5 upcoming free agents for the Bills that should return to Western New York for at least one more season
The Buffalo Bills have a host of pending free agents once the period officially begins — 21 in total, with more than a handful of the players playing their last game as members of the Buffalo Bills. It’s a bittersweet time of year, but it doesn’t mean that every player won’t return. With plenty of […]
The Buffalo Bills have a host of pending free agents once the period officially begins — 21 in total, with more than a handful of the players playing their last game as members of the Buffalo Bills. It’s a bittersweet time of year, but it doesn’t mean that every player won’t return.
With plenty of team needs heading into a pivotal offseason, let’s take a look at 5 players that the Bills should bring back to Western New York, despite the difficult cap situation. Buffalo is currently near the bottom of the barrel in terms of available cap space, according to Over The Cap. That’s not to say that some moves can’t be made to try and shore up some of that sweet, sweet cash.
Without further ado, let’s talk about a few of the guys who should return to One Bills Drive.
Reggie Gilliam
Buffalo had the league-leading rushing attack led by running back James Cook, but fullback Reggie Gilliam shouldn’t be overlooked for his efforts either. He’s been a staple to Buffalo’s rushing attack since joining the organization, and should absolutely be one of the players returning on a team-friendly contract. It won’t take much to bring him back, as his market evaluation is sitting right around $1 million per season. This is a no-brainer move from general manager Brandon Beane.
Shaq Thompson
Oh, Shaq Thompson. He was brought to Buffalo on a one-year deal, and the veteran played exceptionally well during his lone season in Buffalo. In fact, Thompson played so well that Bills captain and linebacker Terrel Bernard was sat out in a few games in favor of Thompson and his abilities as a linebacker.
While the team struggled mightily against the run, Thompson breathed new life into the defense and proved that he’s deserving of a new contract in Buffalo. His market evaluation is right around $1.7 million per season, which is a reasonable price to pay for the product that he showed on the field. If Buffalo were to move on from Thompson, expect a player like Leo Chenal to join the fray during the offseason. In this make-believe scenario, Thompson stays.
Brandin Cooks
The Buffalo Bills need new wide receivers, but that doesn’t mean that everyone underperformed in the 2025 season. Cooks was a late addition for Buffalo, but proved to be one of quarterback Josh Allen’s most trusted weapons down the stretch. I will die on the hill that Cooks caught the football in the divisional round against the Denver Broncos, but I digress.
Cooks finished his lone season in Buffalo with five receptions for 114 yards in five games played. His numbers won’t scream off the stat sheet, but you could tell just how trusted he was in the offense. His evaluation is a little higher, coming in at around $3.1 million per season, but Buffalo should look to bring him back as a WR4 or WR5 in the current system. Give Cooks a full year to shine with Allen.
Gabe Davis
Another day, another wide receiver coming back. With all the issues at the position, it’s fascinating that we have the team bringing back two players, but that’s exactly how it’s shaking out. Davis was brought back to Buffalo after spending one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and even though he was coming off an injury, he was a marked improvement in that room. From his run blocking to his pass catching, he looked a little bit like the old Gabe Davis fans had grown to love over the years. His evaluation is an easy pill to swallow, around the veteran minimum. Davis finished his season in Buffalo with 12 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Milano
When Matt Milano is healthy, he’s one of the best linebackers in all of football. Throughout the 2025 season, he showed flashes of his All-Pro self, and with a new scheme under Jim Leonhard, Milano could thrive. The only reason I have him returning is speculating on the notion that he could take a more team-friendly deal to help the team achieve other needs through the draft and free agency. Buffalo needs some linebacker help, but bringing back a healthy Milano should be the first order of business, as long as it doesn’t break the bank. Milano played in 12 games for the Bills and had one forced fumble, three and a half sacks, and 67 combined tackles to boot.
I will say that cornerback Tre’Davious White was another honorable mention from my list that I hope the team can bring back for some cornerback depth. He played a pivotal role for Buffalo after many had written him off, and I’m selfishly hoping we get to see more of him in a Bills uniform in 2026.
The Bills won’t be able to keep everyone once free agency begins, and difficult decisions are coming for Brandon Beane and the front office. But bringing back a handful of reliable contributors like these players would go a long way toward keeping the core of the roster intact while Buffalo looks to upgrade in other areas.
If the Bills can retain a few of these familiar faces on team-friendly deals, it could give the team just enough continuity to stay competitive while reshaping the roster around Josh Allen for another Super Bowl run.
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