Each year, general manager Brandon Beane goes to work and retools the Buffalo Bills roster. He's always looking for that edge, that one thing that might help the team finally get over the hump, beat the Chiefs in January, and ultimately win a Super Bowl.
Whether it's an old face or a new one, he Bills coaching staff and their fans are looking for anyone to step up and be that difference maker.
Sometimes, it comes from a player that no one expects, like second-year linebacker Terrel Bernard, or cornerback Christian Benford. Often, it's someone whose career is on the line. Maybe they've been injured a lot in past years, and this is their last shot, or they had a down year.
Either way, the Bills have a few guys that fit into this category, and 2025 is a make-or-break year.
TE Dalton Kincaid
A recent photo of Dalton Kincaid surfaced, which made him look small and frail. Bills fans jumped all over Kincaid on social media. It was unfair to criticize Kincaid based on one random photo of him in the background, but the criticism going into 2025 regarding productivity is warranted. Kincaid needs to step up this coming season.
Kincaid set several rookie records in 2023, setting the stage for a massive breakout last season. Unfortunately, that breakout never came. Kincaid was second on the team in targets, behind receiver Khalil Shakir, but he turned those targets into only 44 receptions, 448 yards, and two touchdowns. For Kincaid, heading into year three, this is a make-or-break season. Making that leap in productivity and reliability would be a huge boost to an already potent offense, but another down year and he could become a cut candidate in 2026.
DE Joey Bosa
Joey Bosa was brought in to be that guy that Von Miller was supposed to be. Can Bosa be that player the Bills need, given the multiple injuries he has dealt with in recent years? The Bills need him to be that guy if they hope to see a significant improvement in the defense this season.
Bosa also needs to be that guy for his career. In his first six seasons, he tallied 58 sacks, but in the three years since, only 14. He signed a one-year deal with the Bills and has one shot at proving the doubters wrong and earning a big pay raise. If he continues to struggle with injuries and productivity, the Bills may be the last team he plays for in the NFL.
WR Curtis Samuel
Curtis Samuel signed a two-year deal to join the Bills in the 2024 offseason, and while he has tremendous speed and production when healthy, the problem, he rarely seems healthy. Fans were wary of his injury history after the Bills signed him last offseason. Right off the bat, he began struggling with injuries throughout the 2024 season.
Samuel was targeted 46 times last season, recording 31 receptions, 253 yards, and one touchdown. During the playoffs, we started seeing glimpses of what he might be. He had six catches, 81 yards, and two touchdowns in the postseason. The Bills will need more from him in 2025, and if not, this might be his last stop in his NFL career.
