Bills' Damar Hamlin may get a new NFL team as free agency rumors pick up

It would be weird to see Damar Hamlin in an NFL uniform that isn't the Buffalo Bills.

That might be what happens, though, as the league's free agency officially opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Hamlin is an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team. It's not clear whether Buffalo would look to bring him back.

He of course is known for so much more than his play on the field with the Bills. His scary collapse on the field while playing for Buffalo in a primetime game against the Bengals captured the nation's attention.

Hamlin's story was an inspirational one as he worked his way back not just to full health but also back into NFL game action.

With the new league year beginning at 4pm today, here is your up-to-date Bills roster (pending official signings). Players in blue officially become UFAs at 4pm today. Players in yellow will also become UFAs if Bills do not submit qualifying tender. Teal = new additions pic.twitter.com/oXAf3G0bgq

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Hamlin, who will turn 28 years old on March 24, was originally a sixth-round pick of the Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Pitt.

By 2022, he was a full-time player, recording 93 tackles before his scary moment.

He played five games in 2023, but it was in 2024 when Hamlin returned to a big role, playing in 14 games, recording 89 tackles and picking off two passes.

Injuries and a shift in the depth chart (Cole Bishop into the starting lineup) meant Hamlin got just five games played in 2025 with just a single tackle.

Because of his name, his apparent work ethic and his ability to persevere through changing roles, Hamlin should get a contract somewhere.

Will it be the Bills? That is much less certain.

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