Five Preseason Questions That Bills Must Still Answer Before September

Less than a month remains before Buffalo's regular-season opener against the Houston Texans, but some questions still remain heading into the middle of August.

Aug 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady looks on from the sidelines during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at New Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills earned a decisive victory in the team’s preseason debut under first-year head coach Joe Brady on Saturday, but there are still some questions surrounding his squad as we enter the second half of August. 

Critical position battles on both sides of the ball have yet to be decided, bottom-half of the roster decisions still need to be made, and some other aspects of Brady’s entire gameday operation need to be shored up.

But, that’s what the summer months are for, right?

Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Josh Allen talks with head coach Joe Brady during the final day of Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Pittsford, New York. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Saturday’s second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, is just days away.

So, here are five questions still left unanswered regarding the Bills that must be figured out sooner rather than later.

Who wins the critical battles at ILB, LG, P?

Buffalo Bills' kicker Tyler Bass (16) and rookie Tommy Doman Jr. (39) chat with staff on the sidelines before practice at Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Aug. 13 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Although last weekend’s preseason opener provided a glimpse at what’s to come for the Bills this season, there are still plenty of unknowns regarding the roster.

Mainly, who will the starters be at certain critical positions like inside linebacker, left guard, and punter?

Both Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett are still in a battle for the spot between left tackle Dion Dawkins and center Connor McGovern on the left side of the offensive line, and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr appears to be slightly behind fourth-year veteran Dorian Williams in the competition for the starting linebacker spot next to the incumbent, Terrel Bernard.

Buffalo Bills' left guard Alec Anderson performs a drill against rookie lineman Ar’maj Reed-Adams during Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University on July 30, 2026 in Pittsford, New York. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

WIlliams got the start for defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s unit against the Panthers, despite Elarms-Orr seemingly being the talk of the town all summer long in Western New York, so it’ll be interesting to see if that remains the same or shifts come Saturday’s game against Cleveland.

Meanwhile, rookie punter Tommy Doman Jr. and veteran Mitch Wishnowsky both failed to get a punt rep in during the last preseason game, so that will need to change moving forward in order to give a more proper evaluation to that competition. Only so much can be learned from punts during a practice setting.

Will newJim Leonhard, Pete Carmichael be on sidelines for the season?

Buffalo Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady (left) talks with new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard (right) during the opening day of Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Generally, NFL coordinators are up in the booth during games. However, on Saturday against Carolina, new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard was on the sidelines, while offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. took the route of viewing the game from an aerial view.

Carmichael Jr. noted before the game that the plan is also to test out the operation with him down on the sidelines, as well.

So, that will need to be hammered out in short order. Carmichael has mostly been in the booth during his previous 15 NFL seasons as a coordinator, which occurred from 2009 to 2023 with the New Orleans Saints under head coach Sean Payton.

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. (center) watches as the quarterbacks warm up before practice at Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on July 30, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On the other hand, Leonhard looked comfortable calling his defense from the sidelines on Saturday. And, fans don’t need to look for any further evidence of that fact other than the unit’s impressive start to the exhibition contest, which included forcing three-and-outs on the Panthers’ first three drives of the game. 

It’ll be interesting to see if Leonhard decides to test things out in the booth, as well, or not.

Can Joe Brady get his team’s penalties under control?

Penalties were often a cause for concern under former head coach Sean McDermott during his nine years of leading the team, and that issue crept up on Joe Brady during his inaugural outing as Buffalo’s head man, too.

The Bills committed a total of nine penalties for 98 yards versus Carolina, and some of those infractions came on costly plays, like in the third quarter when rookie offensive lineman Jude Bowry had a holding penalty called on him that wiped off a 17-yard gain from running back Frank Gore Jr. on the play.

The Panthers also had nine penalties called on them, but the yardage total was only 78 yards: 20 yards less than Buffalo.

Needless to say, Brady’s grasp on this particular aspect of running a team needs to be tightened up.

Can the Bills get healthy by September  . . . and stay that way?

Buffalo Bills center Connor McGovern hobbles to the sidelines as he is helped off the field during first-half action at Empower FIeld at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Jan. 17, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bills are likely playing it slow with some of the current injuries to players like starting center Connor McGovern, veteran running back Ty Johnson, second-year cornerback Maxwell Hairston, safeties Cole Bishop and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, as well as rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell, but that still doesn’t change the fact that the injury report remains lengthy.

As the old adage goes, “The best ability is availability.”

And, simply put, having six players—important ones at that—on the bench due to injury isn’t acceptable.

Yes, sometimes these things are out of anybody’s control, but how many times did McDermott catch flak for his roster being beaten up? 

Brady and general manager/team president Brandon Beane need to figure it out. 

How will the grass surface hold up at the new Highmark Stadium?

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; A general view of the stadium during the second half of a preseason game between the Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills at the new Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Much hoopla was made in the media and amongst the team this offseason about the new Highmark Stadium having an all-natural grass surface instead of turf, and for good reason.

Grass is known to be more forgiving on players’ bodies. 

However, due to the surface still being relatively “young” at the new venue, Saturday’s preseason matchup between the Bills and Panthers wasn’t very forgiving to the Kentucky bluegrass inside the stadium.

The surface, which was supplied by Tuckahoe Turf Farms in New Jersey, was getting chunked up and balding in some areas throughout the afternoon.

It will obviously be a learning experience, but something still needs to be done to ensure this doesn’t become a persistent problem throughout the regular season.

What can the Bills do to help remedy the problem? Well, we’re all collectively about to find out moving forward.

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