Entering the 2025 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills are widely viewed as one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the league. After a run to the AFC Championship Game last year and coming up just short against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bills are looking to take the next step.
Josh Allen put together an impressive season in 2024. Behind that year, he won the NFL MVP award.
While Buffalo already has an elite roster capable of competing for a championship, the team is now being urged to consider making a major move late in NFL free agency.
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Joey Bosa was one of the big additions for the Bills during the offseason. As the front office looked to improve the team’s pass rush, he became available and the move made sense.
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However, there is a long history of injury concerns with Bosa.
In fact, Bosa recently sustained an injury to his calf. The concerns about his ability to stay healthy have already started creeping into Buffalo.
Keeping that in mind, the Bills could look to add another pass rusher. There happens to be one available that would help ease any worry about Bosa’s injury issues throughout the year.
Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated has suggested that Buffalo should sign three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith. After spending the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, Smith still happens to be a free agent.
“Smith’s best days are behind him, but he proved last season with the Detroit Lions that he’s still capable of being a reliable rotational player for a Super Bowl contender,” Manzano wrote. “The Bills have already added Joey Bosa, but he has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons and recently injured his calf. Even if Bosa stays healthy when the season arrives, Buffalo still needs depth behind No. 1 edge rusher Gregory Rousseau. Smith, who’s entering his age-33 season, has 69 career sacks in 10 NFL seasons.”
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Last season in 17 total games between the two teams, Smith racked up 35 tackles to go along with nine sacks and a defended pass. He’s still more than capable of getting to the quarterback.
If the Bills want to make a high-impact move late in the offseason, signing Smith would be the way to go. He would improve the overall ceiling of the defense, but would also be the piece who could replace Bosa in case of injury during the season.
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