Buffalo Bills 2024 Season Preview & Record Prediction
2023 Record: 11-6 (AFC East Champions)
The Buffalo Bills 2023 season must have felt like Deja Vu for fans, who once again enjoyed a double-digit win season, only for it to be ended by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs. While the enjoyment of another division title will have softened the blow, the consequences of having a top-grade quarterback and roster have finally arrived. This offseason has brought a long list of departing superstars, but youngsters are ready to pick up the mantle in their places. Don’t let the headlines fool you; this is still a supremely talented team with youngsters prepared to contribute at key positions, and remember, when Josh Allen is your quarterback, your window is never closed. Don’t underestimate the Bills in 2024.
Bills Offensive Outlook
While the overall outcome was painfully similar in 2023, the journey was slightly different. A 5-5 record after ten weeks resulted in the firing of the offensive coordinator and the promotion of Joe Brady. He instilled a more balanced approach and established a better run game, leading the team to 6 victories in their last seven games. This was an impressive turnaround, and there is more potential for improvement now that Brady has a whole offseason to introduce his scheme.
With Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis departing the team after being focal points for so long, Buffalo desperately needed wide receiver help. That help came in the form of Keon Coleman, who arrived at the top of the second round of the NFL draft, offering a very enticing physical profile for Josh Allen to aim at. His size and athleticism made him a popular prospect, with plenty of jaw-dropping highlights on display during the pre-draft process. He needs to improve some aspects of his route-running but is in a great spot to hit the ground running with Josh Allen. Aside from him, Curtis Samuel adds a very useful veteran presence alongside another exciting young prospect in Khalil Shakir. The Bills have also brought in the wide receivers Marques Valdes-Scantling, Mack Hollins, and Chase Claypool to bolster the ranks.
There is no doubt that Diggs’ departure frees up a lot of targets, and the main benefactor of that might well be sophomore tight end Dalton Kincaid. He had a healthy 673 yards in his rookie year, quickly becoming a reliable target for Allen. Expect to see more involvement from him in 2024.
The most successful part of the offense in 2023 was the run game, with Buffalo’s 135 yards per game ranking 5th in the NFL. In his sophomore season, James Cook was a big factor in this, notching his first 1,000-yard season. The team also scored the 6th most points in 2023, with 26.6 points per game. On the surface, Diggs’ departure may make this tricky to repeat, but Josh Allen is the ultimate cheat code, and there is more than enough talent to see another good year from this unit.
Bills Defensive Outlook
Further personnel changes on the defensive side of the ball could raise some eyebrows. In a battle with the salary cap, Buffalo was forced to let players such as Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Leonard Floyd, and Tre’Davious White walk out the door. On the surface, losing so many defense stalwarts could spell disaster, but the reality is that cuts had to be made, and these players were not getting any younger.
The good news is that names such as Greg Rousseau, Christian Benford, DaQuon Jones, Rasul Douglas, Taron Johnson, A.J. Epanesa, and Matt Milano have all stuck around. These players were arguably the most influential in helping Buffalo give up the third-fewest points in 2023, and they are all still in place to help the team again in 2024. The headline news of Buffalo’s salary cap-fueled cuts has produced a vision of a declining squad, but this defense is still loaded and ready to challenge.
Key Games
● Week 2: @ Miami Dolphins – Thursday 12th September, Hard Rock Stadium
● Week 4: @ Baltimore Ravens – Sunday 29th September, M&T Bank Stadium
● Week 9: vs Miami Dolphins – Sunday 3rd November, Highmark Stadium
● Week 11: vs Kansas City Chiefs – Sunday 17th November, Highmark Stadium
● Week 13: vs San Francisco 49ers – Sunday 1st December, Highmark Stadium
● Week 14: @ Los Angeles Rams – Sunday 8th December, SoFi Stadium
Record prediction for 2024: 12-5 (AFC East Champion)
2024 is a fascinating year for the Buffalo Bills. Having won the division four times in a row, they are about to face their first proper adversity in the form of a new-look roster and strengthening division contenders. Miami remains the biggest threat following a very impressive 2023 campaign in which their offense appeared unstoppable for much of the year. Mike McDaniel is a genius of a play-caller and will cook up plenty more magic with Odell Beckham Jr and the speedy rookie running back Jaylen Wright now at his disposal, but they are yet to prove they can win in crunch time late in the season.
The New York Jets are also clearly in with a good chance, so long as Aaron Rodgers remains healthy, which is far from a guarantee. They already boast one of the league’s defenses and have the firepower on offense to make a real leap. They, however, have not been a proper contender in over a decade, and it is a lot to ask them to switch it on suddenly in pressure moments.
With all that in mind, the Buffalo Bills still deserve to be favorites for this division. It will likely be closer than they are used to this year, meaning regular season games against the Chiefs and Ravens will be even more crucial, but any doubts about the departing players are overblown. This is not the team at the beginning of a rebuilding phase; this is the team at the start of their next Super Bowl window. There are countless young stars to build around on both sides of the ball, and Josh Allen remains ‘one-of-on” at the most important position in the sport. Therefore, the prediction of Buffalo in 2024 is to win the AFC East with a 12-5 record.
