Post-Draft Power Rankings: Bills a 'Different Team'?

The Buffalo Bills plugged several holes with their draft selections as Josh Allen got a new receiver, running back and offensive line reinforcements.

Defensively, Buffalo added what it hopes to be eventual starters in Cole Bishop and DeWayne Carter in the early rounds to help cover the losses of Tre’Davious White, Jordan Phillips and Jordan Poyer among others.

© Mark Konezny, USA TODAY

But after the draft, when looking at the Bills roster as it stands, where does coach Sean McDermott’s team sit in the latest power rankings for CBS Sports?

Buffalo moves down one spot to No. 5.

“They will be a different team from 2023 in a lot of ways, but that might not be a bad thing,” CBS Sports writes. “Josh Allen is still the quarterback, which is why they are still the best team in the AFC East.”

After a shaky beginning to the 2023 season that saw Buffalo at a crossroads with a 6-6 record, it flipped the switch and rattled off five consecutive wins to finish with an 11-6 record.

With Stefon Diggs traded to the Houston Texans and Gabe Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the receiving room had a void it had to fill. The Bills made the first step toward fixing that with the selection of Keon Coleman, who the team hopes can soften the blow from Diggs and Davis moving on.

James Cook needed a running partner, and Buffalo got him one in Kentucky star Ray Davis to form a nice one-two punch for Allen.

But perhaps the Bills’ best draft pick is Bishop, whom ESPN’s Field Yates called his top-ranked safety, as he fills an immediate need following Poyer’s release and Micah Hyde still not being signed.

So Buffalo did quite well with this year’s draft class, earning a B+ grade from NFL.com as several roster needs were met.

As it stands, the Bills sit at No. 5 on the NFL power rankings, and if their draft picks play to the potential they believe they have, then perhaps we can expect Buffalo to climb that ladder and challenge the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC title.