Will Buffalo Bills use post-June 1 salary cap space to add veteran edge rusher?

The Buffalo Bills received some salary cap relief and could elect to use it on another Leonard Floyd-type signing.

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) moves in to sack Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY

It's June and the Buffalo Bills finally have a little salary cap relief.

With cornerback Tre'Davion's White being released in March with a "post-June 1" designation, the Bills were forced to wait for the approximately $10.2 million in cap space.

"You gotta sign the draft picks, save for replacement costs, and then it's really less [space] than that when you cut your 53 down. Last year, we had to make sure we had around $4 million [in cap space] late August, early September. Right now, it's counted as the Top 51 [players on the roster]," said Bills' general manager Brandon Beane following the NFL Draft in late April.

So, let's conservatively do some math and figure the Bills will have at least $5 million of cap space that's unspoken for at the moment. Will they use that money on late free agent signing? If so, which position group will benefit?

With arguably no appetizing wide receiver options remaining on the free agent market, the Bills will likely go to training camp without any further additions to the receiving corps.

Critics say Buffalo, which signed veteran Mike Edwards and drafted Utah's Cole Bishop, could use another safety, but there's also reason to believe the Bills are confident in the group they've assembled. If an aging former star such as Justin Simmons can be had for a one-year, $5 million deal, then the Bills should make it happen. Still, it's probably more likely that Buffalo works out a cost-friendly deal with old friend Micah Hyde than signing Simmons.

At this point, it's my best guess the Bills will use the extra money on an edge rusher reinforcement to guard against the possibility that Von Miller never returns to his all-star form.

In 2023, Buffalo signed veteran defensive end Leonard Floyd to a one-year contract in June. The 31-year-old Floyd matched his career high by recording 10.5 sacks and has since signed a bigger contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Bills' next task is identifying this year's Leonard Floyd. Yannick Ngakoue and former Bill Jerry Hughes out remain unsigned, but there's no knowledge of Buffalo's interest in either veteran defensive end.