Bills' Sean McDermott with Chiefs' Andy Reid.
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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid paid the Buffalo Bills an enormous compliment ahead of the AFC Championship.
The Buffalo Bills have been on the cusp of Super Bowl contention for several years now, winning the AFC East five straight times but only reaching the conference title game twice and falling short both times.
While the Bills hope that 2025 will be the year they finally break through, one expert believes they could actually take a step in the other direction. The Athletic’s Mike Jones identified the Bills as one of the most overrated teams heading into the next NFL season, predicting the team falls short of their Super Bowl goals once again.
Bills’ Defense Could Let Them Down
Jones noted that the Bills enter the 2025 NFL season with the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens. The team has notched double-digit wins in six straight seasons and will start the season with quarterback Josh Allen as the reigning MVP.
But Jones worries that the Bills could be hampered by a pair of big liabilities.
“It remains to be seen, however, if the Bills can resolve a contract dispute with two-time 1,000-yard rusher James Cook,” Jones wrote. “And, more importantly, can a defense hit hard by injury in 2024 better support Allen and company this season?”
Jones added that the Bills have plenty of question marks on defense, including how they will navigate the unexpected loss of two big offseason additions.
“The Bills already know they’ll be without defensive linemen Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi for six games as both serve suspensions for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy,” Jones wrote. “The team hopes free agent acquisition Joey Bosa can help bolster its pass rush, but the oft-injured Bosa already suffered a calf injury in May (he’s expected back for training camp). A shaky defense against Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson isn’t ideal.”
Bills Aimed to Address Shaky Defense
The Bills have been let down by their defense many times over the last few years, with the unit usually performing well during the regular season but struggling against more capable offenses in the playoffs. The team aimed to address the deficiencies in this year’s NFL draft, spending most of their capital addressing the defensive line and secondary.
The team added defensive tackle T.J. Sanders in the second round, defensive end Landon Jackson in the third, and defensive tackle Deone Walker in the fourth. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he’s excited to see how the rookies can perform alongside the team’s most experienced group of veterans at the top of the defensive line depth chart.
“We’re really excited about those young guys,” McDermott said. “And it’s not just them. They’re integrating into a veteran group in some ways and some of the newer players are actually veterans. So, kind of hitting it from three different angles and been fun to watch those guys work with the coaches and work on their techniques.
“As I’ve said before we’re going to go with as the D-line goes on the defensive side, so having some young players in there and adding some new players.”