The Buffalo Bills know all too well what it's like to have a ready-made championship caliber team. Back in the early 1990s, they had a team built for a dynasty. In fact, they had four attempts at finally hoisting the Lombardi Trophy but failed in every game, losing in four straight Super Bowl appearances. They are now one of 12 NFL teams that have yet to win the big game.
The last five seasons have been similar to the Bills success back in the 90s. They've also been similar in their failures as well. Since Josh Allen was drafted back in 2018, starting the year after, the Bills have gone 58-24 with four AFC East division titles, becoming a constant in the playoffs. However, despite Allen's remarkable postseason performances, the Bills have only made it to the AFC Conference Championship Game once and have lost in either the Divisional Round or Wild Card in their other four postseason matchups.
Three of those losses were to the Kansas City Chiefs, the winner of three out of the last five Super Bowl's. The newest dynasty in the NFL.
In the current structure of the NFL where salary cap, disgruntled and high-salary, talented players and other hinderances are set in place to more or less keep teams from becoming dominating, that leaves a short window for success in the league. The Bills are finding that out now, with Stefon Diggs trade to the Houston Texans as the latest example of that.
The Bills lost more than just Stefon Diggs
This offseason the Bills roster has underwent significant changes, parting ways with key players like Leonard Floyd, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Tre'Davious White, Mitch Morse, Gabe Davis, and Tim Settle. However, the most impactful departure is undoubtedly wide receiver Stefon Diggs, whose trade leaves a massive void in the Bills' offense.
Diggs played a crucial role in Josh Allen's development, helping make him into a top-five quarterback in the NFL. After being traded from the Minnesota Vikings, Diggs set numerous records in Buffalo, including the most receptions in a season and the only player in Bills history with multiple 1,400-yard receiving seasons. Since joining the Bills in 2020, Diggs has been one of the most productive receivers in the AFC, trailing only Tyreek Hill in receiving yards and touchdowns.
While Allen has proven to be an elite quarterback, positioning the Bills for success, he cannot do it alone. Even though he may not be missed in the locker room, the loss of Diggs will be felt heavily on the field, as he was an integral part of the Bills' offense and the last true reliable receiver on the team after Davis left in free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Without Diggs, the Bills will now need to find a way to replace his production and impact.
The Bills have major salary cap issues ahead
Additionally, the Bills' salary cap situation for 2024 is concerning. Even with Diggs departure to the Texans, he will still be a $31.1 million dead cap hit to the Bills this year, leaving just $4.1 million in cap space available this season, per Spotrac. While they will have more cap space in 2025 after saving $19 million by trading Diggs, their cap situation remains challenging currently, especially in a season where they have some dire needs, particularly at wide receiver now.
That more or less leaves the Bills looking toward the 2024 NFL Draft, hoping they find some home runs with their draft picks. The problem is, they have the No. 28 overall pick in this year's draft. Meaning, if they want to snag one of the top wide receivers in this year's class, they're going to have to jump a lot of teams to do so, with little means to do it.
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