Analysis
7/27/23
6 min read
Buffalo Bills 2023 NFL Season Preview: Will They Make the Super Bowl?
As teams head to training camp and the NFL season approaches, The 33rd Team asks its experts to preview every team's outlook for the 2023 season. In this installment, Matt Cassel takes a deep dive into the Buffalo Bills.
>> READ: Bills Fantasy Football Preview
Bills Team Preview
What To Know: Offense
The Bills' biggest storyline on offense was drafting tight end Dalton Kincaid. He had 890 yards receiving, eight touchdowns and 70 receptions last year at Utah. This guy is a weapon and can be a mismatch nightmare for defenses.
There is a comparison when you look at his game and study his film, and it's a guy you might know, Travis Kelce. I'm making a comparison there. Kincaid is not there yet, but he is a guy throughout the course of the season I'm going to keep an eye on because when you have receivers like Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis on the outside, that opens up the interior part of the field.
They already have tight end Dawson Knox. So if they can get that two tight end personnel set going, they can create mismatches on linebackers and on safeties. Kincaid could become a serious redzone threat.
What To Know: Defense
Leslie Frazier stepped away and will no longer be the defensive coordinator. So who takes over? Coach Sean McDermott. He obviously has a lot of experience calling plays as a defensive coordinator. I remember going up against him as a player when I was with the Kansas City Chiefs, and he was with Philadelphia. He brought max pressure all day long, and he was aggressive. I got hit more in that game than I did in the previous two weeks.
>>WATCH: Sean McDermott in His Own Words
So when you look at the Bills' defense, you must be excited. They have a ton of experience. On the back end, you have safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. You also have cornerback Tre'Davious White coming back from injury and fully recovered this time around. He came back midway through last season.
The defensive front is aggressive and explosive. You've got Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa, and you'd have to think Von Miller is going to come back from his injury. He's always fun to watch. They also signed Leonard Floyd this offseason. So there are a ton of weapons and pieces McDermott can work with this season. How much more aggressive will he be this season? Only time will tell.
Biggest Off-Field Storyline
Obviously, it's Diggs not showing up to a mandatory minicamp, showing his frustration. He wants the ball more. He wants to be more involved. All of these elite receivers want the ball more, and I get it, but sometimes you've got to talk them off the ledge.
At the end of the day, I believe there is a problem boiling underneath the surface here because you even saw it last year with the frustration that took place in the Divisional Round game when Diggs was yelling at Josh Allen on the sideline.
This year there are going to be those opponents who try to take away Diggs, and if he doesn't get his touches is it just a matter of time before there is another blow-up episode? If he's disgruntled, it has a ripple effect throughout the whole offensive unit.
Breakout Player Prediction
James Cook will be running back No. 1 this year with the departure of Devin Singletary (who signed with the Houston Texans). Cook has a great skill set. He's got the versatility to contribute in the passing game, and he can also run the football. That's something the Bills need to incorporate a bit more — runs by the running backs.
They invested some capital in their offensive line, particularly the interior offensive line. If they can establish that run game, it will open things up for the passing game even more.
Move the Bills Should Make
Getting a veteran quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater, somebody who led the Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs, would help. Bridgewater can step in and be the guy who takes over for one, two, three games if need be.
Right now it's Kyle Allen. I have some faith in him and think he's a good quarterback. Suppose you're a Super Bowl-contending team, which I believe the Bills are, and Josh Allen goes down with some type of injury because of the style he plays. Are you confident Kyle Allen can take the reins of this team and put it in a position to be there at the end of the year and compete for a championship?
2023 Season Expectations
The Bills will be Super Bowl contenders this year just based on the fact that they bring back an experienced group on both sides of the ball. They've got a very good defensive unit, and they're led by Josh Allen, one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
The Bills have explosive weapons on the outside. Cook is going to be utilized more this season, and Kincaid will give them another explosive weapon for the passing game.
Other Previews
NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS
NFC North: GB | CHI | MIN | DET
AFC North: PIT | CLE | BAL | CIN
NFC West: SF | SEA | LAR | ARI
NFC South: TB | CAR | NO | ATL
AFC South: JAX | TEN | HOU | IND
Matt Cassel is a former NFL quarterback who played with seven teams in his NFL career, most notably the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. Follow him on Twitter at @M_Cassel.
