Don't sleep on the Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have won four straight division titles, and yet many people are questioning if their window has shut on making a run to the Super Bowl. 

The Buffalo Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional playoff game last season, when Tyler Bass pushed a 44-yard field goal wide right. The kick would have tied the game at 27-27 and sent it to overtime. Last season was the third time in four years that the Chiefs knocked the Bills out of the playoffs. 

This past off-season saw many changes to the Buffalo Bills organization. They traded their star receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and lost No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. The Bills signed wide receiver Curtis Samuel, and drafted receiver Keon Coleman in round two out of Florida State to help fill the void. 

The loss of Diggs though could bring a breath of fresh air to the locker room. Diggs was a diva, he was selfish and he has lost a step. This was the perfect time to move on from Diggs. Quarterback Josh Allen may feel a relief from the constant whining and look forward to throwing to Samuel, Coleman and Khalil Shakir.

Another name who could make a difference in Buffalo is free agent signee Marquez Valdes-Scantling. MVS comes over from the Kansas City Chiefs where he did not perform like many thought he would. He ended the season with only 21 catches for 315 yards and one touchdown. He did not see the field often, but Buffalo will look to tap into his big play capability. He has a career average of 17.0 yards per catch, and should be the long ball threat that Allen will look to. Allen will also have second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid back after a strong rookie season. Kincaid caught 73 passes last season and should be even a bigger part of the offense in 2024. James Cook made a huge leap in his second season in the NFL, rushing for 1,122 yards and he also snagged 44 receptions out of the backfield, helping to balance the offense. 

Offense wasn’t the only unit changing in 2024. The defense will look a lot different than it has in the past. The team let go of safety Jordan Poyer and also have not signed Micah Hyde. The duo of Poyer and Hyde were one of the best safety duos in the NFL for years, but were getting long in the tooth. The Bills also lost ex-pro bowler Tre’Davious White, who they made a June 1st cut and he then signed with the Los Angeles Rams. It wasn’t just the secondary that took a hit in the off-season, last season’s leading sacker Leonard Floyd signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers. 

The Bills are hoping that they get production out of linebacker’s Matt Milano and Von Miller in 2024. Miller tore his ACL in 2022 and came off injured reserve in week five, but it was evident he was never healthy. Milano suffered a fractured leg early in the 2023 season and was lost for the season. Milano and Miller at 100% will definitely help this revamped defense out in 2024. At the safety position they drafted Cole Bishop out of Utah in round two, and he will supply depth behind newly signed Taylor Rapp and Mike Edwards who the Bills signed in free agency. Defensive coordinator will definitely have his hands full in 2024. The secondary will be tested in a division that has quarterback’s like Tua Tagovailoa and Aaron Rodgers. 

Although this Bills team has lost some familiar faces, the team has done a good job of replacing the pieces with younger players who can pick up where the veterans left off. Draft Nation thinks it is too soon to write off Josh Allen and the Bills, and in a tough AFC, they are still at the top when it comes to teams who can knock off the Kansas City Chiefs.