The NFL is all about parity and its driving force is the salary cap. The monetary limits act as self-governance, in some regard, to where teams are typically forced to make tough roster decisions on a yearly basis.
The Buffalo Bills certainly experienced that during free agency. The team released and/or couldn't retain several of its top veterans and also traded Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs in order to create cap room.
Obviously, the moves have raised plenty of questions pertaining to the team's outlook for 2024. With those questions, however, comes opportunity for the guys in line to replace Diggs and the others.
"I wish we can keep everybody. We've made a lot of changes this offseason, lost a lot of veteran leadership," Bills quarterback Josh Allen said Thursday. "I guess that's the nature of the business and going into year seven now, it's just kind of is what it is...
"... I think with this, there is a lot of opportunity for our guys that are in that room, right now. And as an offense and really as a team to evolve and grow and become a new version of the Buffalo Bills."
Granted, it won't be easy. Fortunately, it's the same system on both sides of the ball. That familiarity will be very helpful as the team evolves, per Allen. Still, nothing is guaranteed and there is certainly a world in which the Bills take a step back.
That's all hypothetical, though, and honestly, one can't be timid in this scenario because they'll get chewed up and spat out. This kind of challenge needs to be embraced and met head-on, which is exactly what Allen intends on doing.
"I think it's an opportunity for myself to grow as a leader, and to bring along some of these young guys or new guys that we've brought onto our team and that's an opportunity, frankly, that I'm very excited about," said Allen. "...It's another opportunity for me to go out there and be the guy that I'm supposed to be and the guy that I believe I am and I'm going to need guys along the way.
"But I think the most important things I need from this team is guys to just continue to work hard and buy into what we're doing here and trust the process."
It's not all about loss, either. The Bills brought in some guys that can certainly help the team win games. They still have guys like Dion Dawkins, Von Miller, Ed Oliver, and others - guys that have plenty of experience and leadership under their belt.
There's the draft, too. Buffalo can certainly find a No. 1 wideout to hopefully replace Diggs and there's obviously other positions to draft at No. 28, as well.
Allen's message is exactly what his teammates needed to hear and it's more proof (like we needed it to begin with) that this is his team. And as long as he's around, the Bills should be contenders.
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