Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘“Well, that’s a point of emphasis for us, like it is probably for most teams, building a defensive line to where we need to have it,” McDermott said. “That’s a position we value greatly.”’

‘According to Spotrac.com, this deal makes Benford the 13th-highest paid corner in the league based on average salary at around $19 million per season.’

‘Production for the Buffalo-based movie will start later this year and the entirety of the movie will be filmed in and around the Queen City, including Highmark Stadium, according to a news release. Bills fans won’t have to wait long to see the final product, either, as it will premiere during this year’s Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas.’

‘The Bills already have a playoff-caliber roster and Beane augmented it by signing eight free agents from outside the organization and re-signing four from within through Tuesday, but there are still positions that must be upgraded in the draft which begins almost exactly one month from now.’

‘Like all running backs, Cook is fighting the new order in the NFL, one that has devalued the position to the point where in terms of franchise tags, if a team were to place one on a running back in 2025, the pay would be $13.6 million for that one season. That’s the second-lowest tag number ahead of only a special teams player which is $6.3 million.’

‘This move cut Milano’s 2025 cap hit to $12.8 million and opens approximately $3.6 million in cap space which the Bills need as they are trying to get their newest free agent contracts to fit inside the $279.2 million bubble.’

‘One player who is due a contract extension is the one remaining starter on the outside, Christian Benford, and the reason that hasn’t gotten done yet is because it’s going to be costly.’

‘Elam’s style of play never fit Sean McDermott’s system and the coaching staff was never able to get him to adapt, and there were rumors that former defensive backs coach John Butler never really had faith in Elam.’

‘No, it’s not, and the situation has put the Bills in a challenging spot because the No. 1 area Beane needed to upgrade was the defensive line. In that effort, he has done so with a former superstar in Joey Bosa who has struggled to stay healthy for half of his nine-year career, and two players who won’t be able to play until Buffalo’s seventh game.’

‘However, this is merely a move to make sure the Bills have a veteran who knows this system to battle for a backup job. Christian Benford is locked in as one starter, and the Bills absolutely need to either sign a starting-level veteran free agent, or spend either a first- or second-round draft pick.’

‘Given where Shenault is five years into his underwhelming career, it would seem his chances of making the Bills’ 53-man roster hinges on one thing: Can he become the team’s full-time kickoff returner, a duty he has added to his repertoire since 2022, though even that seems like a longshot.’

‘“That was a pretty, pretty cool signing,” Allen said Wednesday, shortly after it was announced that the Bills had agreed to terms with Bosa on a one-year, $12.6 million contract, a deal Bosa signed Thursday at One Bills Drive. “He’s gotten to me a couple times in my career.”’

‘The general consensus was that Hamlin was going to have a market in unrestricted free agency because he does have 27 career starts with the Bills, but that apparently did not materialize for the former sixth-round pick who turns 27 in two weeks.’

‘Forrest entered the league as a fifth-round pick in 2021 and actually started 11 of 17 games in 2022, a year in which he made 88 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and one recovery.’

‘The 6-foot-3, 305-pounder entered the league in 2017 as a third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, and that began a journey that took him to every AFC North team except the Baltimore Ravens as he also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and most recently, three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.’