The Buffalo Bills enter this season with a lot of buzz around them, and for good reason. They’re still the kind of team that lives in the playoff conversation, they’ve pushed as far as the conference championship game with Josh Allen at quarterback, and now they’re stepping into a new era with a new head coach, a new staff, new players and a new stadium. There’s plenty for fans to be excited about before kickoff Sunday in Houston.
But big expectations always create room for disappointment, too. And in Buffalo, there are a few players whose profiles are high enough that anything less than a strong season would sting.
James Cook sits near the top of that list. The NFL’s leading rusher from last season has become one of the league’s most productive backs since 2023, and he was fed heavily a year ago when the Bills were dealing with major issues at receiver.
That workload showed up in the numbers: 309 carries and more than 5 yards per attempt. This year, though, the setup changes.
Joe Brady remains in charge of the offense, but Buffalo brought in DJ Moore, and Dalton Kincaid could also demand touches if he stays healthy and contributes. That means Cook may not get the same volume fans have come to expect.
DJ Moore is the other side of that equation. Buffalo went out and traded for him to give Allen a true No. 1 target, and the pressure that comes with that move is obvious.
Moore’s last two seasons in Chicago were shaped by a rookie Caleb Williams in 2024 and then a new head coach in Ben Johnson who was calling the plays. He hasn’t gone over 1,000 receiving yards since 2023, when Justin Fields was throwing him the ball.
There is familiarity here, though, because Moore had success in Carolina when Joe Brady was the offensive coordinator from 2020-2021. Even so, Brady’s tendency to spread the ball around could keep Moore’s target share from matching what fans want to see, especially with what Buffalo gave up to get him.
Bradley Chubb arrives with a different kind of expectation. His signing in free agency was Buffalo’s biggest move, and the Bills are counting on him to help fix a pass rush that has been an issue for a while.
Coming over from the Miami Dolphins, he’s viewed as a leader in Jim Leonhard’s defense and a clean fit for the scheme. Still, the injury history is hard to ignore.
His most recent major setback came in late 2023, when a torn ACL cost him the 2024 season. Buffalo did add more outside linebackers this offseason, which should lighten the load, but the concern around his health is still there.
Then there’s C.J. Gardner-Johnson, whose arrival is supposed to bring a different edge to the Bills’ defense.
He plays with energy, he talks with confidence, and he’s not shy about calling people out. That kind of presence is part of why Buffalo brought him in.
The issue is simple: if that attitude and intensity don’t translate into the kind of impact fans are expecting, it would be a real letdown. He has never stayed with one team for more than three seasons, but he has been a solid defender, and the Bills are clearly hoping his style changes the feel of their secondary.
In Other News...
Bills Face A Texans Problem That Could Decide Their Opener
Houstons defense gave Buffalo a look last season that is hard to ignore heading into the opener. The Texans sent extra rushers at one of the lowest rates in the league, yet still found ways to get after quarterbacks, including Josh Allen in a Week 12 meeting when Buffalo saw pressure even though the blitz came sparingly. For a Bills offense that wants to keep Allen upright and in rhythm, that kind of pressure profile is the kind of problem that can shape a game plan before the first snap.
James Cook looms as a key answer because the Bills may need more than protection schemes and quick throws to keep Houston honest. If the Texans can create disruption without overcommitting, Buffalo will have to lean on the run game to slow the rush and open up space for everything else. It is the sort of matchup detail that can quietly decide an opener, especially against a defense that has already shown it can make life uncomfortable without sending the house. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Tomlin Just Created A Bills What-If Fans Will Notice
Mike Tomlins first public comments since parting ways with the Steelers in January had a ripple effect that Bills fans were bound to notice. After 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, the longtime head coach said in a recent interview that he is open to getting back into the NFL if the right opportunity comes along, and he also spoke glowingly about Josh Allen while reflecting on his time away from the sideline.
For Buffalo, it is the kind of what-if that naturally lingers around a franchise built around a franchise quarterback and high expectations. Tomlin did not sound eager to rush into anything, but he made it clear he still sees coaching as a real possibility, which only adds another layer to a future that already has Bills fans thinking about how long this current window can stay open. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Captain Picks Say A Lot About Buffalos 2026 Leadership Plan
The Bills have settled on their leadership core for the 2026 season, and the group says plenty about how the locker room is being shaped around both continuity and change. Josh Allen and Terrel Bernard are back in their familiar roles as captains, while Dawson Knox, Bradley Chubb, Reid Ferguson and Sam Franklin Jr. round out a group that mixes established voices with a few new faces.
For Knox, it is his first time wearing the captain label, a notable step for a player who has long been part of the team's identity on offense. Allen, meanwhile, keeps extending one of the more durable captaincy runs on the roster, reaching his eighth, and the mix of returning leaders and first-time additions suggests the Bills are leaning on experience while widening the circle of responsibility heading into the new season. [Read more 🡒]