The Buffalo Bills, with Josh Allen, have always been thought of as being in the Super Bowl bubble, but this season feels different.
There is a genuine thought that the Lombardi Trophy is Buffalo's to lose. ... a process that starts anew as on Tuesday, Allen and the Bills veterans report to training camp.
Expected to win the division at a canter (again), and potentially claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Bills are expected to, at the very least, make it to the Super Bowl given how well-rounded the roster is, along with a top-line coaching staff.
As such, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr, as expected, has the Bills among his top 12 Super Bowl contenders for 2025.
"The growth of players such as Khalil Shakir—whom I’ve been high on for years now—emboldened GM Brandon Beane to attack the defense with fervor in the draft," Orr wrote. "The Bills didn’t make an offensive draft pick until the sixth round and it was on the offensive line. Anyone who watched the Bills a year ago would agree that the offense wasn’t the problem. It was a defense that was suspect against the pass and solid against the run—but with room for upside.
"Combine all that with Buffalo’s entrenched QB-coach combination, and that the quarterback is a certified MVP, and you have an obvious inclusion onto this list."
There certainly is a feeling this offseason of if not now for the Bills, given how the Kansas City Chiefs don't have the same fear factor (for some), and the fact that the Bills are seen to have one of the best offenses in football and an improved defense, everything feels like it is lining up.
Granted, Buffalo, due to their constant failures in the postseason, are in the unenviable position of not having what it does in the regular season matter too much; it is all about what happens in the playoffs.
Once there, the "real" season begins, and for the Bills in 2025, it has to end with Allen hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!