Comeback Player of the Year
Comeback Player of the Year is usually reserved for players coming off of a major injury and the Bills stayed relatively healthy in 2020 and avoided major injuries. Unless Star Lotulelei who sat out last season or Harrison Phillips who is coming off a torn ACL suddenly become Pro Bowl caliber players in this upcoming season, you can pretty much write this award off for the Bills.
Defensive Player of the Year
The Bills had two defensive players named to the Pro Bowl last year with young phenoms Tremaine Edmunds and Tre’Davious White. With the level that Aaron Donald continues to play at it would take a pretty remarkable season to dethrone him as Defensive Player of the Year. Donald is one of the most dominant defensive players ever and has won the award 3 out of the last 4 years.
We last saw Donald unseated in 2019 when Stephon Gilmore won the award in a season where he led the league in both interceptions (6) and pass deflections (20). Gilmore was also boosted to the award by being a part of a Patriots defense that led the NFL in most statistical categories.
If you combine Tre’s career-high in both stats you would get a season with 6 interceptions and 18 pass deflections. A season on that echelon combined with a down year for Donald could be enough for White to finally get the recognition he deserves and take home defensive player of the year in 2021.