Where do Buccaneers rank among division winners likely to repeat in 2024?
By Brad Smith
No. 2: Buffalo Bills
After a tumultuous season that capped off with an ultimatum of making the AFC playoffs as the No. 2 seed or completely missing it, the playoffs were much of the same for Buffalo. In the divisional round, the Bills were a field goal away from dethroning the Chiefs and advancing to the AFC Championship game.
Instead, Buffalo entered the offseason and hit a complete reset around superstar quarterback Josh Allen. For reference, the Bills parted ways with Gabe Davis, Mitch Morse, Jordan Poyer, and Tre'Davious White in free agency, while trading four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs to Houston. Although all those players have played well recently, all but Davis are younger than 28 years old, with Morse, Poyer, White, and Diggs on the wrong side of 30.
With that, Buffalo used their cap space to sign younger reinforcements for Allen and on defense. The Bills started free agency by re-signing Dion Dawkins and Taylor Rapp to three-year deals, while inking AJ Epenesa and David Edwards to two-year deals. That would be followed by Buffalo signing Mack Hollins and Nicholas Morrow to one-year contracts, along with agreeing with Curtis Samuel on a three-year, $39 million contract.
Even without a first-round pick, the Bills used all ten of their selections to add notable pieces to their roster, such as FSU wide receiver Keon Coleman, Utah safety Cole Bishop, Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, and Troy defensive end Javon Solomon.
This goes without saying that Buffalo's 2024 schedule is tied for sixth in difficulty, and two matchups per year against a revamped Jets squad led by Aaron Rodgers and against Miami and Pro Bowler Tua Tagovailoa aren't "easy wins" anymore.