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2023 was a strange season for the Bills in many ways. They struggled to maintain any consistency early in the year, and found themselves foundering at 6-6 when the decision was made to change offensive coordinators. They then rebounded to win out and finish 11-6, stealing the AFC East title from Miami on the last day of the regular season. Still, another divisional round playoff loss, this time at home to Kansas City, left the team short of it’s ultimate goal to reach and win a Super Bowl. Here’s our preview of the 2024 season:

Front Office/Coaching

GM Brandon Beane has had to scramble this offseason, with the main monkey wrench in the works being forced to trade star receiver Stefon Diggs. He also decided to move on from a few other veteran leaders – Mitch Morse and Gabe Davis on offense, Leonard Floyd, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde and Tre White on defense, along with core special teamers like Tyler Matakevich and Siran Neal. The bottom line is coach Sean McDermott and his staff will have to count on newcomers in a lot of positions. It will be a transitional, but not a rebuilding year. There isn’t a lot of experience at the coordinator positions either, with Joe Brady getting a full year and DC Bobby Babich holding that title for the first time.

Quarterbacks

QB Josh Allen, the engine of the Bills’ offense

Josh Allen is the starting quarterback and undisputed leader of the Bills. He is an annual candidate for league MVP, and with his receiving corps diminished, he’ll face his biggest challenge in 2024. The team brought back old friend Mitchell Trubisky to back him up, but with Mike White looming on the practice squad, this spot may not necessarily be etched in stone.

Running Backs

Ty Johnson, valuable backup RB

James Cook is the Bills’ starting running back , and he’s coming off a somewhat quiet 1,600 all purpose yard season. With OC Brady looking to use the running attack more, he could be in for a big season. In the backup roles are veteran Ty Johnson, a reliable runner capable of spelling Cook admirably. Rookie Ray Davis is a wild card. In the preseason he was impressive as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield. How much will Brady utilize his talents in addition to Cook and Johnson? Fullback Reggie Gilliam is back again to reprise his role as a blocking back, sometime receiver and special teams contributor.

Receivers

Khali Shakir, the only returning WR from 2023 season

Khalil Shakir returns as the only known commodity in the wide receiver room. There isn’t any so-called number 1 receiver in the group, but it remains to be seen if that turns out to be a liability or a positive for Allen and the offensive attack. The team will be relying on a promising rookie in Keon Coleman, and a group of veteran free agent signees who have had varying degrees of success in the league in Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The best receivers on the roster may be the tight ends. The duo of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox rivals the best the NFL has to offer, and Quinton Morris is the ideal backup, not seeing the field that much with the 2 ahead of him, but finding a way to make plays when needed. Brady figures to utilize 12 personnel (2 tight ends) a lot this season.

Offensive Line

O’Cyrus Torrence solidified the right guard spot as a rookie

The Bills’ offensive line was extremely lucky in 2023 as the starting five man unit stayed intact and injury-free for the whole season. There will be a couple of changes on this year’s unit, however, as Connor McGovern slides over from left guard to center to replace the departed Mitch Morse, and David Edwards, the top reserve guard last year, moves into the LG position. Returning at right guard is O’Cyrus Torrence, a revelation as a rookie in 2023. He won the starting job in training camp and never gave it up, putting in a solid season. The starting tackles also return, with Dion Dawkins on the left side and big Spencer Brown on the right. The backups this year will include a pair of veterans, swing tackle Ryan Van Demark and the versatile Alec Anderson, who can fill in at any of the line positions. The other reserves are a pair of rookies –  Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, who is a natural center but has been groomed to play guard also, and late round draftee Tylan Grable, who quietly had an impressive preseason playing with second and third stringers. If nothing else, the subtle changes in this group should translate into them being a better run-blocking unit.

Defensive Line

DT Ed Oliver had a breakout season

Buffalo likes to use a heavy dose of rotation along the front line on defense in order to keep the big guys fresh over a long season. For that reason they have 10 players on the roster who play on the D-line. Von Miller, a future Hall of Famer, is listed as a linebacker but really is classified as an edge rusher. His pass rushing skills, missing due to injuries for a lot of his tenure here, hopefully will be back as he is finally completely healthy. Miller leads an impressive group of defensive end/edge rushers that includes 2 emerging impact players in Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa, a veteran whose skill level is somewhat unknown in Casey Toohill, and a promising rookie who will need development time in Javon Solomon. The interior line boasts 2 solid starters in DaQuan Jones, an underrated space eater, and Ed Oliver, who broke out with an unrecognized Pro Bowl-caliber year in 2023. Austin Johnson, a free agent pickup, is a veteran backup who will be able to rotate in with little drop in production. Last but not least is Dawuane Smoot, another vet free agent signee who can play inside or on the edge and has the type of versatility the coaches love.

Linebackers

LB Dorian Williams, starter by default

The loss of All Pro Matt Milano due to injury again from this unit really stings. Hopefully he is able to return late in the season to help down the stretch run. In the meantime second year player Dorian Williams will have to man that spot. He is a hard hitting tackling machine, but needs a lot of work on his coverage skills if he is to hold down the starting position. The other backer is reliable Terrel Bernard. He emerged as the leader of the defense last season and is on the road, if he continues to develop, to All Pro status himself. As for backups, Baylon Spector is back but due to recurring injuries has never been able to garner much playing time on defense, but is a special teams contributor. The same goes for newcomer Nick Morrow, signed as a free agent with a reputation for top special teams play. Rookie Edefuan Ulofoshio lacks experience but has the skill to overtake Williams over time if he can develop properly. The last reserve LB is the hometown storybook hero, Joe Andreessen. He came out of nowhere (Lancaster, NY and the University of Buffalo actually) to win a job on the 53 man roster. Expect him to be used mainly on special teams as he learns.

Defensive Backs

Solid veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas

Most of the veteran departures on defense this year happened in the secondary. Coach McDermott and DC Babich will have to figure out which players will be the best fits to get the unit to improve as the year goes on. The starting cornerback jobs should be in decent shape. Taron Johnson, a Pro Bowl slot corner, leads the way as he allows the team to play a nickel defense as their regular unit with both stellar coverage skills and solid tackling ability. Christian Benford is slowly growing into a young dependable outside corner, while veteran ballhawk Rasul Douglas mans the other side. Douglas was a big play machine after being acquired in-season in 2023. The opening day starting safeties are unknown at this point. Just like they did with Bernard last season, one of the players who missed all of the preseason with injury could suddenly wind up in the starting lineup. It appears that Taylor Rapp, an important backup last year, will be promoted to one starting spot but the other is wide open. Veteran Mike Edwards was signed for that role but nagging injuries have kept him on the sideline. Damar Hamlin manned that spot in the preseason and might start also. The plan is likely to have rookie draft pick Cole Bishop eventually grow into the job, but he also has been hit by the injury bug. Versatility and the ability to play basically every position in the secondary has kept Cam Lewis on the squad, and he is now a valuable member of the defense, along with being a contributor to special teams. Another UB product who fought his way from last year’s practice squad to the regular roster is Ja’Marcus Ingram. He and Kaiir Elam are the other CB reserves. Elam has not been able to overtake Benford despite being a higher draft pick in the same year, but he is a solid backup. One other player listed on the roster as a cornerback is Brandon Codrington, but he is solely going to be used to return kicks.

Special Teams

PK Tyler Bass will be under the microscope

Special teams was somewhat of a disaster in 2023 for the Bills. They allowed a punt return for a touchdown in overtime to lose the opening game, had 12 men on the field on a missed field goal attempt that led to a home loss to Denver, and blew a chance to tie the divisional playoff game when Tyler Bass missed a makeable field goal. Long snapper Reid Ferguson is the only member of the specialty teams that has been consistent. Tyler Bass is no longer “Bass-o-matic” and if he doesn’t recover his previous skill level he may not survive the season. Punter Sam Martin has also been wildly inconsistent. The club is still looking for answers for a reliable and somewhat dynamic presence in the return game. Codrington, grabbed in a late trade with the Jets, is the latest to audition for the job. Holding auditions for any job with the regular season already beginning isn’t exactly the best way to go, but give the Bills credit for constantly trying to improve no matter when it is.

Here’s your annual song to get psyched up for the upcoming season, the Bills’ Shout song:

Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane did some maneuvering during the 2024 NFL draft, trading down twice, to improve the team’s positioning in later rounds. He eventually traded completely out of the first round, but was able to add some intriguing players at needed positions. Here’s the list of players chosen:

Round 2A – Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State – a pair of trades took the Bills out of the first round, but with the first pick of round 2 they landed a 6’4 athletic freak to their receiver room. Reportedly a favorite of QB Josh Allen, he has a basketball background and the potential to grow into the # 1 receiver role previously manned by Stefon Diggs.

Round 2B – Cole Bishop, Safety, Utah – with both 2023 starting safeties gone, Beane picks a physical player who is versatile and plays with an edge. Although some analysts pigeon-holed him as strictly a “box safety”, Bishop has shown coverage ability also. He should be given every chance to crack the starting lineup this season.

Round 3 – DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke – Beane’s maneuvers got Buffalo back into the third round after they had previously traded away their pick, and they added to their defensive line rotation depth with Carter, who figures to be Ed Oliver’s backup on the interior line.

Round 4 – Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky – Buffalo’s running back room being a little thin, adding one in the draft was a necessity, but most figured it would be a big, physical, short yardage power back. Davis isn’t big, but at 5’8 and 211 pounds he is plenty physical enough, and also versatile. He’s a terrific receiver, and even led the Wildcats in receiving touchdowns. He might be a perfect complement to James Cook.

Round 5A – Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Georgia – previous starting center Mitch Morse was released as a salary cap casualty, and although there is a plan in place to shift guard Connor McGovern over to center, this was a wise pick as a young replacement will be needed eventually. He was a three year starter for a national championship college program from the SEC, and even has experience blocking for current Bills’ RB James Cook.

Round 5B – Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington – linebacker depth is another need for the team, and this prospect has plenty of experience as a 6 year player at a program that reached the national title game last season. He should also help add to the special teams, where some key past contributors have departed.

Round 5C – Javon Solomon, Edge, Troy – an undersized raw prospect, but his production, 16 sacks last season, can’t be denied. He’ll be able to learn under the mentorship of veteran Von Miller as his career winds down, and hopefully develop into a future major pass rush contributor.

Round 6A – Tylan Grable, OT, Central Florida – he started at left tackle for UCF, so he has experience, but this may be a development project for the future, as he faces stiff competition from veterans in the O line group. Grable looks like he might be destined for the practice squad to begin his career.

Round 6B – Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State – he’s undersized and his future is probably as a slot corner, where the Bills currently have one of the NFL’s best in Taron Johnson, but even as a late round pick he has the ability to stick around the league, similar to previous Bill’s late round draftee Dane Jackson. His punt return ability is why he stands a good chance of making the 53 man roster in 2024.

Round 7 – Travis Clayton, OG, International Pathway Program – much like their previous signing of RB Christian Wade a few years back, the Bills take a flyer on a rugby player from England who is extremely athletic for a man his size. He ran a 4.8 40 yard dash at the combine, the fastest time in a decade for a line prospect. The pathway program allows the Bills an extra (17th) player on their practice squad, and that has to be the eventual landing spot for this guy, who has never played a down of American football.

GM Beane wasted no time in lining up undrafted free agents after the three day extravaganza in Detroit ended. Some interesting players added are RB Frank Gore Jr. , whose father had a short stint with the Bills, a couple receivers in Xavier Johnson of Ohio State and Lawrence Keys of Tulane, and an offensive lineman with an appropriate name, Keaton Bills of Utah. They also signed punter Jack Browning of San Diego State, the same school that former draftee Matt Araiza attended.

It’s time once again for the NFL draft, and with our 4 man analyst team already having predicted how the first round will go, we turn our attention to the draft roster building predictions of the local heroes, the Buffalo Bills. GM Brandon Beane is faced with the difficult task of replenishing the team after suffering significant losses due to salary cap constraints. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that despite having 10 picks in the draft, 8 of them are day 3 picks in rounds 4-7. An expected compensatory third rounder was inexplicably lowered to the fourth round also. Here are the Rayonsports team’s predictions:

Round 1, pick # 28

Connor Pohlman – Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas – the Bills decide that speed is the most important quality they need in their new receiver and pick the player who set the new 40 yard standard at the combine.

Bobby Salami III – Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas – Bills fill their glaring need for wide receiver help with a clutch performer known for big plays in big moments.

Scott Prelewicz – Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU – probably the best WR prospect after the “big 3” (Harrison Jr., Odunze and Nabers), he is a favorite of the team’s fan base and would be a great weapon for Josh Allen.

Ray Prelewicz – Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas – see above.

Round 2, pick # 60

Connor Pohlman – Tyler Nubin, Safety, Minnesota – the best safety available in a weak class, but Nubin is a future starter, and a potential impact player where the Bills need depth.

Bobby Salami III – Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington – BS III has the Bills doubling up on their receiver additions by taking the Huskies’ second best pass catcher, behind top prospect Rome Odunze.

Scott Prelewicz – Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina – like BS III, Scott likes the option of doubling up on receiver help with this high ceiling player.

Ray Prelewicz – Tyler Nubin, Safety, Minnesota – see above.

Round 4A, pick # 128

Connor Pohlman – Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame – the Bills fill a glaring need for a bigger, short yardage power back.

Bobby Salami III – T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas – Bills’ run stuffers on the current roster are aging veterans, so an infusion of youth (and massive size) is a good option.

Scott Prelewicz – Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Safety, Texas Tech – durable safety who led his team in interceptions the last 3 seasons.

Ray Prelewicz – Gabriel Murphy, Edge, UCLA – a polished, versatile and athletic pass rusher who analysts have wildly different ratings about.

Round 4B, pick # 133

Connor Pohlman – Jalyx Hunt, Edge, Houston Baptist – a diamond-in-the-rough pass rusher from a small school is the pick here. GM Brandon Beane does like his dark horse unknown players.

Bobby Salami III – Malik Mustapha, Safety, Wake Forest – safety is a position of need for the Bills and a mid-round player with experience against ACC competition is a solid choice.

Scott Prelewicz – Mohamed Kamara, Edge, Colorado State – another pass rush prospect with a high ceiling that is a solid pick in round 4.

Ray Prelewicz – Mekhi Wingo, DT, LSU – an undersized interior defensive lineman who will be a bit of a project but should be an adequate depth piece.

Round 5A, pick 144

Connor Pohlman – Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State – a huge receiver built more like a tight end, he is a big target in the red zone and on 50/50 balls who should help Allen.

Bobby Salami III – Jonah Elliss, Edge, Utah – a high motor edge rusher with a big upside who will need some development at the next level.

Scott Prelewicz – Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville – a bit of an undersized cornerback, he will likely transition to a strictly slot corner at the next level. Good player to develop behind Taron Johnson.

Ray Prelewicz – Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State – see above.

Round 5B, pick 160

Connor Pohlman – Kalen King, CB, Penn State – another CB prospect. He lacks big time speed but has excellent instincts and excels in both man and zone coverage.

Bobby Salami III – Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville – another power back option for Beane to consider. He has moved up draft boards recently.

Scott Prelewicz – Christian Jones, OT, Texas – very experienced offensive lineman who has desirable measurables. GM Beane likes to dabble in late round offensive line prospects.

Ray Prelewicz – Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville – see above.

Round 5C, pick # 163

Connor Pohlman – James Williams, Safety, Miami (Fl) – a high end prospect who has dropped into the later rounds, mostly because he’s built like a linebacker.

Bobby Salami III – M.J. Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh – led the Panthers in interceptions, and is a similar prospect to former Bill Dane Jackson.

Scott Prelewicz – Will Shipley, RB, Clemson – not the power back type most analysts see the Bills going after, but an intriguing option as a receiving threat out of the backfield. Could even be an option as a slot receiver.

Ray Prelewicz – Josh Newton, CB, TCU – a tough competitor who lacks speed but makes up for it with football intelligence.

Round 6A, pick 200

Connor Pohlman – Hunter Nourzad, IOL, Penn State – a versatile offensive lineman who can play all spots, he would be considered firstly as a candidate to play center, where the Bills can use some depth.

Bobby Salami III – Caeden Wallace, OT, Penn State – as a fifth year senior he is an experienced player who played almost exclusively at right tackle for the Nittany Lions.

Scott Prelewicz – Justin Eboigbe, DT, Alabama – strong interior defensive lineman with a high motor who is technically sound and has a good chance to thrive at the next level.

Ray Prelewicz – Khristian Boyd, DT, Northern Iowa – another of GM Beane’s favorites – a late round small school prospect with lots of upside.

Round 6B, pick 204

Connor Pohlman – M.J. Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh – see above.

Bobby Salami III – Erick All, TE, Iowa – tight end is not a position of need for Buffalo but with a late round pick a tight end from Iowa is a really good gamble.

Scott Prelewicz – James Williams, Safety, Miami (Fl) – see above.

Ray Prelewicz – Kitan Oladapo, Safety, Oregon State – his strength is position versatility, which the Bills covet. He can play safety or any of the cornerback spots.

Round 7, pick 248

Connor Pohlman – Fabien Lovett, DT, Florida State – a strong run stuffer with the ability to fight off one on one blocks. Another high motor prospect.

Bobby Salami III – Gabriel Murphy, Edge, UCLA – see above.

Scott Prelewicz – Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State – a late blooming prospect who shined at the Senior Bowl and the combine who is an interesting player from a small school.

Ray Prelewicz – Dylan McMahon, IOL, North Carolina State -a college center who is somewhat on the small side, he had great numbers at the combine, and could be an NFL caliber player if he bulks up.