Buffalo Bills roster ranks on the cusp of playoff-caliber

The Buffalo Bills are tight in the middle of the pack in Pro Football Focus' NFL roster rankings released by ESPN this week. They sit 14th overall and 7th in the AFC, three spots behind the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos for the final playoff position in the AFC.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of the entire article was the list of starters that need to be upgraded, which would presumably move Buffalo higher on the list. While we all know about Jordan Mills and John Miller's struggles in 2015, also on the list is Robert Woods and Preston Brown. Would better players on the o-line considerably improve the Bills offense? Would another dynamic receiving option be the ticket to an explosive passing game? Is linebacker the missing piece to get the defense to the promised land?

The biggest positive for the Bills from 2015 to 2016 goes to Tyrod Taylor, who "was a huge boost to a team that previously had one of the worst quarterback situations in the league." Also earning praise on the offensive side of the ball is the left side of the offensive line, Cordy Glenn and Richie Incognito. Noticeably absent on the list of "best players" is LeSean McCoy.

Defensively, the article banks on the three newest Bills making an immediate impact even despite Shaq Lawson's shoulder surgery. It should come as no surprise that Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes are on the list of "best players" while Ronald Darby fourth on the list was.

Ahead of the Bills in the AFC are the Patriots (1), Steelers (4), Bengals (6), Raiders (7), Chiefs (9), and aforementioned Broncos (11). Miami comes in 26th while the Jets are 23rd.