The Buffalo Bills are kicking off their organized team activities this week, which gets the team one step closer to training camp. Over the next few weeks, the team is allowed up to 10 practices that don't include any contact but will give the coaching staff chances to run 7-on-7, 9-on-9, or 11-on-11 drills.
This is really the first opportunity for offensive coordinator Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich, along with head coach Sean McDermott, to get a closer look at the roster. There was a lot of turnover this offseason and the Bills will likely be shuffling their depth chart around a lot.
As much as general manager Brandon Beane was able to do, there are still holes on the roster and these are the five positions that are probably the biggest concerns.
5 biggest roster concerns for Buffalo Bills after 2024 NFL Draft
Cornerback
As is the case with a few of these positions, the concern isn't with the starters but the depth at the position. That is why the cornerback position is on this list for the Buffalo Bills.
The top of the depth chart should be pretty much set with Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford on the outside and Taron Johnson as the team's nickel. However, there is almost no experience after these three and that might be a problem if they are forced to deal with any injuries this offseason.
The next group of cornerbacks includes former first-round pick Kaiir Elam, Cam Lewis, Ja'Marcus Ingram, and sixth-round draft pick Daequan Hardy. When considering the Bills lost Tre'Davious White and Dane Jackson this offseason, it wouldn't be surprising if the Bills added another veteran before training camp.
Safety
In addition to cornerback, the safety position is another area of concern that the Buffalo Bills have on their roster entering OTAs. This position though is a little different and might be a little bit of a bigger concern because at this point the starters aren't locked in.
If the coaching staff was forced to pick starters right now it would likely be Taylor Rapp and Mike Edwards as the replacements for long-time starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. However, this should be a pretty wide-open competition and rookie Cole Bishop will have every opportunity to prove he is a starter.
In addition to Bishop, the Bills also did just sign Dee Delaney and still have Damar Hamlin, who was a full-time starter back in 2022. While they will have options, the fact that there is no clear starters might be a bit of a problem early in the season.
Interior Offensive Line
Similar to safety, the Bills have plenty of options for the interior of their offensive line but have a long-time starter that they need to replace. Any time that happens, it can create concerns because of the unknown.
The Bills released Mitch Morse this offseason and didn't sign any free agents to directly replace him. However, they would bring back David Edwards and he appears to be in line to be the starting left guard as Connor McGovern is set to move over to center.
This might not be the best plan as this now creates changes at two spots on the offensive line and in an ideal world, rookie Sedrick Van Pran-Granger takes hold of the starting job. Then McGovern could move back to left guard, where he started all last season, and Edwards could be that sixth offensive lineman/big blocking tight end, in a role he did very well in.
Aside from the questions at center, the depth along the interior offensive line might also be an issue as the Bills also traded away Ryan Bates. This leaves the backup guards as Kevin Jarvis, Will Clapp, Alec Anderson, and Keaton Bills. The Bills did also sign La'el Collins this offseason but he probably will be the backup swing tackle.
There will be plenty to sort out this summer for the Bills along the offensive line as they try to field their best starting five to protect Josh Allen.
Defensive End
The defensive end position has a wide range of possibilities and those seem to hinge on the health of Von Miller. Last year, the former All-Pro struggled in his return from his ACL and was basically a non-factor.
However, injuries like that could take some time to get completely back and this season might be where fans see that dominant pass rusher that Miller was in the eight games before the injury in 2022. If Miller is healthy, the trio of him, Greg Rousseau, and A.J. Epenesa will be able to carry a majority of the workload for the position.
If Miller is not able to bounce back, this puts pressure on the players further down the depth chart and someone needs to step up to replace the 10.5 sacks vacated by the departure of Leonard Floyd. They brought in free agents Dawuane Smoot and Casey Toohill, along with drafting Javon Solomon in the fifth round.
The Bills certainly have some options but they have more than their fair share of questions.
Wide Receiver
Without question, the Bills' biggest roster concern at this point has to be wide receiver and the front office certainly knows that with 13 wide receivers currently on their roster. The Bills have over 250 targets that are not vacant with Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Deonte Harty no longer on the roster.
The fact that the Bills don't have that clear number one wide receiver could create a challenge for Joe Brady but also presents a unique opportunity. It gives him the chance to find the best six, or seven, wide receivers that complement each other. This season will certainly be a group effort and the workload will be more evenly distributed than in past years.
At the top of the depth chart are Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, rookie Keon Coleman, and recent addition Marquez Valdes-Scantling. After these four it is anyone's guess but some players with a lot of potential upside could emerge as key contributors. In this group are Chase Claypool, KJ Hamler, and Andy Isabella as all three at one time or another in their career looked like they could be starters in this league.
Any time a team moves on from a former All-Pro, it raises questions but the Buffalo Bills have given them a great chance to have enough pieces to keep the passing game on track.