The Buffalo Bills are coming up on what will hopefully be a very exciting season for the team and, not to jinx it, but one that might take them all the way. Looking ahead at the 2025-26 schedule, while it’s difficult, it’s certainly also doable, and it helps that the Bills have a star roster of players on their squad.
At the helm of the Bills, of course, is MVP-winning quarterback Josh Allen. Even though the team didn’t get to the big game, it’s great to see that Allen received the honor, because he really deserved it. But, even a quarterback as good as Allen needs to have the right players around him to help him fly.
So, what kind of playmakers does Allen have surrounding him this season? That’s a loaded question and one that will likely determine some of his success during the 2025-26 season. While the Bills have a solid lineup, the jury is out on whether it’s going to be enough to get them over the hump next season.
Bills Have a Playmakers Issue
Allen’s position will be a lot easier if he has good playmakers around him. In a feature for ESPN published on Tuesday, July 8, NFL analyst Bill Barnwell talks about the best playmakers in the NFL, and he gives his thoughts on the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills are widely considered to have one of the strongest offenses in the league. But, that doesn’t add up to playmakers. Surprisingly, he has the Bills at No. 28 on the tally. Even teams like the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints are above them, not to dis on those teams.
He immediately explains that he knows this looks like a low ranking, though. “This probably feels low for one of the league’s best offenses, but star quarterback Josh Allen has been removed from the equation,” he notes. “While general manager Brandon Beane might disagree, this is likely the least imposing group of receivers in the NFL on paper.”
In general, with the exception of a few players, he’s not too hot on the playmakers for the Bills. “Khalil Shakir continues to improve and averaged an impressive 2.4 yards per route run last season,” he says, “but virtually every other Buffalo pass catcher failed to take a leap forward.”
He does give James Cook some love, stating, “The breakout belonged to running back James Cook, whose touchdown rate rebounded way past the mean.” But, regardless of the good, he still ranks the Bills towards the bottom of the NFL. That hurts.
Better News on the Bills’ Secondary
Thankfully, the Bills’ secondary is not so dismal. In a feature published on Tuesday, July 8, for PFF, John Kosko names the best secondaries in the NFL and has the Bills at No. 14.
Here, he loves how Christian “Benford’s elite play anchors the group, and with Johnson healthy and the addition of first-round pick Maxwell Hairston, Buffalo’s secondary is poised for a return to form.”
So, let’s hope all of these factors make for a winning season for the Bills and that their playmakers ranking is just an anomaly.
