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Most Important Players to Watch in Bills' Preseason Week 2 Game vs. Browns

Which players do we need to keep an eye on as the Buffalo Bills face the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the NFL preseason?
Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass makes a field goal with holder Mitch Wishnowsky as Carolina Panthers DB Will Lee rushes.
Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass makes a field goal with holder Mitch Wishnowsky as Carolina Panthers DB Will Lee rushes. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills will be in action against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Their Saturday showdown will take place just two days after they travel to Berea, Ohio for a joint practice with the Browns.

Head coach Joe Brady and the rest of his staff had to be happy with what they saw this past weekend against the Carolina Panthers, but this joint practice will give them an opportunity to work on any area where they lack confidence.

Teams often value these practices over the preseason games, but there will still be plenty to watch when the Bills visit the Browns. That includes the following players, who will be important to keep an eye on.

Zane Durant, DT

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Davis runs with the ball and is tackled by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Zane Durant.
Carolina Panthers running back Miles Davis runs with the ball and is tackled by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Zane Durant. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Phidarian Mathis suspended for the first three games of the regular season, the Bills are likely going to go into the year with rookie Zane Durant as one of their primary reserves on the defensive line. The depth was already questionable behind their starters, and losing a veteran option could be difficult to overcome. Durant has been solid in practices, but seeing him continue to shine against the Browns would help the coaching staff feel more confident in the group as a whole.

Kyle Allen and Shane Buechele, QB

Buffalo Bills quarterback Kyle Allen runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Kyle Allen runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Backup quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Shane Buechele have each had their share of struggles during training camp. Fortunately, Josh Allen is incredibly durable, but the Bills still need to have faith in their backups in case of emergency.

Thankfully, they enter Week 2 of the preseason with more faith. Both quarterbacks played well with Kyle Allen completing 14-of-16 attempts for 108 yards while Buechele was 6-of-9 for 50 yards. You would like to see more downfield passing in Week 2, but overall, the two did what they needed to calm concerns. As long as that remains the case this weekend, the Bills will be just fine behind Josh Allen.

Geno Stone, S

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ja'seem Reed scores a touchdown on the tackle by Buffalo Bills defensive back Geno Stone.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ja'seem Reed scores a touchdown on the tackle by Buffalo Bills defensive back Geno Stone. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Geno Stone didn't have an ideal game on Saturday. He was hit with a facemask penalty early in the game and was beaten for a touchdown pass by Ja'Seem Reed in the second quarter. Stone signed a one-year deal this offseason but isn't a lock to make the team. His main competition is Damar Hamlin and Stone needs to turn things around to prove he's the better option.

Tyler Bass, K

Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass kicks a field goal against the Carolina Panthers.
Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass kicks a field goal against the Carolina Panthers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tyler Bass hadn't kicked in a live game since the preseason finale in 2025, so it was natural to expect some hiccups. He had one when he missed a 45-yard field goal in the first half. He rebounded and hit a 46-yarder after that and had one more from 29 in the second half.

In all, Bass was 3-of-4 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points. Buffalo has faith in him as their primary kicker, but all eyes will be on him once again this weekend to see if he's the same player from before his injury.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.