The Bills once again crashed out early in the playoffs. We have their biggest offseason needs ahead.
The Joe Brady era in Buffalo is underway. The offensive coordinator was promoted to head coach, replacing Sean McDermott. Only age 36, Brady is one of the youngest head coaches in the NFL.
Brady and quarterback Josh Allen are likely on the same page. They’ve been together since 2022, but it wasn’t until mid-2023 that Brady took over the coordinator role (replacing Ken Dorsey). But… it can’t just be all Josh Allen if the Bills want to get over the proverbial hump.
Allen has played like the best quarterback in the NFL for the better part of three years now, and each time, Buffalo lost heartbreakers in the playoffs. The Bills need more pieces than just the quarterback. In this article, we’ll name some of their biggest needs during the 2026 offseason.
Wide receiver
We start with the players who Allen is throwing it to. This position sorely needs upgrading. We’d argue it’s the worst wide receiver group in all of the NFL right now, if not, at least bottom-3.
Allen has a rocket of an arm, but without a true vertical threat, it’s not being fully leveraged. Almost no one can get open down the field right now.
The only receiver that belongs on the roster is Khalil Shakir. He’s a great slot receiver who can chew up yards after the catch, but there’s a steep fall-off after him. Guys like Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Joshua Palmer are just that, guys who don’t contribute much.
Question is, do the Bills address this position through the draft or free agency? Coleman was a second-round pick so there might be some PTSD of drafting another young guy. Then again, Buffalo will enter free agency about $7 million over the cap. Yes, they’ll free up some space, but either way, they won’t have the deepest pockets either.
Here’s a name we’d hope general manager Brandon Beane would consider: Rashid Shaheed. He has elite speed that can take the top off defenses, and might be within Buffalo’s price range. Plus, his elite kick-off return ability could be extremely useful as momentum swings, as we’ve seen him do for the Seahawks en route to the Super Bowl.
Linebacker
Let’s call it like it was: the Bills’ biggest weakness in 2025 was a woefully bad run defense. If it felt like every running back scorched them, it’s because they did. Buffalo allowed the third-most yards per carry at a whopping 5.1. There was a point where you could automatically place your best SNF bets on the opposing running back, and they’d be automatic winners against Buffalo.
The linebackers were the biggest culprit of the rush defense struggles. Bills fans love the likes of Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano, who’ve long held down the unit. But if we’re being honest, both need upgrading (especially Milano, who will be 32 next season). 31-year-old Shaq Thompson ain’t getting any younger either (and he’s a free agent anyway).
The Bills don’t draft until the 26th pick, but it might make sense to target a linebacker or safety here. A defensive player who can anchor this defense for the years to come.
Safety
Cole Bishop is set as one of the team’s safeties. Only 23 years old, he’s been a steady player the last two seasons. But Buffalo needs to pair him opposite someone they can trust.
The oft-injured Jordan Poyer flanked him this past season. He’s a free agent, and we’d be shocked if the Bills decide to run it back with him. None the current backups seem fit for the job so here again, Beane needs to make a move.
Edge rusher
When he was signed last offseason, Joey Bosa was supposed to the Bills’ answer at defensive end. Someone who can get to the quarterback and change the complexion of a game. It didn’t work out that way.
Bosa surprisingly stayed healthy most of the season, but wasn’t all that impactful, finishing with five sacks. Now into his 30’s and a pending free agent, it’s time for the Bills to move on and look for a permanent replacement, not a 1-year stop gap.
We feel confident in Greg Rousseau, who signed an $80-million contract last offseason. But if Beane can find another stud to complement him on the opposite side, watch out. Josh Allen can help them play with a lead, and two edge rushers who are allowed to pin their ears back and attack the QB is a scary proposition.
Beane has a big, big offseason. Dare we say, it’s a make-or-break type of situation. We say that despite Beane actually getting a promotion when McDermott was fired, he’s now being called president of football operations. What’s the phrase, “with great power comes great responsibility”? Yeah, that’s akin here.
Bills fans are on the edge, thinking their window to win a Super Bowl is closing. So all it’ll take is one missed draft pick or disaster-free agency signing for the knives to come out against Beane. We wait and see for now…
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