Bills Central

Perceived Bills' roster weakness may become a strength down the road

Where do you think the Bills strength and weaknesses lie? One NFL writer gives us his thoughts.
Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills probably won't be making any new roster additions that will make much of a difference at this point of the offseason.

As the team ramps up in training camp, Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine broke down the Bills roster and the Bills biggest strength and weakness. Before we dive into what he had to say, keep in mind that, as is often the case, what appears to be either a strength or weakness can change once the season begins.

Primarily, injuries or the unknown player can change things very quickly. This is a point to remember because Ballentine's thoughts on the Bills weakness revolves around the team's secondary, and he specifically mentions the unknown of first -round pick Max Hairston.

Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Max Hairston during training camp practice.
cornerback Max Hairston during training camp | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

"Buffalo is pinning a lot of hope on first-round pick Maxwell Hairston to be a solution. He'll take over for Rasul Douglas, who was not re-signed this offseason, as the other outside corner opposite Christian Benford", said Ballentine.

RELATED: Bills' injuries mounting five practices into training camp with 12 on shelf

It's interesting that Ballentine doesn't mention last year's second-round pick safety Cole Bishop. Yes, the Bills are hopeful that Bishop takes the next step in taking over the starting role, and has high expectations, yet he is also a major unknown.

As far as the team's strength, Ballentine points to the Bills offensive backfield, citing of course Josh Allen and James Cook as the primary reasons. Ballentine said, "Allen won the 2024 MVP in a season when he was tied with Lamar Jackson for the top total QBR in the league." Regarding Cook, he adds, "James Cook's emergence over the last two seasons has taken the Bills backfield to the next level."

One could argue that the Bills biggest strength, outside of Josh Allen, is their offensive line, ranked third in the league by Pro Football Focus. That said, it's hard not to see Allen and Cook as the biggest strength, given the combined 59 total touchdowns from the two of them in 2024.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook during a training camp practice.
James Cook takes a hand off | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Ronnie Eastham
RONNIE EASTHAM

Ronnie began covering the NFL and the Buffalo Bills three years ago, including content across outlets such as FanSided, Buffalo Rumblings podcasts, On SI and video content for Built In Buffalo.

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