While they've never quite been able to make it over the hump, the Buffalo Bills have remained near the top of the AFC for years. Josh Allen's star power alone makes the team a contender each season, as the former MVP unleashes superhuman performances in key moments.
But in recent years, the Bills have quietly failed to put young talent around their QB. Through multiple draft mistakes and limited resources, Buffalo has been left with a quickly aging roster.
Bleacher Report analyst Kristopher Knox recently ranked every young core in the league. At 24th, the Bills don't have the foundation fans would hope for. As the roster continues to age, urgency for a championship is through the roof.
Buffalo Bills' young core ranks 24th in the NFL
James Cook, Dalton Kincaid, Christian Benford, and Khalil Shakir were listed as notable young stars on the Bills roster. It's hard to truly argue that any other player in Buffalo deserves to be included there.
Knox said, "Like Allen, many key contributors—including Dawson Knox, Dion Dawkins, Bradley Chubb, and Mitch Wishnowsky—are in their 30s or will turn 30 during the 2026 season. Prized trade acquisition D.J. Moore turned 29 last month. That said, the Bills do have some strong contributors in their core, even if recent draft picks like Keon Coleman and Maxwell Hairston haven't played up to expectations just yet."
He hit the nail on the head, especially when it comes to recent draft picks. The Bills have not found major contributions from their first selections in the last two seasons. If the trend continues, the roster is threatening to age out of being relevant in a competitive AFC landscape.
Allen isn't going anywhere in the next few seasons. While his athleticism may wane a bit in the later years of his career, the QB could play well into his 30s. But the team around him could look dramatically different in the years to come.
The Bills have been aggressive in adding talent to their roster this offseason, and rightfully so. Players like D.J. Moore and Bradley Chubb could play major roles in helping this team finally reach a Super Bowl. But there is a clear timeline that Buffalo is operating on. If these moves aren't enough to reach a championship, fans could be watching a complete overhaul of the roster in a few short years. The climb to the top of the league is more urgent than ever.
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