Thomas Emerick examines how the Bills dominated with almost no draft capital spend, and reveals which teams could have an advantage on the offensive line, thanks to returning three or more starters — a threshold that consistently helps teams rank among the league’s top offenses.
There is not a single first-rounder on the Bills’ offensive line, yet they allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL last season. Buffalo has emerged this decade as one of the new paragons of continuity, gaining more yards than any franchise since the start of the 2020 season and averaging 3.6 returning offensive line starters over these past five years — landing them in the top quartile of franchises.
Josh Allen certainly helps you become of the most productive offense of the decade halfway through. If Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, and Spencer Brown were all straight-up bad, it wouldn’t go well. If Brian Daboll, Ken Dorsey, or Joe Brady brought terrible offensive design and play-calling to the table, it falls apart.
But in C.J. Stroud’s second-year regression, you can see the dangers of an OL shuffle gone wrong. Player quality is most important, but continuity can be an overlooked slice of the pie. Buffalo sent Stefon Diggs to Houston after 2023 and have had the same five offensive linemen in the room since before 2023. Allen makes everyone better, but it is impressive that Buffalo, since 2023, hasn’t had a top-20 wide receiver or top-10 tight end in receiving grade — and remains a borderline top-five yards per play offense.
That’s why I’m kicking off the 11th year of this offensive line continuity series with an ode to Buffalo, before getting to the rest of the league.
The past five years have seen the top five teams in total offense return an average of three or more starters up front, while the bottom five offenses have fallen short in this regard. Buffalo may march in with all Day 2 and 3 picks, but this unit counts toward a continuity score of four last season and the maximum five (starters) entering 2025.
