The Buffalo Bills open training camp on July 25 at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, New York. Here's a closer look at a few storylines:
How much does the Sean McDermott's job hinge on whether the Bills return to the playoffs?
Eventually, of course, McDermott will have to lead this team to a state of consistent playoff contention in order to keep his job, but it's unlikely he will be ousted for missing the playoffs in 2019. He proved he can coach a playoff team in 2017 and the Bills' timeline is not so urgent that missing them for a second consecutive season will earn him a ticket out of western New York -- as long as the team continues to improve. If the Bills fail to develop this season, McDermott's seat might warm up.
Can the Bills make the playoffs in 2019 if Josh Allen is again their leading rusher?
Don't count on it. Though Allen's numbers on the ground last season had football fans rushing to Cam Newton comparisons, those runs were more out of necessity than gameplan; he often had to make things happen as plays broke down around him during his rookie season. General manager Brandon Beane's steps to bolster the Bills rushing attack this offseason -- signing Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon and drafting Devin Singletary -- suggest the team doesn't want its first-round quarterback carrying this offense with anything but his arm. Allen's mobility took opponents by surprise in 2018, but it won't in 2019.
Will LeSean McCoy or Frank Gore enter the season as the starting running back?
The Bills are about as close to a "running-back-by-committee" as it gets. LeSean McCoy will likely get the first crack at the starting job. Despite McCoy's career-worst season in 2018, Beane insisted this offseason the team "would have made the decision to move on" if he didn't think McCoy could still be effective. Gore and Singletary split first-team reps during offseason practices, so at this point, there is no clear-cut lead back. The rookie Singletary will have a critical opportunity to establish himself as the Bills likely manage reps for Gore and McCoy during training camp.
Can the Bills repeat as a top five defense in 2019?
Without a doubt. Continuity is everything in the NFL and the Bills return 11 consistent contributors from the league's second-stingiest defense in terms of yards allowed per game in 2018. There are improvements to be made -- they were 16th in rushing yards allowed per game and 26th in sacks. The combination of Jerry Hughes, Shaq Lawson and Trent Murphy needs to apply pressure from the edge. First-round pick Ed Oliver should eventually replace the now-retired Kyle Williams at defensive tackle. But the NFL's best secondary should only get better as cornerback Tre'Davious White develops alongside safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.
Who will emerge from training camp as Allen's favorite passing targets?
If organized team activities and minicamp were any indication, Allen could favor his tight ends more than expected. Allen attempted only 55 passes to his tight ends last season, 32nd-most among NFL quarterbacks. Buffalo rebuilt its tight end room this offseason by releasing Charles Clay and not tendering restricted free agent Logan Thomas, while adding Tyler Kroft and Lee Smith in free agency as well as Dawson Knox (third round) and Tommy Sweeney (seventh round) in the draft. Knox and Sweeney were both popular targets of Allen in practices this spring, although it remains to be seen who Allen prefers once all of his targets are healthy. Kroft (broken foot) as well as wide receivers Cole Beasley (core muscle surgery) and Zay Jones (undisclosed) all missed significant time in the spring. -- Mike Rodak