Why RT Spencer Brown Is Seventh-Most Important Player to Bills' 2026 Success

As the team enjoys its summer break, Bills On SI will unveil its Top 25 Player Rankings (based upon expected impact) for the 2026 season. The ranking methodology is based on positional value, past performance and expectations for any player. Right tackle Spencer Brown's commanding presence on the offensive line lands him at No. 7.

The interior of the Buffalo Bills' interior offensive line saw some shuffling in the offseason, but the tackles are still one of the best pairings in the NFL. Right tackle Spencer Brown enters his fifth season as a starter with a chance to take further charge under first-year head coach Joe Brady.

The 28-year-old is a force on one of the NFL's best rushing offenses and has shown the ability to be an anchor in pass protection, but he'll need to overcome another issue to prove he's one of the best at his position.

Brown recently underwent knee surgery that kept him out of the team's offseason program, but he said he will be good to go when training camp begins at St. John Fisher College in Rochester on July 29.

However, Brown's pedigree demonstrates that he has the ability to overcome obstacles, as he did in 2025.

Spencer Brown's 2025 season

Last season marked the first year of a four-year, $72 million contract Brown signed in September 2024, and he rewarded the Bills with his second straight season of a Pro Football Focus grade of at least 75, notching an overall mark of 76.6.

The running game continued to be Brown's forte, as his 85.3 PFF run-blocking grade ranked seventh out of 89 qualified offensive tackles. He helped the Bills lead the NFL in rushing offense and James Cook earn the league's rushing title.

Pass blocking wasn't Brown's biggest strength, as he allowed two sacks and 36 hurries in 2025, contributing to a 61.3 pass-blocking PFF grade, which was a decrease from 76.2 in 2024.

Brown was fairly disciplined for his standards, being penalized just four times in 2025, which was a major improvement from 2024, when he was second among all offensive linemen in penalties with 15.

Brown missed three games in 2025 due to calf and shoulder injuries, limiting him to 74.73% of Buffalo's offensive snaps, but a man of his stature will likely not miss a beat in 2026.

Big man on a big unit

Hand leverage by Spencer Brown, Hawes is the driver...Down goes Derrick Brown.. pic.twitter.com/QCdxbV7Hkm
— Cover 1 (@Cover1) October 28, 2025

At 6-foot-8, Brown is the tallest player on the Bills, which gives him great length when taking on defenders, and he has great athleticism to boot. It's seen on the field when he gets his hands on defensive linemen and uses his leverage to gain an advantage.

When Brown blocks down in the running game, he uses his speed, which is demonstrated by his 4.94-second 40-yard dash time, to drive opponents away and create running lanes for James Cook and Josh Allen.

Brown's ability to take on defensive linemen alone helps the rest of the offensive linemen when they go up to the second level to eliminate linebackers because of the security he offers his comrades in knowing they don't need to worry about him.

Allen took a career-high 40 sacks in 2025, so Brown's continued dominance in the running game and return to pass-blocking proficiency will be crucial to Buffalo's success in 2026.

The rest of the Top 25 so far:

25. RB Ty Johnson, June 16
24. CB Maxwell Hairston, June 17
23. K Tyler Bass, June 18
22. CB Dee Alford, June 19
21. LB Dorian Williams, June 20
20. RB Ray Davis, June 22
19. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, June 23
18. G Alec Anderson, June 24
17. TE Dawson Knox, June 25
16. DT Deone Walker, June 27
15. TE Dalton Kincaid, June 28
14. G O'Cyrus Torrence, June 29
13. LB Terrel Bernard, July 1
12. C Connor McGovern, June 30
11. LB Greg Rousseau, July 2
10. WR Khalil Shakir, July 3
9. LB Bradley Chubb, July 7
8. S Cole Bishop, July 8

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