Prior to last season, the Buffalo Bills were Super Bowl favorites.
The Kansas City Chiefs won the championship and the Cincinnati Bengals knocked the Bills out of the playoffs in the divisional round.
Then there’s the New York Jets, who traded for Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, and the Miami Dolphins traded for Jalen Ramsey and hired Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator.
Where do the Bills stand heading into 2023? Buffalo is no longer the darling of the NFL power rankings, but the Bills are still considered a Super Bowl contender.
Buffalo sits as high as No. 3 and as low as No. 8 among a roundup of 13 national outlets. The Bills are No. 4 in 10 of the rankings, most commonly behind the Chiefs, Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles.
Here is a breakdown of the Bills’ power rankings spots:
Ranking: 4
The D gets OLB Von Miller and S Micah Hyde back – plus the emotional lift from Damar Hamlin’s return – while QB Josh Allen has a new weapon in TE Dalton Kincaid. But the ability to run the ball remains in question at a time when Allen is signaling he’ll dial down his downfield forays.
Ranking: 3
Some have said the window is closing on this team, but I don’t buy it. They had a good, solid draft, which will help Josh Allen. The change to Sean McDermott calling the defense should make it more aggressive.
Ranking: 4
The Bills did the right thing in Kansas City, dedicating the top of their draft board to players who will make life easier for Josh Allen. Buffalo traded up in the first round to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, a soft-handed playmaker and interesting complement to incumbent tight end Dawson Knox. Buffalo then used its second pick to address the interior of the offensive line, selecting O’Cyrus Torrence, the highly regarded guard out of Florida. With two moves, Allen gets a much-needed weapon in the passing game and the promise of better protection up front after absorbing 33 sacks a season ago. If the Bills can stick the landing with a DeAndre Hopkins acquisition — he likes the organization, you know — the offseason will be perceived as a smashing success.
Ranking: 4
Buffalo had limited draft assets (six picks) but snagged 2023’s first tight end and bolstered the interior of the offensive line with O’Cyrus Torrence — a first-round talent who slid to Day 2. Concerns linger in a secondary limited by injuries last fall. , but the Bills remain a major player in the AFC — even if Stefon Diggs still lacks a clear WR2 to help Josh Allen thrive.
Ranking: 4
It feels like the Bills have been forgotten after their disappointing postseason loss. But make no mistake, Buffalo loaded up this offseason. In the draft, the Bills picked the top tight end in Dalton Kincaid, a highly-touted guard in O’Cyrus Torrence and a much-needed linebacker in Dorian Williams after losing Tremaine Edmunds.
Ranking: 4
The Bills seriously upgraded their offense on multiple fronts and added a ton of physicality. That’s not just true about the second-round pick, guard O’Cyrus Torrence, but almost every one of their offensive players has an edge. First-rounder Dalton Kincaid is a tight end-wide receiver hybrid. Justin Shorter, the wide receiver out of Florida, is also massive and is going to be a problem for smaller defensive backs.
Ranking: 4
Good news: A late-first-round run on wide receivers foiled the Bills’ hopes to address that position early on. But the best pass-catching tight end in the draft, Dalton Kincaid, wasn’t a bad consolation prize. It will be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey uses Kincaid and Dawson Knox in 12-personnel packages. Bad news: The loss of LB Tremaine Edmunds, who signed with the Chicago Bears, weakens a defense that gave up the second-fewest points in the league (17.9 per game).
Ranking: 5
The Bills had a relatively quiet offseason, but they’re still among the most electric teams in the AFC. There’s room for Buffalo to grow on offense after adding tight end Dalton Kincaid — who profiles more as a big slot receiver — and revamping their interior offensive line, and Josh Allen is a perennial MVP candidate.
But there are admittedly concerns on defense. Sean McDermott could get stretched as a hybrid head coach/coordinator, and the Bills are relying on a bevy of players who could either be past their prime or affected by injuries like Von Miller, Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde, and Jordan Poyer. Still, Buffalo has as deep a roster as you’ll find and enough impact players to overcome any concerns that crop up throughout the season.
Ranking: 4
The Bills didn’t have the best draft, but they came away from the weekend having upgraded their offensive line and linebacker corps, which were required to improve run blocking and upfield run stopping inside. They positioned themselves for now to stay ahead of the Aaron Rodgers-fueled Jets in the AFC East.
Ranking: 5
Bills at the crossroads after the toughest playoff loss any team suffered last season (Bengals 27, Bills 10, at Orchard Park). Josh Allen needs Gabe Davis to return to late-2021 form, and for two additions—first-round TE Dalton Kincaid and under-appreciated free agent WR Trent Sherfield—to contribute immediately. Very important year, chasing the ever-elusive Lombardi.
Ranking: 4
Buffalo’s offseason was a bit quieter than in years past, but it looks sneaky good on paper. The offensive line was arguably their biggest issue last year, and they focused on improving it in both the draft and free agency. First-round pick Dalton Kincaid should be able to contribute early, although the presence of Dawson Knox takes some of that pressure off. It was a coup to retain Jordan Poyer, and Damien Harris is a sneaky smart running back signing. It was easy to feel a bit down on the Bills in February, but things are looking up in May.
Ranking: 8
The Buffalo Bills are just hanging in as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Josh Allen’s penchant for forcing throws and bad decision-making – compounded by an average supporting cast around him – played a significant role in Buffalo’s collapse late last season. Buffalo’s defense is also showing some signs of regression. The Bills have another year, but they’re close to being viewed simply as a perennial playoff team.
Ranking: 4
Sean McDermott’s team has won the AFC East each of the past three seasons and reached the conference title game in 2020. However, the Bills have not gotten past the divisional playoffs the past two years and were embarrassed by the visiting Bengals in January. Quarterback Josh Allen remains turnover-prone while losing pass-rusher Von Miller during the season was a big blow. This remains a very talented team.
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This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills 2023 post-draft and schedule-release power rankings