What's next for the Bills after their latest Super Bowl dream-smashing against the Chiefs?

It happened again.

For the third time in four years, the Buffalo Bills beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular season, just to have that win -- and their Super Bowl hopes -- erased with a loss to Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and company in the playoffs. A stout defensive effort from the Chiefs and some questionable playcalling meant a fourth quarter lead became a 32-29 Kansas City win at Arrowhead Stadium.

This latest, familiar defeat sends Buffalo back to the drawing board. On one hand, shedding veteran starters failed to hinder this team, which rose up around players taking on new roles in the secondary and receiving corps to win a fifth straight AFC East title without issue. On the other, it left the Bills stuck in their own Groundhog Day prison, beating Kansas City to seemingly prove their legitimacy in the fall only to have their season ended by that same foe in the winter.

So, what now?

1. What do the Bills have to build around in 2025?

First and foremost, they have Josh Allen. 2024, a 15-win campaign in what was supposed to be a minor rebuild, proves that may be all they need to compete in 2025.

Allen isn't alone. Spencer Brown and Dion Dawkins are an outstanding tackle combination and the bookends to a top 10 offensive line. James Cook put the team on his back in stretches in the AFC title game and returns after rushing for more than 1,000 yards and tying for the league lead with 16 touchdowns. Khalil Shakir wasn't quite ready for WR1 duties, but he, Dalton Kincaid, Keon Coleman and Dawson Knox are back to keep this passing attack viable.

Things get a bit dicier on the defensive side of the ball. Matt Milano is the heart of this defense but turns 31 in July and has played just nine regular season games the last two seasons due to injury. Two starters from a depleted secondary are free agents (Damar Hamlin, Rasul Douglas), though rising star Christian Benford, whose absence was notable late in Kansas City, will return. So will a stout pass rushing trio of A.J. Epenesa, Gregory Rousseau and Ed Oliver.

Sunday’s loss leaves the Bills with the 30th pick in this spring’s NFL Draft. They'll have two second round selections and a pair of fourth rounders via trade. They're also out their third round pick thanks to the trade that brought Amari Cooper to New York. They'll likely add a pair of fifth round compensatory picks after losing Leonard Floyd and Gabe Davis in free agency.

Buffalo will enter the offseason an estimated $7.2 million over 2025's salary cap, per Over the Cap — the sixth-worst cap situation in the NFL. Restructuring contracts belonging to Allen, Dawkins and Oliver, alongside releasing Von Miller, could free up nearly $50 million in cap space relatively painlessly.

2. What players could leave the Bills in 2025?

The following players played at least 50 percent of Buffalo's offensive or defensive snaps and will be free agents in 2025:

• S Damar Hamlin

• CB Rasul Douglas

• WR Mack Hollins

• WR Amari Cooper

Additionally, interior defensive lineman Jordan Phillips and sixth offensive lineman Alec Anderson are also pending free agents.

3. Offseason priority No. 1: Bolster the secondary

Christian Benford is a rising star. Taylor Rapp is a useful strong safety who struggles in coverage. Taron Johnson is a solid complementary piece.

Buffalo needs help around them. When Benford went out Sunday night, the Chiefs picked on former first round pick Kaiir Elam to revitalize their passing offense. The Bills 0.00 expected points added (EPA) per pass play ranked in the bottom 10 among NFL defenses this season and could only get worse with this spring's departures.

There will be a handful of ring-chasing veterans who may take a discounted short-term contract to play amidst the Fireball fumes and broken tables of Orchard Park, New York. Stephon Gilmore might return to the club that drafted him more than a decade ago. A safety like Marcus Williams may hope Buffalo could provide the same kind of second act magic it did for Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer years earlier.

Ultimately, the Bills' lack of cap space could make this the first issue addressed in the draft. There will be a handful of solid prospects at the 30th pick, where talented sideline cornerbacks Shavon Revel Jr. or Benjamin Morrison could slide. But no matter who the target is, beefing up the secondary will be a huge part of the team's offseason.

4. Offseason priority No. 2: Wideout help

Amari Cooper was supposed to provide the WR1 stability Stefon Diggs once provided to allow the rest of the team's receivers to thrive. Instead, he had 2.4 catches per game as a Bill, including six total for 41 yards in the postseason. The only game in which Buffalo had more than one player with over 50 receiving yards in the 2025 NFL Playoffs came in a wild card rout of the Houston Texans.

Josh Allen is stupendous, but he can't do this alone. Fortunately, he's a great selling point in free agency for a team that had little to offer in previous years. The Bills aren't just at the cusp of a potential Super Bowl breakthrough; getting them there would make you a legend amongst one of the most rabid fanbases in the NFL.

This year's draft class will provide plenty of support for Khalil Shakir, but a veteran route runner -- think Mack Hollins with a bit more gravitas -- would do wonders (though they should re-sign Hollins for vibes alone before you get to his solid play Sunday night). Would DeAndre Hopkins be willing to work in the cold? Keenan Allen? Chris Godwin?

5. Offseason priority No. 3: Some defensive line BEEF

Buffalo was a top five team against the run in 2024 and generated consistent pressure despite rarely blitzing. But Daquan Jones is 33 years old. Jordan Phillips and Austin Johnson are free agents. Someone's gotta fill the spot up front next to Ed Oliver (and behind him).

The back end of the first round could be a great place for that -- like at cornerback, there will be a glut of talented players who could slip and be an obvious pickup. Guys like Tyleik Williams, Walter Nolen or Kenneth Grant would be beloved by Bills Mafia. They could pair with a veteran rotational addition like Adam Butler or Jarran Reed to keep this unit in wrecking ball form.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: What's next for the Bills after their latest Super Bowl dream-smashing against the Chiefs?