After salary cap constraints forced them to part ways with several notable veterans earlier this offseason, the Buffalo Bills are hoping some of their young players and new faces emerge as impactful contributors in 2024.
While the injuries continue to pile up in the preseason, Buffalo still has the talent necessary to make a push for its fifth straight division title.
Here are the franchise’s most valuable people for 2024.
5. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel
Although second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid may ultimately lead the team in targets, Samuel could prove to be Buffalo’s most important pass-catcher this season, assuming he can bounce back from his recent turf toe injury. Following the offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, the Bills are relying on a wide receiver corps lacking a true No. 1 option to fill the void.
Buffalo will surely spread the ball around, but Samuel is well-positioned to make the biggest impact among the team’s wideouts. The 28-year-old signed a three-year, $24M deal with the Bills this past offseason after racking up 613 receiving yards and scoring five total touchdowns for the Commanders in 2023. Despite the modest totals Samuel has posted throughout his career, his versatile skill set and history with Bills OC Joe Brady provide plenty of optimism that he could be a difference-maker this season.
In 2020, when Samuel played for the Panthers while Brady served as the team’s offensive coordinator, the former second-round pick enjoyed the best season of his career. In 15 games, Samuel amassed 1,051 yards from scrimmage (851 receiving and 200 rushing) and scored five total touchdowns. Considering Samuel caught passes from Teddy Bridgewater and PJ Walker that season, the quarterback upgrade to two-time Pro Bowler Josh Allen could pave the way for the dynamic wideout to enjoy a full-fledged breakout in 2024.
4. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver
Oliver has yet to earn a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection, but the 26-year-old is beginning to live up to his status as a former top-10 draft pick. While he never looked the part of being considered a draft bust, Oliver’s first four seasons in the league left much to be desired, as he posted just 151 tackles and 14.5 sacks.
Nonetheless, Buffalo remained confident in Oliver’s abilities and signed him to a four-year, $68M extension last offseason, which has already begun to look like a steal. In 16 games last season, Oliver set career highs across the board, making 51 total tackles, 14 for loss, 9.5 sacks and one interception. Additionally, Oliver generated 65 pressures, tied with Dexter Lawrence for the fourth-most among defensive tackles last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Buffalo’s pass rush is a bit of a question mark entering 2024, given that last season’s sack leader Leonard Floyd signed with San Francisco, and since there’s no telling how Von Miller will perform. However, if Oliver can continue to be a consistent force on the interior, the unit has the potential to exceed expectations this season.
3. Cornerback Taron Johnson
The Bills secondary lost key contributors and leaders in Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde this offseason, but the unit still has star power returning for 2024. Even though CB Rasul Douglas is one of the most underrated players at his position, Johnson, who signed a three-year, $31M extension this offseason, is the anchor of Buffalo’s defensive backfield.
Johnson, one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL, broke out in 2023 en route to earning second-team All-Pro honors. Johnson played 89.09% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps last season, posting 98 tackles, three for loss, one sack, eight pass breakups and three forced fumbles. As per Next Gen Stats, the Weber State product allowed the fourth fewest yards per target in the slot in 2023 (4.8) while ranking second from that alignment in run stops (10).
2. Head coach Sean McDermott
McDermott, who’s entering his eighth season as Bills head coach, has been instrumental in establishing a strong culture and transforming his team into a perennial contender. Not only is McDermott the second-winningest coach in franchise history (73 wins), but he also ranks first among Bills coaches in winning percentage (.640).
Under McDermott, Buffalo has won the last four AFC East division titles, though his 5-6 record in the playoffs has seemingly overshadowed his success. While some of the criticism is warranted, it’s hard to imagine McDermott is on much of a hot seat entering 2024. After all, Buffalo rebounded from a disappointing 6-6 start last season to win its final five games thanks to McDermott’s coaching.
Still, despite the roster turnover the Bills have endured this offseason, you’re expected to lead your team on a deep playoff run when you have a talent like Allen at quarterback. If McDermott can do so with this group, any talk about his job security potentially being in jeopardy can be put to rest.
1. Quarterback Josh Allen
In just six seasons, Allen has established himself as one of the greatest dual-threat quarterbacks ever, as he is the only player in NFL history to account for over 40 total touchdowns in four consecutive seasons.
Allen, who has four of the five best passing seasons in franchise history, has already begun to rewrite Buffalo’s record books, and he’s steadily climbing the team’s all-time ranks. In addition to ranking third in franchise history in passing yards (22,703), passing touchdowns (167) and rushing touchdowns (53), Allen’s 3,611 rushing yards are the seventh-most by any Bill.
Although he’s only been to one AFC Championship Game, Allen has been brilliant in the postseason. As pointed out by Sleeper, Allen ranks first among quarterbacks in rushing yards through their first 10 playoff games while ranking second in total yards and touchdowns.
The turnover issues that have followed Allen throughout his career haven’t been much of a concern in the postseason, either. His 1.3% playoff turnover rate is less than half of his regular-season mark in that department (2.8%), according to CBS Sports’ Douglas Clawson.
One could argue that Allen deserved to be named NFL MVP over Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson last season. Even so, if Allen can replicate last season’s production in 2024 despite having a weaker supporting cast, he should be the front-runner for MVP honors this time around.
