The Buffalo Bills’ first 53-man roster of the 2026 season came with a few expected moves, but Brandon Beane still left a handful of spots that will get people talking. As the Bills trimmed down with the rest of the league on Sunday, the biggest questions weren’t about the obvious names. They were about where the roster looks thin, where it’s stacked, and where the Bills are leaning into something a little different.
The most noticeable concern is at cornerback. The starting group looks workable, with Christian Benford, Dee Alford and Jordan Hancock on the right side, while Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun handle the left.
The issue is what happens after that. In a league built around the pass, that’s not much margin for error.
The Bills have talked plenty about needing cornerback depth to finally get over the hump in the playoffs, and this setup doesn’t exactly scream insurance.
There is some flexibility in the slot and nickel group, where Alford and Hancock can help, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson is listed in that hybrid corner-safety role. But if injuries hit, this could quickly become a problem area for a defense that wants to be taken seriously late in the season.
The receiver room also turned heads, mostly because Buffalo kept only five. That’s a lean number for a team that had plenty of bodies to sort through in camp and the preseason. Still, the five they chose bring different skill sets.
D.J. Moore is projected as the No. 1 outside receiver, and he and Josh Allen showed immediate chemistry during camp and in the first preseason game.
Khalil Shakir is back in his usual slot role and also fills the No. 2 outside spot in bigger receiver looks. Keon Coleman is back as the No. 3 and starting boundary receiver, a spot that may suit him best as he heads into a critical third NFL season.
Joshua Palmer gives the Bills a veteran rotation piece, while rookie Skyler Bell rounds out the group after a strong preseason showing.
Even with that talent, Buffalo could still use a sixth receiver, especially someone who can handle kick and punt return duties.
The boldest move might be the decision to carry four tight ends and skip a traditional fullback. That choice keeps the Bills big, and it keeps their personnel options wide open. Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes already form one of the better tight end trios in the league, and now Keleki Latu has made the 53-man roster after beginning last season on the practice squad.
Kincaid is chasing his first 1,000-yard season in his fourth year after posting 73 catches in 2023 as a rookie. Knox remains a steady presence and actually led the team in receiving yards last season while also doing major work as a blocker. Hawes brings the throwback edge as a hard-blocking tight end with enough receiving ability to matter, and Latu’s path is a nice story in its own right: from practice squad afterthought to a roster spot as the fourth tight end.
Without a fullback on the roster, Hawes may have to shoulder some of that role when he’s not functioning as the third tight end. In exchange, Joe Brady and Pete Carmichael Jr. get more freedom to lean into 12, 13, and even the rare 14 personnel packages. For an offense that wants to keep defenses guessing, that’s a pretty useful tradeoff.
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Buffalos early practice squad picture also includes cornerback Kani Walker, linebacker Keonta Jenkins and receiver Ja'Mori Maclin, part of a group that opens the year with four veteran additions. It is the kind of roster-building move that rarely grabs attention on its own, but these spots often become important as the season wears on and the Bills need depth ready to step in. [Read more 🡒]