2024 will see a significant “talent drain” on the Buffalo Bills squad as they lose important starters owing to cap concerns.
Over the past two years, the Buffalo Bills have thrown everything on the line in the hopes of winning a title and snapping one of the longest championship droughts in sports history. It seems that the Bills will now have to pay the price for going all in after suffering yet another heartbreaking playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Over the past two years, Buffalo has taken a number of actions aimed only at short-term roster improvement at the expense of long-term cap stability. When the Bills signed edge rusher Von Miller to a six-year, $120 million contract in 2022, it was one of the largest instances.
Miller is one of the Bills roster’s greatest cap hits going into the 2024 offseason. There will be a talent exodus from Buffalo this offseason, to go along with the long list of starters and important role players who are about to become free agents.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano report that there will likely be a “talent drain” from Buffalo this offseason as a number of upcoming free agents are expected to leave for better offers in NFL free agency.
The Bills must stay under the 2024 NFL salary cap in order to sign their rookie class of 2024, yet they are currently more than $50 million over that cap. Buffalo is projected to suffer large salary-cap casualties, even with contract restructures, and even that won’t be enough to make the space needed to keep elite free agents.
DaQuan Jones, Dane Jackson, Leonard Floyd, Gabe Davis, Tyrel Dodson, AJ Epenesa, and Micah Hyde are Buffalo Bills free agents in 2024.
Significant salary room might be freed up by renegotiating the contracts of wide receiver Stefon Diggs and All-Pro quarterback Josh Allen. Even in that case, though, the front office of the Bills probably realizes it will have to let go of multiple key players.
With clubs like the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Los Angeles Chargers on the rise and the AFC becoming stronger, Buffalo’s future as a major player in the league is becoming increasingly doubtful due to a deteriorating squad. The Bills will always have a chance to win the Super Bowl provided Allen is healthy, but ongoing problems in Buffalo’s head-to-head games against the Chiefs combined with Buffalo’s talent departure might have a big impact over the following two years.
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