It is no secret that the Buffalo Bills will have one of the toughest schedules in football in 2026. That is to be expected when your team is a perennial contender, even if it does seemingly fall one step short time and again.
Training camp will be here before we know it. As we move on from free agency and the doldrums of summer, we prepare to look ahead to training camp. When it opens, three names are going to need to do their best to stand out in a positive way.
3 Bills who need to ball out during training camp
3.) Maxwell Hairston, CB
The Bills’ 2025 first-round pick, Maxwell Hairston, flashed potential during his rookie season. He unfortunately was hampered by injuries throughout the bulk of his first season but has the talent to make a difference for the Bills in 2026.
Hairston will need to show that he is not only ready to stay healthy and on the field, but that he is also ready to take over the starting spot opposite Christian Benford. If he can live up to what the Bills were expecting, they will have one of the better corner duos in the NFL. If not, the hope is that Dee Alford or recent draft pick Davison Igbinosun can step in and fill that void.
2.) T.J. Parker, Edge/OLB
General manager Brandon Beane has a positive history of drafting talented defensive players. He is hoping that T.J. Parker, a second-round pick and the team’s first in the 2026 NFL Draft, can bring that missing element to a pass rush that has long been an issue for the Bills.
All eyes will be on Parker this season. He won’t necessarily have to win the starting job right out of the gate - Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb seem pretty locked in - but will have to make the most of his rotational reps. If he can show a knack for getting to quarterbacks early and often, it may not be long before he finds himself in a larger role.
1.) D.J. Moore, WR
There may be perhaps no other new addition to the Bills with as much pressure on him this season. DJ Moore came over in a trade with the Chicago Bears, coming off two of his worst seasons as a pro while seeing his role diminish as quarterback Caleb Williams flourished.
Moore did have strong underlying numbers and will rejoin with Joe Brady, under whom he had his best seasons. Moore has also never had a quarterback like Josh Allen throwing to him, so Beane is hoping that Moore is the first legitimate No.1 receiver in Western New York since Stefon Diggs left town.
New look Bills hoping to be same old contenders
The Bills look much the same on offense while the defense undergoes a major transition. If the Bills can get these three guys (and others) rolling in camp, it will allow them to hit the ground running against a brutal schedule.
If Moore can give Allen another dimension, the offense should be as good if not better than the 2025 version. Defensively, Parker and Hairston can help maintain the strong pass defense while also bringing a sense of competence to the run defense. If they can even be average in the latter, the Bills should be dangerous in 2026.
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