With the Buffalo Bills solidifying their 53-man roster and locking in their practice squad, they will continue to look to upgrade their depth at certain positions as the start of the regular season approaches.
As teams around the NFL are always seeking to upgrade their positions of need, the Bills will be keeping their eyes open for other players from the NFL who could fill those spots immediately from other organizations that decided they did not fit their roster.
While the Bills do have many solid positions on their team, four have holes that need to be filled. Let's take a look at where the Bills need some added help before the 2026 season starts.
Bills need help in these 4 key areas
1. Cornerbacks
In a league where a team can never have enough cornerbacks because the NFL is considered a passing league, ironically, the Bills are lacking depth at this position. This has been a troubled area for the team, especially in the playoffs. The only player who's been of star quality as a starter for them is Christian Benford, but the opposite starter remains a mystery.
The Bills named 2025 draft selection Maxwell Hairston the opening-day starter opposite Benford. He may be on a short leash, as some fans believed that 2026 second-round pick Davison Igbunosun should have been named the Week 1 starter instead of Hairston.
Former Falcons corner Dee Alford can at least be a functional outside starter, but he's more effective as a nickel corner.
Listed as the last cornerback on the depth chart is the versatile Jordan Hancock. Hancock is a player who can play both cornerback and safety, but might be a better fit at safety in defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's attacking 3-4 multiple scheme.
Strangely, the Bills at the time chose not to keep undrafted rookie Kani Walker as a sixth corner, but he cleared waivers and is now on the practice squad. Expect him to be added to the active roster midway through the season when the lack of depth starts to show in the Bills' cornerback room.
2.) Inside linebacker
Because the Bills are switching to a more 3-4 base defense, they will need much more than what they will have in Week 1 on the inside linebacker depth chart. Right now, Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams are the two starters, but don't be surprised if rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr eventually becomes the starter later in the season.
While some members of Bills Mafia were worried about losing a local on the team, the Bills decided to keep Joe Andreessen on the active roster, and that was a smart choice. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound linebacker is big and helpful against the run, but can also contribute on special teams.
Luckily, Keonta Jenkins and Shaq Thompson were signed to the practice squad, so there is some short-term relief there.
This is a very young and talented linebacker room that may end up needing the veteran services of Thompson and Jenkins rather quickly if things turn sour fast.
3.) Defensive tackle/nose tackle
The Bills right now feel comfortable with second-year player Deone Walker at nose, and with veteran Greg Gaines backing him up.
It also doesn't help that their regular-depth nose tackle, Phidarian Mathis, will be serving a three-game suspension to start the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Still, he has already rounded himself into game shape and will return after playing enough in the preseason to show he deserves to remain on this team.
As for the defensive end/defensive tackle position, T.J. Sanders and Ed Oliver are the bona fide starters, and have some solid backup options there in DeWayne Carter and Landon Jackson.
Overall, this group has better depth than the cornerbacks and linebackers. Still, it's a little disappointing that the Bills decided not to keep Zion Logue, who, at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, could have provided nose tackle depth behind Gaines.
4.) Special teams
To remind folks, Joe Brady's family coaching tree ties to none other than Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. If you're a member of that tree, you better have a well-disciplined and creative special teams unit. The days of the Saints' surprise onside kick to start the second half are over.
New special teams coach Jeff Rodgers must find new ways to get tricky with more unique kicks on the kickoff or more kick returns for touchdowns.
As mentioned, Andreessen will be a heavy contributor on special teams, especially when he needs to make the open-field tackles on the dynamic kickoff. Also, second-string running back Ray Davis will be running it back this year on kick returns, as he was No. 4 in the AFC in return yards last year with 943.
Despite concerns about Tyler Bass being able to kick still while coming back from a season-ending injury in 2025, the Bills did not have a kicking competition, as the coaching staff trusts Bass to be fully healthy and return to 2024 form.
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