From the depths of a 17-year postseason abyss has emerged an enviable, top-to-bottom club seemingly with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations for the next few years. To build such a franchise requires a holistic approach that puts the team above the individual.
That’s not going to stop The Athletic from ranking the most important Bills to achieving greatness in 2022. In addition to the roster, we considered the front office and coaching staff to determine the most consequential factors between opening night and, just maybe, Super Sunday.
12. Gabriel Davis, wide receiver
Buffalo is banking on Davis to remain a force. Whenever given an opportunity over his first two seasons, Davis has delivered ankle-breaking routes and toe-tapping sideline highlights. He has averaged one touchdown on every 5.4 receptions (second to Tampa Bay star Mike Evans’ 5.3 receptions since 2020) and 16.4 yards per catch (tied for third behind Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s 19 yards and Ja’Marr Chase’s 18 yards since 2020).
Can we expect Davis to sustain such incredible success?
Almost certainly not. With veterans Emmanuel Sanders and Cole Beasley gone, Davis enters 2022 the Bills’ clear No. 2 receiver and will garner substantially more defensive attention.
Even with a dip, however, Davis’ presence will be critical to Buffalo’s championship outlook.
11. Ed Oliver, defensive tackle
The ninth draft choice in 2019 has progressed through his three seasons. Oliver has straightened out inconsistencies and become an increasingly greater force.
“Ed’s talent is through the roof,” Bills sixth-year tackle Dion Dawkins said. “He challenges every last one of us every day. His speed gets better and better every year.
“I think he has Aaron Donald tendencies. The way that he plays and moves and attacks, the sky is truly the limit.”
Comparisons to one of the finest defenders in NFL history is lofty praise, but Oliver’s flashes seem to get brighter and last longer. In addition to four sacks last season, he led Buffalo with 16 quarterback hits and ranked second with 10 tackles for losses while adding three pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Oliver finished with a flourish, notching a sack in each of the final three regular-season games. He downed Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and dropped running back Jerick McKinnon behind the line for another loss in the crushing playoff defeat.
The Buffalo Bills picked up the fifth-year option on Ed Oliver’s contract in April. (Rich Barnes / USA Today)
10. Dion Dawkins, left tackle
The Bills’ locker room voted center Mitch Morse the offensive line’s lone captain, but given the versatility and depth of the Bills’ interior blockers, the unit’s most irreplaceable player is Dawkins.
Among the 33 quarterbacks who played enough to qualify, Josh Allen was sacked once every 25.8 pass attempts, the NFL’s second-lowest rate. Yes, Allen’s elusiveness was a significant reason, but so was his blindside protector.
Dawkins rebounded from two bouts with COVID-19, playing all except one game and making his first Pro Bowl.
Despite not wearing a “C” for the second straight season after his teammates made him a 2019 captain, Dawkins said he embraces being a leader for the rest of the gang.
“I’ve got to be a big brother for a lot of these young guys and set the example over and over and over,” Dawkins said. “Whatever I got to do to keep my guys motivated to have fun and throw guys around, that’s what I want to do. I want everybody to dial in whatever it is that makes them love this game since they were a kid.
“When I’m running around and punching guys and talking crap, I’m just being me. I want people to eat off that.”
9. Brandon Beane, general manager
If this list were compiled in the winter or spring, then Beane would be ranked among the top three.
Not in September.
The 2022 NFL draft is a dot in the rearview mirror. Conventional free agency is over. The 53-man roster and practice squad are set for opening night. So much of Beane’s work for this season has been done.
That doesn’t mean Beane will lean back and watch, though. He’s too aggressive for that. Beane still must manage the roster under a tight salary cap, traverse any substantial injuries that may occur, comb the waiver wire and maintain constant leadership.
Beane, of course, has been active at past trade deadlines and is plenty adventurous to make any move necessary until all options are exhausted.
8. Von Miller, edge rusher
Buffalo’s defense has been stellar without Miller, yet there’s a reason Beane targeted the future Hall of Famer to overcome its Super Bowl hump.
Miller, 33, remained explosive at the end of last season and helped propel the Los Angeles Rams down the homestretch to a Lombardi Trophy. In the final four regular-season games and four more in the postseason, he amassed nine sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 14 tackles for losses, one forced fumble and a recovery.
What’s more, Miller immediately established himself as a beacon for all other Bills. He’s known as an ultimate professional and can dangle two Super Bowl rings to ensure his new, ringless teammates pay attention.
“Inside the building, he’s completely business,” Allen said. “The playoff-caliber mindset, he really embodies that. Everything that he does in this building is structured towards helping this team win the Super Bowl. Guys see that. Guys respect that. And it forces guys to be like that.”
7. Jordan Poyer, safety
As if Poyer weren’t motivated enough after years of scoffing at his critics, he discovered some still remain despite being named Buffalo’s only All-Pro last year.
The education began when he switched his agent to Drew Rosenhaus and asked for a new contract rather than enter the final year of a deal paying him $6.7 million in base salaries and bonuses.
“All I kept hearing this offseason is, ‘Oh, Jordan and his age this and his age that. Maybe he can’t do it anymore,’” Poyer said. “That continued to motivate me to basically say, ‘Eff that. I’m going to show you what I’m about.’”
…But, I’m here with the guys right now and ready to attack this season.” (2/2)
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) August 29, 2022
Poyer tied a personal-best with five interceptions, broke up nine passes and recorded a career-high three sacks with eight tackles for losses. But he turned 31 in April and rarely comes off the field at one of the game’s most rugged roles.
An elbow injury sidelined Poyer for most of training camp, but he has been a full participant in practices for Thursday’s opener in Los Angeles.
6. Micah Hyde, safety
It’s probably unfair to Hyde and Poyer that they’re always lumped together as though they’re one person. The Bills don’t even delineate between their positions. They’re not listed on the depth chart at “free” or “strong;” they’re simply “safeties.”
They’re equally fantastic. They’re both captains. Although Poyer earned the top safety honor, Hyde was voted second-team All-Pro for a second time.
Hyde last year also tied a career-high with five interceptions (returning one for a touchdown), broke up 10 passes, recovered two fumbles and tallied four tackles for losses. He was a trusted punt returner when Isaiah McKenzie or Marquez Stevenson made McDermott nervous, most notably in the playoffs.
Different than Poyer is that Hyde, who’ll turn 32 on New Year’s Eve, is under contract through next season.
5. Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator
“As on offense, our goal is to score on every drive,” Allen said recently. “Now, is that possible? Not really …”
He quickly caught himself.
“Sometimes …”
The Bills ranked third in scoring last year, tops among all AFC clubs. They were fifth in yards and fifth in percentage of drives that ended in points. Their efficiency launched the head coaching career of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who took some assistants with him to the New York Giants.
Dorsey was promoted, with Allen’s blessing, to assume play-calling duties for the first time in his career at any level.
The switch has created perhaps Buffalo’s biggest 2022 question. The roster and staff essentially kept otherwise intact.
What will Dorsey’s offense look like?
“It’s kind of been a slow progression of the offense, just expanding and getting a little more complex every year,” Bills tight end Dawson Knox said. “But now that he’s putting his own signature on it, there’s some really cool stuff we got going in. There’s a lot of versatility that we’ll see.
“Very similar offense, but there’s a lot of pretty awesome wrinkles.”
If the Bills’ offense sputters even a little bit — and the opening schedule looks dicey at the defending Super Bowl champs, Tennessee Titans, at Miami Dolphins, at Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, at the Chiefs, bye, Green Bay Packers — Dorsey will be scrutinized
Leave a Reply