The Bills are off to a 4-1 start in Week 6, but the big-picture issue hasn’t gone anywhere: this defense still needs help.
Buffalo heads into this week’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders riding plenty of momentum. Joe Brady’s arrival as the new head coach has given the team a fresh jolt, and the offense has lived up to the billing. With Josh Allen steering one of the league’s most explosive attacks, the Bills have given themselves a chance every week and built plenty of early-season buzz.
The problem is what’s happening on the other side of the ball. Buffalo’s defense remains near the bottom of the league, and the unit has simply had too much trouble getting stops. That kind of issue can’t be ignored forever, and it could force the front office to attack the defense through a trade, free agency, or the draft.
That draft route showed up in a new 2027 mock from Bleacher Report, which has the Bills using the No. 29 pick on Notre Dame safety Brauntae Johnson.
Johnson would give Buffalo another body in the secondary and, potentially, a real difference-maker. He brings good size for the position and has shown the kind of playmaking ability teams covet on the back end.
His season has been slowed by injuries, limiting him to one game so far. Even so, last year gave scouts plenty to work with. In 10 games, Johnson finished with 48 total tackles, four interceptions, three pass deflections, and one defensive touchdown.
Teams have taken notice of his physical style and the way he moves in the secondary. At Notre Dame, he also showed leadership traits that NFL clubs are always looking for.
If the Bills end up in range for a late first-round pick, Johnson would make sense as a strong option. Notre Dame has turned out NFL-ready talent for years, and Buffalo could use a defensive addition who can step in and help right away.
In Other News...
Maxwell Hairston Faces A Defining Bills Moment In Week 6
Maxwell Hairstons rookie year has already taken a winding path for the Bills, beginning with a stint on injured reserve before he finally made his debut in Week 8. The 2025 first-round cornerback showed enough early promise to keep the conversation around his place in Buffalos future, but the margin for error at cornerback is never very large, especially for a player trying to carve out his role after missing valuable time.
The recent stretch has made the picture less comfortable. Hairston struggled in the loss to New England, where he was part of a defense that gave up two touchdown passes, and the Bills have since added more competition to the room with Davison Igbinosun in the mix. Buffalo has made it clear that the job will be earned, not assumed, and Hairston now finds himself in a spot where the next step matters as much as the first impression did. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Need To See Why James Cook Drew NFL Punishment
The league office has another Bills-related note for the ledger, and it comes with a price tag attached to James Cook. Buffalos running back was fined by the NFL for unnecessary roughness tied to helmet use in the Week 5 matchup with the Rams, a reminder that even a relatively routine postgame review can turn into a costly one for a player in the middle of the weekly grind. The NFL routinely sorts through game film after the fact, hands out discipline based on what it sees, and routes the money to the NFL Foundation.
For Cook, the punishment landed in the upper tier of that weeks league discipline, trailing only the fine issued to Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby. For the Bills, it is the kind of detail that doesnt change the scoreboard but still matters, especially when one of their most important offensive pieces gets singled out in a physical game that already carried its share of heat. [Read more 🡒]
Alec Anderson Has Become A Bills Surprise Fans Cant Ignore
Buffalos 4-1 start has been built in part on the kind of stability that can go unnoticed until it becomes impossible to ignore, and Alec Anderson has fit that mold along the offensive line. With Josh Allen leading a productive offense, Anderson has settled in as a key piece up front, giving the Bills another dependable blocker in a group that has helped the quarterback stay comfortable and the attack stay on schedule.
For a team that has leaned on trench depth to keep its offense humming, Andersons rise has been one of the quieter success stories of the early season. He arrived without much fanfare, but his work has stood out enough to turn him into a surprise performer the Bills can trust, and that matters even more when the schedule starts tightening and every protection call carries more weight. [Read more 🡒]