2025 NFL Pro Bowl: Which Buffalo Bills deserve the nod?

The 2024 NFL season is coming to an end. Which Bills players deserve to be recognized among the best in the AFC?

With the 2024 NFL season quickly approaching its end, the focus turns to the postseason and regular-season awards. The Buffalo Bills have won another divisional title (the fifth in a row), are close to clinching the AFC two seed, and have Josh Allen as the front-runner for the Associated Press NFL MVP award.

How about the Pro Bowl, though?

Yes, it’s true that I don’t want to see any Bills attending it, and hope they’re far too busy preparing to play in the Super Bowl. Also, I’m aware being selected as a Pro Bowler isn’t as prestigious an honor it used to be. Unfortunately, the selection has become mostly a popularity contest instead of an honor given to the best players in each conference.

With that said, we know players still get bonuses on being selected as a Pro Bowler, which shows it’s still a parameter (even if a poor one) to evaluate players’ performances in a single season.

Well, even if it’s not what it used to be, or what it is supposed to be, season awards, All-Pro, and Pro Bowl selections will always be a part of players’ resumés and something that will be used when evaluating legacies. With that in mind, I’ll make the selections based on what this honor was supposed to be. Here are my 2025 Bills Pro Bowlers…

QB Josh Allen

Josh Allen has put together another MVP-worthy season, leading the league in total QBR (79.5), WAR generated (2.30), and EPA (193). He’s broken several NFL records this year, such as the most wins in a quarterback’s first seven seasons, having six touchdowns in a game, having the most games with two passing touchdowns and and one rushing touchdown, and he’s also on his way to amassing five consecutive seasons of 40-plus touchdowns and over 4,500 passing yards.

I’m of the opinion that wins aren’t a QB stat, but we know it’s something voters use to evaluate QBs all the time. The Bills have 12 wins and only Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have more in 2024, solidifying Allen’s case this year.

The Bills have a solid group of up-and-coming players, who are eager to make a name for themselves. But everybody knows this team goes as far as Josh Allen takes them. Remove him from the equation and that’s a hard-working team that would put up a solid the effort but wouldn’t be able to win many games. Allen is, unquestionably, one of the three best quarterbacks in the AFC in 2024 and it would be (just) his third Pro Bowl selection.

RB James Cook

James Cook is on his way to earning a second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. The third-year pro is establishing himself as one of the best young running backs in the NFL, putting up 928 yards and 14 TDs on the ground, plus 258 yards and two scores as a receiver.

Cook has shown improvement in his running style, waiting patiently for blockers to pave the way and also improving his strength when running between the tackles or finishing runs.

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

I believe the former Georgia Bulldog deserves the selection behind Ravens’ running back Derrick Henry (an MVP/Offensive Player of the Year-worthy candidate), and right there with Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who has more yards and fewer touchdowns, but is more valuable for his team, in my opinion. Despite Cook’s improvement, he still hasn’t become as reliable as the Bills need him to be in the passing game, catching passes and protecting Allen, which takes him off the field more often than ideal. Also, when Buffalo had to play without Cook, rookie Ray Davis and veteran Ty Johnson haven’t had any trouble replacing his production.

At the end of the day, Cook is a talented young back who deserves recognition, but still isn’t a difference-maker on his own and has room for improvement in some important areas of his game. He’s fighting Texans’ Joe Mixon, Titans’ Tony Pollard, and Steelers’ Najee Harris for this last spot and I’d give it to him right now for his TD production and for being on the winningiest team.

LT Dion Dawkins

The “Shnowman” has become a household name among AFC offensive linemen, and rightfully so. Dawkins has had another strong season protecting Josh Allen’s blindside and he’s ye again proven to be a dominant blocker in the run game — especially when paving the way on those tackle pull runs and opening the gap Josh Allen usually dives through on QB sneak plays.

Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images

With the Bills winning so many games and the team’s offensive line getting some deserved recognition, I believe it’s a lock for Dawkins to earn his fourth Pro Bowl selection.

CB Christian Benford

What a season by the former sixth-round pick from Villanova. Christian Benford has established himself not only as the Bills’ CB1 but also as one of the best up-and-coming talents at the position in the entire NFL. Teams have avoided throwing the ball his way and when they do, Benford has shown elite coverage abilities. He’s patient, physical, and knows the right time to track the ball and make a play on it. Add his size and tackling ability against the run game, and Buffalo has a true defensive pillar in Benford.

With 48 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles and one recovered, one interception, and nine passes defended, plus appearing in the top five in several advanced metrics evaluating defensive backs, the only way Benford isn’t selected is if voters overlook him in favor of bigger names.

I said before the season started that it was time for Buffalo to move on from former Pro Bowlers in the defensive backfield and find the new Poyers, Hydes, and Tre’ Whites of the world. With the season quickly approaching its end, I feel confident when I say the Bills did so with Benford.

Quick Thoughts

• Nickel cornerback Taron Johnson might make it. He’s an All-Pro from a year ago and the only remaining piece from the former Pro Bowl defensive backfield of past Bills teams. Alongside his good production when on the field, and Buffalo’s great record, it might be enough to have him in. With the time he’s missed injured, other nickel cornerbacks have better numbers and might be worth the nod over him, but it wouldn’t be unfair if Taron is selected — far from it.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

• MIKE linebacker Terrel Bernard is another player who has been playing at an All-Pro level since last season. He deserves the nod, in my opinion. However, losing time to injury has hurt his numbers, and he still doesn’t get the respect league-wide he deserves. Other big-name linebackers should make it over him.
• Edge rusher Greg Rousseau is another talented player who definitely has the chance to be selected most seasons. He’s played well this year, even though a little more consistency rushing the passer would be welcome. There are just too many recognizable names with more sacks, which should make the difference in their favor.
• Safety Taylor Rapp has been synonymous with reliability for the Bills’ last line of defense. I recall at least four touchdown-saving tackles Rapp made this season. He isn’t a big name, and Rapp’s play isn’t flashy, without the turnovers needed to elevate him to Pro Bowl level, in my opinion. I’d like to see him receive the recognition, though.
• Wide receiver Khalil Shakir might have a shot as one of the last receivers selected in the AFC. He’s been Josh Allen’s unquestioned favorite target and, with Allen and team’s success, voters might feel inclined to give him the recognition as one of the top pass catchers in the conference. However, there are a lot of well-established names with the numbers to make it over him, so it’s a wait-and-see situation.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

• Right tackle Spencer Brown has emerged as one of the top right tackles in the league this season — a huge turnaround from previous seasons where he struggled often. Brown’s another player who might get some recognition this year. But I believe he’s one more good season away from drawing this level of attention.
• Center Connor McGovern is probably in the same situation as Brown. It’s his first season at center, so he might not have done it long enough to draw the attention his way. However, unlike Brown, he was already impressive at left guard last season so, maybe he can be selected as one of the top centers in the conference this year already.

At the end of the day, this Bills don’t boast a star-studded roster. They have young players with potential to get there, veterans who when playing within the schemes maximize their production, and a superstar quarterback who elevates everybody around him.

Finishing the season with 13 or 14 wins will put pressure on voters to recognize some names on a relatively unknown roster, which would help to elevate some players into new territory. But I have those four players above as the ones who should make it, with probably one more coming from the group I talked about but didn’t select — or even one of this group replacing one of the top guys being snubbed.

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Catch up with all this and more during my latest edition of Leading the Charge!