Bills Low Grade in Offseason Report Card Misses Mark on Leadership Change

The Buffalo Bills received a low grade for their offseason work, but it’s not as if their roster needed a massive overhaul.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Once again, the Buffalo Bills entered the 2025 season as one of the favorites to win it all. Unfortunately, they also fell short once again.

This time, Buffalo lost in the second round of the AFC Playoffs, falling to the Denver Broncos. Their inability to get to the Super Bowl led to a major change as Sean McDermott was fired after nine seasons as the head coach.

Joe Brady was promoted from offensive coordinator to replace McDermott and they added Jim Leonhard, who was with the Broncos previously, to take over the defense. Outside of the coaching moves, Buffalo didn’t exactly overhaul their roster.

Their big moves were trading for wide receiver D.J. Moore and signing outside linebacker Bradley Chubb. They also picked up two new safeties in Geno Stone and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but overall, their roster isn’t massively improved over 2025, especially on offense.

That’s why Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski gave Buffalo a C- in his offseason report card, saying they’re leaning too heavily on Josh Allen once again.

”Where there's Josh Allen, there's a way. The Buffalo Bills lean on that philosophy far too much, though,” Sobleski wrote.

Where this report card misses the mark

Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady calls out during drills on the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sobleski isn’t the only one to have doubts about the Bills’ work this offseason. That said, they didn’t exactly need a massive overhaul.

This is a team that has been to the playoffs seven consecutive seasons, and won the AFC East five years in a row before finishing second in 2025.

Those around the organization felt they didn’t need a huge change on the field, but wanted a breath of fresh air with their leadership. For as much good as McDermott did, he was often very rigid.

Brady is expected to change their overall approach, while adding Leonhard gives them an up-and-comer to run their defense. Those few tweaks, and the addition of Moore, Chubb, and a solid draft class could wind up making a major impact.

Where this report card is spot on

Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There are two areas where this report card is difficult to argue against. The big one is Buffalo’s knack for leaning too heavily on Allen. The 2024 NFL MVP is asked to play hero ball far too often, which proved to be their downfall this year.

That said, Buffalo believes they can change this with Brady, who works well with Allen, having more control. They also believe Moore, who has experience with Brady, can open up their offense.

Another legitimate concern is the change in defensive scheme. While Leonhard is considered a great hire, his philosophy will be vastly different from McDermott’s. Sobleski says it will take time to adjust, which may very well be true.

That said, the key will be hitting their stride by midseason and heading into the playoffs with confidence. The Bills believe that can happen, and if it does, their offseason will be viewed in a much better light.