Most underrated Bills player at every position entering 2024 NFL season

We've identified the most underrated Buffalo Bills player at every position entering the 2024 NFL season.

Kyle Silagyi | May 25, 2024

Sep 24, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (43) celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble against the Washington Commanders during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

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Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

Most underrated Bills player at every position

Quarterback
Running Back
Wide Receiver
Tight End
Offensive Line
Defensive End
Defensive Tackle
Linebacker
Defensive Back

For a perennially competitive team that has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, the Buffalo Bills are generally underrated.

Only one Buffalo player was selected as an All-Pro in the 2023 NFL season (nickel cornerback Taron Johnson on the second team). Only three Bills participated in this year’s Pro Bowl. Despite employing some of the most talented players in professional football at several positions, Buffalo’s roster is seldom discussed by general football fans without several caveats.

It’s, frankly, a bit odd, so to counteract, we’ve decided to celebrate the Bills’ roster by taking a look at some of its little-talked players; here’s the most underrated Buffalo player at every position entering the 2024 NFL season.

Quarterback

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first half of the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Allen

It’s tough to call a former All-Pro who has received NFL MVP votes in three out of the last four seasons “underrated,” but if ever there were a player who fits the descriptor, it’s Josh Allen. The quarterback is one of the most dynamic players in football—a human wrecking ball with a cannon attached to his right shoulder who could just as heavily run over or through you as he could throw the ball 80 yards directly over your head. He’s thrown for an average of 4,385 yards and 34 touchdowns per season over the past four campaigns, this in addition to rushing for over 500 yards in each of the past three years. He’s currently in the midst of a historic four-year stretch in which he’s totaled over 40 touchdowns per season (he’s the only player in NFL history who has accomplished this feat); he’ll attempt to make it five straight years in the 2024 campaign.

Several pundits, however, still question Allen’s status among the league’s elite signal-callers due to his relatively high turnover count (he threw 18 interceptions last season) and lack of career success without an elite wide receiver. Conversations regarding the quarterback’s ability are had on a week-to-week basis during the regular season, and some analysts have recently expressed the belief that Allen will regress significantly in the 2024 season given the offseason departure of Stefon Diggs.

This likely won’t be the case, as anyone who has watched a Buffalo Bills game over the past half-decade knows how significant of a game-wrecker the quarterback is. He certainly gets his flowers, but Allen is objectively the team’s most underrated signal-caller given that his status is still unjustifiably questioned by some. Besides, we were never going to put Mitchell Trubisky here.

Running Back

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson (26) against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) in the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Ty Johnson

James Cook wouldn’t be a bad inclusion here given that he’s not viewed among the NFL’s better running backs despite finishing sixth in scrimmage yards last season, but we’ll instead give the nod to Ty Johnson, who is likely viewed as a long shot to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster by the casual football fan. This isn’t an unfair assessment on the surface; the 26-year-old has been a journeyman throughout his career, spending time with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets after being selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was used only sparingly throughout his first four years in the league, signing with Buffalo’s practice squad ahead of the 2023 season.

He was promoted to the active roster in late October and saw his role grow after Joe Brady ascended to offensive coordinator in mid-November, finishing the season with 132 yards on 30 carries. He brought juice whenever given an opportunity, showcasing a nice blend of power and speed while never shying away from contact. He also displayed a bit of pass-catching ability, catching seven passes for 62 yards and a score; he even logged 85 snaps on special teams, making him an even more valuable asset to the team.

Buffalo did add more talent to the running back room in the offseason in the form of fourth-round rookie Ray Davis, and while he figures to log more carries than Johnson, the versatile back could still have an offensive role. He’s reliable depth for both Cook and Johnson and could be used to spell either of them throughout the course of a game.

Wide Receiver

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) is hoisted onto the shoulders of teammates after his 17 yard touchdown catch and run. / Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and

Khalil Shakir

Buffalo revamped its receiving corps in the offseason, parting ways with stalwarts Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis and replacing them on the depth chart with veteran speedster Curtis Samuel and rookie Keon Coleman. One of the few remaining contributors from last year’s unit is Khalil Shakir, who projects to play a significant role in the Bills’ aerial attack this season despite many around the league not knowing all that much about him.

A casual football fan would be forgiven for not knowing too much about Shakir; the former Boise State Bronco had a relatively quiet rookie season to the tune of 10 receptions for 161 yards, following this up with a solid sophomore campaign in which he tallied 39 receptions for 611 yards. The bulk of that production came after Brady was promoted to offensive coordinator in Week 11; the wideout became an offensive mainstay in 11-personnel sets, gaining the trust of Josh Allen down the stretch before culminating his late-season breakout with a 105-yard performance in a Week 18 win over Miami.

He was used primarily as a slot receiver after Brady’s ascension, showcasing improved route running and impressive run-after-catch ability. He was a primary reason why Buffalo’s offense continued humming as Diggs struggled late in the season; he’s generally underrated at this juncture, but if he’s able to take advantage of his increased role (which could potentially see him take a portion of his snaps outside), he could be a household name at this time next year.

Tight End

Jan 7, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) reacts after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Dawson Knox

Quintin Morris is a name worth mentioning here, but we’ll give the edge to Dawson Knox given that he’s gone largely forgotten by the general football fan. The late-season emergence of 2023 first-round pick Dalton Kincaid saw the former Utah pass-catcher become the talk of Buffalo’s tight end room, and while he’s a prime breakout candidate to watch in the upcoming season, Knox is still immensely talented and figures to serve a relatively prominent role.

The now 27-year-old was one of Allen’s first ‘go-to’ guys, catching 149 passes for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns throughout the first four years of his career. His production (expectedly) dipped last season due to injury and the presence of Kincaid, but he was still productive in his new role, showing vast improvement as a traditional in-line tight end and blocker while still being relatively reliable in the passing game.

Knox’s status as an underrated player stems more from the excellence of Kincaid than it does anything else; he may have slipped out of the consciousness of the general football fan, but he’s still a valuable player who figures to be impactful again in the 2024 campaign.

Offensive Line

Bills Spencer Brown and O'Cyrus Torrence block Chiefs George Karlaftis while QB Josh Allen fires off a pass during the second half of the Bills divisional game against Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 21, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee /Rochester Democrat

O'Cyrus Torrence

Buffalo’s offensive line, as a whole, is rather underrated, as Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, and Spencer Brown could all realistically be named here. We’ll instead give the nod to O’Cyrus Torrence, who stepped in and played every single snap for the team at right guard after it selected him with the 59th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

And Torrence didn’t just play every snap for the Bills—he stood out as an anchor on what was a vastly improved offensive line. He expectedly showed some growing pains throughout the year, but he also showed impressive strength and general promise; he allowed just three sacks throughout his rookie campaign, per PFF.

Torrence is already a stalwart on Buffalo’s offensive line entering his second season, and just 24 years of age, he only figures to improve as his career progresses.

Defensive End

Dec 31, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) encourages the crowd to cheer in the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Greg Rousseau

Greg Rousseau showed flashes of ability throughout his first two NFL seasons, always shining as a run defender while occasionally putting his underrated athleticism and 90th-percentile wing span on display as a pass-rusher. He put together what was perhaps his most complete season yet in 2023, playing on 54% of the Bills’ defensive snaps while tallying 30 tackles and five sacks.

Though he didn’t set a new career high in sacks in his third season (he had eight in 2022), he was pressuring quarterbacks at a more consistent clip, recording a career-high 62 total quarterback pressures, per PFF. He complemented this pass-rush uptick with continued excellence as a run defender, notching 31 run stops.

He’s still a bit inconsistent, but Rousseau is now showing the makings of a complete defensive end who can consistently disrupt both the passing and run games. He’s already an incredibly impactful defender who, with a bit more polish, could be one of the NFL’s upper-tier defensive linemen.

Defensive Tackle

Bills DaQuan Jones stops to talk with fans and take a photo with them before leaving the field. The Bills lost to the Chiefs. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee /Rochester Democrat

DaQuan Jones

It hurts to omit Ed Oliver here, as many have not yet realized that he’s among the league’s best defensive tackles. That said, we have to give the edge to DaQuan Jones, as many have not yet realized that he is even a defensive tackle who plays in the NFL, let alone among its more impactful.

The 32-year-old wears several hats for the Bills—he’s asked to plug holes in the run game, eat blockers to create mismatches for other defensive linemen, and contribute as a pass-rusher himself. He’s excellent in all three of these roles, tallying 53 quarterback pressures and 30 run stops throughout his two seasons in Buffalo. His presence allows the Bills’ defensive line—and defense, in general—to flourish, and thus, he’s likely their most underrated defensive tackle.

Linebacker

Sep 24, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (43) celebrates after recording a sack against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Terrel Bernard

Perhaps no Buffalo player had a more surprising 2023 season than linebacker Terrel Bernard.

A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft whom many had written off as a strange selection with little long-term hope, Bernard ascended to middle linebacker in 2023 following the offseason departure of Tremaine Edmunds, looking arguably better than the two-time Pro Bowler ever did. He played on 93% of the team’s defensive snaps, recording a team-high 143 tackles while also contributing three interceptions, five pass deflections, and 6.5 sacks.

He made more splash plays than Edmunds ever contributed, simply having a more consistent impact on the game while allowing Buffalo’s stout defense to continue to operate sans its previous signal-caller. Despite his consistent excellence, he received no national honors—he likely should have been an All-Pro, and he didn’t even make the Pro Bowl. That’s why he’s the team’s most underrated linebacker; fingers crossed he earns his deserved flowers in his third season.

Defensive Back

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47) enters the field before a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Benford

Buffalo selected two cornerbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft. One of them now starts for the team on the boundary. The other was first-round pick Kaiir Elam.

The Bills selected Christian Benford, then a little-known defensive back out of Villanova, in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, his impact felt as early as that year’s rookie minicamp. He would go on to impress throughout the rest of the spring and summer, even earning the starting job opposite Dane Jackson (over Elam) in Week 1. Benford has since gone on to firmly cement himself above Elam on the depth chart; he’s started 19 games over his professional career and is penciled in as the team’s No. 2 cornerback opposite Rasul Douglas entering the 2024 campaign.

He’s not a flashy player, but he’s a consistent and reliable defender who is a sure tackler and doesn’t give up big plays in coverage—in other words, he’s the ideal Sean McDermott defensive back. Benford’s lack of ‘splash plays’ and ball-hawking ability prevent him from consistently making SportsCenter, but he’s an integral piece of Buffalo’s defense and figures to be a mainstay for the foreseeable future.

Published May 25, 2024|Modified May 25, 2024

KYLE SILAGYI