Bills enter offseason with Super Bowl or bust label

For the Buffalo Bills, nothing but winning the Super Bowl qualifies as a successful season for the perennial contenders in 2022.

The Buffalo Bills need to win a Super Bowl. Everything else is a waste of time.

Over the past two seasons, the Bills have made huge strides. They won the AFC East in both campaigns, doing so for the first time since 1995. They’ve won postseason games in each year as well, something not previously accomplished by this star-crossed franchise since 1999.

However, both seasons have ended at Arrowhead Stadium, losing twice to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2020 AFC Championship Game saw a 38-24 blowout made closer by some points in garbage time. It was an acceptable defeat, a great run derailed by a great team. Then, a few weeks ago, Josh Allen and Mahomes authored an all-time classic, one which will be known as The 13 Seconds Game. Kansas City rallied and won, 42-36, in overtime.

Coming off such a crushing defeat, Buffalo needs to recoup and regroup. The Bills looked like the best team in football for much of 2021, only to fall once more to a team for which every other is measured.

Entering this offseason, general manager Brandon Beane is tasked with no only getting past the Chiefs, but also figuring out a way to finally bring the Lombardi Trophy to western New York.

For Beane, this is a critical time. It’s the last year before Allen’s cap number explodes to near $40 million. This is the window, and he needs to create it with the Bills currently projected to be $5 million over the cap. Room can be made, though, largely through an extensions for star safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Buffalo can also either extend or release receiver Cole Beasley and linebacker A.J. Klein.

Once the Bills open up available funds, they should be targeting more pass-rushing help. While they drafted Gregory Rousseau and Boogie Basham in the first two rounds last year, they still need more. Also, another corner would be wise, especially with veteran Levi Wallace hitting free agency for the first time.

Buffalo doesn’t need to make massive changes, but rather smart upgrades in key spots. The Bills are close to winning their first Super Bowl. Now it’s time to make the proper adjustments and go do exactly that.