Bills' Most Disappointing Players After Two Games of 2026 NFL Season

Through two games, the Buffalo Bills are 2-0 and in the end, the record is all that matters. That said, being undefeated can sometimes make it easy to overlook some shortcomings, and the Bills have had a few.

Most of their concerns have been on defense. Buffalo has surrendered 62 points in two games with both the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions dropping 31 on Jim Leonhard's unit. Thankfully, Josh Allen and the offense has scored 77 points, which is why they have been victorious thus far.

As for the players who need to be better, here's a deeper look at five Bills who have disappointed thus far and need to improve for the team to reach their ultimate goal. In what should be a surprise to absolutely no one, all five of these players are on the defensive side of the ball.

Damar Hamlin, S

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin makes an interception and gains a few yards before being tackled against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Damar Hamlin is a fan favorite, but it was a bit surprising to see him return on a one-year deal this offseason. With the new coaching staff, coupled with Hamlin's struggles in 2025, it seemed as though it was time for a change. That wasn't the case and through two games, Hamlin has played in 29 percent of the defensive snaps and 53 percent of the special teams snaps.

He has just four total tackles and has given up 43 passing yards despite being targeted just two times in coverage. At this point, it might be time to see if rookie Jalon Kilgore would be an upgrade.

Davison Igbinosun, CB

Buffalo Bills cornerback Davison Igbinosun reacts after a play during the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Buffalo used their second of two picks in Round 2 on Ohio State's Davison Igbinosun. During his days with the Buckeyes, Igbinosun was known for being overly physical, which led to far too many penalties. That has been an issue for him in two games with the Bills, as Igbinosun has been flagged twice in two games, although only one has been accepted.

In addition to the penalty concerns, Igbinosun has a coverage grade of 29.6 and has given up 13.7 yards per reception. Maxwell Hairston has struggled ahead of him, which has opened the door for the rookie, but through two games he has yet to take advantage.

Landon Jackson, DE

Buffalo Bills defensive end Landon Jackson during warm ups before the Bills preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A third-round pick in 2025, Landon Jackson recorded no statistics in three games as a rookie before being sidelined by injury. He seemed to be a perfect fit for Sean McDermott's defense, but we never truly got to see him there. Under Leonhard, he was expected to shine as a defensive end in his three-man line. Entering Week 3, he has yet to truly excel in that role.

Jackson has played in 40 percent of the snaps and has three tackles but has an overall grade of 30.3. Billed as a run-stuffer, Jackson has a run defense grade of just 36.2 and was their lowest-graded player overall in Week 2. Jackson has been a disappointment and needs to be much better to keep his role throughout the year.

Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB

Buffalo Bills linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr and linebacker Keonta Jenkins sack Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout training camp and the preseason, rookie linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr was receiving a lot of attention and plenty of praise. He was even seen as a potential starter at inside linebacker when Jim Leonhard was giving him props for his play.

Elarms-Orr hasn't lived up to those lofty expectations thus far, with just four tackles in two games. He's played in just 20 defensive snaps, 14 of which were in pass coverage, and he's earned a coverage grade of just 30.0 from PFF. Ideally, that number would be higher as the Bills were hoping he would push Dorian Williams for snaps. One reason for that is the fact that Williams has been a pleasant surprise, but Elarms-Orr still needs to show improvement when he's on the field.

Dee Alford, CB

Buffalo Bills cornerback Dee Alford during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Taron Johnson had issues as the nickel in 2025, so the Bills moved on and added Dee Alford in free agency. After two games, Alford has yet to find his rhythm in that role and has given up a QB rating of 144.7 when targeted while surrendering 18 yards per reception.

Covering in the slot is arguably the most difficult job on defense, so those players are often given unfair criticism. That said, Alford has not lived up to expectations and needs to play at a higher level for the Bills' defense to click.

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