GOOD NEWS: Another key player will be relocating to Buffalo Bills

Bills 2023 free agent tracker: Shaq Lawson, Jordan Phillips bolster D-line

Orchard Park, N.Y., NFL free agency is off and running, and we’re keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2023 offseason, with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts. The first round of the 2023 NFL draft begins on April 27 on ESPN.

After making a splash in free agency last year with the signing of pass rusher Von Miller, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane cautioned that the team will not be making a similarly big move this offseason. Even once the Bills create some cap space by restructuring some of their larger contracts, the team will only have so much room to work without doing more restructuring and pushing even more money down the road—something Beane doesn’t like to do.

The Bills still have some major needs to address this offseason. Most of the holes come on the offensive side of the ball, with help needed on the interior offensive line and at all the offensive skill positions, especially wide receiver.

While Beane and coach Sean McDermott often talk about drafting, developing and re-signing their own, Beane also likes to try and fill needs during free agency to set up the team for the draft.

Here’s a breakdown of every 2023 NFL free agent signing by the Buffalo Bills, and how each will impact the upcoming season:

Jordan Phillips, defensive tackle

Phillips agreed to a one-year deal.

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What it means: Defensive tackle is a sneaky area of need for the Bills, with few options to take considerable snaps behind Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones. Bringing Phillips back for another season adds a solid veteran who has continued to produce when healthy.

What’s the risk? Injury history is the biggest risk when it comes to Phillips. He is coming off offseason surgery on a torn rotator cuff and has only played a full regular season three times in his eight-year career. He played in 12 regular-season games last year and logged 19 snaps in the season-ending loss to the Bengals, despite the shoulder injury. In January, Phillips said he expected to be ready for training camp.

Shaq Lawson, defensive end

Lawson agreed to a one-year deal.What it means: The Bills needed to continue to add at the defensive end with Von Miller coming off his season-ending right knee injury. Lawson started six games in his return to Buffalo last year, all at the end of the season. Two of his 3.5 sacks on the season came in the last four games. He improved on his performance from the previous season with the Jets, finishing with nine quarterback hits vs. five the previous year. Adding Lawson gives the defense another experienced pass rusher.

What’s the risk? There’s not much risk involved with bringing Lawson back on a short-term deal. Lawson is well known to this coaching staff and front office and he talked in January about how comfortable he feels in the building. Exact contract details aren’t out yet, but having him back for another year is a logical fit.

What it means: The Bills replaced Devin Singletary, the team’s leading rusher over the last four seasons, with Harris, who was selected by the Patriots just 14 picks after Singletary in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft. What Harris presents is a bigger back (5-foot-11, 213 pounds) to pair with smaller rushers James Cook and Nyheim Hines, and someone who can have success in short-yardage situations (averaged 4.0 yards per carry on third down and in short-yardage situations, ranked 15th among running backs in 2022) and take advantage of light boxes. Harris adds a different skill set to the room and is someone the Bills have seen be successful firsthand—he ran for over 100 yards in three of his five games against Buffalo.

What’s the risk? There is some injury concern with Harris. He missed six games last season with a thigh injury and has yet to play a complete 16- or 17-game season. If he can stay healthy, Harris makes a lot of sense in the Bills offense, but his availability is something to keep an eye on.

Dane Jackson, cornerback

Jackson will return to Buffalo on a one-year contract.

What it means: Just two days after originally placing an original round tender on Jackson, who was a restricted free agent, the Bills signed the cornerback to a one-year deal that lowers his cap hit from the about $2.7 million it would have been, but provides him some guarantees. Jackson started 14 games for the Bills last year and the seventh-round pick had some up-and-down moments. With Tre’Davious White now healthy and first-round pick Kaiir Elam, who ended the season on a positive note, going into his second year, Jackson will likely provide depth at the outside corner.

What’s the risk? While the Bills adding in some guarantees adds to the risk, bringing back Jackson on a short-term deal fits Buffalo’s theme of re-signing players the team has developed on one-year contracts. Jackson now has starting experience and had 12 passes defensed and two interceptions in 2022. There isn’t much for the Bills to lose with having him back, especially since the team was able to negotiate a contract that creates cap relief.

Jordan Poyer, safety

The Bills agreed to terms with Poyer to return on a two-year deal.

What it means: The Bills’ big question mark at safety is gone and the strong duo of Poyer and Micah Hyde will be back for at least another season (Hyde is a free agent in 2024). Prior to free agency, Poyer had expressed his excitement about exploring the market, but clearly the 2021 first-team All-Pro did not find the offers he was looking for. Poyer, who turns 32 in April, instead returns to fill a big hole at safety for the Bills opposite Hyde, whom he has started alongside since 2017. While the Bills still need to add depth at the position, a key defensive starter is returning, and Buffalo only lost one game with him on the field last year (13-1).

What’s the risk? The same reasons that Poyer’s market wasn’t quite as high as the other top safeties. The 11-year-old veteran played through a variety of injuries in 2022 and missed four games because of them. Prior to that, however, the safety missed only two starts during his first five seasons in Buffalo. His age is similarly a risk in terms of being in the later portion of his career.

David Edwards, guard

Edwards agreed to a one-year deal.

What it means: The Bills are bringing in more players for competition on the interior offensive line. Edwards spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with current Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer on the Rams, which brings some familiarity. The 2019 fifth-round pick has started 45 games in his career and has postseason experience, including Super Bowl LVI, with the vast majority of snaps coming at left guard. He has also played some right guard and at least one snap at the other line positions. Edwards, 26, will compete for the interior offensive line roster spots.

What’s the risk? Health is a concern. Edwards played only four games last season due to concussions. He is now healthy and has played every game in the prior three seasons of his career.