Buffalo Bills 2024 Season Preview
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
The Bills are going through a transition period. While their Super Bowl window is by no means closed, this is one of their weaker rosters, on paper, in the Josh Allen era.
This past offseason, the Bills lost key pieces such as Jordan Poyer, Mitch Morse, Micah Hyde, Gabe Davis, and Siran Neal. Some of these players were not what they once were, but their absence will be missed. In addition to these cap casualties, Stefon Diggs was also traded to the Houston Texans for a fax machine and a bag of chips. He had a rapid decline in the last half of the season, but it would be ignorant to say that the Bills will be better without him.
Squeezed against the cap, Brandon Beane did what he could to fill out the roster with starting caliber players in free agency. In a depleted receiver room, Beane went out to the open market to acquire guys that fit the offense. Curtis Samuel will look to take a significant number of targets, likely as the Y receiver. They also picked up Mack Hollins, an elite blocking receiver. Hollins won’t rack up a ton of yards, but he will be out there on obvious rushing downs. They also brought in Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a Super Bowl champion. To fill out the safety position, they brought in Mike Edwards in free agency.
Their biggest additions came via the draft, though. They traded down and were able to take Keon Coleman to round out the receiver room. He will play the role of a typical X receiver and is the type of guy that a gunslinger like Josh Allen needs. They then selected one of my draft crushes, Utah safety Cole Bishop. He is a guy that will likely play a key role in the defense right away. Other picks such as Dewayne Carter and Sedrick Van Pran are poised to be starters in the future.
With the offseason moves out of the way, we can look ahead to their schedule. They open the season at home against the Cardinals, followed by a road game against Miami, a home game against the Jaguars, and a road game against the Ravens. I have them winning 2 games in this stretch.
They then travel to Houston in Week 5, New York to play the Jets in Week 6, back home to play the Titans, and a road game against the Seahawks. Once again, I will give them 2 wins in this stretch.
In November, they play the Dolphins at home, travel to Indy, and play the Chiefs at home before their bye week. I will give them 2 wins in this stretch.
In December and January, they host the 49ers, travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams, travel to Detroit to play the Lions, host the Patriots and the Jets, and close out the season in Foxborough against the Patriots. They tend to close the season strong, so I will give them 4 wins here.
I have the Bills ending the 2024 season 10-7. I am not entirely sure that this will be enough to win the division or even make the playoffs. However, if my predictions were to actually happen, (SPOILER ALERT) it would result in another Bills’ division title. While this Bills’ team may have the least amount of talent from top to bottom in the Josh Allen era, it is time we give both Allen and McDermott the benefit of the doubt.
