As media and fans, the proverbial dead horse has been beaten....repeatedly. We know all the changes to the roster. We know all about the numerous long-time Bills that were released, Mitch Morse, Tre'Davious White, and Jordan Poyer. We're more than aware of the Stefon Diggs trade and losing Gabe Davis in free agency. Day One of the NFL Draft was interesting as well, with Bills Mafia expecting a shiny new receiver, only to get two trades that resulted in no picks that first night.
All of these moves have left many to wonder, has the Bills Super Bowl window closed? I don't believe so, but it's possible Buffalo could come to regret some of the offseason decisions. And if they come to regret more than a few, it could be a very long 2024 season at One Bills Drive. But hey, these were moves that had to be made, either due to salary cap constraints or off-the-field actions that were causing on-field distractions, they were necessary and for the better of the team's long-term health. But let's look at some of these decisions that could potentially haunt the Bills in 2024 and they could regret.
Three offseason moves the Buffalo Bills could regret in 2024
Bills trade Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans for a second-round pick
It shouldn't surprise anyone to see the Stefon Diggs trade on this list. What makes this interesting though is we don't know what to expect from Diggs in 2024. His production took a nose dive in the second half of the season and into the playoffs. What we don't know, is why that happened. Some will say defenses were targeting him in coverage, using double-teams and bracket coverage to stop him. But hasn't that been the case for the last few seasons, and yet he still produced and the majority of the other pass-catchers didn't.
If Diggs puts up another 100+ receptions and 1,000+ yards in Houston, fans will look at Beane and question the decision, and more so, if Josh Allen and the Bills' passing game struggles. Despite three receivers having career years with Allen, (John Brown, Cole Beasley, and Diggs), the question this offseason has been whether Allen's meteoric rise was due to Diggs's arrival in Buffalo.
The Buffalo Bills complete a draft day trade with the Chiefs, who land Xavier Worthy with the pick.
First, let's break down the trade. The Bills sent picks 28, 133, and 248 to arch-rival Kansas City in exchange for 32, 95 and 221. The Bills traded the 32nd and 200th picks to acquire the 33rd and 141st picks. Now, let's look at the players they selected in those spots. We know Beane took Keon Coleman with the 33rd, but with the 95th and 221st picks from the Chiefs, they selected defensive tackle DeWayne Carter and offensive tackle Travis Clayton. The 141st pick acquired from Carolina resulted in center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.
The Bills have been slammed repeatedly for this move, and Imagine the national media and the fan base if Worthy goes out and has a terrific rookie season. The trade may be immediately viewed as a regrettable decision by the Bills, yet the additional facets of the transaction will likely be overlooked. The Bills may have gotten a future starting center and defensive tackle in Van Pran-Granger and Carter. And we can't overlook who the Bills selected with the 33rd pick, Keon Coleman. Coleman slides into the third offseason move the Bills could regret.
The Buffalo Bills selected Keon Coleman with the 33rd pick of the 2024 NFL Draft
Some of the names that were available to the Bills at 33 were Ladd McConkey, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Adonai Mitchell. Did the Bills make the right pick? We won't know the answer to this question for a while, but if he struggles in year one or doesn't live up to some of the fan's expectations, Beane will be under fire for the decision. Even though Beane warned fans that he's still a rookie and has things to learn, fans will always want more. The truth is, it may take two or three years to truly understand if the correct decision was made.
Adding to the drama and criticism of this selection is the fact that Buffalo relinquished the 28th pick to initially move back to 32 when they had the opportunity to choose from Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall, or Xavier Leggette. Fair or not, Coleman's success, or lack of it, will forever be compared to those other receivers selected around the same spot, especially Worthy. These two will be linked, not only because of the trade, but the respective teams involved between the Bills and Chiefs. If things don't work out with Coleman, the decision to select him over the others will be a major regret.