim Daniels is a lifelong sports fan who spent much of his youth playing soccer. He transitioned to writing in college and hasn't looked back. He spent 11 years on Bleacher Report's Breaking News Team and helped Topps launch its Ripped collecting website.

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