6 Bills players who might be playing their last game in Buffalo heading into Week 18 finale against the New York Jets
Here’s hoping that Buffalo can bring at least some of these guys back next season.
The Buffalo Bills are gearing up for their season finale against the New York Jets. It’s not a normal season finale as the team is saying goodbye to Highmark Stadium; it’ll be the last game played inside the historic venue before moving across the street next season.
While there aren’t a ton of storylines in a meaningless game, other than the return of the red helmets, there is one storyline to keep an eye out for, as several players might be playing their final game in a Buffalo Bills jersey. Some of these guys should absolutely be back, but for right now, they are upcoming unrestricted free agents after the season ends.
FB Reggie Gilliam
Reggie Gilliam is one of the best fullbacks in the National Football League and was hosed for a spot in the Pro Bowl. He should be in both the All-Pro category and the Pro Bowl for the work that he’s done for the Buffalo Bills this season. Gilliam’s exceptional blocking has helped contribute to the No. 1 rushing attack in the league, and he’s a player who should be in consideration for another contract.
Gilliam has spent his entire career with the Bills, signing a one-year $2,000,000 contract in the offseason, and it’s a move that the team should be making again. Gilliam has earned a similar contract for the work that he’s put in throughout 2025.
DE A.J. Epenesa
A.J. Epenesa is part of a stout defensive front and has shown up in some big moments for Buffalo. He’s not the blue-chip type player that Buffalo might’ve been hoping for when they drafted him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but he’s been a formidable force on the defensive line.
In 2025, he appeared in 15 games, recording two interceptions, three passes defended, one fumble recovery, and 2.5 sacks, along with 29 combined tackles. Over the cap evaluates his APY at around $6,000,000 a season, so Epenesa could be on the outside looking in for contract discussions. This projection is more connected to the value of his performance, not necessarily tied to his contract, but it does add some value to the matter.
LB Matt Milano
Oh, Matt Milano. At times in his career, he’s looked like a bona fide All-Pro linebacker, laying down some nasty hits on defenders and becoming a staple on the defense. Unfortunately, injuries have really put a damper on his overall performance. The team just hasn’t been able to lean on him consistently over the years as he’s battled a myriad of injuries. Still, in 2025, in the most recent games, he’s come alive and has fans excited about what’s to come down the final stretch of the season.
Milano has spent his entire career in Buffalo after being drafted in the fifth round from Boston College in the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s missed five games for Buffalo in 2025 with pectoral strains, but when he’s been on the field, he’s been a revelation. General manager Brandon Beane has had some luck in the past with some team-friendly deals, and that’s what they should be hoping for for Milano. He could be playing his final game as a member of the Bills.
Special Teams Sam Franklin
Sam Franklin joined the team on a one-year deal early on in the season and has been an absolute unit on special teams. More often than not, on an ensuing kickoff or punt, you’ll see Franklin sprinting down the sideline and making a big play on the defender. While special teams might not be the sexiest of positions, there’s still a place for him on the team, and an important one at that.
Franklin predominantly plays as a special teamer, which makes bringing him back a little easier, as his overall cap hit won’t be as substantial as a starter on defense or offense. Over The Cap doesn’t even have a projection for Franklin, so we’ll have to assume his $1.1 million base salary for 2025 is a good comparison for what he might get in the upcoming free agency period.
DE Joey Bosa
Joey Bosa has been relatively healthy and started the 2025 campaign strongly for the Buffalo Bills. He signed a one-year deal with Buffalo during the offseason and has looked worth every penny of his $12.6 million contract. He’s been forcing fumbles left and right, and when not dealing with a wrist injury, he’s wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lines. At one point in the season, Bosa led the league in pressure rate, an encouraging sign for a player who’s often been injured in his career.
It’ll be a tough task to bring him back to Buffalo, considering the salary cap restraints Buffalo finds itself in. It’s at the bottom, or near the bottom, of the league in available cap space, which makes a deal for Bosa in the offseason just a bit more difficult.
His current valuation is a little over $17 million a season, which is a high price to pay for Buffalo. Nevertheless, the team should try to do whatever it takes to bring him back for one more season; he’s been that good for Buffalo.
LB Shaq Thompson
Shaq Thompson has been one of the most important offseason acquisitions this year. The one-year deal he signed for has looked like a steal for Buffalo, which has been leaning on the veteran linebacker heavily to get through some defensive mishaps throughout the 2025 season. Just how good has Thompson been for Buffalo? Well, linebacker and team captain Terrel Bernard has been sitting in place of Thompson several times this season, as Thompson has been exceptional at stopping the run.
Thompson is another player that Buffalo should try to sign to a one-year deal once the offseason begins. He’d be relatively cheap, with Over The Cap’s valuation sitting at just a tick above $1.6 million. While he is an aging veteran, he’s proven to have plenty of gas left in the tank.
Bonus round: David Edwards and Connor McGovern
Two additional players might be playing their last games at Highmark Stadium: Connor McGovern and David Edwards. Still, I don’t want to live in a world where they are gone after the season, so I didn’t include them in my overall analysis. McGovern has been starting at center for Buffalo, so it’s hard to imagine it’ll move on from him after the season. As for Edwards, he’s come in for some big moments in relief due to injury and proven that he can play at a high level.
They are two formidable offensive linemen who have come in for some big moments in Buffalo and will absolutely have a market in free agency. Here’s hoping that Beane and the team can get another team-friendly deal with two of the best offensive linemen Buffalo has to offer.
A farewell to Highmark Stadium
Sunday may not carry a ton of playoff weight, but it will have plenty of emotion. For some, it’s a final curtain call inside Highmark Stadium; for others, it’s one last audition to prove they belong in Buffalo beyond 2025. As the Bills close the door on a historic venue, the hope is that a handful of these familiar faces aren’t closing the door on their time with the franchise just yet.
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