Advertisement

Buffalo Bills offseason preview: 2023 schedule, draft picks, free agents, salary cap

The Buffalo Bills overcame health issues of a co-owner, a rash of injuries, a relocated game due to a historic snowstorm, a deadly blizzard rerouting travel on Christmas, a life-threatening medical emergency and a canceled game.

They couldn't overcome the AFC Divisional Round for the second straight year. Buffalo was walloped 27-10 by the Cincinnati Bengals in a disheartening performance at home.

The offseason could involve major changes to the Bills' coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are expected to draw interest around the league as head coaching candidates. Dorsey was interviewed by the Carolina Panthers via Zoom a day before the Bills were outcoached by the Bengals. There may be calls for the Bills to part ways with coaches after their playoff exit.

Here's what to know as the Bills head into the offseason:

Buffalo Bills 2023 schedule and opponents

AFC East teams will face each team in their division twice in addition to all of the teams in the AFC West and NFC East. Since the Bills won the division in 2022, they'll also play corresponding first-place teams from the AFC North, AFC South and NFC South.

Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Los Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars

Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders

The Bills will host a game in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the NFL announced. It will be Buffalo's first international game since 2015. That leaves Buffalo with eight true home games at Highmark Stadium and eight road games, since AFC teams are scheduled to play nine home games in the 17-game regular season.

The full 2023 NFL schedule will be announced in the spring. Last year's schedule release was on May 12.

Buffalo Bills 2023 draft picks

The Bills' draft order was solidified after the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Buffalo will be slotted at the No. 28 spot but will have the No. 27 overall pick in the first round because the Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick. The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 pick.

Buffalo has six total picks in the seven-round draft:

First round: No. 27

Second round: No. 59

Third round: No. 91

Fourth round: No. 130

Fifth round: No. 137

Sixth round: No. 205

Seventh round: No pick

Buffalo Bills 2023 free agents

Unrestricted free agents:

  • OG Ike Boettger - re-signed

  • WR Jamison Crowder - signed with New York Giants

  • LB Tremaine Edwards - signed with Chicago Bears

  • OT Bobby Hart - signed by New York Giants

  • S Jaquan Johnson - signed by Las Vegas Raiders

  • RB Taiwan Jones

  • QB Case Keenum - signed by Houston Texans

  • LB A.J. Klein - re-signed

  • WR Jake Kumerow

  • DE Shaq Lawson - re-signed

  • S Dean Marlowe

  • P Sam Martin - re-signed

  • LB Tyler Matakevich - re-signed

  • OT Justin Murray - signed by Las Vegas Raiders

  • DT Jordan Phillips - re-signed

  • S Jordan Poyer - re-signed

  • OG David Quessenberry - re-signed

  • OG Rodger Saffold

  • RB Devin Singletary - signed by Houston Texans

  • TE Tommy Sweeney - signed by New York Giants

  • OG Greg Van Roten

Restricted free agents:

  • LB Tyler Dodson - re-signed

  • CB Dane Jackson - re-signed

  • CB Cam Lewis - re-signed

Buffalo Bills 2023 salary cap

The NFL salary cap will be $224.8 million in 2023, up from $208.2 million in 2022.

Buffalo is one of 14 teams to start the offseason with negative cap space, according to Over The Cap. The Bills have 37 players under contract in 2023. Josh Allen enters the third year of his six-year, $258 million contract extension in 2021 and he has a $39.8 million cap figure in 2023. That could be more than one-sixth of the team's salary cap.

Offensive guard Rodger Saffold and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips are unrestricted free agents but have a void year with cap hits. Saffold's counts $2 million against the salary cap and Phillips' cap hit is $1.25 million.

General manager Brandon Beane has been deft at restructuring contracts to give the Bills flexibility. The Bills entered last offseason with the eighth-lowest salary cap space in the NFL but managed to sign outside linebacker Von Miller to a six-year contract worth up to $120 million.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills 2023 schedule, draft picks, free agents and salary cap