Every Position on Buffalo Bills' 53-Man Roster Where They Could Still Use Help

NFL teams had until 6 p.m. ET on Sunday to trim their rosters to 53 players, and the Buffalo Bills needed to make some tough decisions to get to the limit. As we all know, however, these rosters are anything but final.

Teams will continue to tweak the depth chart throughout the season and injuries will force them to look for help either via the practice squad or outside sources. Even before the season begins, there could be changes, especially with players around the league becoming available.

For the Bills, their roster is solid overall, which is why they remain one of the favorites in the AFC. That said, general manager Brandon Beane will continue to look for more help and the following positions are the most likely areas he will target.

Buffalo has multiple positions on their roster with exceptional depth. One that stands out is tight end, where they went four deep. We always knew Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes were going to be on the 53, but the Bills decided to also keep Keleki Latu. I recently wrote about the possibility of keeping Latu, since he would be in high demand if released. Latu played briefly as a rookie in 2025 and performed well, but seemed far more polished, especially as a run blocker, this year.

Where do Bills still need help on their 53-man roster?

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

As for positions where the Bills aren't as deep, cornerback has to be the most concerning. Buffalo has a stellar starter in Christian Benford, but he's the only sure thing at the position. Maxwell Hairston was named the starter opposite Benford, but the 2025 first-round pick battled injuries and inconsistent play as a rookie.

He did enough to beat out Davison Igbinosun, who is the only true boundary corner on the bench. Buffalo does have Dee Alford, who can play on the outside, but he's a better fit as a nickel corner. The fifth cornerback on the roster is Jordan Hancock, a second-year defensive back who has also played safety. Hancock will be the primary reserve in the nickel, but also took snaps at safety during camp.

Buffalo decided not to keep undrafted rookie Kani Walker, which is head-scratching given their final makeup at cornerback. Assuming he's not claimed on waivers, Walker will be re-signed to the practice squad. That said, the Bills should keep an eye on the waiver wires for help, and they could consider a reunion with Tre'Davious White to give them more depth and experience.

Other positions where the Bills can use help

Two other positions where the Bills could use help include inside linebacker and defensive tackle. At linebacker, Buffalo has Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams as the projected starters, although rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr could push Williams for a job.

The only other linebacker on the roster is Joe Andreessen, who is a strong special teams player but limited in experience on the base defense. The Bills plan to bring back Keonta Jenkins if he clears waivers, but overall, the depth outside of Bernard is concerning. Buffalo surprisingly didn't add much this offseason despite allowing Shaq Thompson and Matt Milano to leave and while Elarms-Orr has been better than expected for a fourth-round pick, this position remains a weakness.

Aug 27, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (10) carries the ball defended by Buffalo Bills linebacker Keonta Jenkins (49) during the second half at New Highmark Stadium | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along the defensive line, Buffalo has talent with Ed Oliver and Deone Walker leading the way. They added Greg Gaines during the preseason, giving them a player capable of doing the dirty work. His addition should free up Oliver and Walker to attack the backfield more often, but he didn't look ready for a big role during the preseason.

Buffalo is also dangerously thin behind their starters. Second-year players T.J. Sanders and Landon Jackson are trying to put disappointing rookie campaigns behind them and while they're said to be better suited to play in Jim Leonhard's defense, they have to prove they can get the job done. DeWayne Carter rounds out the depth chart and while he bulked up this offseason, his inclusion on the 53-man roster was a bit of a surprise.

In the end, it would be smart for Brandon Beane to look for help on the line, especially when it comes to run defenders. Players such as McKinnley Jackson and Dean Lowry are two names to keep an eye on as potential fits. Whether it's one of them or perhaps a trade, the Bills have to shore up their biggest weakness to keep their run defense from being their downfall during a promising campaign.

— Sign up for OnSI’s Free Buffalo Bills Newsletter —

Add us as a preferred source on Google