The Buffalo Payments have been compelled to chop ties with a variety of key contributors earlier this offseason because of wage cap constraints, however they continue to be one of the crucial gifted groups within the AFC. Even so, with a number of areas of the roster dealing with uncertainty, Buffalo should reply a couple of questions throughout coaching camp to show it ought to nonetheless be thought-about a authentic Tremendous Bowl contender.
With that in thoughts, listed below are three necessary choices the Payments should make earlier than the beginning of the common season.
Who must be the point of interest of the passing assault?
Buffalo’s vast receiver room seems to be drastically completely different in 2024 in comparison with final season following the respective departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, the staff’s former high two wideouts. Diggs and Davis go away behind 241 targets from final season for the revamped receiving corps to divvy up, and it will be attention-grabbing to see how the pecking order performs out in coaching camp.
Though the Payments have misplaced star energy, they nonetheless have an intriguing group of pass-catchers able to filling the void left by Diggs and Davis. Third-year wideout Khalil Shakir, who caught 39 passes for 611 yards and two touchdowns in 2023, must be extra concerned within the offense and might be poised for a breakout season. In the meantime, second-round rookie Keon Coleman, together with free-agent signings Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins, every have the potential to carve out vital roles.
Nevertheless, it is doable Buffalo’s main receiver this season won’t even be a large receiver. Tight finish Dalton Kincaid, a first-round decide within the 2023 NFL Draft, confirmed large upside as a rookie, ending second on the staff in targets (91) and receptions (73) and third in receiving yards (673).
Kincaid’s versatility to play within the slot makes him arguably Buffalo’s most dynamic offensive playmaker. If one of many wideouts does not emerge as a viable No. 1 receiver throughout coaching camp, it would not be shocking if Kincaid turns into QB Josh Allen’s new favourite goal.
Ought to the Payments add one other pass-rusher?
Final season, the Payments racked up the fourth-most sacks within the NFL (54), however the staff’s pass-rushing unit took an enormous hit this offseason with Leonard Floyd signing with the 49ers. Floyd was the staff sack chief in 2023 with 10.5, and though he was a major departure, Buffalo could not adequately substitute him because of its monetary troubles, most notably signing edge-rushers Dawuane Smoot and Casey Toohill.
In flip, this might pave the best way for OLB Von Miller to have an enormous function on protection. So long as he stays wholesome, Miller ought to have a extra productive season than he did in 2023, however that is not saying a lot. After tearing his ACL in 2022, the primary season of his six-year, $120M cope with Buffalo, Miller returned to motion final 12 months and gave the impression to be a shell of his former self. In 12 video games final season, the eight-time Professional Bowler did not report a sack and racked up simply three tackles whereas producing 13 pressures.
If Miller does not show he could be a viable rotational piece for the Payments throughout coaching camp, the staff ought to discover the free-agent edge rusher market. Choices are extremely scarce this late within the offseason, however Yannick Ngakoue (4 sacks final season) might be a low-risk, high-reward insurance coverage possibility in case Miller struggles once more in 2024.
Who begins at security?
Buffalo’s most notable losses on the defensive aspect of the ball are undoubtedly safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. Taylor Rapp is penciled in to be a starter after signing a three-year contract extension earlier this offseason, but it surely stays unclear who will begin alongside him.
Up to now in coaching camp, Damar Hamlin, free-agent signing Mike Edwards and rookie Cole Bishop have rotated with the first-team protection. Hamlin, who is sort of two years faraway from his notorious on-field cardiac arrest, has seen the vast majority of first-team reps, although it is doable that is extra so because of his familiarity with the system.
Edwards, a two-time Tremendous Bowl champion, suffered a hamstring harm on Sunday and can miss a minimum of the following week of coaching camp consequently. This might result in a two-man race between Hamlin and Bishop, and whereas the previous has NFL expertise, the latter’s versatile ability set makes him a compelling candidate to start out. In 11 video games final season, Bishop did all of it for the Utah Utes, ending with 60 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and 4 cross breakups.