Four Bills Players Who Will Tilt Buffalo's Season, Including Former First-Round Pick

For the first time in quite a while, there is a wide range of expected outcomes for the Bills’ upcoming campaign.

Some believe Buffalo will remain one of the top teams in the AFC and challenge for a Super Bowl appearance. Others think the train is about to go off the tracks.

When it comes down to which trajectory the Bills will follow in 2026, there is a shortlist of players who will play a significant role either in helping Buffalo swim, or causing it to sink. One of the most important players for the Bills this year is second-year defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, who is coming off a disappointing rookie season.

Sanders managed just 16 tackles and one sack last season, while his quarterback pressure rate was a rock-bottom 5.2%, according to Next Gen Stats.

The Bills didn’t add much to their defensive line room this offseason, whether it be through free agency or the draft. Sanders will have to be better if this position group hopes to show improvement from where it was a year ago, when the Bills’ defense allowed the most rushing touchdowns in the league [24].

There remains some uncertainty as to how he will fit within first-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s new odd-man front. But he must produce or the Buffalo D-line will be in big trouble.

Kaleb Elarms-Orr has a chance to do big things for Bills

One of the Bills’ most significant question marks entering training camp is their linebacker corps, which is searching for a new starter to place alongside the injury-prone Terrel Bernard in 2026. At this point, it seems as if that role will be filled by one of two players, as veteran Dorian Williams and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr will compete for the job.

Williams is what he is at this point of his career and I don’t see him getting much better. But Elarms-Orr has untapped potential and if he can burst onto the scene with a productive training camp, that would help lift the Buffalo defense to another level.

Bills rookies reported to training camp on Wednesday, July 22, while the team’s first practice is set for July 29.

Maxwell Hairston fighting for his job as Bills CB2

Another youngster who must prove his worth in his second professional season is Maxwell Hairston, who is set to battle with 2026 second-round pick Davison Igbinosun for the role as the Bills’ CB2. It’s critical Hairston win the job. Otherwise, Buffalo would be forced to turn to a rookie to fill a critical role without much depth behind the two.

If Hairston can rise to the occasion, that would be a boon for the Bills, who have a lot of moving pieces in the secondary entering camp. Buffalo signed free-agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year, $6 million contract on March 12, and he is set to play alongside incumbent starter Cole Bishop this season, meaning the Bills will have two new starters on their coverage team in 2026.

Skyler Bell could significantly boost the Bills’ WR corps

Let’s face it, the Bills’ 2024 second-round pick Keon Coleman is toast. After a rough second season in the NFL, I’m not sure how anyone could have faith that Coleman will turn things around in Year 3.

That presents an intriguing opportunity for fourth-round rookie Skyler Bell, who could very well assume the role as the Bills’ WR3 in his first professional campaign. Beyond Coleman and Bell, Joshua Palmer will also be fighting for that spot on Buffalo’s depth chart, but, much like Coleman, he isn’t exactly an attractive option.

If Bell can put forth something close to the incredible performance he put forth during his final year at the collegiate level, when he finished with the second-most receiving yards [1,278] in the FBS, that would help the entire wide receiver group and Josh Allen step into a more productive future within the Bills’ passing game.

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