Despite a formidable regular-season turnaround, the Buffalo Bills’ 2023 season resulted in heartbreaking vogue, as they suffered their third playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the previous 4 years.
Although some have questioned whether or not Buffalo’s Super Bowl window is closing as a consequence of its latest wave of cuts and contract restructurings, the group stays a severe contender in the AFC. However, a number of members of the group have to show themselves this season to make sure their inclusion in the Bills’ long-term plans.
With that in thoughts, listed below are three Bills on the hottest seats in 2024.
Outside linebacker Von Miller
The two-time Super Bowl champion’s Bills tenure has been a large disappointment since he signed a six-year, $120M deal throughout the 2022 offseason.
After amassing eight sacks in his first 11 video games with the group, Miller tore his ACL, which nonetheless hindered his efficiency upon his return to the lineup this previous season. Across 12 video games in 2023, Miller failed to gather a sack and racked up simply three mixed tackles, together with three QB hits.
Miller’s lack of manufacturing, coupled with the Bills’ wage cap points, in the end resulted in his deal being reworked earlier this offseason. Whether Miller reveals flashes of being his outdated self or not, it would be shocking if Buffalo did not reap the benefits of the alternative to chop him after the 2024 season and save much more cap area.
According to Over the Cap, Buffalo would save $17.5M in cap area by designating Miller as a post-June 1 launch subsequent offseason whereas incurring roughly $6.8M in useless cash.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs
If Diggs’ newest string of cryptic posts on X is not truly an indication that he is leaving Buffalo this offseason, 2024 might be his closing season with the group. There was some drama between Diggs and the group final offseason, however it did not appear to affect his efficiency in any approach. Diggs had 5 100-yard outings in his first six video games this previous season earlier than his manufacturing started to say no.
Then, following Buffalo’s Week 10 loss to Denver, the place he caught three passes for 34 yards, Diggs’ brother Trevon took to social media to say that the star wideout ought to request a commerce. Even although the 30-year-old downplayed his brother’s feedback, his play did not enhance from that time on, with Diggs recording 40 receptions for 361 yards and one landing over his closing eight video games.
There’s no denying that Diggs is one in every of the most gifted wideouts in the NFL; nevertheless, that does not imply he must be entitled to play out his present deal in Buffalo. Diggs must show that he is nonetheless price the headache that comes with having him on the roster. The solely approach he can do that’s by wanting extra like the dominant receiver he was in the first half of 2023.
Head coach Sean McDermott
While McDermott modified the tradition in Buffalo and stays one in every of the high coaches in the NFL, if the group flops in the playoffs once more, it may be time to alter issues up. The Bills have gone 73-41 in the common season and gained 4 division titles underneath McDermott, however they’re 5-6 in the playoffs and have solely made it previous the divisional spherical as soon as.
Additionally, since McDermott was employed in 2017, Buffalo has posted a 32-29 report in one-score video games, together with in the playoffs. For a group with Super Bowl aspirations and an MVP-caliber quarterback, McDermott’s difficulties in one-score video games ought to outweigh his regular-season success, even when he is one in every of the biggest coaches in franchise historical past.
Although it might not appear to be there is a candidate who can be a transparent improve over McDermott if he will get fired, Buffalo would haven’t any scarcity of choices, contemplating it’d immediately grow to be the NFL’s most sought-after teaching job.
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