The Buffalo Bills will see plenty of familiar heavyweight company in 2026, but one recent take suggests those supposed threats may not be as daunting as they look on paper.
That conversation starts with the Bills themselves. Buffalo spent the 2020-2024 stretch ruling the AFC East, a five-year run that cemented the club among the league’s elite after years of mediocrity. Josh Allen’s arrival helped push the franchise out of that old bottom-tier rut and into the upper class.
For much of that climb, the Bills have been grouped with the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens as the AFC’s other top teams. The Cincinnati Bengals have popped into that mix at times, though they’ve slid since their Super Bowl appearance back in 2021/2022. Now the New England Patriots are back in the discussion too after making a run at the Super Bowl last year, though the real question is whether that was a true breakthrough or just a one-year spike.
Buffalo will face all three of those teams this season, and each brings its own challenge. Still, Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spin Zone gave the Chiefs, Ravens and Patriots a label that Bills fans probably won’t mind hearing: the “3 most overhyped NFL teams entering the 2026 season.”
Bedinger’s skepticism about Baltimore centered on the uncertainty surrounding the staff and the reshuffling up front. “Some of the top reasons for some healthy skepticism for the Ravens in 2026 would include having a rookie head coach, a rookie offensive coordinator/play-caller, a revamped interior offensive line, and a complete change of culture.” said Bedinger.
He had similar concerns about Kansas City, pointing to protection issues and Patrick Mahomes’ health. “The Chiefs have major concerns on the offensive line at both tackle positions. Patrick Mahomes is coming off of a serious leg injury and we don't know if he's going to be the same player out there, especially as quickly as he's come back from that injury.” said Bedinger.
And for New England, Bedinger argued the problems from a year ago still haven’t been solved. “Yes, it's a different group of players than a season ago, but the Patriots also didn't do enough to upgrade their biggest problem in 2025: Sack differential (Sacks allowed offensively vs. sacks defensively). New England's issues in pass protection were a huge problem as Drake Maye took 21 sacks in the playoffs alone, and the pass rush defensively is lacking anyone dangerous or proven off the edge.” said Bedinger.
None of this means those teams won’t be dangerous. It does, however, reinforce the idea that Buffalo isn’t the only contender with questions to answer. The difference, as the source notes, is that the Bills addressed clear weaknesses with a wave of change and added help.
The schedule will sort out the rest. Buffalo gets the Patriots early in the year and again at the beginning of December, then hosts both the Ravens and Chiefs in November. Whether Bedinger’s “overhyped” tag holds up will come down to what happens when those matchups actually arrive.
In Other News...
Bills Secondary Suddenly Has A C.J. Gardner-Johnson Concern
The Bills secondary had already been a point of interest this offseason with C.J. Gardner-Johnson joining the team on a one-year deal, bringing the kind of versatility and edge Buffalo hoped would sharpen the back end of its defense. But his recent exit from a game quickly shifted the conversation from fit and role to simple availability, as trainers and teammates surrounded him after he went down.
Gardner-Johnson was unable to continue and was carted off after an apparent issue with his right foot, leaving Buffalo with an uneasy wait on a player it had just added to help stabilize the secondary. For a defense that is still sorting out new pieces, the sight of a veteran defensive back going down like that is the sort of development the Bills can ill afford this early. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Face A C.J. Gardner-Johnson Camp Concern
The Bills got a scare at training camp when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson went down during a practice drill and had to be helped off the field. It was the kind of moment that can stop a camp session in its tracks, especially when a veteran defensive back is involved, and Buffalo immediately shifted into the cautious mode teams usually reserve for injuries that could alter the shape of a roster conversation.
For now, the early signs are at least somewhat encouraging, with teammates and staff indicating Gardner-Johnson was able to walk afterward and is going through the usual medical steps. Still, the club is waiting for more clarity before saying much more, and the next update will matter for a defense that has been counting on him to settle in quickly during camp. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Secondary Just Got A Scare It Could Not Afford
Training camp already has a way of sorting out the hopeful from the fragile, and Buffalo got a reminder of that when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson went down during 11-on-11 drills. He suffered a lower-body injury, was helped off the field, and the Bills quickly shifted from practice mode to waiting mode as he was taken in for further evaluation.
The immediate concern was hard to miss: Gardner-Johnson was favoring his right foot and not putting much weight on it before heading to the locker room. Buffalo is now waiting on medical testing to learn how serious the injury is, a situation the secondary can hardly welcome with the season work already underway. [Read more 🡒]