The next time the Buffalo Bills take the field for a game, it will count for real in terms of win-loss. Preseason is officially over and the Bills finished at 3-0 after a thrilling preseason that featured two blowout wins over the Panthers and Browns, and a comeback win against the Steelers in front of Bills Mafia.
The Bills once again had a good amount of players shined, while others were quiet and may not be making the final roster. This coming Sunday on August 30th is when teams have to have their final 53-man rosters solidified. According to Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com, general manager Brandon Beane said that the team "has about 50 roster spots locked in" so there is not a whole lot of room left.
Now that the preseason is over, it's time for the coaching staff and front office to make their moves on who will be joining the final roster, and who may be playing football somewhere else this season.
53-man final roster projection for Buffalo Bills ahead of 2026 season
QBs (2): Josh Allen, Kyle Allen
Both Josh and Kyle Allen were on the Bills back in 2023, and now Kyle Allen has returned to the Bills to back Josh up again. Kyle Allen was impressive in the first two preseason games, giving him the advantage over Buechele. Both of the Allens will head into the season on the final roster while Buechele hopefully lands back on the practice squad.
RBs (3): James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson
The running back room is all set for the Bills with their top three in Cook, Davis, and Johnson, While Ian Wheeler showed flashes of potential, there just isn’t enough room for him to be on the final roster. As for Frank Gore Jr., he should hopefully end up on the practice squad.
FB (1): Ben VanSumeren
When the Bills decided to release undrafted free agent Jackson Acker, that move pretty much solidified the fullback position for Ben VanSumeren, who signed with the Bills in free agency from the Philadelphia Eagles. He can also help out on special teams which helps with the versatility factor that the Bills look for.
WRs (6): DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Keon Coleman, Skyler Bell, Trent Sherfield Sr. (Tyrell Shavers starts on the PUP)
Tyrell Shavers tore his ACL in last season’s Wild Card round against the Jacksonville Jaguars, so he may not play until the middle of the season. However, instead of the Bills going with just five receivers, they end up taking six with Trent Sherfield Jr. taking the last spot over Mecole Hardman Jr. After Skyler Bell's performance in the final preseason game, he definitely earned a roster spot along with the top four receivers listed.
TEs (3): Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes
Just like the running back room, the Bills’ tight end group is set. You could make an argument that this is one of the best units in the league because of the versatility and skillsets that each of these players possess. There’s no worries with this room at all.
OL (9): Dion Dawkins, Alec Anderson, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Lloyd Cushenberry, Austin Corbett, Tylan Grable, Jude Bowry
The Bills have their starting five in the trenches after it was announced that Alec Anderson was named the starting left guard. As far as the depth, the Bills end up taking Lloyd Cushenberry as the backup center over Sedrick Van Pran-Granger. Austin Corbett is solid depth at guard, and both Tylan Grable and Jude Bowry give the Bills depth at tackle.
DL (5): Deone Walker, Ed Oliver, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, Zane Durant (Phidarian Mathis set to be suspended)
With the switch to a 3-4 defense, it’s important for the defensive line to have plenty of depth who can line up in the different gaps in the trenches. One notable name that won’t be part of the opening roster is Phidarian Mathis, who is suspended for three games for violating the NFL’s Substance of Abuse policy, per Ian Rapoport.
The Bills roll with five defensive linemen, but one player that misses out is Greg Gaines, who just recently signed with the Bills. He didn't make a huge impact in the two games he played for Buffalo, so rookie Zane Durant takes his spot. In addition, DeWayne Carter misses out.
OLB (5): Bradley Chubb, Greg Rousseau, T.J. Parker, Michael Hoecht, Javon Solomon
It was tough to leave Mike Danna out of this unit, but this might be the most solidified unit on the defense. With Jim Leonhard stepping in as the defensive coordinator, the outside linebacker position is very important. If this unit can stay healthy for most of the season, they should be able to create chaos for opposing offenses.
ILB (5): Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Joe Andreessen, Keonta Jenkins
Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, and Kaleb Elarms-Orr were definite locks to make the roster. Then it comes down to Joe Andreessen and Keonta Jenkins, but I would give Andreessen the edge. However, Jenkins can play on special teams and be a solid rotational player should injuries pop up. I’ve got the Bills finding room for him for the final roster.
CB (7): Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston, Davison Igbinsoun, Dee Alford, Kani Walker, Jordan Hancock, Te’Cory Couch
Cornerback was an important position under Sean McDermott, and the Bills still need to make sure that they have enough depth with Leonhard. The two potential surprises (but they shouldn’t be) here are Kani Walker and Te’Cory Couch, both who have had solid summer performances. They definitely have earned the right to be on the roster, but we will find out soon enough.
S (4): Cole Bishop, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jalon Kilgore, Damar Hamlin
The odd man out here is Geno Stone, which is too bad because he does have 13 interceptions the last 3 seasons. However, he hasn’t been great this summer and he’s been outperformed by Damar Hamlin. The Bills keep Kilgore on the roster as someone who can play at safety and even a little bit of linebacker if needed. Then you have your two starters in Bishop and Gardner-Johnson.
SPT (3): Tyler Bass, Tommy Doman Jr., Reid Ferguson
The Bills have full confidence in Tyler Bass as they didn't have any true competition for him this summer. Tommy Doman Jr. takes the starting punter job from Mitch Wishnowsky, and Reid Ferguson continues on as the longest tenured Bill.
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