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Buffalo Bills offseason preview: 2024 schedule, draft picks, free agents, salary cap

The Buffalo Bills' season ended with a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Again.

Buffalo's playoff chances were miniscule after a 6-6 start but the Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, ran the table to finish the regular season, won the AFC East title and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

They finally got the Chiefs at home in the postseason but the result was the same. Buffalo was bounced by Kansas City in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

Here's what to know as the Bills head into the offseason:

Buffalo Bills 2024 schedule and opponents

AFC East teams will face each team in their division twice in addition to all of the teams in the AFC South and NFC West. Since the Bills won the division, they'll also play the first-place teams from the AFC North, AFC South and NFC North. Buffalo will have eight home games and nine away games because it's a year NFC teams will get an extra home game.

Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.

Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

The full 2024 NFL schedule will be announced in the spring. Last year's schedule release was on May 11.

Which pick do Buffalo Bills have in 2024 draft?

Buffalo has the No. 28 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Buffalo Bills 2024 draft picks

Buffalo has nine total picks in the seven-round draft, which will be held April 25-27 in Detroit. The Bills are expected to add a third-round compensatory pick after Tremaine Edmunds signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Chicago Bears last offseason.

First round: Own pick.

Second round: Own pick.

Fourth round: Own pick.

Fifth round: Own pick. Pick from Green Bay.

Sixth round: Own pick. Pick from Los Angeles Rams. Pick from Houston Texans.

Seventh round: Own pick.

Buffalo Bills 2024 free agents

Unrestricted free agents:

  • QB Kyle Allen

  • WR Gabe Davis

  • LB Tyrel Dodson

  • DE A.J. Epenesa

  • LB Leonard Floyd

  • DE Poona Ford

  • RB Damien Harris

  • S Micah Hyde

  • CB Dane Jackson

  • DT DaQuan Jones

  • DT Linval Joseph

  • CB Cam Lewis

  • DE Shaq Lawson

  • LB Tyler Matakevich

  • RB Latavius Murray

  • DE Jordan Phillips

  • S Taylor Rapp

  • DT Tim Settle

  • WR Trent Sherfield

Restricted/Exclusive-Rights Free Agents:

  • TE Quintin Morris

Buffalo Bills 2024 salary cap

The NFL salary cap is estimated to exceed $240 million, up from $224.8 million in 2023. The Bills are in rough shape as of right now. Buffalo is projected to be about $45 million over the salary cap. The Bills could prioritize restructuring Josh Allen's contract.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs had 107 catches for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns but had eight games under 55 yards receiving in the final 11 games, including playoffs, and one touchdown in that stretch. He's set to carry a $27.9 million cap hit in 2024. Edge rusher Von Miller will have a $23.8 million cap hit.

The Bills will also have to decide how to handle their secondary. Cornerback Tre'Davious White has a $16.4 million cap hit and is coming off a torn Achilles. Cornerback Dane Jackson is an unrestricted free agent and midseason acquisition Rasul Douglas has has nearly $10 million in non-guaranteed money. Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde have been the starting safeties in each of Sean McDermott's seven years with the Bills. Poyer will turn 33 years old in the offseason. Hyde is already 33 and is an unrestricted free agent.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills 2024 schedule, draft picks, free agents, salary cap