Three CB Additions Bills Must Pursue After Secondary Melts Down vs. Patriots

The most concerning part of the Buffalo Bills' three-point loss to the New England Patriots was the defensive secondary.

The unit allowed Drake Maye, who had thrown only one touchdown against six interceptions coming in, to torch the Bills for 269 yards and three touchdowns in what could be a devastating defeat in the long run.

Without top cornerback Christian Benford due to a toe injury, youngsters Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun had their problems against a receiving corps that still lacked prized free agent acquisition A.J. Brown, who was out with a high ankle sprain.

With this latest concerning outing, the time to press the red panic button may be now, so here are three cornerbacks that general manager Brandon Beane needs to consider adding if the Bills are to shore up their secondary issues sooner rather than later.

1. Amik Robertson

Four weeks into the season, Robertson is looking like one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL offseason. He leads the league with seven passes defensed and is on pace for about 110 tackles, which would be 17 more than Cooper DeJean, last year's tackles leader among cornerbacks.

The seventh-year man out of Louisiana Tech was signed to a two-year, $15.02 million contract in the offseason, and his 84.6 Pro Football Focus grade is third-best among NFL corners.

Robertson's performance has been no fluke, as he's gone against Dallas' dynamic receiver duo and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, in the first quarter of the season.

With quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota injured, Washington is in a position to continue racking up losses, and if it happens, Robertson could be a top trade target if he keeps up his play.

2. Garrett Williams

In addition to Buffalo's struggles at outside cornerback, slot corner Dee Alford suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter on Sunday, ruining what was a good start for him.

Alford caught a break just before halftime when a Maye pass to Romeo Doubs bounced out of the receiver's hands for Alford's first pick as a Bill. But at the end of the day, Buffalo lost and, to make matters worse, he commented on how the noise at the new Highmark Stadium was hard to overcome.

"It's always harder to communicate [on defense] at home than it is on the road," defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said in response to Alford's comment. "If we complain about that, we are [explicit]."

If Alford gets in the doghouse or gets hurt further, Buffalo could turn to Williams, one of the more underrated slot guys in the game, who is in the last season of his rookie contract. His presence could let Leonhard experiment further with his defensive personnel.

3. Tre'Davious White

Tre'Davious White is not just a nostalgia pick, though the current Bills coaching staff may not agree with that sentiment because he has not been signed yet.

The now-31-year-old was able to play at a high level in 2025 after dealing with numerous injuries throughout the early 2020s. The nine-year-veteran led the Bills with 10 passes defensed and also recorded 40 tackles and an interception.

White is more experienced than any defensive back currently on the Bills' roster, and on a unit that lacks veteran leadership outside of C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Bradley Chubb, White would be welcomed in that area also.

It's still early in the 2026 season, but time is running out to right the ship in the secondary with a schedule that appears to be tougher than expected coming up soon.

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