Buffalo Bills Depth Chart
- AFC East
- Stadium
- Highmark Stadium
- Head Coach
- Sean McDermott
- Offensive Coordinator
- Joe Brady
- Defensive Coordinator
- Bobby Babich
- Special Teams Coach
- Matthew Smiley
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
The Buffalo Bills signed free-agent defensive tackle DeShawn Williams to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday. Williams will give the Bills continued depth for their defensive tackle room that went into free agency with just Ed Oliver and Eli Ankou under contract. The 31-year-old Williams played in 16 games (10 starts) for the Carolina Panthers last year and finished with 33 tackles (13 solo) and seven QB hits. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2016 with the Cincinnati Bengals out of Clemson, and the Bills will be the fourth different team he's played for in six seasons. In total, Williams has racked up 148 tackles (72 solo), nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 30 QB hits, one interception and nine passes defended in 66 games (44 starts). Williams will be off the IDP fantasy radar.
The Buffalo Bills cut center Mitch Morse this offseason after he had spent five seasons with the team, but general manager Brandon Beane said on Sunday that the team knew offensive lineman Connor McGovern, who played left guard in 2023, would be capable of taking over as the starter at center if necessary. If the 26-year-old ends up winning the starting center job in training camp this summer, the Bills' plan will likely be to move David Edwards into the left-guard role that McGovern filled last season. The former third-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2019 out of Penn State started all 17 regular-season games for the Bills in 2023 after spending the first three years of his NFL career in Dallas.
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane recently said that the organization is likely to exercise the fifth-year option on defensive end Gregory Rousseau. This seems like a no-brainer for the Bills as Rousseau has been successful each of his first three seasons. He has totaled 129 tackles and 17 sacks in three seasons with the Bills. The former first-round pick has been relatively healthy and reliable throughout his time in Buffalo. The expectation is that the team will keep him around, assuming Rousseau continues playing at this level of success.
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane recently said that the organization is open to bringing back safety Micah Hyde. The 33-year-old is currently a free agent but has spent the last seven seasons in Buffalo. Last season, Hyde recorded 54 tackles and two interceptions while earning a PFF coverage grade of 67.2. He's not in his prime anymore, but Hyde can still contribute to an NFL roster. Hyde is currently a free agent and eligible to sign wherever, but it seems plausible that he'd want to continue his career in Buffalo. Otherwise, Taylor Rapp and Mike Edwards figure to be the primary safety options next season.
Free-agent defensive tackle Austin Johnson agreed to a one-year deal with the Bills. The 29-year-old could earn up to $4 million, and the announcement comes after he recently visited the Cardinals on Friday. Johnson started every game for the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2023-24 campaign, totaling 46 tackles, a forced fumble, and two passes defensed. Johnson may not see as much action this season, so it's hard to tell what kind of impact he'll have from an IDP standpoint. However, the move at least adds depth for a club that had issues keeping guys healthy on the defensive side of the ball last season.