It was Deja Vu all over again for the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 season. They won another AFC East Championship, advanced in the playoffs to the conference championship game, and unfortunately lost, for the fourth time on 5 years, to the Kansas City Chiefs. They’ll take another kick at the can in 2025, and here’s our preview of the upcoming season:
Front Office/Coaching
GM Brandon Beane loaded up on defense in the draft, a nod to the fact that it has been the unit that has consistently failed in the playoffs. Two of the 3 coordinators return – Joe Brady on offense and Bobby Babich on defense, but a couple of key additions were made to the staff. Veteran special teams coach Chris Tabor takes the reins of that unit, bringing years of experience to a position that has lacked just that in recent years. Also, another veteran coach – Ryan Nielsen, was brought in as a senior defensive assistant to help Babich with his unit.
Quarterbacks
QB Josh Allen, NFL MVP
Josh Allen is no longer just the starting quarterback of the Bills, he’s the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. His quest to bring a Lombardi Trophy to Western New York will continue in 2025. Mitch Trubisky returns as his backup, hopefully only to carry a clipboard and offer emotional support on the sidelines, while doing some mop up duty in the fourth quarter of blowout games.
Running Backs
Ray Davis, second year power back
Beane solved his biggest offseason problem when he signed star running back James Cook to an extension, locking up a key player on the offense who scored 16 touchdowns in 2024. Although Cook is the team’s bell cow back, Buffalo employed a bit of a running back by committee approach last season, with veteran Ty Johnson filling the role of the third down back and rookie Ray Davis taking on the job of the change-of-pace power back. Davis filled in admirably when Cook was hurt for a game last year also. The lone fullback on the roster, Reggie Gilliam, remains in place. He is a key blocker, can catch the ball out of the backfield occasionally and is key special teams contributor.
Receivers
Keon Coleman needs to develop in 2025
The Bills’ receiving corps got another infusion of talent this offseason. The top pass catchers are incumbents Khalil Shakir, Josh Allen’s most reliable target, Curtis Samuel, who came on late in the season to provide some highlights after battling injuries, and Keon Coleman, last year’s top draft pick who also was hampered in his development by injuries, and is expected to make a major jump in production in year two. Also there are 3 new additions. Josh Palmer joins the squad as a veteran free agent, as does Elijah Moore, while Tyrell Shavers, a practice squad player last year, fought his way onto the main roster this season with an impressive showing in training camp and the preseason. The Bills will carry 3 tight ends again in 2025, with Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid being the main targets at the position. Knox has been reliable in his tenure here, while Kincaid, like Coleman, is expected to reach a higher level this year. Rookie Jackson Hawes, who has a reputation as an excellent blocker, is a new addition, replacing the departed Quinton Morris.
Offensive Line
Dion Dawkins, Bills’ blind side protector
Once again in 2025 the Bills will have the same 5 starters on the offensive front. Connor McGovern begins his second year as the starting center, flanked by guards David Edwards and O’Cyrus Torrence. Left tackle Dion Dawkins is one of the best in the game, and right tackle Spencer Brown has shown improvement in every season since joining the team. Alec Anderson is a valuable reserve. He can play any O line position and serves as the team’s sixth offensive lineman when they go with a power run formation. The rest of the backups include veteran Ryan Van Demark, second year center/guard Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and rookie Chase Lundt, who worked at both guard and tackle in the preseason. Tylan Grable, who won the swing tackle job over Van Demark last season as a rookie, will spend the first 4 games on injured reserve but should return at some point.
Defensive Line
Joey Bosa, Prize free agent pass rusher
This is an area that Bene clearly identified as needing improvement, and he set out to do that in the draft and free agency. He drafted 3 large individuals to add to the D line rotation in tackles T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker and edge rusher Landon Jackson. Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones remain the starting tackles, but with DeWayne Carter suffering a season ending Achilles injury, Sanders and Walker will be thrust into larger roles. The Bills also have recently signed vet Jordan Phillips available on the practice squad. Free agent Larry Ogunjobi must serve a 6 game suspension, but he’ll be an option at DT in the second half of the season. At defensive end/edge rusher, Buffalo is pretty well stocked. Joey Bosa was signed as a free agent and the expectations will be high for him. As long as he stays healthy he should provide a major spark to the pass rush. The other starter at end is Greg Rousseau, who has raised his level of play every year. Capable reserves are in place with A.J. Epenesa and Javon Solomon. Like Ogunjobi, edge rusher Michael Hoecht is suspended for 6 games, but he’ll be a welcome infusion to the pass rush after that.
Linebackers
Terrel Bernard, QB of the defense
The Bills have a pair of top linebackers in Matt Milano and defensive captain Terrel Bernard, although the contract gymnastics done in the offseason by Beane with Milano suggest they may be ready to move on from the oft-injured star after this season. If Milano’s injury problems persist, Dorian Williams is a more than adequate replacement. The Bills also have a new veteran available to add to the LB depth in Shaq Thompson. Last season’s revelation, “Buffalo Joe” Andreessen, is back and in the preseason appears to have secured himself a larger role in the defense in addition to his special teams contributions.
Defensive Backs
Christian Benford, solid starting CB
Defense has been the Achilles heel of Buffalo’s postseason failures, and the secondary getting torched and having rashes of injuries has contributed to that. Despite Beane’s efforts to shore up the secondary, the Bills enter the season with question marks here. Top draft pick Maxwell Hairston was expected to compete for the border CB opposite solid starter and borderline All Pro Christian Benford, but a training camp injury landed him on injured reserve, which means he’ll miss at least the first 4 games. Old friend Tre’Davious White was brought back to add some depth and push Hairston, but he also is having injury issues. That leaves rookies Dorian Strong and Jordan Hancock as possible starters, which would not be an ideal scenario. Hancock was impressive in the preseason but he seemed to get most of his work at either safety or nickel corner, where he would back up the team’s best secondary player, Taron Johnson. The 2 University at Buffalo products – Ja’Marcus Ingram and Cam Lewis – are also available. Ingram could be an option for the starting CB2 spot, while Lewis has mostly backed up all secondary spots and been a top special teamer. A desperation option is Brandon Codrington, listed as a corner on the depth chart but he is on the roster as the main kick returner. At safety, Taylor Rapp is locked in as one of the starters, and it appears that Cole Bishop will man the other spot, despite losing valuable reps in training camp due to injury. Damar Hamlin is back in a reserve role, and the only other possible backups are the versatile Lewis and Hancock.
Special Teams
New punter Brad Robbins
The most exciting change to the Bills’ bomb squads took place in the coaching ranks, not on the field, with the addition of new ST coordinator Chris Tabor. One significant roster change is the addition of new punter Brad Robbins, a reliable veteran booter. Placekicker Tyler Bass and long snapper Reid Ferguson man their respective roles again. Codrington is back as the punt return specialist, and will likely share kickoff return duties with running backs Davis and Ty Johnson.
Here’s your annual song to get psyched up for the upcoming season, the Bills’ Shout song: