Nobody is surprised by this; general manager Brandon Beane has already used the phrase to characterise the next campaign. But change also ushers in new leaders. Opportunities for new statistical leaders for the squad are also available, in addition to new leadership wearing a “C” on their chests. It becomes somewhat easier to predict who will lead the team in interceptions or receiving yards when you have cornerbacks like Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde, and Stefon Diggs.
However, the season of change also presents a chance for new names to top the standings. So which Buffalo Bills, going into the 2024 regular season, will top the squad in each of the pertinent raw counting statistics?
Permit me to speculate about the offensive aspect of the ball — though I’ll leave the actual stats predictions to you in the comments for now.
Swift Steps: James Cook
Since the team selected Ray Davis and didn’t have much time with Damien Harris before he was lost to an injury last season, I do believe there is a chance for Cook to have a less workload than in 2023. Furthermore, we didn’t see Harris at all with offensive coordinator Joe Brady because Brady replaced former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after Week 10 and Harris was done for the season after Week 5. With Brady being a more run-focused offensive coordinator than Harris was, Davis might step into the role that was initially intended for Harris.
However, Brady oversaw the offence for the Carolina Panthers in 2020, even after Christian McCaffrey, a star, was lost after Week 2. Then, he significantly relied on mostlySwift Steps: James Cook
Since the team selected Ray Davis and didn’t have much time with Damien Harris before he was lost to an injury last season, I do believe there is a chance for Cook to have a less workload than in 2023. Furthermore, we didn’t see Harris at all with offensive coordinator Joe Brady because Brady replaced former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after Week 10 and Harris was done for the season after Week 5. With Brady being a more run-focused offensive coordinator than Harris was, Davis might step into the role that was initially intended for Harris.
However, Brady oversaw the offence for the Carolina Panthers in 2020, even after Christian McCaffrey, a star, was lost after Week 2. Then, he significantly relied on mostly I’m not saying Davis couldn’t come in and take more carries (and by extension yards) from Cook than Latavius Murray did, but it feels like a safe bet that Cook still leads the way.
Josh Allen has been the leading rusher for the Buffalo Bills in terms of touchdowns, except for 2021 when Devin Singletary had more rushing touchdowns. Dalton Kincaid is expected to be a key receiver, with strong arguments also made for Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, and rookie Keon Coleman. My prediction is that Kincaid will be the primary target, and the difference in yards per reception won’t be enough to surpass him. With the Bills’ increased use of 12 personnel and the departure of Stefon Diggs, there may be fewer three-wide receiver sets, affecting the playing time of Coleman, Shakir, and Samuel. Kincaid’s slot rate and reception numbers improved significantly when Joe Brady took over the offense in 2023, making him a potential standout despite the competition.
