Buffalo Bills' Updated Depth Chart After 53-Man Roster Cuts

The Buffalo Bills 53-man roster is set, and here's a look at their updated depth chart following their recent cuts.

Buffalo Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson twirls the ball on his finger during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The preseason is finally over, which means the Buffalo Bills are ready to turn their focus to their first regular season game under rookie head coach Joe Brady.

Buffalo's former offensive coordinator inherits an elite roster, led by 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen and 2025 NFL rushing yardage leader James Cook on offense. Defensively, first-year coordinator Jim Leonhard has some returning stars as well as a few intriguing new faces led by outside linebacker Bradley Chubb.

All that talent has the Bills coaching staff facing some lofty expectations. They can't meet those goals immediately, but need to ensure they attack every phase of the season with urgency. That began with trimming their roster to 53 players, which they did on Sunday. Now that we know which players are on the initial roster, we can dive into an updated depth chart.

Buffalo Bills' Offensive Depth Chart

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen warms up prior to the game between the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quarterback: Josh Allen, Kyle Allen
Running Back: James Cook III, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson
Wide Receiver: D.J. Moore
Slot Receiver: Khalil Shakir, Skyler Bell
Wide Receiver: Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer
Tight End: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes, Keleki Latu
Left Tackle: Dion Dawkins, Jude Bowry
Left Guard: Alec Anderson, Austin Corbett
Center: Connor McGovern, Lloyd Cushenberry
Right Guard: O'Cyrus Torrence, Ar'maj Reed-Adams
Right Tackle: Spencer Brown, Tylan Grable

There are no real shocks on the offensive depth chart with nine returning starters from the 2025 season. The two new starters are Alec Anderson at left guard, as he replaces David Edwards. At receiver, the Bills picked up D.J. Moore in a trade with the Chicago Bears this offseason. Moore is coming off a couple of seasons with declining stats, but he has experience with Brady and is by far the most explosive wideout on the current roster.

Buffalo's biggest strength is at tight end where they have three players capable of starting in Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes. Second-year player Keleki Latu was also kept on the roster, which was smart since he was sure to garner interest from other teams if he hit waivers.

The offensive line should be just as good this season as they were in 2025, even with Edwards leaving. Anderson has been developing with their coaching staff for several years and should be a success right away. They do have excellent insurance in Austin Corbett, who was an underrated offseason signing.

Buffalo Bills' Defensive Depth Chart

Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston warms up before the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Bills. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensive End: T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson
Nose Tackle: Deone Walker, Greg Gaines
Defensive Tackle: Ed Oliver, DeWayne Carter
OLB: Greg Rousseau, Michael Hoecht, Mike Danna
ILB: Terrel Bernard, Joe Andreessen
ILB: Dorian Williams, Kaleb Elarms-Orr
OLB: Bradley Chubb, T.J. Parker, Javon Solomon
Cornerback: Christian Benford
Nickel: Dee Alford, Jordan Hancock
Strong Safety: C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jalon Kilgore
Free Safety: Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Sam Franklin Jr.
Cornerback: Maxwell Hairston, Davison Igbinosun

There are definitely more questions on the defensive side of the ball than offense. First is the defensive line, where T.J. Sanders could be a starter despite an underwhelming rookie season. If Greg Gaines is able to get up to speed, he could move into the starting lineup as the nose tackle, which would allow Walker to slide over and play more of an attacking role.

At inside linebacker, the Bills are ready to start Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams, but we shouldn't sleep on Kaleb Elarms-Orr. The rookie fourth-round pick made noise throughout training camp and should have a major role right away. He could end up being very difficult to keep off the field.

Finally, their cornerback corps is a bit of a head-scratcher. Buffalo released UDFA Kani Walker, leaving them thin on the outside. This could be an area where they look for outside help, but for now, they seem content with Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun playing alongside Christian Benford.

Buffalo Bills' Special Teams Depth Chart

Kicker Tyler Bass reacts to a kick he made before Return of the Blue and Red practice at Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kicker: Tyler Bass
Punter: Tommy Doman Jr.
Long Snapper: Reid Ferguson
Kick Returner: Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Skyler Bell
Punt Returner: Khalil Shakir, Ray Davis, Keon Coleman

After missing the entire 2025 season, Tyler Bass returns and was able to shake off a slow start to training camp. He enters the new year playing well and has no competition. He's joined by rookie punter Tommy Doman Jr., who was impressive during the preseason. Long snapper Reid Ferguson is entering his 10th season with the Bills and has been a model of consistency.

Their returners are interesting as well. Ray Davis was a stud on kickoff returns and had mixed results as a punt returner during the preseason. That means Khalil Shakir will likely be used on punts once again, but it would be ideal to keep him fresh for the offense.

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