Crimson Tide NFL Team Rundown: Buffalo Bills
At the end of the 2020 season, the Buffalo Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
A year later, the teams had a rematch in the divisional round of the playoffs, this time requiring overtime, but with the same result.
Last season, the Bills stumbled at home in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. Cincinnati pulled off the upset, with the Chiefs going on to beat the Bengals and win their second Super Bowl in four years.
Will it all fuel Buffalo's desire to get back to another Super Bowl? The Bills were hot a pick to make it to Super Bowl LVII, but fell behind and never seemed to recover against Cincinnati. Consequently, the franchise hasn't been in the title game since 1993, and still have to get through the likes of Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes to get there.
The Bills will require a strong running game in 2023 if they are to dethrone the Chiefs. This may prove to be difficult, as the Bills lost their leading rusher from 2022, Devin Singletary, who signed with the Houston Texans in free agency. Quarterback Josh Allen led the team in rushing touchdowns with eight last seasono, despite a seemingly significant injury to his throwing arm.
The Bills will need someone other than Josh Allen to step up in the run game. Rookie running back James Cook, brother of former Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, had a good rookie campaign with 507 yards and six touchdowns. In March, the Bills added former Alabama running back Damien Harris from free agency to help compete in the running back room.
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Harris signed a one-year contract with the Bills in March. While he could not hold off Rhamondre Stevenson in the Patriots locker room, Harris had an impressive 2021 campaign with New England, totaling 929 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games.
Harris has more experience, but Cook, the former Georgia product, has been with the team longer. Harris can also certainly be used as a goal-line back in tight situations. His size combined with his lower body strength allows him to dive for the end zone, both behind his offensive line and over the top of the goal-line scrum.
The Bills also have two other former Alabama players on their roster: defensive lineman DJ Dale and safety Jared Mayden.
Dale, who signed an undrafted free agent, is coming off four years for the Crimson Tide. Last season he totaled 17 tackles, one pass defended, and two and a half sacks. Dale will have his work cut out for him to make the Bills roster, as they have nine defensive tackles on the roster and 15 total defensive linemen. He could be a practice squad candidate for Buffalo this season.
Jared Mayden is in his first season with the Bills after playing 2020 with San Francisco and 2021 in Philadelphia. With the Eagles, Mayden played in four games, totaling six tackles. he spent four seasons with the Crimson Tide, with his best season coming in 2019 when he had 59 total tackles, three passes defended and four picks.
Mayden will not be upsetting Micah Hyde or Jordan Poyer as the Bills starter anytime soon, and Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin seem to have the next two safety spots wrapped up. There aren't too many third-strong players who make NFL rosters barring some injury help.
Active Buffalo Bills
#61 DJ Dale, DL
#22 Damien Harris, RB
#36 Jared Mayden, S
