The Bills are entering the latter half of their season sitting with a slightly uncomfortable 6-3 record. While it appears promising on paper, the Bills have recently experienced some struggles, revealing serious flaws. As a whole, though, the Bills remain a Super Bowl contender, as they proved once again with their performance against the Chiefs.
Some players whom the Bills have relied on are unlikely heroes, like rookie DT Deone Walker and veteran backup LB Shaq Thompson, who have played above expectations so far.
However, there are a few players who were expected to be playing at a higher level than they currently are, and for one reason or another, they simply aren’t.
Here are a few of those players and how they can step up their game:
Greg Rousseau
Defensive end Greg Roussau was recently signed to a four-year, $80 million deal in the offseason. This deal definitely had its doubters, and for good reason, but Rousseau seemed ready to have a breakout season.
Rousseau has been solid, but not great, and not good enough to live up to the large contract on an already cap-sensitive team. He’s only posted four sacks this season, but has posted 17 tackles and a forced fumble.
Rousseau has not been bad by any means; he just hasn’t lived up to his contract. On a defensive line that is already decimated with injury, the Bills need to see Rousseau step in the run game, while coming into his own as a pass rusher. If he can do that, with Joey Bosa on the other side, the Bills will have a dangerous pass rush heading into late season.
Christian Benford
Cornerback Christian Benford is in a similar boat to Rousseau. He was handed a four-year, $76 million deal. This almost seemed like an underpay at the time. In 2024, Benford was blossoming as one of the league’s top corners before his season took a tumble due to a handful of injuries.
Extending Benford was definitely not a bad idea; it was a good idea considering his early 2024 performance. This year, he has struggled, though, and that might be an understatement. If you’ve watched the Bills at all this season, it’s no secret that the secondary has struggled; Benford is no exception.
Benford is allowing a 126.3 passer rating when targeted, and almost 12 yards per reception. There is no question that when Benford is playing his best, he is elite. The question now remains whether he can return to that level and maintain it. His past injury is concerning, but if he can be the player that he was signed to be, it will elevate the Bills defense immensely alongside the implementation of rookie CB Maxwell Hairston.
Gabe Davis
There are a lot of defenders that could be on this list, but on the other side of the ball, the Bills could heavily benefit from the return of Gabe Davis.
He hasn’t played NFL football in a while, with his last game being on November 17, 2024, in which he tore his meniscus.
When the Bills signed Davis, there was definitely a mixed reaction. On the one hand, it’s nice to have a familiar face in a struggling wide receiver corps that desperately needs a boost. On the other hand, Gabe faced his fair share of struggles in Buffalo. During his time with Buffalo, he was known to drop passes and miscommunicate on routes, leading to errant passes from Josh Allen.
If you look past that, though, when Gabe was on, it was fireworks. Look no further than the 2021 AFC divisional round, in which Davis caught eight passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns, cementing himself in Bills and NFL history.
Having Gabe on the field gives Josh Allen a target that he knows well, has great chemistry with, and is a big-play threat. The Bills are in desperate need of an outside receiver, and with the return of Josh Palmer, opportunities will arise for Gabe Davis to become an integral part of the Bills’ offense over the middle of the field.
It wasn’t the flashiest acquisition, but it could be just what the Bills need.