Getty Former Rams edge Leonard Floyd exits Levi's Stadium on November 15, 2021.
After making the surprise move to extend defensive tackle Ed Oliver to a four-year, $68 million deal, the Buffalo Bills continued to beef up their defense on Monday, June 5 by making a “splash” move to sign former Los Angeles Rams standout edge rusher Leonard Floyd to a one-year deal, per NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport.
Floyd, who recorded 9.0 sacks, 59 total tackles, 22 quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery last year, hasn’t missed a regular season game since 2017. The former No. 9 overall pick from the 2016 NFL Draft, who spent the past three seasons with the Rams, played alongside Von Miller when Los Angeles won the Super Bowl LVI.
The Rams signed Floyd to a four-year, $64 million extension ahead of the 2021 NFL season, but the team released him in March with a post June-1 designation in order to save $30 million in cash, per The Buffalo News. According to Spotrac.com, the Georgia alum’s market value was predicted to earn him a three-year, $41.25 million contract, which would’ve paid Floyd an average salary of $13.7 million.
While Oliver’s extension is expected to have opened up a few extra million in cap space for the 2023 NFL season, the Bills were less than $1.5 million under the cap before the agreement was made, per OverTheCap.com, so Floyd’s one-year contract with Buffalo looks to be far less than his projected market value.
The Bills general manager Brandon Beane did land the 30-year-old linebacker at a major discount. Rapoport reported on Monday afternoon that Floyd turned on more money elsewhere to sign a one-year, $7 million with incentives up to $9 million.
Von Miller Strongly Reacted to Leonard Floyd Signing With Buffalo
Miller was thrilled to see his former teammate was heading to Buffalo. Shortly after the news was announced, the eight-time Pro Bowler tweeted a video from their 23-20 Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals and wrote, “LFG FLO!!!”
NFL Network‘s Nick Shook recalled, “When Floyd and Miller last shared the field together, they combined to tally six sacks in playoff contests as part of their run to the Lombardi Trophy, harassing Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the final moments of Super Bowl LVI to preserve the Rams’ lead and secure the win.”
As it stands, Buffalo now has four former players from this championship-winning roster. In addition to Floyd and Miller, the Bills signed former Rams safety Taylor Rapp this offseason, along with guard David Edwards.
Leonard Floyd Predicted to Fill in for Von Miller, Boogie Basham & Leonard Floyd in Hot Seat
GettyThe Bills will have to finish the 2022 NFL season without their superstar edge rusher Von Miller.
Miller told reporters before the start of organized team activities (OTAs) two weeks ago that he’s in a “great spot” after undergoing knee surgery for a torn ACL in November, and would be suiting up no later than Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season.
By signing Floyd, the Bills now have a player that can aptly fill in for Miller until he’s truly ready to return. The Athletic‘s Joe Buscaglia wrote, “The Floyd signing will take the pressure off Miller to try and force himself back into the lineup before he’s ready and will provide the team with an excellent starter to pair with third-year starter Greg Rousseau in the interim.
“Once the pass rushers are back to total health, Floyd will likely slot in as the team’s top rotational pass rusher, with Miller and Rousseau the starting pair. The Floyd addition will certainly put two of the team’s young pass rushers, A.J. Epenesa and Boogie Basham, on alert.”
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 01: Defensive ends AJ Epenesa #57 and Boogie Basham #55 of the Buffalo Bills celebrate after the New England Patriots missed a second quarter field goal at Gillette Stadium on December 01, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Epenesa, the Bills’ 2020 second-round pick, and Basham, their second-rounder in 2021, have yet to prove they’re starting caliber players. New York Upstate‘s Matt Parrino wrote adding Floyd “could indicated their patience has dwindled” with Epenesa and Basham, and NFL Network’s Mike Giardi agrees.
Giardi tweeted, “So the #Bills signing of Leonard Floyd can be taken as good and bad. The good? Productive edge rusher for a number of years and someone who adds more high end depth to protect from rushing Von Miller back. The bad(ish)? Beane has invested a lot of draft resources into the edge spot but hasn’t quite gotten the production/development from guys like Epenesa and Basham they would have hoped. That’s why Shaq Lawson ended up back in Buffalo and, in part, why Floyd is now there.”