There are impending free agents all around the NFL. Here, I will examine how those free agents may affect different teams. Today, we look at what the future may look like for the Buffalo Bills.
The 2023 impending IDP free agents for the Buffalo Bills are opening the door for some young and hungry players. Three first-string defensive players become unrestricted free agents on March 15th at 40.3pm eastern time. The possibility of these players re-signing with the Bills also exists.
The Bills will be a defensive force again in 2023, so the time is now to do a price check on the players looking to fill the vacancies.
1. Shaq Lawson, DE
Shaq Lawson completed his seventh year in the NFL, but it was only his fifth best year, statistically. After spending his first four years in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, he played one year with the Miami Dolphins and one year with the New York Jets. In 2022, he landed back in Buffalo on a one year deal.
He is the first of the Bill’s impending IDP free agents. Lawson started the final eight games of 2022. He played 59% of the defensive snaps in those eight contests. Lawson produced 19 tackles (14 solo), 6 tackles for a loss, 5 QB hits, 2 sacks, 1 pass defended, and 1 forced fumble.
The Bills will look to get much better productivity out of that roster spot in 2023.
Who benefits if Lawson leaves?
I believe the beneficiary of the Lawson open spot would be Boogie Basham. Basham will be entering his third year with the Bills. The third year is usually the breakout year for the defensive line position. He played 39% or less of the defensive snaps in 12 of his 2022 games.
Basham managed the same number of tackles as Lawson in far less snaps. Basham’s stats for 2022 were 19 tackles (9 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, 5 QB hits, 2 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 interception, and a fumble recovery. Give him the Lawson snaps, and watch Basham more than double his 2022 numbers. Price check him now, as he might even be on your waiver wire.
2. Tremaine Edmunds, LB
Tremaine Edmunds just completed his fifth year with the Bills, which was the least productive of his career. Edmunds did miss four games with hamstring and groin injuries. This 2018 first round pick has never really lived up to his projected career path. His best statistical year was his rookie year in 2018. His numbers have regressed each year since then.
Usually, a first round NFL linebacker will dominate in either sacks or tackles. He does neither. This will put him in danger of a 2023 Bill’s roster spot as he is also one of the impending IDP free agents. Edmunds’ 2022 stats were 102 tackles (66 solo), 6 tackles for a loss, 3 QB hits, 1 sack, 7 passes defended, and 1 interception.
Who benefits if Edmunds leaves?
The beneficiary from a Edmunds departure would most likely be Tyrel Dodson. Dodson is a third year linebacker out of Texas A&M. He was an undrafted college free agent. Dodson also missed Week 7 due to injury along with Edmunds. In his Week 12 game, Dodson left with injury after just 10 snaps.
We have two full games where Dodson played 84% and 100% of the defensive snaps. Dodson produced 24 tackles (16 solo) in those two games, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB hit, and 1 sack. I would recommend that you take a chance on this flyer. He is more than likely on your waiver wire. You could have a starting middle linebacker on the defending fifth rated overall defense in the NFL.
3. Jordan Poyer, S
Jordan Poyer just completed his 10th year in the NFL. The last six have been with the Bills, where he has played remarkably. Poyer played just 12 of the 17 game schedule and missed parts of two other games. Those games were missed due to foot, rib, and elbow injuries. Poyer will be 32 in April and will not likely return to the Bills.
At 32 years of age, Poyer is another of the impending IDP free agents. In games he was healthy and did play in, he played 100% of snaps. He averaged 100+ tackles in his first five years with the Bills before his injury riddled 2022 season. This is outstanding production out of a safety and a huge hole to fill for the Bills defense.
Who benefits if Poyer leaves?
The main beneficiary of a Jordan departure would be Jaquan Johnson, in my opinion. Johnson just completed his fourth year with the Bills after being a sixth round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He started in place of Jordan in three of the games Jordan missed. In those three games, Johnson put up 5, 8, and 10 tackles.
There was another game where he played 45% of the defensive snaps, and he put up seven tackles. Johnson has a nose for the ball and does not mind the physical aspect of making a tackle. Johnson will be another flyer, as I am pretty sure he will also be on your league’s waiver wire.
Nothing wrong with adding him to your roster now and then adjusting after you hear the news on Poyer. You also would want to follow the remarkable story of Damar Hamlin and his recovery.
Thank you for checking out my 23′ IDP Free Agency Delivers Vacancies article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP Guys author page. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @OldMan_FF and @IDPGuys (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber!
