The offense is the focus of part 2 of our annual Bills’ season review. The change of coordinators from Ken Dorsey to Joe Brady produced positive results for the most part, the biggest being an improvement in the run game. If Brady is retained as OC, it’ll be interesting to see what ideas he adds to the attack as he takes full control, rather than just tweaking the team’s existing playbook . Here’s a position-by-position look at the offense:
Quarterbacks
Josh Allen is the unquestioned leader of this team. His teammates all claim they would do anything for him and support him 100% even when he comes up short occasionally. He should spend the offseason continuing to find ways to cut down on costly turnovers, while still maintaining his swashbuckling style of play. Kyle Allen’s role as backup QB mainly consisted of taking kneel downs at the end of games and being Josh Allen’s buddy. Will practice squad quarterback Shane Buechele get a fair shot at taking that spot in 2024?
Running Backs
After Brady assumed the OC duties, it became apparent that James Cook is now the Bills’ bell cow running back. He is an elusive runner who also seems to have an even bigger upside if he can add some longer chunk plays to his arsenal and improve his pass catching ability. Damien Harris was signed to a one year deal but injuries derailed him and his contributions were minimal. Latavious Murray added some leadership to the squad, but I don’t see him back next year. The best of the backup backs was easily Ty Johnson, a waiver wire pickup who should figure in their plans for 2024, should he be re-signed. This is a spot where a young, hard running short yardage back, preferably found in the late rounds of the draft, would be a good addition. 2022 trade acquisition Nyheim Hines, who excelled as a kick returner, should be back in 2024 also. Fullback Reggie Gilliam is a solid special teams guy and blocker, so he is almost sure to be back.
Receivers
This is an area of glaring need going into the offseason for the Bills. Their top receiver, Stefon Diggs, saw his production drop off dramatically the second half of the season. “Big Play” Gabe Davis was very inconsistent, wavering from 100 yard games to no catch games. He is also a pending free agent, and it seems unlikely the Bills will re-sign him. One positive was the emergence of Khalil Shakir, who thrived when Joe Brady took over as offensive coordinator. Free agent additions Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty contributed very little outside of the AFC East-clinching win over Miami. Sherfield won’t be back and Harty will surely face stiff competition, most likely from the draft, next year. Out of desperation, Andy Isabella was elevated from the practice squad late in the year, but didn’t provide any help in the passing attack. An unknown is Justin Shorter, like Shakir a fifth round draft pick who spent the entire 2023 season on injured reserve. Wide receiver may be lacking, but the Bills are set at the tight end position. Dawson Knox is a reliable target who always seems to make his biggest plays in the playoffs, while rookie first round pick Dalton Kincaid is a superstar on the rise. Comparisons to the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce have already started for him. An unsung but valuable third tight end is Quinton Morris, a former undrafted player who has battled his way into a contributing role each year he’s been here.
Offensive Line
Once a question mark, the offensive line was a stable bright spot for Buffalo in 2023. Anchored by veteran Mitch Morse at center, the group stayed intact as a starting 5 all season. GM Beane added 2 new guards to reinforce the interior line – free agent signee Connor McGovern from Dallas and rookie second round draftee O’Cyrus Torrence, who looks like a second day steal. Left tackle Dion Dawkins had a Pro Bowl level season, and much-maligned right tackle Spencer Brown quietly locked in at his position and played well. Buffalo also has a bevy of capable backups who were hardly used in 2023. They are versatile Ryan Bates, who can play every position on the line, swing tackle Ryan Van Demark, Alec Anderson, another undrafted gem who is being groomed to man all spots like Bates, and David Edwards. Edwards will be a free agent and it’s up in the air whether he’ll return or not. He did play a valuable role this past season as the extra “eligible” lineman on running downs. That role was previously played by Tommy Doyle, who will be back after spending the year on IR.