Buffalo Bills Set 2026 53-man Roster, Begin Pursuit of Lombardi Trophy

Quarterback (2)

Josh Allen; Kyle Allen.

The Allen’s will reside in the Buffalo QB room in 2026. Perennial MVP Candidate Josh Allen once again headlines the Bills roster. His backup Kyle Allen won the preseason QB2 battle with Shane Buechele. 

Josh Allen looked sharp in his only action of the preseason against Carolina. He hit DJ Moore for three of his six completions, and it appears that the new relationship has blossomed into something special very quickly. I believe that Joe Brady’s promotion to head coach will afford Allen more opportunities for explosives in 2026. Look for the Bills signal caller to exceed 500 pass attempts, 4,000 yards and 30 passing touchdowns this season.

Running back (3)

James Cook; Ray Davis; Ty Johnson.

The Bills will run it back in 2026 with the same running back room. 

Ty Johnson was sidelined for much of the preseason with a “lower body” injury. Ray Davis attempted to add punt return duties to his plate, but a muff in the final preseason game has people questioning the legitimacy of Davis in that role. James Cook looks to defend his NFL rushing title behind a largely familiar offensive line. However, with Brady at the helm, Cook may see increased touches in the passing game this season. Cook brings a special burst to the table, but my question this season is how many rushing attempts he gets.

Wide receiver (5)

D.J. Moore; Khalil Shakir; Josh Palmer; Keon Coleman; Skyler Bell.

This could be the position group that surprises people the most. I thought the Bills would carry six guys in the WR room, and they still may, but the initial roster begins with the five guys just about everyone had pegged for the roster at the beginning of training camp. 

Moore brings a dynamic presence to the Bills wideouts. Khalil Shakir may be the biggest beneficiary of Moore’s addition as he can be deployed in multiple positions within the Bills offense. Palmer and Coleman may be the biggest X-Factors for this team. These two will likely see a lot of single coverage and they will need to make the most of their opportunities. Rookie Skyler Bell flashed in his only preseason action against the Steelers, rushing for a touchdown and hauling in seven passes. Brady’s creativity will be on full display this season with these weapons.

Tight end (4)

Dalton Kincaid; Dawson Knox; Jackson Hawes; Keleki Latu.

In a bit of a surprise, Keleki Latu makes the initial roster as the fourth man in the Buffalo TE room. 

When you say Dalton Kincaid, I think health first. His potential is incredible and could have him among the top 5 TEs in the NFL. However, he hasn’t been able to stay on the field to post the stats to garner that recognition. Dawson Knox brings veteran leadership to the group and grit that has earned the trust of QB Josh Allen over the years. Jackson Hawes enters his second season in Buffalo. He figures to expand his role in the offense with the Bills not rostering a fullback this season. Don’t be surprised to see number 85 lined up in the backfield more often. Latu impressed with a few downfield receptions in the preseason, but his role will largely be on special teams to start the year. 

Offensive line (10)

Dion Dawkins; Alec Anderson; Connor McGovern; O’Cyrus Torrence; Spencer Brown; Tylan Grable; Austin Corbett; Lloyd Cushenberry; Ar’maj Reed-Adams; Jude Bowry.

Alec Anderson won the preseason left guard competition with Austin Corbett. Connor McGovern went down with a “lower body” injury in the Bills first preseason game but looks to recover by Week 1. Lloyd Cushenberry filled in for McGovern and that led to the Bills dealing former fifth-rounder Sedrick Van-Pran Granger to the Colts for a late-round pick swap (Bills get a sixth and send a seventh). Grable figures to be the swing tackle for this group as he continues to develop into an every-down lineman. The group as a whole has a lot of versatility and I like the depth that GM Brandon Beane has assembled.

Defensive line (6)

Ed Oliver; Deone Walker; T.J. Sanders; Landon Jackson; Greg Gaines; DeWayne Carter.

Oliver hopes to shake off a preseason injury and be a major disruptor for opposing offenses.  Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said he plans to make teams find Ed along the defensive line. Second-year defensive tackle Deone Walker exploded into the backfield on almost every snap against Carolina and Bills fans are anxious to see how he works as the nose in an odd-front defense. Greg Gaines was a late addition during the preseason and will help Walker, along with Carter, hold down the middle of the line. I’m looking forward to seeing the rotation used within this group as they will be crucial to success in the new scheme under Leonhard.

Outside linebacker (6)

Greg Rousseau; Bradley Chubb; Michael Hoecht; T.J. Parker; Javon Solomon; Mike Danna.

The biggest defensive acquisition in free agency was OLB Bradley Chubb. He fits the prototype of an edge setter in Leonhard’s defense. A perfect compliment to Greg Rousseau who has shown his greatest asset is setting an edge and controlling the perimeter in the run game. Hoecht looks to return from an Achilles injury, which he sustained in his second game back from a suspension in 2025. This group plays with a high intensity and Hoecht is the poster child for that. Rookie T.J. Parker intends to add a pass-rush element to this defense that has been missing a bit for Buffalo in recent years, albeit in a different scheme. Mike Danna was a nice veteran addition to this squad and had a very solid preseason.

Inside linebacker (4)

Terrel Bernard; Dorian Williams; Kaleb Elarms-Orr; Joe Andreessen.

Terrel Bernard is penciled in as the starter as one of the off-ball linebackers, but it remains to be seen who will line up next to him when the Bills start the season against the Houston Texans in Week 1. Veteran Dorian Williams and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr are still competing for that spot and the competition may forge on throughout the early part of the season according to Leonhard’s recent comments. I think they both offer something of value for the Bills defense. Williams’ straight line speed to the point of attack will help shut down opposing rushing attacks and be a true weapon in blitz packages. Elarms-Orr was handpicked in the fourth round of this year’s draft to play this role. He has the coverage ability and side-to-side agility that will be a benefit to this defense. Andreessen figures to continue his role as a core special teamer and a hometown favorite.

Cornerback (5)

Christian Benford; Max Hairston; Dee Alford; Davison Igbinosun; Jordan Hancock.

Alford offers a lot of versatility and can also move outside if Buffalo needs a replacement there. His coverage skills will be a true asset, but fans shouldn’t look for him to stick his head in on run fits quite as much as guys like Hancock. Benford hopes to continue his strong form in 2026. Despite the lack of recognition from list makers this offseason, Benford is a name that opposing offenses will need to know when designing their passing attacks against the Bills. Max Hairston was recently named as the starter opposite Benford. He has some question marks coming into the year with tackling and matching up against bigger, more physical receivers. Davison Igbinosun, or IGB, will likely get some rotational work with Hairston depending on matchups and situations within each game. Jordan Hancock can play nickel or safety and is quickly becoming a physical presence for the Bills defense.

Safety (5)

Cole Bishop; C.J. Gardner-Johnson; Damar Hamlin; Jalon Kilgore; Sam Franklin.

Cole Bishop continues his ascension as he will lead the Bills secondary in 2026. He’ll be joined by the self-proclaimed best trash talker in the NFL and maybe one of the more unique personalities in Gardner-Johnson. There will be a chip on both of their shoulders heading into this season as they strive to cement themselves as one of the top safety tandems in the league. Damar Hamlin continues to put himself in the right places at the right time, even in a new scheme, and has earned the backup role here in Buffalo. Rookie Jalon Kilgore was a welcomed addition late in the draft and he will transition to safety full time in 2026 with the Bills. Sam Franklin Jr. is not likely to see much time on the defensive side of the ball, but is a major contributor on special teams. Overall, this group will look to bring an edge to the defense and taking the ball away from opposing offenses will continue to be a key to success.

Specialists (3)

Tyler Bass; Tommy Doman Jr.; Reid Ferguson.

Tyler Bass returns this season from a pelvic injury suffered early last season which he had to get surgery on. As of the last preseason game, Bass looks to have some confidence built heading into the regular season. Tommy Doman Jr., a rookie out of Florida, beat out Mitch Wisnowsky for the holder/punter role. He’s also handled some kickoff duties in the preseason, so we will see if that continues as the Bills may look to keep Bass fresh for field goals and extra points. Reid Ferguson is as steady as they come and will lead the special teams unit again in 2026.

WR Tyrell Shavers will begin the season on Reserve/PUP. Rookie DL Zan Durant has been placed on Injured Reserve. DL Phidarian Mathis has been Suspended for the first three games of the season. 

The Buffalo Bills have a very talented roster heading into the 2026 NFL season. However, they do have some inexperience in the coaching staff with first-year head coach and first-year NFL defensive coordinator.

There may be some shuffling of the roster between now and Week 1, so stay tuned to Built In Buffalo for all of the latest news and updates.