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Buffalo Sports News

Bills Offense Position-by-Position Player Grades at Week 12 Bye

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The Buffalo Bills arrived at their Week 12 bye with a 9-2 record. Their win over the rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday—the Chiefs’ first loss of the 2024 NFL season—left them just a half-game behind Patrick Mahomes and Co. for the top spot in the AFC standings.

While quarterback Josh Allen is always the engine behind the Bills offense, other players have stepped up in a major way to help the unit find consistent success. That’s been especially important with Buffalo dealing with an endless stream of injuries since training camp.

The Bills have a lot of hurdles left to jump to reach their ultimate goal, the franchise’s first Super Bowl title, but their play offensively creates plenty of reasons for optimism.

Buffalo Bills Bye-Week Player Grades (Offense)

Quarterbacks

Josh Allen (A)

Allen is not going to finish the season with the league’s most gaudy numbers, but he should still be the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. No team would suffer a more significant drop off than Buffalo without its quarterback. He’s a one-man wrecking crew who hides flaws, particularly along the offensive line.

The 28-year-old California native has thrown five interceptions in the past four games, which is the only reason he doesn’t receive a perfect grade. He must make sure his old turnover problems don’t rear their ugly head come playoff time. That said, his 23 total touchdowns have more than offset any mistakes so far.

Backup Mitchell Trubisky hasn’t played enough meaningful snaps to receive a grade, and that’s a great thing for the Bills.

Running Backs

James Cook (B+)

Cook has scored 11 touchdowns in 10 appearances, which is tied for third in the NFL among non-quarterbacks. He’s also put together a few standout performances, most notably rushing for 111 yards and two scores in a Week 8 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

His underlying numbers aren’t trending in the right direction, though. His yards per rush (4.3) and yards per catch (7.3) are both pacing at career lows. He’s coming off a game against the Chiefs where he recorded just 20 yards on nine carries.

There probably won’t be many complaints as long as Cook keeps finding the end zone. That said, better per-touch efficiency could take the Buffalo offense to another level.

Ty Johnson (B-)

Most of what Johnson brings to the table doesn’t show up in the box score. He’s the team’s third-down back mostly because of his blocking ability. It gives Allen critical extra time to find an open target or make magic by escaping the pocket, as he so often does.

Johnson does have three touchdowns in addition to his work as a blocker.

Ray Davis (C+)

Davis recorded 152 total yards while filling in for an injured Cook in a Week 6 win against the New York Jets. He’s struggled to make an impact when not in the lead role, however. That includes just 17 yards on eight carries over the past two games.

Wide Receivers

Khalil Shakir (A+)

Although Allen should be the NFL MVP, you could make an argument Shakir is the Bills’ MVP. His ability to get open consistently combined with his nearly unmatched sure-handedness has made him one of the league’s most dependable targets.

His baseline numbers—56 catches for 599 yards and two touchdowns—don’t jump off the page, but his 84.8 percent catch rate is the highest of any wide receiver with at least 25 targets this season. Buffalo’s offense would be in deep trouble without him.

Keon Coleman (B+)

Coleman started his rookie season a bit sluggish but then showed some serious signs of progress. He posted 125 yards in a Week 7 win over the Tennessee Titans and followed that up with 70 yards and a score against the Seahawks.

Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist injury against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9 and missed the past two games. A chance to rest before the stretch run, possibly preventing him from hitting the “rookie wall,” could become a blessing in disguise for the second-round pick, though.

Mack Hollins (B)

Hollins will be featured on a lot of “unsung hero” lists at season’s end. He’s one of the league’s most unique characters, often walking around barefoot, but don’t let that overshadow his strong play. It’s allowed the Bills offense to succeed amid injuries to Coleman and Amari Cooper.

The 31-year-old UNC product has recorded 11 catches on 11 targets for 143 yards and a touchdown over the past three games. He’s also one of the NFL’s best blockers at the position, filling a void in Buffalo left by the offseason departure of Gabe Davis.

Curtis Samuel (C-)

Samuel hasn’t been involved nearly as much as expected since signing a three-year, $24 million contract with the Bills in March. He’s compiled a modest 191 total yards on just 24 touches across 10 appearances.

The former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders standout did have a season-high five catches against the Chiefs, though. So perhaps he’s finding his niche within the Bills’ scheme.

Amari Cooper (TBD)

It’s too soon to grade Cooper fairly. He’s only played three games with Buffalo since being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. The veteran receiver has also been hampered by a wrist injury.

The early returns are promising, though. He scored a touchdown in his team debut against the Titans and had a highlight-reel one-handed catch Sunday against the Chiefs. He’ll likely be heavily involved after the bye week gives him time to reach full strength.

Tight Ends

Dalton Kincaid (C+)

Kincaid has probably been the Bills’ most disappointing player this season, at least relative to preseason expectations. His breakout year hasn’t materialized. He’s reeled in 34 receptions for 356 and two touchdowns in 10 games. He missed the Kansas City clash with a knee injury.

While the upside is still there, the first 26 games of the tight end’s NFL career suggest he may be more of a complementary offensive piece than a true game-changing playmaker.

Dawson Knox (C-)

Knox was solid against the Chiefs (four catches for 40 yards) while seeing more snaps because of Kincaid’s absence. His performance in recent years hasn’t come close to his nine-TD campaign in 2021, though.

Offensive Linemen

Connor McGovern (B)

The Bills’ offensive line is vastly overrated by the mainstream metrics. A glance at the composite numbers would lead you to believe it’s an above-average group at a minimum. The eye test tells a completely different story.

Buffalo’s front five has struggled mightily in run blocking, a weakness exposed in a major way by the Chiefs. Its pass-blocking numbers are aided massively by Allen’s escapability. The strong “time to pass” numbers are because of the superstar quarterback, not the line in front of him.

McGovern has been the biggest bright spot while replacing Mitch Morse in the middle of the line. There were concerns during camp about the center-QB exchange after some fumbled snaps, but those issues were rectified quickly and he’s played well in general.

Dion Dawkins (C+)

Dawkins, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, hasn’t met his usual high standards in 2024. The left tackle been called for 10 penalties, which is tied for the second-highest total in the league, and his overall play has also dipped. It’s led to an uncharacteristically low 71.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

Spencer Brown (C-)

Like Dawkins, penalties have been a serious issue for Brown. The right tackle has been flagged nine times, including five holding calls, which are often drive-killers. His blocking has been solid in most games, but those penalty problems must get cleaned up before the playoffs.

O’Cyrus Torrence (D+)

The steady improvement just hasn’t been there for Torrence. He’s been a decent right guard over the past two years, but he hasn’t become a high-end line anchor, and that’s what you expect when you use a second-round pick on the interior lineman.

That said, he’s coming off a strong outing against All-Pro Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, so maybe that’s a sign he’s turning a corner.

David Edwards (D)

The Bills will be searching for an upgrade at left guard in the offseason. Edwards hasn’t been a disaster, but he’s far better suited as a reserve lineman who makes an occasional spot start rather than a full-time line member. His 60.8 PFF grade illustrates that lackluster play.

Main Photo: Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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