The Buffalo Bills spent the last two seasons leaning hard on an offense that could move the chains on the ground, but often looked short on answers when the game asked Josh Allen to win through the air. That imbalance drew plenty of attention, and for good reason: when you have a superstar quarterback, the lack of a true No. 2 receiver stands out fast.
Joe Brady was in the middle of all that as offensive coordinator, trying to piece things together with what he had. He took heat for some of the playcalling, but the bigger issue was the limited investment around the receiver room. That picture has changed some now that he’s the head coach, with more say over the overall direction of the offense and more help on the way.
DJ Moore is in the building, Skyler Bell was drafted in April, and the rest of the receiving group now has another year in Brady’s system. That’s part of why ESPN’s Ben Solak came away from Bills camp with the sense that Buffalo could look different in 2026.
Solak, along with Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, put together training camp intel from the teams they visited, and Solak was at St. John Fisher University. Even with Buffalo ranking near the top of the league in run rate over the last two seasons, he thinks the Bills may tilt more toward the pass under Brady.
" The Bills were third in called run rate last season and eighth in the same stat the year before. When you win a lot of regular-season games, it makes sense. But I'd wager the Bills are a little more pass-heavy now that Brady is the head coach -- especially as they endeavor to protect a defense in transition by building bigger leads earlier." said Solak.
That doesn’t mean Buffalo is about to walk away from what has worked. The run game has been a strength, with James Cook powering it and leading the league in rushing touchdowns in 2024 and rushing yards in 2025. But the addition of Moore and Bell gives the Bills a reason to push the ball farther and make defenses defend more than one phase.
Solak also pointed to a possible wrinkle that could matter even more if Buffalo wants to diversify its offense: getting Cook more involved as a receiver.
" My sense was already that the Bills want to involve James Cook III more in the passing game this season, and if [Ty] Johnson is at all limited going forward, that drumbeat will only get louder." Solak said.
The Bills have been effective enough on the ground to keep winning, but the push now seems to be toward a more balanced attack. With more receiver help and a clearer offensive identity, Buffalo has a chance to look less predictable than it has at times over the last couple of years.
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