Buffalo Bills Pass Rusher's Departure Signifies Changing of the Guard

The Buffalo Bills’ commitment to a changing of the guard defensively took another step on Wednesday, when the team lost former second-round pick A.J. Epenesa to a free-agent deal with the Cleveland Browns.

The one-year contract Epenesa signed is worth up to just $5 million, which the Bills could have afforded if they had wanted to see their former pass rusher return to Buffalo. However, with the 27-year-old leaving for Cleveland, the Bills’ desire to overhaul their defensive personnel was reinforced.

Still available

Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa (97) tips the pass by Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) which then was later intercepted on the play during the second half at Huntington Bank Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Epenesa is one of many Bills free agents who remained available on Wednesday. The list of players whose contracts expired this past season includes Joey Bosa, Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano, DaQuan Jones, Damar Hamlin, Shaq Thompson, Jordan Poyer, Gabe Davis and many others. All of those players remain on the open market as of Wednesday.

While the Bills could still re-sign a few of them, the team having yet to do so a week after free agency officially opened suggests Buffalo is content with moving on to other players to fill the roles left behind by all those former Bills. That should be music to the ears of the team’s faithful fan base, who have watched Buffalo’s defense come up short in the playoffs time and again over the past several years.

New look

Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb (2) reacts after a play against the Washington Commanders in the fourth quarter during the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Bills plan to transition to a new odd-man front under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, which will require fresh talent with varied skill sets to make the shift as seamless as possible. Buffalo has already brought in a few new faces to fill several holes, including pass rusher Bradley Chubb, safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone, along with nickel cornerback Dee Alford.

The next step for the Bills personnel-wise will be the upcoming NFL Draft, which begins on Apr. 23 in Pittsburgh. Buffalo still has several needs as the selection process is just about a month away, including depth in the secondary, additional firepower at the linebacker position and more help on the defensive line.

With that said, the Bills’ holes aren’t limited to the defensive side of the ball, as offensive line is also a question mark heading into the 2026 season after former starting left guard David Edwards departed in free agency.

So while the Bills still have some work left to do before finalizing their roster in preparation for the upcoming campaign, they appear to be set to move on from many familiar names that have spent plenty of time in red, white and blue the last few years.

A new era, indeed.