B/R circles questionable position groups as Bills' areas of weakness entering Week 3

The Buffalo Bills are playing as well as anyone in the league, but Bleacher Report believes they have a few weaknesses entering Week 3.

Ronnie Eastham | Sep 17, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills are enjoying a terrific start to the 2024 season, going 2-0 after defeating the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. Despite the great start, they (like all teams) aren't without their flaws, and Bleacher Report believes they have some areas that need to be addressed ahead of their Week 3 Monday Night Football matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The B/R NFL Scouting Department has identified edge rusher, wide receiver, cornerback, linebacker, and interior defensive line as Buffalo’s biggest areas of weakness entering Week 3, not really providing any significant insight into why each of these groups is currently deficient. Stating that the Bills are weak at receiver and cornerback is particularly egregious, as it comes off as analysis from a person or group who hasn’t closely followed the team. Receiver and cornerback are arguably two of the team’s deeper position groups; their receiving corps, while lacking a marquee name, boasts a myriad of versatile weapons, and in addition to both Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford playing at elite levels this season, Kaiir Elam and Ja’Marcus Ingram have proven to be capable depth at cornerback.

It’s also a bit premature to write that Buffalo’s edge rusher position is an area of weakness, as not only have Greg Rousseau and Von Miller combined for five sacks through two games—we haven’t yet seen the position group at full strength. Both Dawuane Smoot and rookie Javon Solomon have missed the first two games of the season with toe and oblique injuries, respectively. Linebacker and defensive interior are justified areas of concern, as there isn't much reliable depth behind Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones outside of Austin Johnson at defensive tackle. Rookie DeWayne Carter could be an answer, but even if he is, the Bills will have to start looking for Jones' replacement sooner rather than later (he turns 33 in December).

As far as the linebacker group goes, Baylon Spector and Dorian Williams will be expected to hold things down until Terrel Bernard can return from his pectoral strain (the team also hopes that former All-Pro Matt Milano can return from his bicep tear this season). Preseason darling Joe Andreessen could see time as well, but Bleacher Report believes the Bills need to re-sign Deion Jones, a veteran defender who spent the offseason with the team. He could add decent depth, but he didn't look stellar in the preseason, hence why he was kept off both the 53-man roster and practice squad. He'd add depth, but Buffalo has already chosen several linebackers currently available to it over the 29-year-old.

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B/R ends its analysis with offseason suggestions, writing that the Bills should pursue free agent edge defender Josh Sweat next spring to replace Von Miller. The NFL's active-all-time sack leader is off to an outstanding start to the 2024 campaign, but at age 35, father time will come knocking sooner than later. In next year's NFL Draft, the outlet believes the Bills should target Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke. It's interesting that one of the points they make to justify selecting a corner is, "Kaiir Elam doesn't seem like he's ever going to live up to his draft stock," but this, again, reads as analysis from a group that isn't paying close attention, as Elam had a stellar summer under new cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae.

We’re not implying that Buffalo is a flawless club entering Week 3, but the particular groups mentioned largely range from ‘insufficient information available’ to ‘egregious.’ The team’s edge defenders, receivers, and cornerbacks will look to further exceed national expectations as the season progresses.

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