Additionally, a look at the Bills’ current position with regard to 2025 comp picks

The first few days of NFL free agency in 2024 have seen a lot of activity from the Houston Texans. Tim Settle Jr., a former defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills, is the team’s most recent addition. He should support the interior defensive line after a number of personnel changes severely damaged the group. Settle agreed to a two-year deal with Houston that would pay him up to $7 million.

Maliek Collins, a defensive tackle, was sent by the Texans to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Houston obviously needs more defensive tackles, as they witnessed former starting defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins accept a two-year, $26 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals during free agency.

After signing a two-year, $9 million contract with Buffalo in 2022, Settle leaves the Bills. The former Washington Commanders defense reworked his contract for his second and last season with the Bills following his first season of play in Orchard Park, New York. Over the course of two seasons, he played 13% of the defensive snaps and finished his time with Buffalo with 33 tackles, two sacks, and five tackles for loss.

Regarding the Bills Mafia’s seemingly never-ending quest for a “comp pick bingo” win, Settle’s contract is just barely below what would be regarded as the cutoff point for a “compensatory free agent.” Here’s where Buffalo stands right now, assuming that Settle’s average yearly pay prevents them from receiving a compensatory pick (per Over The Cap), if no other unrestricted free agents from other teams sign with the Bills:

• The loss of wide receiver Gabe Davis is estimated to net the Bills a fourth-round pick
• The loss of defensive Leonard Floyd is estimated to net the Bills a fifth-round pick
• Dane Jackson would have netted the Bills a sixth-round pick, but his loss is cancelled out by the acquisition of wide receiver Curtis Samuel.

The Bills still have meaningful work to do on the defensive line in particular this offseason. The only defensive tackles currently under contract are Ed Oliver, starting one-tech ace DaQuan Jones, plus backup Eli Ankou. Those under contract at edge rusher/defensive end are Von Miller, former-first-round pick Greg Rousseau (who has a fifth-year option decision looming for the team), A.J. Epenesa, Jonathan Kingsley, and Cameron Kline.