Free agent cornerback Dee Alford plans to sign with the Buffalo Bills on a three-year deal worth up to $21 million, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Monday.
The deal includes $10.12 million guaranteed, the source told ESPN.
Alford, 28, is coming off a big bounce-back season in 2025. He lost his job as the Falcons' nickel corner to rookie Billy Bowman Jr. in training camp but then became the most important utility player in the team's secondary. Alford filled in for both starting outside corners, A.J. Terrell Jr. and Mike Hughes, when they were injured, then took over for Bowman late in the season when the rookie tore an Achilles.
In all, Alford had career highs in interceptions (three), passes defended (13) and sacks (two) to go along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery. He ended up starting seven games in new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's revamped scheme.
Alford started 11 games in 2023 as the Falcons' regular nickel corner with no interceptions and 11 passes defended. In his NFL career, he has started 23 games over four seasons.
The Falcons signed Alford, a Mississippi native who grew up in Griffin, Georgia, in 2022. Alford had previously played two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. He started for the Blue Bombers during their Grey Cup-winning season in 2021. Alford went undrafted out of Division II Tusculum.
ESPN's Marc Raimondi contributed to this report.
