The Buffalo Bills reshaped key parts of their roster this offseason. The question now isn’t what changed, it’s whether those changes actually made them better.
Buffalo made splash moves, including trading for wide receiver D.J. Moore and signing edge rusher Bradley Chubb. But the team also lost a significant number of contributors, with many still unsigned weeks into free agency.
Buffalo currently has seven picks in this month’s NFL Draft (Nos. 26, 91, 126, 165, 168, 182, 220).
Here’s a position-by-position look at where the Bills improved, declined or stayed the same.
Quarterback: A new backup
Josh Allen is still the engine. Allen has the longest active start streak in the NFL, 122 consecutive regulars-season games. If he goes down with a major injury, no backup in the league can replace him.
Behind him, Buffalo swapped Mitchell Trubisky with veteran Kyle Allen. While the name changes, the role does not: a trusted backup with starting experience who the coaching staff and Allen trust.
Verdict: Same
Running back: Fullback goes to division rival
The Bills largely stood pat at the position, except they lost fullback Reggie Gilliam to the Pats. Gilliam signed a two-year, $10.8 million contract with New England.
Gilliam spent six years in Buffalo after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2020. His departure removes a key blocker for reigning league rushing champion James Cook and for Josh Allen’s rush pushes. Gilliam led the Bills in special teams snaps two of the last three yersthree years.
Verdict: Worse
Wide receiver: D.J. Moore trade boosts offense
This is the Bills’ biggest offensive upgrade.
Adding D.J. Moore gives the Bills a proven No. 1-caliber receiver, something they’ve been chasing to complement Allen. Moore brings consistent production, yards-after-catch ability and durability.
But the room still carries questions behind Moore and Khalil Shakir. The Bills released Curtis Samuel, who didn’t live up to his contract, and still has Joshua Palmer, who thus far hasn’t lived up to his contract. Keon Coleman enters his third years as the wild card. Buffalo added veteran Trent Sherfield. General manager Brandon Beane didn’t rule out taking a wide receiver with the No. 26 overall pick.
Moore raises the ceiling. The depth determines how high it goes.
Verdict: Better
Tight end: Knox contract keeps unit stable
This is one of the most stable units on the roster, aside from the uncertainty of Kincaid’s ability to get through a full 17-game season.
The Bills pulled off re-signing Dawson Knox to a three-year, $20 million contract when even the tight end thought he was going to be a cap casualty since his previous salary cap hit would’ve been $17 million.
Jackson Hawes is a force in the run game and showed sure hands in his rookie year, and Keleki Latu made the most of his opportunities to rise from undrafted free agent to the active roster.
Verdict: Slightly better (young players developing)
Offensive line: Left guard a question
The Bills retained continuity, but not completely.
Buffalo knew it couldn’t afford to keep both center Connor McGovern and guard David Edwards. It opted to sign McGovern to a four-year, $52 million contract while Edwards joined the New Orleans Saints on a more expensive four-year, $61 million deal.
Edwards’ departure leaves a hole at left guard, and while Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett will compete for the job, neither is a proven long-term answer in Buffalo’s system yet.
The Bills tendered swing tackle Ryan Van Demark at $3.52 million but didn’t match the Minnesota Vikings’ offer sheet at $4.27 million. They’re betting on internal development, something they’ve done before, with Chase Lundt and Tylan Grable. Buffalo added more depth with Corbett and Lloyd Cushenberry.
Verdict: Slightly worse
Defensive line/edge rushers: Bradley Chubb adds upside to pass rush
Bradley Chubb signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract to headline the defensive additions. He fills a major need as a proven pass rusher coming off an 8.5-sack season, giving the Bills a veteran presence in Jim Leonhard’s new defense.
Buffalo still lacks depth behind Chubb and Greg Rousseau. Michael Hoecht is on track to return for training camp from a torn Achilles, which could provide a big boost.
Joey Bosa remains unsigned in free agents and A.J. Epenesa is back on the market after a failed physical with the Cleveland Browns.
Verdict: Different (leaning better, still incomplete)
Linebacker: Some holes remain
This is one of the thinnest spots on the roster and will certainly be addressed in some capacity in the draft.
Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson are still unrestricted free agents. That removes a signficiant amount of production, experience and age from the middle of the defense.
The Bills currently have Terrel Bernard, who missed five games last year, and Dorian Williams along with backups Joe Andreesen, Keonta Jenkins and Jimmy Ciarlo.
Verdict: Worse (for now)
Secondary: New-look defense under Jim Leonhard
This unit has undergone the most change. Buffalo is getting younger and more aggressive.
Under new defensive coordinator Leonhard, the Bills have reshaped the secondary wtih additions C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone and Dee Alford. Gardner-Johnson is one of the league’s most productive and polarizing defensive backs.
They traded longtime nickel Taron Johnson, released cornerback Dane Jackson and safety Taylor Rapp, and versatile defensive back Cam Lewis signed with the Chicago Bears. The only free agent the Bills re-signed were safety Damar Hamlin and special teamer Sam Franklin Jr.
The Bills’ group could be faster and more disruptive, or more inconsistent.
Verdict: Different (identity shift)
Special teams: Tyler Bass returns
Veteran kicker Matt Prater, 41, kicked admirably with Tyler Bass missing the entire season due to hip and groin injuries. Prater made 90% of his field goals in the regular season and all five field goal attempts in the postseason.
Bass took a pay cut and will return in 2026 but hasn’t kicked in a regular season game since 2024.
The Bills re-signed punter Mitch Wishnowsky after he stabilized the position last season.
Verdict: Unknown
Overall: A roster built more on projection than proof
The Bills addressed major needs with Moore and Chubb. They added experience in the seondary and maintained continuity at center and tight end that wasn’t guaranteed when free agency began.
They enter the next phase of free agency and the draft with needs at nose tackle, linebacker, edge rusher and wide receiver and cornerback depth.
Nearly half of Buffalo’s unrestricted free agents remain on the market, including several starters, raising questions about how much proven talent actually departed.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Did Bills get better or worse? Breaking down every position after offseason moves
Reporting by Ryan Miller, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
