Shortly after the start of the NFL league year and the beginning of free agency in 2024, Bills Mafia, eager for activity from the Buffalo Bills front office, took notice of an intriguing tweet. The tweet, by Matt Barrows of The Athletic, mentioned that the San Francisco 49ers had released defensive tackle Arik Armstead, with speculation that he could end up with the Bills.
This tweet sparked questions among fans as to why the Bills would consider adding Armstead, especially after recently re-signing DaQuan Jones and extending Ed Oliver. With Buffalo’s somewhat tight cap situation, the possibility of signing Armstead raised eyebrows.
While Armstead would undoubtedly boost the Bills’ defensive line, it seemed excessive to allocate significant resources to a position that typically only sees two players starting at a time. The speculation of Armstead joining Buffalo was partly fueled by his wife’s ties to the city, as she is a psychiatrist with practices in both California and Buffalo.
Several tweets, including one by Thomas DeLaus of Cover 1, also brought up Armstead’s wife’s connection to Buffalo when discussing his potential landing spots.
Sure, but what funds would Beane need for the signing? What other strategies and player management would be necessary? The idea that Armstead would join the Bills was challenged when a report from NFL Insider Ian Rapoport suggested the Jaguars were close to signing him. However, a tweet from Dianna Russini later clarified that Armstead was actually set to join the Jaguars, not the Bills. Eventually, Adam Schefter confirmed that Armstead had signed a $51 million deal with the Jaguars. This whole ordeal indicated that the Bills were indeed interested in Armstead, raising questions about their plans for the defensive tackle position. While the Bills didn’t get Armstead, the situation showed that they are looking to strengthen the team. The potential addition of Armstead prompts thoughts about the team’s plans for the defensive line and if more significant moves are in store. Only time will tell what the Bills have in store for the upcoming season.
