The Buffalo Bills may have cleaned up a lot of their roster issues this offseason, but one problem still hangs over them: the pass rush. It’s not the loudest concern in the building, yet it may be the one that matters most if the Bills want to avoid validating a harsh narrative heading into 2026.
CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin pointed to Buffalo’s defensive front as one of the “biggest potential red flags for NFL Super Bowl contender” next season, and his focus landed squarely on the edge duo of Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb.
" For seemingly the 20th consecutive year, it's unclear from where the Bills are going to get high-level pass rush snaps. Greg Rousseau remains the best option on the edge, but he's not an elite pass rusher.
The depth beyond him is varying degrees of interesting but there doesn't appear to necessarily be a true No. 1 threat unless Bradley Chubb can recapture top form (his sack total overstates his impact last year). The Bills were also weak in the run defense department last year and haven't done enough to upgrade in that department from year to year." said Dubin.
That run defense was a real problem a season ago. Buffalo gave up more than 136 rushing yards per game, and the offseason didn’t bring in any major difference-makers to fix it. Still, the switch to a 3-4 defense under Jim Leonhard should give the unit a better chance to hold up.
The bigger question, though, is whether the Bills can finally get steady pressure off the edge. For years, that’s been the part of the roster that keeps coming up short. Buffalo has tried to patch it with big names like Von Miller and Joey Bosa this decade, but neither one delivered the kind of impact the team was hoping for.
If you want the last truly dependable pass rusher in Buffalo, Jerry Hughes is a strong place to start. He was one of the quiet backbone players during the playoff drought. And the last time the Bills got a player to hit 10-plus sacks was Leonard Floyd in 2023.
Now Chubb is the latest veteran brought in to change that equation. When he’s healthy, he’s been productive, with 19.5 sacks across his last two healthy seasons.
The issue is availability. Chubb missed all of 2024 after tearing his ACL, which is exactly the kind of injury concern Buffalo has had to live with on the edge before.
Rousseau, meanwhile, has built his reputation more as a strong run defender than a true sack artist. That leaves Chubb as the best bet to lead the pass rush, while rookie Clemson OLB T.J. Parker gets the chance to develop behind both of them.
The Bills’ receiver situation gets plenty of attention, and that criticism is fair. But the pass rush has also vanished at the worst possible times, especially in the playoffs, when opponents have been able to settle in, move the ball, and get into scoring range. Leonhard is counting on this group to change that story.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Finally Got Reassurance About Tailgating At The New Stadium
Bills fans have been waiting to hear how much of the old game-day feel would carry over to the new Highmark Stadium, and Pete Guelli offered a fairly simple answer: not much has changed. The president of business operations said tailgating is still being encouraged as part of the experience, which matters in Buffalo, where the parking lot scene is as much a part of the day as the game itself.
The team has already laid out parking and tailgating rules that keep commercial activity and food sales out of the mix, while still allowing fans to bring and prepare food for friends and family. And with the new building offering more amenities and pregame experiences, there will be several chances in August for fans to get familiar with the place before kickoff really becomes the main event. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Rookie WR Is Making Buffalos Camp Battle Hard To Ignore
Skyler Bell arrived in Buffalo with the kind of draft-day chip that can sharpen a rookies summer, and early in camp he has done more than just blend in. The Bills took the wide receiver in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL draft, and through the first five practices he has been showing the kind of versatility that tends to catch a staffs eye, especially when a young player is trying to carve out a role in a crowded competition.
Brandon Beane and Joe Brady have both had positive things to say about Bell, a sign that the rookie is already earning trust in a building that does not hand out praise lightly. Bell has also made clear he has plenty of motivation after 31 teams passed on him in the draft, and that edge could make this one of the more interesting camp battles to watch as Buffalo keeps sorting out its receiver mix. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Training Camp Has A Fan Favorite Players Clearly Love
For nearly 20 years, Kyle McGonigal has been one of those steady training camp presences that players notice even if casual fans might not. A longtime volunteer around Bills camp, he has become a familiar and well-liked figure in the facility, part of the everyday rhythm of summer in Buffalo and someone the team clearly recognizes beyond the usual passing hello.
This years camp offered another reminder of that bond when Josh Allen greeted McGonigal warmly before practice, a small moment that said plenty about how the organization views him. McGonigal, for his part, has sounded upbeat about what lies ahead for the Bills this season and into the playoffs, which is exactly the kind of optimism that fits the mood around camp when the real work is just getting underway. [Read more 🡒]