NFL.com ranks the most "complete" teams in the NFL; Bills at #6

[Einstein]

I take umbrage with the Cowboys being above us, but the analysis is mostly right:

 

Buffalo Bills #6

 

The Bills’ roster is rock solid throughout -- with enough high-end talent to firmly crack the upper reaches of the NFL. 

 

Interestingly, there might be more (minor) concerns on offense than defense. Sure, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs are the nerve center of an attack that has ranked in the top five in each of the last three seasons, but that group struggled somewhat down the stretch. Did the Bills do enough to add help? Rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid could solve Buffalo’s slot receiver problem, and running backs Damien Harris and Latavius Murray should prevent James Cook from being overworked. The biggest issue might be depth at receiver. Diggs is a star, but Gabe Davis is a lower-volume WR2, and the options thereafter (Khalil Shakir, Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield, Justin Shorter) aren’t mind-blowing. We likely will see ample 12-personnel packages featuring Dawson Knox and Kincaid running together.

 

The offensive line isn’t dominant, but it’s a respectable group. Most of the unit returns, and there’s help arriving in veterans Connor McGovern and David Edwards, along with second-rounder O’Cyrus Torrence. 

 

The Bills’ defense has depth at all three levels. Von Miller suffered a torn ACL in November, which means his status will be something to watch in camp. Yet with Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Boogie Basham and Shaq Lawson, Buffalo could be fine here until Miller is back to 100 percent. Inside, adding Poona Ford gives the Bills a solid top three, along with Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones.

 

Losing Tremaine Edmunds opens a hole at middle linebacker, but the Bills appear confident they’ll find a starter opposite Matt Milano from the group of Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, A.J. Klein and Tyrel Dodson.

 

The secondary should be far deeper with a healthy Tre’Davious White and Micah Hyde, along with Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford having a year under their belts. The addition of Taylor Rapp should allow the Bills to work Damar Hamlin back into the rotation only when he is ready, with both safeties providing great depth and flexibility.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-s-top-10-most-complete-teams-for-2023-season

[MJS]

Yeah, the Cowboys get overrated just like they continually do on every other list imaginable.

 

Ravens are also too high on that list.

Edited May 23, 2023 by MJS

[CincyBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

 

Buffalo Bills #6

The offensive line isn’t dominant, but it’s a respectable group. Most of the unit returns, and there’s help arriving in veterans Connor McGovern and David Edwards, along with second-rounder O’Cyrus Torrence. 

 

This is a huge problem with the analysis IMO.  By any objective standard the offensive line was NOT a "respectable group".  And when it's likely that 40% of that line will be swapped out for next season the comment that "most of the unit returns" is just plain silly.

 

 

 

 

[AlfaBill]

49ers with no QB at number 3 is laughable. And the Ravens at 7 is comical. 

[NewEra]

7 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

This is a huge problem with the analysis IMO.  By any objective standard the offensive line was NOT a "respectable group".  And when it's likely that 40% of that line will be swapped out for next season the comment that "most of the unit returns" is just plain silly.

 

 

 

 

Dawkins and Morse are respectable returners;  he feels McGovern could be respectable;  Torrance was viewed as the top OG in the draft, which could be seen as respectable.  Bates was respectable down the stretch. Brown was putrid.  
 

You find it hard to believe that a guy would define our OL as respectable after upgrading both OGs and  returning 2 other respectable starters? 4 out of 5 decent starters is exactly that imo.  Not many teams have more than 4 respectable starters and those that do are considered good and great.  Not respectable.

 

jmo-  I think our OL will be respectable.  It’ll be pretty good if Brown is average 

 

 

[CincyBillsFan]

11 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Dawkins and Morse are respectable returners;  he feels McGovern could be respectable;  Torrance was viewed as the top OG in the draft, which could be seen as respectable.  Bates was respectable down the stretch. Brown was putrid.  
 

You find it hard to believe that a guy would define our OL as respectable after upgrading both OGs and  returning 2 other respectable starters? 4 out of 5 decent starters is exactly that imo.  Not many teams have more than 4 respectable starters and those that do are considered good and great.  Not respectable.

 

jmo-  I think our OL will be respectable.  It’ll be pretty good if Brown is average 

 

 

Maybe I misunderstood the quote.  I assumed this was the description of last seasons O line which IMO was not even close to being respectable.  I do agree with you that the additions to the O line are a big improvement over what we had last season. I also agree that if Brown makes a solid jump in performance this may be the best Bills O line in the Josh Allen era.

 

 

 

[cle23]

53 minutes ago, AlfaBill said:

49ers with no QB at number 3 is laughable. And the Ravens at 7 is comical. 

 

The 49ers have a top tier roster, with the only question mark really being QB, and they had a great rookie QB, so I get where they are coming from.   I agree with Baltimore being high.  They have names are WR, but no one that has produced in 2-3 years +.  Their defense is good, but their secondary is aging.  

[Max Fischer]

#6 seems about right.  

 

The Bills have questions

- at RT - I'm "hopeful" Brown will be "decent" but its no sure thing.

- at LG - will Torrence be an upgrade *this* season?

- at RG - McGovern looks like a sure upgrade but we'll see. 

- at MLB - huge unknown

- at CB2 - will Elam take a significant step?

- at WR2, Gabe needs to be much better this year. 

- at RB in general (plus blocking from OL)

- at DE, who will fill #40's shoes for a few weeks?

- at DL, Ford should be a big help, but need career years from Ed and Settle

 

 

[msw2112]

3 hours ago, Max Fischer said:

#6 seems about right.  

 

The Bills have questions

- at RT - I'm "hopeful" Brown will be "decent" but its no sure thing.

- at LG - will Torrence be an upgrade *this* season?

- at RG - McGovern looks like a sure upgrade but we'll see. 

- at MLB - huge unknown

- at CB2 - will Elam take a significant step?

- at WR2, Gabe needs to be much better this year. 

- at RB in general (plus blocking from OL)

- at DE, who will fill #40's shoes for a few weeks?

- at DL, Ford should be a big help, but need career years from Ed and Settle

 

 

 

I agree with this.  While there a lot of questions with the Bills, none of these things turning out well for them is a huge stretch.  Except for maybe the MLB situation.  Even there, you've got to figure that, with 5 or 6 guys with varying degrees of experience, size, etc. that one of them should emerge enough to be a competent player.  I'm not expecting an All-Pro out of this group, but if one guy can make the routine plays, and an occasional big play (counter-balanced by getting burned from time to time), that should be good enough.  I also think that Dorian Williams will eventually be that guy and that he could end up being a good one.  I think the Bills like him too, but Beane's comments about Williams being a backup to Milano were carefully made, because he doesn't want to put too much pressure on the kid coming out of the gate.  

Edited May 23, 2023 by msw2112

[C.Biscuit97]

17 hours ago, AlfaBill said:

49ers with no QB at number 3 is laughable. And the Ravens at 7 is comical. 

The 49ers are a team that is almost qb proof. That’s why a guy like purdy could set in and not miss a beat. 
 

Also, on paper, the Ravens are very good. Best receiving group Lamar has ever had, their defense was really good to end the year. Their whole situation is if they will remain healthy, because they have made the playoffs every year Lamar has been healthy. 

18 hours ago, MJS said:

Yeah, the Cowboys get overrated just like they continually do on every other list imaginable.

 

Ravens are also too high on that list.

Cowboys will choke but they definitely have had some loaded rosters. I’d swap our skill players for theirs in a second. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

49ers at 3 is a joke. Not having a QB trumps the next ten best players.

Bills for 17 years had decent rosters but no QB.

Browns the last few years have had great OL, great pass rusher, and decent WRs and still suck. 

Packers have had terrible rosters for years yet Rodgers and one good to great WR was good enough to get in the playoffs year after year. 

You can't speak about a roster as if they are all equal parts. Its a team sport in name only. Its a QB and 52 other guys sport. The exceptions are incredibly rare over the last two plus decades. 

[NewEra]

One thing is for sure-  no one had the chiefs as the most compete team to begin the 2022 season. 
 

Means nothing 

[NewEra]

3 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

49ers at 3 is a joke. Not having a QB trumps the next ten best players.

Bills for 17 years had decent rosters but no QB.

Browns the last few years have had great OL, great pass rusher, and decent WRs and still suck. 

Packers have had terrible rosters for years yet Rodgers and one good to great WR was good enough to get in the playoffs year after year. 

You can't speak about a roster as if they are all equal parts. It’s a team sport in name only. It’s a QB and 52 other guys sport. The exceptions are incredibly rare over the last two plus decades. 

Is Brock Purdy off the team suddenly?  He was undefeated and looked pretty good.  He’s not elite and is a product of the system, but he runs the system very well and their O was rolling people since he took over.  With him as starter, they scored 33, 35, 21, 37, 37 38, 41 and 19 in his starts.    Their D was clearly the best in the league.  
 

I think they’re extremely well balanced….. they don’t need an elite QB to get them there
 

[MJS]

1 hour ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Cowboys will choke but they definitely have had some loaded rosters. I’d swap our skill players for theirs in a second. 

Their players get a lot of praise and attention, but continually under perform. They are overrated.

[Mr. WEO]

This guy is ridiculous, given how he has titled his article.

 

He has SF at #3 "Most complete", despite a QB room filled with Purdy, Lance and Darnold

 

He has Dallas at #5....yet for the Offense, he leads with "there are at least depth concerns at almost every spot".  The O-line is "unsolved".  Every WR other than newly acquired Cooks, needs to "step up".  "RB took a hit".  Also, they "need to find a Kicker".

 

At #7, the Ravens "fortunes changed dramatically".....by re-signing their QB--a guy who hasn't made it past 12 games in 2 years nor passed for 3000 yards in 4 years. Their "reimagined" WR room features journeymen OBJ and Agholor, a rookie and Rashod Bateman! And RB?  "They certainly could use some more insurance".  On D--"they still have a few boxes to check...a lot of question marks....more is needed"---and that's just the secondary!

 

This guy is a straight up dope. 

 

 

[Bferra13]

I agree with it if it implies that QB is not weighted differently than other positions. If it is, as it is in the real world, we move up past at least the Boys and San Fran. 

[Haslett_Stomp]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

One thing is for sure-  no one had the chiefs as the most compete team to begin the 2022 season. 
 

Means nothing 

 

Weren't the Bills at the top of the list prior to last season?

[NewEra]

8 minutes ago, Haslett_Stomp said:

 

Weren't the Bills at the top of the list prior to last season?

I’m sure.  We were on top of almost every “best team” list.  Means nothing in may.  Gotta wait to see what the nfl gods have in store for everyone come January.  The gods were not kind to us last year.  We can only hope that they are this year. Lots of luck involved in a Lombardi winner

[Punching Bag]

19 hours ago, CincyBillsFan said:

This is a huge problem with the analysis IMO.  By any objective standard the offensive line was NOT a "respectable group".  And when it's likely that 40% of that line will be swapped out for next season the comment that "most of the unit returns" is just plain silly.

 

The offense last year was repeatedly ranked higher by outside evaluators than Bills fans.

Some will say because fans spend more time looking at them and others will say it is because fans are more critical and do not see holes in other teams lines.

[LABILLBACKER]

1. Philadelphia

2. KC

3. Cinci

4. Buffalo

5. SF

6. NYJ

7. Dallas

8. Baltimore 

 

....we still need upgrades at WR2, RT,  MLB.   It will be fun to see what new players shine?

Edited May 23, 2023 by LABILLBACKER