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Another day, another outlet naming the Buffalo Bills as the best roster in the NFL heading into the 2022 season.
The latest was CBS Sports. In their head-to-head roster rankings, Buffalo finished at the top of the totem pole.
That comes after another in Pro Football Focus did the exact same: Slotting the Bills at No. 1 in their annual offseason roster ranking.
While that’s all nice, the most important thing is the team and locker room keeping such things in perspective. Offseason rankings are cool, but winning is even sweeter.
Throughout this offseason that’s been Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott’s mantra. He has consistently said at the podium during interviews that such expectations mean nothing without producing.
“The goal is the goal,” McDermott said during spring practices. “We fire back up at the end of July and we get this thing cranked up. Looking forward to that.”
But for what it’s worth, here’s how CBS Sports broke down the Bills roster :
It’s no wonder Josh Allen’s getting lots of MVP buzz entering year five. Not only is the QB a star in his own right, but he’s got an enviable supporting cast, starting with a one-two-three punch of Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Jamison Crowder out wide. That group alone can put on a clinic with route-running (Diggs), deep speed (Davis) and slot work (Crowder), and James Cook’s addition to the backfield should give Allen another outlet. The line isn’t perfect, but Allen’s natural athleticism doesn’t require it.
Sean McDermott’s defense, meanwhile, is probably even more improved coming off three straight playoff runs. Who will dare play their front four (Von Miller, Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, Greg Rousseau) with confidence? Behind them, it’s one play-maker after another, with Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds manning the middle, Kaiir Elam joining Tre’Davious White in coverage and the aging but savvy safety duo of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer rounding out the secondary. If this team doesn’t at least advance to the AFC Championship, fans across New York will be sorely disappointed, and rightfully so.
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