Allen completed final season because the league’s 14th-leading passer with 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns, his lowest totals since 2019. However his six interceptions have been a profession low and 12 fewer than he had the yr earlier than.
His 483 makes an attempt have been additionally his fewest since 2019 when he threw 461 passes in 16 video games, though you’d by no means realize it to have a look at his career-best 77.3 QBR. It appears the newlywed quarterback and training employees have lastly realized {that a} measured Allen is a greater Allen, which bodes effectively for 2025.
2. Familiarity
Per Sports Illustrated’s Ronnie Eastham, the Payments will welcome again 84.2% of final yr’s roster in 2025, effectively above the 59.3% of gamers that returned in 2024.
Among the many group’s returning free brokers are RB Ty Johnson, FB Reggie Gilliam and S Damar Hamlin. Whereas not precisely Professional Bowlers, the three have 16 years of NFL expertise, 11 with Buffalo.
3. James Cook dinner
Assuming Cook dinner and the Payments come to phrases within the offseason, the 25-year-old working again might maintain the important thing to an AFC championship. Cook dinner is because of make $5.7M this yr however is on the lookout for a brand new contract as he enters the ultimate yr of his rookie deal.
Whereas many anticipated Cook dinner to carry out after skipping OTAs, he was current for the group’s necessary mini-camp on Tuesday.
“I imply, why not (take part)?” Cook said. “I am right here, I am a part of the group, and simply not training, I am a frontrunner, so simply bought to follow.”
After scoring 4 touchdowns in his first two seasons, Cook dinner tied Baltimore’s Derrick Henry and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead with 16 touchdowns final yr. He additionally ran for 1,009 yards after posting 1,122 yards the yr earlier than, ok for a second straight Professional Bowl nomination.
4. Protection
The Payments entered the offseason decided to improve their seventeenth ranked protection and look to have carried out a superb job via the draft and free company.
The line of defense will welcome former Ram Michael Hoecht, former Bengal Larry Ogunjobi and longtime Charger Joey Bosa. Each Hoecht and Ogunjobi might be suspended for the primary six video games of the 2024 season after violating the league’s PED coverage, however the protection nonetheless has loads of younger expertise coming in from this yr’s draft.
Six of Buffalo’s 9 draft picks have been used on defensive gamers together with highly-ranked prospects like cornerback Maxwell Hairston, the group’s first-round decide, and defensive deal with T.J. Sanders, its second-round decide.
Beginning the season with out Hoecht and Ogunjobi will not be simple, however except for a Week 1 matchup in opposition to the Ravens, Buffalo gained’t face a successful group till Week 9 when it hosts the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. If the Payments don’t have the division wrapped up by Thanksgiving, one thing could have gone terribly unsuitable.
