Bills vs. Steelers: 5 storylines to watch in 2024 NFL Preseason Week 2

There are a few storylines to keep an eye on as the Buffalo Bills enter the second week of the preseason; here are five of those topics.

Greg Vorse | Aug 13, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills opened their 2024 preseason with a lackluster 33-6 loss at home to the Chicago Bears. Again, it was preseason, so let's try not to glean too much into that lopsided affair. Buffalo hits the road for the first time this campaign when it visits Pittsburgh for game No. 2 on Saturday, August 17th, at 7:00 p.m. Last year, the Bills made Kenny Pickett look like prime Tom Brady in their preseason showdown, so what will the 2024 version look like? Here are five things to watch for as Buffalo continues its exhibition schedule.

Sticky Hands?

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If you asked Bills Mafia what one of the most frustrating things about Buffalo football has been over the past year, the answer of "drops" wouldn't be too far down the list. The Bills finished eighth in drops in 2023 with 30, clearly an issue that needs to be cleaned up. They had a pair of drops in the preseason opener, per Pro Football Focus, which credited one to Tyrell Shavers and one to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. If that trend continued, the Bills would have 34 drops in 2024, which would have ranked as the sixth worst. A trend in the wrong direction for Buffalo.

Continued Breakout?

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How does Kaiir Elam look against the Steelers WRs? It can be hard to get a grasp on who is playing well in the preseason, especially guys in the secondary, but Elam looked to be growing closer to the promise of his first-round selection a few years ago. According to PFF, he was the Bills' highest-graded corner in coverage with a 69.1. He allowed one catch for just five yards while being targeted twice. The Florida product also carded a 56.3 passer rating against, which would have put him in the top 15 in the league a year ago. It was only 23 snaps in the preseason, but when you are being labeled a "bust," having something on the plus side of your resume is welcomed.

Return Game

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The Bills had five shots at the new kickoff return rule on Saturday, and it was mostly meh. During those attempts, they brought the ball back for 82 yards, an average of 16.4 yards per return. It was notable that K.J. Hamler was the only player to get two cracks at the return game and was the early choice. Who is deployed, when they are deployed, and how they acclimate to the new rules could go a long way in locking up a roster spot as the kick returner.

It will also be interesting to see if speedy veteran Damiere Byrd, who reportedly signed with the Bills on Monday, factors into the team's return efforts this Saturday.

Emergence

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84 players received snaps from the Bills against the Bears. Sean McDermott and company are giving plenty of guys a shot to see the field and prove they deserve a spot somewhere within the Buffalo organization. Preseason Weeks 2 and 3 should be a chance for those guys to start to separate and show what they can do in game action.

Health

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This should be priority number one for all NFL teams during the preseason. The Bills survived with only dings to their key players, including Ed Oliver, who left after just one snap (but it was quickly reported by Sal Capaccio of WGR550 that Oliver could have returned if Buffalo needed him to). Keeping a clean bill of health remains the number one key for the Bills in the preseason.

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