Buffalo’s 2026 training camp is shaping up to be loaded with questions, and the biggest ones may not even be where you’d first expect them. In a recent Reacts poll, Buffalo Rumblings readers made it clear that the intrigue stretches across the roster under a mostly new coaching system, with several position groups drawing real attention before camp even gets rolling.
The one omission from the poll matters, though: offensive line. More specifically, Buffalo is headed for a real fight at starting left guard, and that could wind up being the only starting job on offense truly up for grabs. Depending on how things sort out at fullback and maybe a couple of wide receiver spots, that left guard battle may stand alone as the clearest open competition on that side of the ball.
Kicker could have been in the conversation too. Tyler Bass missed the entire 2025 NFL season because of hip and groin injuries, and while he’s the only listed kicker right now, Matt Prater remains on speed dial if Buffalo wants him back in the role he handled successfully last season.
When it came to the poll itself, the interior defensive line edged out the field with 24% of the vote. That’s a little surprising on the surface, since the players in that group already showed what they can do last season.
But this is a new year with a new system, and there’s still plenty of uncertainty about how everyone fits along the line. That uncertainty is exactly why so many eyes will be on the trenches.
One name to watch there is Landon Jackson, who is making the move from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 defensive lineman. He has added a lot of good weight and looks ready for the challenge.
Another fascinating case is Travis Clayton, the former rugby player who went from rugby to offensive line and now could become a defensive lineman. He’s not likely to be fighting for a major role this season, but the switch itself makes him one of the more unusual stories in camp.
The wide receivers finished second at 22%, and that makes sense too. DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir look like safe bets to hold starter status, but the third receiver job could turn into a real battle between Keon Coleman and Joshua Palmer.
Both have something to prove in 2026. Some believe rookie Skyler Bell could also push into the WR3 conversation, but for now that case rests on interviews and college production and measurables.
Inside linebacker came in third with 19%, and this might be the most legitimate answer for the most camp intrigue. Terrel Bernard has been the team’s lone defensive captain in the past, and Dorian Williams has already shown he can handle starting work. Still, new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard could have plenty of ideas for how to use the position in a 3-4 setup with edge rushers on the outside.
Bernard has dealt with injuries lately, and Williams has raised questions in pass coverage. Joe Andreessen keeps forcing his way into the picture in his third year, while rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr joins a group that also includes Jimmy Ciarlo, Theron Gaines, Keonta Jenkins, and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. That’s a room that could change shape quickly once camp starts.
Outside linebacker, or edge rusher, landed just behind that at 18%. A lot of that interest probably comes from the shift to a 3-4 look and what that means for the pass rush.
Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb look locked in as the starters, but rookie T.J. Parker adds another layer.
Michael Hoecht would have made this group even more compelling, but he’s still working back from a torn Achilles.
How soon Hoecht returns, and how effective he is in 2026, remains one of the bigger unknowns on the roster. Beyond that, Buffalo also has Javon Solomon, Andre Jones, Mike Danna, and Cade Denhoff in the mix.
At the bottom of the poll were the defensive backs at 10% and the quarterbacks at 4%. The quarterback result is easy to understand: unless you’re into a classic backup battle, there’s not much drama there, and Bills fans are hoping the only real focus remains on Josh Allen.
The defensive back group is more interesting than its vote total suggests. Christian Benford is firmly established and still somehow underrated by many.
The bigger question is what happens at CB2, where second-year cornerback Maxwell Hairston is expected to take over full time. He’s a former first-round pick, but the question is whether he’s ready to move past the injury issues that have followed him.
There’s still plenty Buffalo doesn’t know about Hairston, which helps explain why the team spent heavily at the position in the 2026 NFL Draft. Rookie Davison Igbinosun enters the mix and could challenge Hairston for a starting job. Buffalo also added rookie Torian Pride Jr., while Te’Cory Couch, Jordan Dunbar, and Kani Walker are listed at outside cornerback.
In the slot, C.J. Gardner-Johnson is listed first, with Dee Alford and Jalon Kilgore behind him.
At strong safety, Cole Bishop is set to reprise his role, though depth is thin with Kilgore also listed there. At free safety, Geno Stone is first on the depth chart, followed by Damar Hamlin, Jordan Hancock, Sam Franklin Jr., and Wande Owens.
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