Projected Win Totals Place Buffalo Bills Back in AFC Top Tier

RALPH VENTRE

Multiple sportsbooks have released projected team win totals for the 2024 season, suggesting more of the same for the Buffalo Bills.

Coming off a fourth straight AFC East division title, the Bills’ over/under opened at 10.5 wins. Buffalo has recorded at least 10 regular season victories five years in a row and have finished with no fewer than 11 wins in each of the last four seasons.

The Baltimore Ravens (11.5) and reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (11.5) are the only AFC teams with expectations greater than the Bills. The Cincinnati Bengals, who will welcome quarterback Joe Burrow back from an acute wrist injury, round out the conference’s Top 4 at 10.5 projected wins.

In terms of division rivals, the Miami Dolphins (10) are right behind the Bills followed by the New York Jets (9.5) and the New England Patriots (4.5).

Some analysts will argue that the gap between Buffalo and its AFC East foes disappeared when the reigning division champs released multiple well-known veterans as salary cap casualties.

“That’s the hard part of this job,” said Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane at the league meetings last week in Orlando. “It doesn’t get harder than saying goodbye to some of the names.”

Buffalo parted ways with former All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White, All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer and Pro Bowl center Mitch Morse. Meanwhile, free agent receiver Gabe Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the team traded WR1 Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.

“It’ll be up to the next guys that we have on board now, or the guys that we’ve added, to fill some of those roles,” said Beane.

In spite of the notable losses, the Bills return the franchise centerpiece in quarterback Josh Allen along with seven other offensive starters. Allen, a three-time NFL MVP finalist, led the league in total yards and total touchdowns last year.

On defense, Buffalo welcomes back all three starting cornerbacks — Rasul Douglas, Christian Benford and nickel Taron Johnson — along with battle-tested defensive tackles Ed Oliver and Da’Quan Jones as well as dynamic linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard.