Bills’ Most Important Free Agent Is DaQuan Jones

The Buffalo Bills have a few major decisions to make during the 2024 NFL offseason when it comes to their roster. It is clear they are lacking in a few areas if they want to contend for the Lombardi Trophy next offseason.

Many people have pinpointed wide receiver as a position that needs an upgrade. It would be hard to argue against that, as the group didn’t produce consistently behind No. 1 receiver Stefon Diggs throughout the season. In the second half, Diggs himself was also a ghost, leading to some inconsistent performances through the air.

With that line of thinking, it would be fair to assume that the most important free agent the Bills have this offseason is Gabriel Davis. Losing the No. 2 player at a position of need would seem like a setback, but for Buffalo, the position as a whole needs an overhaul.

Davis had had some monster games in the postseason but is a boom-or-bust player. They need someone with more consistency as their No. 2 receiver, which is why many mock drafts have the Bills selecting a wide receiver in the first round, resetting the clock at the position.

That would enable Buffalo to focus their resources elsewhere this offseason. One of the players they could look to retain is defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. In the opinion of Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, Jones is the most important free agent on the roster this offseason.

“This could just as easily be wide receiver Gabe Davis, who said he plans to explore free agency in March, but the only defensive tackle from the 53-man roster under contract for 2024 is Ed Oliver. That’s in addition to multiple free agents at defensive end. Jones was a key starter alongside Oliver when healthy (Jones missed nine games due to a torn pectoral suffered in Week 5), and bringing him back would make a lot of sense, but with Buffalo dealing with a tight cap situation, actually doing so might not be easy.

“We missed DaQuan when he got hurt in London, and I told him as much [Monday],” general manager Brandon Beane said. “… He’s earned the right to test his market and see what it looks like. But we would be a fool not to entertain bringing him back,” wrote Getzenberg.

Jones, who just completed his 10th season in the NFL, proved to be a major part of the team’s game plan on defense. He was productive alongside Ed Oliver at defensive tackle, recording 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and five quarterback hits in seven games.

Replacing that kind of production would not be easy, especially with the salary cap restraints the Bills have. If a team offers Jones a multi-year deal with a good amount of guaranteed money, Buffalo could get priced out of his market.

Beane is going to have to sell Jones on familiarity and the chance to contend for a Super Bowl if they cannot compete with offers other teams present him with monetarily. He has spent the last two seasons with the Bills, providing steady production in the trenches defensively.