2023 Buffalo Bills Season Awards & Superlatives

The 2023 season was a tale with many twists and turns for the Buffalo Bills. (Some of them were almost in the realm of an M. Night Shyamalan film.) From losing three key defensive starters early to falling to 6-6 and firing OC Ken Dorsey with questions surrounding Sean McDermott’s leadership and job security (*inhales*) to mounting a furious five week rally to end the season with a fourth consecutive AFC East title to… losing another tight postseason game to the Kansas City Chiefs. (I never said it was a good Shyamalan film.)

Now, after roughly three weeks to process and reflect on this cardiac roller coaster ride we Bills fans went through, I am still mildly annoyed about how it ended. But there is one last thing to be done before closing the book on Buffalo’s 2023 season… sharing my end of season awards and superlatives!

For those of you who are new to my work, welcome! For those of you who have followed me and seen my awards pieces in the past, welcome back and thank you for your continued support! This year, I have changed up the award categories to more closely mirror the NFL’s season awards (and also, besides Deonte Harty’s 96-yard punt return TD, Reggie Gilliam’s forced fumble and recovery, and Reid Ferguson, there really wasn’t much to celebrate from Buffalo’s special teams this year). I have also included some new superlatives as well.

Let’s dive in…

(Editor’s Note: You may have to swipe some of the tables from right to left to see all the player’s stats.)

Most Valuable Player: QB Josh Allen

Games Played	Completions	Pass Attempts	Cmp %	Pass Yds	Pass TDs	INTs	Carries	Rush Yds	Yds/Carry	Rush TDs
17	385	579	66.5	4,306	29	18	111	524	4.7	15

Death. Taxes. Josh Allen as Buffalo’s Most Valuable Player.

Josh Allen ended the 2023 season in sole possession of 2nd place on Buffalo’s Single-Season Rush TD list.

He is also currently 3rd on Buffalo’s all-time Career Rushing Scores list. https://t.co/HGseNNNltd pic.twitter.com/9NGxgjLyaZ

— Zach Vaughn (@zvaughn2712) January 22, 2024

Offensive Player of the Year: RB James Cook

Games Played	Carries	Rush Yds	Yds/Carry	Rush TDs	Receptions	Targets	Rec Yds	Yds/Rec	Rec Tds	Catch %
17	237	1,122	4.7	2	44	54	445	10.1	4	81.5

This award is usually reserved for Stefon Diggs. However, his second-half slump and James Cook’s ascension to RB1 dropped him down the list.

Cook became the first Buffalo Bill to rush for 1,000 yards since LeSean McCoy in 2017. (That was also the last time a Bills RB recorded over 40 receptions and 400 receiving yards.) Much like the aforementioned Shady, Jimbo provided Buffalo with a dynamic play making element in the run game and another viable receiving option in the pass game. He ended the season top 10 in the league in carries (10th; 237), rush yards (4th; 1,122), yards/carry (9th; 4.7), scrimmage yards (6th; 1,567), and total touches (10th; 281). And, with two more years remaining on his rookie deal, this is only the beginning of Cook’s run in the kitchen.

Honorable Mention: WR Stefon Diggs

Defensive Player of the Year: LB Terrel Bernard

Games Played	Tackles	Sacks	TFLs	QB Hits	INTs	PDs	FRs
17	143	6.5	10	9	3	5	3

This one all but came down to a coin toss (*traumatic flashbacks intensify*) between Terrel Bernard and Ed Oliver. Both players showed up in big ways in 2023 and are deserving of this award. However, I was obligated to make a choice… and I went with Bernard. Why? Because I had absolutely zero expectations for him entering the season. (If you want to yell at me for “snubbing” Oliver, feel free to do so.)

In the wake of Tremaine Edmunds’ departure last offseason, MLB became one of the biggest question marks on the roster. Entering training camp, it was an open competition between Terrel Bernard, Tyrel Dodson, and Baylon Spector. Bernard won the job despite missing the preseason with a hamstring injury. Most Buffalo Bills fans were either cautiously optimistic or cautiously pessimistic about how he’d do as “The Mike”… 

He led the team in tackles (143) and fumble recoveries (3), was second in interceptions (3), and third in sacks (tied with AJ Epenesa; 6.5) and tackles for loss (TFLs; 10)… And he did most of this without his top running mate, Matt Milano.

Honorable Mentions: DT Ed Oliver, DE Leonard Floyd, CB Rasul Douglas

Rookie of the Year: TE Dalton Kincaid

Games Played	Receptions	Targets	Rec Yds	Yds/Rec	Rec Tds	Catch %
16	73	91	673	9.2	2	80.2

Kincaid recorded the most receptions (73) and sixth-most receiving yards (673) by a rookie in Buffalo Bills history. Not to mention, he all but bested Pete Metzelaars for the greatest single season by a Bills TE ever (exactly 30 years later). Doot should have a bright future as Buffalo’s #2 pass catcher.

Honorable Mention: OG O’Cyrus Torrence

Breakout Player of the Year: LB Terrel Bernard

Bernard went from “questionable draft pick” to “rising star” in one season. Terrel’s future is as bright as the sun and, when Milano returns to the lineup, he should get even better.

Most Improved Player: RT Spencer Brown (Offense), DT Ed Oliver (Defense)

Spencer Brown

Season (Games Played)	Snaps	Sacks Allowed	Penalties	PFF Grade
2022 (14 Games)	848	4	6	51.4
2023 (17 Games)	1,160	5	9	68.1

Spencer Brown went from a co-recipient of the 2022 Monty Python Guard Award (see the superlatives section for context) to a starting caliber RT in 2023. That’s quite the turnaround. He ended up playing all but three offensive snaps this season, allowing five sacks and recording a solid 68.1 PFF grade (second-highest among Bills O-linemen).

Ed Oliver

Season (Games Played)	Sacks	Tackles	TFLs	QB Hits	FFs	INTs	PDs	Safeties
2022 (13 Games)	2.5	34	9	14	1	0	3	1
2023 (16 Games)	9.5	51	14	16	1	1	3	0

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, Ed Oliver did something slightly unusual… He had a career year AFTER signing a big extension. The flashes we had seen from him his first four years became regularities. He dominated the middle of the trenches, both with and without DaQuan Jones on the field. Ed led all Bills defenders in tackles for loss (14), was second in sacks (9.5), and third in QB hits (16). To further emphasize how huge his fifth year was, Oliver set career highs in all three of those categories. Additionally, he had the same number of sacks in 2023 as he had the previous three years COMBINED!

Honorable Mentions: RB James Cook, DE AJ Epenesa

Comeback Player of the Year: S Damar Hamlin

What did Damar Hamlin do to deserve this award? He came back from death on the gridiron to play in 2023. He overcame, quite literally, the worst medical event that could happen on a football field. Anyone who says he doesn’t deserve NFL CPOTY can go kick rocks or touch grass.

"I'm just coming back from being old and not being on a team for a couple months."-@JoeFlacco

Joe Flacco says Damar Hamlin should win Comeback Player of the Year. @CBSSportsRadio @HamlinIsland pic.twitter.com/agmBivvBN5

— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) January 26, 2024

Position Coach of the Year: Aaron Kromer (Offensive Line), Bobby Babich (Linebackers)

It would be all too easy to give this to Joe Brady for his work with Josh Allen, both as his Quarterbacks Coach and as Interim Offensive Coordinator. (And he does deserve all the public praise he’s gotten.) However, I wanted to use this opportunity to give some flowers to other position coaches who worked their magic on this 2023 squad.

Aaron Kromer

The 2023 Buffalo Bills had the best offensive line in the Josh Allen era. That was due to the performance of those five dawgs in the trenches (Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, Mitch Morse, O’Cyrus Torrence, and Spencer Brown) as well as the coaching of Hog Mollie Guru Aaron Kromer. Josh Allen was sacked a career-low 24 times on 579 pass attempts. (Allen’s 4.0% sack rate was the lowest in the NFL this year.)

Buffalo’s OL also dominated in the run game as well, leading the way for the league’s #4 rusher in James Cook and (tied) #2 rushing scorer in Josh Allen. Without Kromer’s crew, Cook wouldn’t have recorded the first 1,000-yard rushing season by a Bill since 2017. As a team, Buffalo ranked top 10 in rushing yards (7th; 2,212), rush TDs (5th; 22), yards/carry average (T-8th; 4.3), and rush yards/game (7th; 130.1). Thanks in part to Kromer’s tutelage, Bills fans didn’t have to hear the names of their offensive linemen too often in 2023. (Hopefully that remains the case in 2024 as well.)

Bobby Babich

Similar to Aaron Kromer and the OL, Bobby Babich worked wonders with the Bills LB corps. He oversaw Terrel Bernard’s breakout first year as the starting MLB. Unlike Kromer’s OL unit, Babich’s LB room was decimated by injuries most of the year. The most significant loss being Matt Milano in Week 5. However, Tyrel Dodson — who had lost out to Bernard in the preseason MLB battle — filled in admirably for Milano. Bernard and Dodson’s performances this year were due, in part, to Babich’s coaching. He sure earned his promotion to Defensive Coordinator.

Honorable Mentions: Joe Brady (QBs/Interim OC), John Butler (Defensive Backs)

Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the 2023 Buffalo Bills Superlatives!! (Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford paper plates this year. So those recipients will have to settle for a golf clap and a hearty “well done chap”.)

Monty Python Guard Award: DE Von Miller

Games Played	Tackles	Sacks	TFLs	QB Hits
12	3	0	0	3

This award is named after that guard from Monty Python and the Holy Grail that says “hey” when Lancelot storms the castle on his killing spree. In short, this award goes to the most useless Bills player of the year. And, for the first time in my four seasons doing these award pieces, this will go to a player who isn’t an offensive lineman. I am both relieved because the Buffalo Bills finally have a really good OL and disappointed because there was one player who was truly useless on the field this year.

Von Miller was the most useless player on the 2023 Bills roster. He had just three tackles and three QB hits in 12 games active this year. Furthermore, he had little impact on the (many, many) plays where he didn’t record a stat.

We’ll see what 2024 brings for the soon to be 35-year-old, and whether or not he can regain at least some semblance of his past production, in what will likely be his last season as a Bill. (Just please find a way to be less useless.)

Past Recipients: Brian Winters (2020), Cody Ford (2021), Spencer Brown & Rodger Saffold (2022)

The Justin Zimmer Award (Breakout Depth Player): RB Ty Johnson

Games Played	Carries	Rush Yds	Yds/Carry	Rush TDs	Receptions	Targets	Rec Yds	Yds/Rec	Rec Tds	Catch %	Kick Returns	KR Yds	Yds/KR
10	30	132	4.4	0	7	7	62	8.9	1	100	8	161	20.1

Ty Johnson had one heck of a story arch this year. He first signed with the Buffalo Bills as preseason finale fodder, but balled out enough to stick around on the practice squad. Then, when Damien Harris went on IR, he was promoted to the 53-man roster. He played mainly special teams his first four weeks on the 53.

Once Joe Brady took over the offense, however, Johnson saw an expanded role as James Cook’s change-of-pace back. He even hit the ground running (*pun always intended*) against the Jets, racking up 47 receiving yards on three receptions — including a 28-yard touchdown reception on a fourth down. He also recorded nine carries for 54 yards against Dallas. In fact, he did so well this year that he kept “Playoff Lenny” Fournette on the practice squad, with the exception of the Chargers game — when he was dealing with a shoulder injury.

The Dean Marlowe Award (Player Who Should’ve Been Used More): WR Khalil Shakir

Games Played	Receptions	Targets	Rec Yds	Yds/Rec	Rec Tds	Catch %
17	39	45	611	15.7	2	86.7

Heading into the season, there was significant intrigue in who would fill the slot receiver/WR3 role. Trent Sherfield had a great training camp. Deonte Harty was supposed to be a better Isaiah McKenzie. But, like the former Bills/Panthers depth safety this award is named after, Khalil Shakir was RIGHT THERE the whole time!!

He finally got his opportunity midseason and had one heck of a 10-game run, recording 31 receptions (on 36 targets) for 536 yards and one touchdowns in that span. Add in his postseason performance and it looks even more impressive (10 receptions on 12 targets for 75 yards and two highlight reel TDs). The former fifth round pick seemed to make big plays almost every time he touched the ball, establishing a connection with Josh Allen and cementing himself as the #3 pass catching option. If Shakir gets an expanded role in 2024 (and possibly beyond), his future should be bright.

Best Free Agent Signing: Leonard Floyd

Games Played	Sacks	Tackles	TFLs	QB Hits	FFs	PDs
17	10.5	32	9	19	1	1

Buffalo entered last offseason needing another starting-caliber defensive end to both fill the void left by Von Miller while he recovered from his ACL tear and bolster their pass rush. Enter Leonard Floyd. He went on a tear of his own, recording 6.5 sacks, four TFLs, 11 QB hits, and a forced fumble in his first six games. While his production slowed down over the final 13 weeks of Buffalo’s season (four sacks, five TFLs, nine QB hits, and one pass defense), Floyd was still the best free agent signing Brandon Beane made in my opinion.

Honorable Mention: Connor McGovern

Worst Free Agent Signing: WR Deonte Harty

Games Played	Receptions	Targets	Rec Yds	Yds/Rec	Rec Tds	Catch %	Punt Returns	PR Yds	Yds/PR	PR TDs
16	15	21	150	10.0	1	71.4	26	323	12.4	1

Despite his clutch 96-yard punt return touchdown in Week 18’s division-clinching win against Miami, Deonte Harty had a disappointing first year in Buffalo. Especially considering the money Brandon Beane gave him in free agency last March. He basically gave Harty (*breaks out abacus*) $5.73M to return punts, and not much else.

Part of his lack of offensive usage could’ve been a result of Buffalo losing Nyheim Hines for the season before training camp. Perhaps, if Hines was available for return duties, Harty’s season would’ve been different. However, hypotheticals don’t change the fact that Harty got FIVE MILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS to be a less-utilized Isaiah McKenzie. Yes, that’s right. The guy who was supposed to be an upgrade offensively over Lil Dirty ended up… not being that. It will also likely be the reason why he’s a cap casualty this offseason.

Best In-Season Move: Firing Ken Dorsey

This one was tough. Trading for Rasul Douglas sured up Buffalo’s CB room and he played exceptionally well in his nine games as a Bill. However, if the Buffalo Bills didn’t fire Ken Dorsey, it wouldn’t have mattered. The offense became stale and predictable by the time Denver came to town. Josh Allen was struggling with his progressions and decision-making. They were running the same play concepts in the same formations (with little player motion) and expecting a different result… That’s the definition of insanity.

I remain adamant

The Bills offense schematically is broken

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) November 14, 2023

I was one of the people who wanted to give Dorsey the benefit of the doubt after his first year as offensive playcaller. I wanted them to give him more time to see if he could adapt, make changes to enhance the offense. They gave him more time… He failed to do so… So they replaced him with Joe Brady. A move that led to an almost improbable run from near-postseason elimination to the #2 seed in the AFC.

Honorable Mention: Trading for Rasul Douglas

Worst In-Season Move: Activating Von Miller (& Keeping Him Active)

Do I really need to show his stats again?

Sources

1. All Player Stats came from Pro Football Reference and PFF (Offensive Line)

Featured Image Credit: Rich Barnes/Getty Images