In part 2 of our annual Bills’ season review, we look at the offensive side of the ball. There were issues with consistency as the season progressed, some players had down years and once again, there was a failure to develop a sound ground game. Here’s a position-by-position look at the offense:
Quarterbacks
Josh Allen is a franchise quarterback, a true NFL superstar. He can’t, however, do it all on his own. He needs more help from the play callers and more support from the other 10 players around him, whether that means current players stepping up or new players added. Backup QB for this team is basically an extra coach and a clipboard carrier, so Case Keenum was the 2022 version of that. It may be time to start grooming a younger player for this role in 2023.
Running Backs
Devin Singletary is a hard working back who fights for extra yardage, but has never been much of a home run threat. His contract is up, and I don’t see the Bills paying him much unless he returns as a backup. James Cook shows a lot of potential but only was able to show flashes of that in 2022 with the Bills coaches’ maddening habit of over-nurturing their young prospects. Still, he is the lead dog as far as becoming the number 1 running back next season. Beane acquired Nyheim Hines at the trade deadline to add another offensive weapon, but he was mostly underutilized. His contributions in the return game made a difference. Taiwan Jones is on the roster for special teams only. He is up in age and his value in taking up a roster spot has diminished. Fullback Reggie Gilliam is valuable for his versatility. He can play fullback and fill in as a tight end, and is a regular on special teams also.
Receivers
Buffalo has one of the top # 1 targets in the NFL in Stefon Diggs, a fiery competitor who puts up consistent numbers each year. After him, the Bills need to figure it out. Gabe Davis had a bad year with dropped passes, but he’s a big game monster and has to be a major part of the offense going forward. A little off-season work to improve his consistency should help. The fact that John Brown and Cole Beasley were brought back to boost the passing game production was a sign that the club is in need of weapons. Bringing back Beasley wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Late season flashes from rookie Khalil Shakir put him in the conversation to be one of the top 4 next year. He’s one of many first year players who weren’t given ample opportunities to help when the team had struggles. Isaiah McKenzie may have seen his last days as a Bill. He also had drop issues and he no longer contributes on kick returns, so his is a prime spot for an upgrade in 2023. The team never got a good look at Jamison Crowder after he signed as a free agent due to injury, and Jake Kumerow, who has stuck around for his special teams value, is in the same boat. Dawson Knox has developed into a quality tight end. He made tremendous strides with his production late in the season. After him, he TE depth is slim. Quinton Morris is a good story as an undrafted player who fought hard to make it, but the team should look for better players at his position. Tommy Sweeney is another player who is on the roster but rarely active on game day. The receiving corps overall could use an infusion of new blood.
Offensive Line
This group is an enigma. The Bills have struggled badly in developing a run game outside of Allen’s runs, and the beating the QB took in the playoff loss to the Bengals is a sign that they need changes up front. Center Mitch Morse is solid, but the rest of the line leaves a lot to be desired. Both starting tackles, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, looked good at times and struggled badly in other instances. Left guard Rodger Saffold showed signs of his age (34) as the season wore on, and I doubt if he is offered a contract to return. Ryan Bates was moved to right guard, and his play was decent, but he played much better on the left side in 2021. The depth behind the starters has one young player with some potential in Tommy Doyle, who spent much of the year on injured reserve. The rest of the backups are average journeymen – David Quessenberry, Bobby Hart, Greg Van Roten and Ike Boettger. There is a possible diamond in the rough on the practice squad in Alec Anderson, but again, an infusion of better talent is needed here.