The NFL Combine started this past week with several college athletes who will be poked and prodded throughout the weekend. The Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has been onsite, with several other coaches and staff, as they look for the future of the Bills. Is there a future number one receiver among the group that one day will take the reigns from Stefon Diggs?
Speaking of Diggs, what might the Buffalo Bills be in for this offseason with him? More cryptic tweets all summer? More on that later. The NFL free agency period is just around the corner too. There will be a whole other set of players that the Buffalo Bills will be talking and potentially negotiating with, as they try to convince them that Buffalo is the place to be.
Buffalo has several positional needs but is also up against the salary cap. Luckily, the cap increased more than was initially expected, which will be a huge help but likely means they retain the team's free agents, rather than any big-name signings this year. Not only are there positional needs to address but there are also off-the-field situations and contracts to deal with. It will be an exciting offseason for the Buffalo Bills, but also a very important one that could have lasting effects beyond the 2024 NFL season.
With the salary cap spike, will the Buffalo Bills take advantage?
I alluded to the salary cap increase in the opening of this article but let's dive a little deeper. The original projection was around $242 million; however, when the increase was announced, it was nearly $13 million more than expected. That's a significant difference, especially considering someone like Gabe Davis is projected around $13 million on average annually, per Spotrac.com.
Where Buffalo can take advantage of the increase is being able to bring back some of their free agents, specifically guys like DaQuan Jones, perhaps Tyrel Bernard too, and Taylor Rapp. Also, A.J. Epenesa is a pending free agent, and getting him back would be great in terms of maintaining some depth on the defensive front. I don't think this means the Bills will go out and spend all that on some big-name free agent either but more than likely, it'll help bring in a few pieces to add further depth.
Is this going to be another offseason of the Stefon Diggs drama?
I can't speak for everyone on this subject but for me, I'm over all this nonsense. Ever since Diggs abruptly left the locker room after losing to the Bengals in the divisional round, it's just been one thing after another. You know the deal, you've heard all the news, the interviews, and read the cryptic tweets from last offseason. As a fan, I'm tired of all the drama. As someone who writes about the Bills, I'm tired of all the drama. As someone who has his own podcast covering the Bills, I'm tired of all the drama.
Let's get one thing clear here. Stefon Diggs will be a Buffalo Bill in the 2024 NFL season. What happens after that is anyone's guess but his contract is still such that makes it hard to part ways before the 2025 season either. I hope that Diggs stays out of the news this offseason, and avoids Twitter or X, whatever we are calling it these days. The national media and other news outlets will speculate what a trade looks like for Diggs, and they'll make up their stories about him wanting out of Buffalo. Until it actually happens, I'm over it. And it's not likely to happen for at least two more seasons. Maybe after the 2025 season, we can talk about this again.
Has the Buffalo Bills Super Bowl window closed?
I'm sorry but I have to simply laugh at these takes. First of all, as long as Josh Allen is under center for the Buffalo Bills, they will always be a contender. The biggest issue in the last two seasons was the injuries, particularly to the defense. For anyone who wants to blame Coach McDermott and calling for his firing, good luck with that. The bottom line is that he's not going anywhere and I've got news for you, he is more than capable of coaching this team to a Super Bowl.
That said, this offseason will be big for the Bills. They have some needs that will need to be successfully addressed to significantly improve their chances, and I think Beane will find some of those answers. I've been scoffed at a few times when I refer to the Buffalo Bills as Super Bowl contenders by our fans but I have to ask what exactly is your definition of a contender?
Can the Bills repeat as AFC East champions?
Well, I already said I believe this team will be a Super Bowl contender in 2024. So, it's only natural that I believe they will win their fifth consecutive division title. But that's my opinion though and not shared by all Bills fans. This will be one of the storylines this offseason and well into the 2024 regular season as well. The Dolphins are close but they still need to prove they can beat a team with a winning record. The Jets will have Aaron Rodgers back but he is also 40 years old and coming off an Achilles injury. I'll start believing in the Jets as soon as they prove they can get it done.
The Patriots are under a new regime for the first time in over two decades. Tom Brady has been out of New England for a few years now and finally, Bill Belichick is out as well. The Patriots are pretty much in a rebuild at this point and still looking for their future starting quarterback. The question will be, can the Buffalo Bills make the necessary moves this offseason to remain atop the AFC East?
What will the Buffalo Bills do about Von Miller?
Here is another difficult contact situation the Buffalo Bills find themselves in. Similar to Stefon Diggs, the money doesn't make sense for the team to move on from Miller this offseason, but the Bills will need to figure out if Miller can still play or if the ACL he suffered in 2022 was the beginning of the end for his career? It's a difficult spot to be in, given the money he is due. It would be hard as a franchise to bench a player of Miller's stature and contract but that might be a decision the team has to make.
Over the last couple of games, Miller started to show a little more of that burst off the line but still nowhere near where the team needs him to be. Part of the Miller situation will include whether the Bills should spend a high draft pick on another edge defender or use those higher picks on other needs and hope that Miller can be at least 80% the player he once was. Let's not forget that part of this storyline includes the off-the-field concerns as well. We may hear more about that as the offseason rolls along toward the 2024 NFL season.