1. This ESPN analyst is picking Buffalo for the 2020 Super Bowl
Due to the season the Bills had in 2019, making it to the playoffs with 10 wins, many in the national media are very optimistic about Buffalo's success moving forward. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler is picking the Bills to make it to the Super Bowl in 2020.
What's your way-too-early Super Bowl LV pick?
Jeremy Fowler, national NFL writer: Seahawks over Bills. Both teams are a few pieces away. Seattle will pick up another stretch-the-field receiver, get faster on defense and let Russel Wilson do the rest off play-action. I like everything about the Bills' rebuild, and if Josh Allen makes a sizable Year 3 leap, there's little reason why they can't push through the AFC seeding with that defense and running game.
2. Bills land here in way-too-early 2020 power rankings
Now that the 2019 NFL season is officially over, all eyes are on what's ahead in 2020. It's never too early to predict where teams will land in the early power rankings, so ESPN did their best to place each team in their “way-too-early” 2020 rankings. The Bills landed at No. 11.
2019 record: 10-6
Reason for optimism: An estimated $90 million in cap space, nine draft picks and a young core -- pick one.The Bills made the playoffs at 10-6 in 2019 and still have a bevy of resources at their disposal to help them take that next step. Given what GM Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott have been able to do over the past few offseasons with limited resources, there is a lot of reason for optimism in 2020. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
The only other AFC East team to land above the Bills was the Patriots at No. 7.
3. ESPN's Kevin Connors: This team is headed in the right direction and I'm thrilled
ESPN’s Kevin Connors joined The Howard and Jeremy Show this week to discuss the Super Bowl and share his thoughts on what the Bills should do in the draft. With the pool of wide receivers in this year's draft, Connors thinks that would be a great place for Buffalo to start in the first round. Connors says the Bills have a talented group of wide receivers but thinks adding some size could be a difference maker.
"We've got to get a playmaker at receiver," Connors said. "We need to get bigger at that position. I'm not telling any Bills fans anything they don't know. You've got to have a guy that can be a weapon in the red zone, look maybe they have it in Duke Williams. He had a really good last game. I thought any time he was on the field he was a weapon for us. I think it's pretty clear in a draft that's pretty deep at that position, we've got to get a guy that can stretch the field, be a big target and be a big time weapon. I think the rest of the receiving corps is pretty good, but you need a guy who is the guy so I think that's a priority obviously."
Connors believes Buffalo should look to add a running back to complement Devin Singletary and thinks it's important to keep Quinton Spain and Shaq Lawson around. The ESPN anchor says the draft and free agency can be used to add more depth to the offensive and defensive lines. Whatever moves the Bills make, Connors sees a bright future at One Bills Drive.
"People asked me were you down after the playoff loss and of course I was down about the loss to Houston, but the sting was taken away by the fact that we're on the ascent," Connors explained. "This team is headed in the right direction and I'm thrilled about it."
