NFL Power Rankings: Predicting every team's record after minicamp in 2024

8. Buffalo Bills: 11-6

The Buffalo Bills suffered a ton of losses in the 2024 offseason. For those who may have missed it, let’s recap.

They traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, one of the weirdest moves of the year. They lost Gabe Davis in free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They said goodbye to both Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer at the safety position. They let Tre’Davious White go (Rams). Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has been replaced by Joe Brady.

The Bills are leaning on Josh Allen to rise all boats in the harbor, and I think Allen is up to the task. Six losses in the first 12 weeks last season had people wondering if this Bills team was cooked, but they ripped off five straight wins leading up to the playoffs. It was shocking to see their early departure. Even with all of the change this offseason, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Bills up at 11 wins.

7. Houston Texans: 11-6

The Houston Texans are a team I struggle with a little bit. I think it’s smart to acknowledge how many huge steps forward this team has taken since last offseason, but I’m also not opposed to proceeding with caution when it comes to projecting their record for this coming year.

The Texans went from worst to first in DeMeco Ryans’s first year on the job as head coach. CJ Stroud looks like he might already be one of the top five quarterbacks in the league. If that defense can continue to improve with additions like Danielle Hunter off the edge, the sky is the limit for Houston this year. They could ride their talent all the way to the NFL’s final four.

There’s also the fact that development and progression in the NFL aren’t always linear. The Texans now have a target on their back and a way different level of expectation heaped upon them compared to last year. I still say 9-11 wins will be this team’s floor barring major injury.