Buffalo Bills' High-Priced Free Agent is Franchise Tag Option

The Bills' offensive lineman is expected to get paid this offseason, but the Bills could use a maneuver they haven't triggered since 2016.

Buffalo Bills guard David Edwards (76) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It’s been a while since the Buffalo Bills used the franchise tag on one of their players.

In fact, the Bills have not used the tag since Brandon Beane took over as general manager in 2017.

While that is not expected to change this offseason, there is one player who may be an under-the-radar candidate when teams are permitted to do so beginning on Tuesday. David Edwards will hit the open market when the new league year begins on Mar. 11, but the Bills could hang on to their prized offensive guard if they were to use the franchise tag on the 28-year-old.

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Guarding Josh Allen are Buffalo Bills guard David Edwards and offensive tackle Dion Dawkins. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How it works

If a player is tagged, they receive a one-year tender from the team applying the tag. However, there is more to it than that. The NFL has three kinds of franchise tags: the exclusive tag, the non-exclusive tag and the transition tag.

The exclusive tag is a tool that keeps the player with the team, no questions asked. The non-exclusive tag allows the player to seek an offer sheet from other teams, with the original team having the right of last refusal on a potential offer sheet and also having the benefit of acquiring two first-round draft picks as compensation if the player departs via the offer sheet. The transition tag is similar to the non-exclusive tag, but it removes the possibility of a team receiving draft-pick compensation following a player’s departure.

Those players with the exclusive tag receive either the average salary of the five most highly paid players at their position or 120% of their previous salary, based on which figure is greater. Those being placed under the non-exclusive tag receive the greater figure between a five-year average of the top five salaries at the player’s position or 120% of his previous salary. The transition tag’s value is determined by the top 10 average salaries at a given position.

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Buffalo Bills guard David Edwards (76) on the field against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The cost

Edwards falls under the all-encompassing category of offensive linemen. If he were placed under the exclusive or non-exclusive tag, the Bills would be forced to pay him around $27M, exceeding his expected market value of $19.9M, per Spotrac. And with the Bills being about $10M over the salary cap, that may be an unlikely proposition.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) scrambles behind guard David Edwards (76) during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Still, Buffalo has relied on its offensive line as one of its most significant strengths in recent seasons and with the possibility that the team may lose center Connor McGovern to free agency, solidifying the guard position with a high-priced one-year commitment to Edwards is an outside-the-box possibility for the Bills this offseason.

The seven-year pro has missed just one regular-season game since joining the Bills in 2023. This past season, he appeared in all 17 regular-season contests, recording a pass blocking efficiency rating of 97.2%, per Pro Football Focus.