The Buffalo Bills are looking back on a mixed bag of accomplishments as the 2023 NFL season comes to an end. Even though they finished with a winning record and made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, their dreams of reaching the Super Bowl were dashed. With the 2024 NFL offseason approaching, the Bills must strengthen their roster in order to contend for championship glory.
The Buffalo Bills had high expectations as they entered the 2023 NFL season, with many predicting them to be strong contenders for the title. Despite facing some challenges along the way, the Bills managed to overcome them and clinch the AFC East title, securing the conference’s No. 2 seed. They successfully defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round but unfortunately fell short once again in their matchup against the reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now that their postseason journey has come to an end, head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane must quickly shift their focus to the offseason. The AFC is filled with talent, and the Bills are confronted with various uncertainties as they navigate through the upcoming offseason.
Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Bills, is fortunately the franchise cornerstone. However, other parts of the roster need adjustment given the number of impending departures.
Offseason Outlook
The Buffalo Bills are confronted with the challenging task of navigating under the salary cap for the upcoming 2024 season, indicating a potential closing of their Super Bowl window with the current core. While Josh Allen’s presence ensures continued competitiveness in the AFC, a strategic shedding of veteran contracts is deemed necessary to embrace a youth movement.
To address this, the potential trading of either Von Miller or Stefon Diggs is being considered, with the condition that these transactions take place post-June 1. Opting for a pre-June 1 trade involving Miller would result in a modest $2 million in savings, whereas a later deal promises a more substantial $17.4 million relief in 2024. Similarly, in the case of Diggs, significant cap relief of $19 million becomes available only after June 1. It’s important to note that both players, being beyond the age of 30, have experienced a decline in productivity.
Considering these circumstances, the focus will now shift to exploring the two best players whom the Buffalo Bills should target in potential trades during the upcoming 2024 NFL offseason.