For the second consecutive offseason, the Buffalo Bills spent most of their draft picks heavily on the defensive side of the ball, wanting to be younger and faster on the field. With the loss of many players on last year's team, it became a point of need and change.
Of their 10 draft picks, six of them went towards the defense, and one of them was linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. With him entering the linebacker room, does this spell questions for the other potential starters?
4 questions Bills will have to answer sooner than later
1.) Who will start at the linebacker position?
With the Bills switching to an odd-man front, this defense will require four linebackers on the field as opposed to having three in 2025. Two of their starting linebackers will be switching from defensive end edge rushers to starting outside linebacker edge rushers.
They are free agent signees Bradley Chubb and 2021 first-round pick Greg Rousseau. Anchoring the middle will most likely be Terrel Bernard, and then there will be an on-going race for the same linebacker spot between Dorian Williams, and Elarms-Orr.
The only case one could make for starting Elarms-Orr at middle linebacker is that he was drafted specifically for this 3-4 scheme, whereas Bernard was drafted for McDermott's 4-3 scheme.
Also, Bernard had injuries that changed his 2025 season. He was on the field in only 11 games, but he clearly wasn't the same player as he was in 2023, when he started all 17 games. He led the Bills in his rookie year by collecting 143 tackles with three interceptions and 6.5 sacks.
In 2024, he only started in 13 games, and since then, he hasn't been able to establish himself fully. It also makes this decision harder, as Brandon Beane rewarded Bernard with a hefty contract extension before the 2025 season, adding uncertainty given his strong rookie production.
With all of Bernard's issues and the question of whether he will get a starting role, it's another question whether Bobby Okereke or Shaq Thompson would even consider signing if they didn't get a starting role on the team, given the Bills' little depth at the position to begin with.
2.) Will James Cook's numbers decline this season?
James Cook piled 1,621 yards rushing last year, when throwing the ball was a limited option. Their wide receivers were average at best, and if you were not named Khalil Shakir, Josh Allen wasn't throwing the ball to you as much.
They also had breakout full-back Reggie Gilliam, who paved the way for Cook, but he unfortunately signed with the New England Patriots in free agency.
This year, expect the 2025 rushing champions production to take a nose-dive, but not for the reasons you may think. The Bills will enter 2026 with Joe Brady as their new head coach and may need to adjust his offense to a more pass-heavy attack, with D.J. Moore leading a revamped receiving corps.
Also, the Bills may start the season without a bona fide fullback starter, which could affect Cook's running game. The ongoing competition at left guard to replace the departing David Edwards, and the evaluation of whether Jude Bowry can replace Ryan Van Demark at swing tackle in his rookie season.
And last but not least, don't forget the Bills may use Ray Davis more to fill in reps for Cook. While he rushed for 422 yards on 113 carries in his rookie year in 2024, his production declined, but he led the AFC in kick return yards and was an All-Pro with 1,090 kick return yards.
Don't think for one second he forgot how to rack up yards at running back, as he now has the opportunity to be more involved in the offense while continuing to be a dominant kick returner.
I don't expect Cook to re-live his 1,621-yard rushing career high from last season, but I still expect to see him crushing it with rushing and receiving touchdowns.
3.) Who will start at the fullback position?
The Bills signed former Wisconsin fullback/tight end Jackson Acker as an undrafted free agent. The 6-foot-1, 250-pound athlete fits the cold climate very well, as he can carve a way in both the tush push and to block for Cook.
He will also reunite with Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who started at fullback in 2022 when Leonhard was the interim head coach for the Badgers.
The Bills weren't done there as they added fullback-linebacker Ben VanSumeren, who's been injured last few years with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Right now, Van Sumeren has the holeshot to win the fullback competition, but Acker could end up sneaking up on him like it's the last lap of the Kentucky Derby and win it at the end on opening day.
But let's remember that the Bills also drafted tight end Jackson Hawes in 2025, who was a goal-line fullback at Georgia Tech.
4.) Who will start at left guard?
Ever since the Bills let Edwards walk in free agency, there has been a ton of competition talk. Some big, athletic linemen could win this guard competition, but could also move around the whole line as well.
Alec Anderson now has a great opportunity to start at left guard. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound tackle can play anywhere on the line from left and right tackle to even both guard positions. He even showed last year against the Pittsburgh Steelers what he could do as the starting left tackle, demonstrating his potential to excel in various roles.
Then you have combo guard-center Austin Corbett, who, at 6-foot-4, 306 pounds, is from Carolina. He can play center but will most likely move to guard, as Connor McGovern locked up the center position after earning a huge extension.
As for Jude Bowry, the 6-foot-5, 311-pound rookie the Bills took in the fourth round of the draft, he has the size to be an ideal replacement for Van Demark as a swing tackle. He betters suits as a tackle in the NFL, but may earn some reps at left guard come training camp.
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