5 bold predictions for the Bills offense in 2024
The 2024 NFL season will be the debut of a new look Buffalo Bills offense.
The team is looking to make it back to a deeper playoff run following a third consecutive division-round postseason exit.
GM Brandon Beane cleaned house, restocked the roster, and reconstructed the teams’ cap situation with younger, cost-controlled talent that could exceed expectations.
What could the Bills accomplish on offense with a full year under new OC Joe Brady and his playbook with Josh Allen at quarterback?
Let’s think big. Here are five bold predictions for the Bills offense in 2024:
Better than last year
The Bills overcame injuries on both sides of the ball to go on a run that saw them win their divisional and make it to the divisional round of the playoffs.
They'll have some of those key players back from injury plus new talent that's been added this offseason.
OC Joe Brady will have the chance to roll out his playbook more completely with a full season to work with, which will include the addition of a top gadget play and hybrid receiver-running back in Curtis Samuel as well as the potential to run the increased two tight end sets the team was hoping to last year.
This is in addition to what figures to hopefully be a cleaner season for QB Josh Allen protecting the ball, without any dropoff in offensive output, plus the next seasons in the progressions of TE Dalton Kincaid, RB1 James Cook, and WR Khalil Shakir.
Considering the ability to recreate the productivity of former WR1 Stefon Diggs and WR2 Gabe Davis along with the addition of more talent and depth at multiple positions, it's completely within the realm of possibility that the Bills offense will be better than last year.
Curtis Samuel has breakout season
Samuel signed with Buffalo as their big free agent addition this offseason, reuniting him with offensive coordinator Joe Brady, under whom he had his best season while both were in Carolina.
During that 2020 campaign as a Panther, Samuel played 399 snaps in the slot, 177 out wide, and 70 from the backfield while accumulating over 1,000+ all-purpose yards, and was one of three receivers who broke the 1,000-yard threshold by season's end.
He did so with Teddy Bridgewater under center, and while Bridgewater was talented amidst an injury-plagued career, imagine if he'd been catching passes and taking handoffs from Josh Allen.
WR Khalil Shakir has understandably garnered the most predictions to be a breakout player on offense this offseason, due in part to being the only remaining receiver with experience in Buffalo's offense with Allen. Similar logic could be applied, however, to the more NFL-tenured Samuel in his prior experience with Brady's offense.
Brady can use Samuel in the passing and run game in ways similar to how the Chiefs and Dolphins have used Tyreek Hill.
And with his elite burst and that overall versatility, by season's end, Curtis Samuel might very well be the breakout story of the year for the Bills on offense.
WR1 Keon Coleman
Coleman's early returns indicate he could take on an immediate role in the passing game that could increase over the course of the season, similar to receiving TE Dalton Kincaid's rookie campaign.
His catch radius and hands make him an immediate plug-and-play replacement for the type of broken-down and scrambling play passes Allen would have looked more often than not to previous WR1 Stefon Diggs on in the past.
What's more, he's earning positive reviews from the media during training camp thus far, which have included observations that he appears further along in terms of being gameplay-ready at the NFL level than expected.
If he is able to contribute in a capacity similar to Kincaid as a reliable go-to target for Allen and open the long ball passing game back up for Buffalo, in a full year in Brady's offense he could potentially finish the year in the 700-1,000+ receiving yard range as the team's WR1.
Bills lead NFL in all purpose yards and points
With Allen's dual-threat abilities, Samuel playing both out of the passing game and the backfield, as well as the ground and passing game contributions of RB1 James Cook, there's a strong chance if not a likelihood that the Bills may be one of the top clubs in the league in all-purpose yards and points on offense.
What's more, they could lead the NFL in those categories.
The team finished fourth in total offense last season and will have the chance to improve on those numbers and the opportunity with the addition of Samuel to rack up even more all-purpose yards and points.
Another move by Beane that could create the type of ground game opportunities for Allen, Samuel, and the Bills running backs was bringing in some big, mobile pancake-blockers who can get big blocks downfield and on the run.
The additions of offensive lineman La'el Collins as well as Rugy player and boxer-turned-offensive tackle Travis Clayton could factor into plays that open up lanes for generating those all-purpose yards. Watching their highlights, it's not hard to picture them clearing a lane or pancaking a defender on a designed run by Allen or Samuel.
MVP Josh Allen
He almost did it last year.
A now seemingly perennial MVP favorite, Allen might have his best opportunity yet since the departure of former OC Brian Daboll to return to the elite level he reached in his offense.
Had he not struggled last season with turning the ball over, the Bills QB might have already brought home the hardware. But with the chance for a fresh season to shore that part of his game up again while continuing his progression and development, this could be the first year he brings home the NFL's Most Valuable Player honors.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 5 bold predictions for the Bills offense in 2024