Identifying the Buffalo Bills Least Inspiring Offseason Move Thus Far

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has made some aggressive moves this offseason. He went out and added wide receiver D.J. Moore, sending the Chicago Bears a second-round pick in the blockbuster trade.

Critics believe the Bills overpaid for Moore, considering his recent decline in production, but they needed someone who could take the pressure off Josh Allen's shoulders, and Moore can do that.

Defensively, they shored up the secondary with safeties Geno Stone and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. They also added help at cornerback with Dee Alford. Their biggest move, however, was to sign former Miami Dolphins EDGE Bradley Chubb.

While all the outside moves get the attention, Buffalo also made multiple important re-signings, bringing back punter Sam Wishnowsky and center Connor McGovern. They also made one highly questionable re-signing, which happens to be their least inspiring move of the offseason.

The Bills dedicated far too much cap space to a replaceable player

Buffalo Bills DB Sam Franklin Jr. waves to the Jacksonville Jaguars crowd during the AFC Wild Card playoff matchup. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sam Franklin Jr. was a key part of the Bills' special teams unit in 2025, which was his first season with the franchise. The former Carolina Panthers defensive back recorded 13 tackles while playing 76 percent of the Bills' snaps on special teams.

While Franklin played well last year, it was surprising to see the contract he was signed to this offseason. Buffalo and Franklin agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $7.5 million. For a team already trying to find ways to get under the cap, this felt like an unnecessary move.

It's true that Franklin does his job well, but he's a limited player who had just six snaps on the base defense in 2025. He also made a salary of just $1.17 million during his first season with the team, which means the Bills doubled his salary, and it's hard to see a scenario where they would have been outbid by an outside team.

While Brandon Beane has made some solid moves during his career, he's been guilty of overpaying role players. That was the case in 2025, when he signed wide receiver Joshua Palmer to a three-year deal worth $29 million. Beane and even head coach Joe Brady have pointed the finger at Josh Allen for their salary cap woes, but it's moves like the Palmer signing, and even the Franklin one, that truly show why the cap becomes an issue for them.

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