The Bills are staring down a 2026 schedule that could get ugly fast, and the problem goes beyond the usual weekly grind. Buffalo’s offense still runs through Josh Allen, the player who makes defenses feel the pressure before the first snap. But even with Allen carrying so much of the load, the Bills are about to run into a brutal stretch of elite defensive talent.
That’s the real warning sign here: seven of the 10 players on Sayre Bedinger’s NFL Spin Zone list of top Defensive Player of the Year candidates are on Buffalo’s schedule this season. That means the Bills won’t just be facing good defenses. They’ll be dealing with some of the league’s most disruptive stars, the kind who can wreck a game in a hurry.
Here are the names Buffalo has to worry about:
EDGE Maxx Crosby - Las Vegas Raiders (Week 6)
CB Derek Stingley - Houston Texans (Week 1)
CB Pat Surtain II - Denver Broncos (Week 16 - Christmas Day)
EDGE Nik Bonitto - Denver Broncos (Week 16 - Christmas Day)
EDGE Will Anderson Jr. - Houston Texans (Week 1)
EDGE Aidan Hutchinson - Detroit Lions (Week 2)
EDGE Myles Garrett - Los Angeles Rams (Week 5)
The cornerback matchups jump off the page first. Derek Stingley and Pat Surtain II are widely viewed as the two best corners in the game, and there’s a clear drop after them. Those are the kind of defenders who erase options on the outside, and Buffalo’s own Christian Benford is a quality CB1, but he’s not in that same class.
Then there’s the pass-rush gauntlet waiting for Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown. That group alone can change the shape of a game.
Week 1 sends Buffalo to Houston for Will Anderson Jr., who was a major headache for the Bills last season and kept Josh Allen under constant pressure. The opener doesn’t offer much breathing room.
Week 2 gets even more interesting, with Buffalo opening its new Highmark Stadium on Thursday Night Football against the Detroit Lions. Aidan Hutchinson is entering his prime, and he’ll be looking to make a statement in the first regular-season game at the new building.
Week 5 brings Myles Garrett, now with the Los Angeles Rams after a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Buffalo wasn’t originally set to see him this season, but now the Bills get him in primetime against a Rams team that has added even more firepower.
Week 6 features Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders. Crosby remains one of the franchise’s two biggest stars, and after the failed trade to the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, he’ll have every reason to come out swinging.
And then there’s Christmas Day in Week 16, when the Bills face the Denver Broncos and get both Pat Surtain II and Nik Bonitto. Surtain is as tough a cover as there is, while Bonitto has emerged as one of the better edge rushers in the league and can absolutely wreck a game if Buffalo lets him get loose.
For all the talent Buffalo brings on offense, this schedule is loaded with defenders who can make life miserable. If those players are affecting the game early, the Bills could be in for a lot of long afternoons and even longer nights.
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Bills Fans Should Keep A Close Eye On Mecole Hardman Jr
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For Buffalo, the interest now is less about what Hardman did in a brief cameo and more about where he fits next. The wide receiver room still has room for someone to grab a job at the back end of the roster, and Hardmans path figures to be tied to whether he can stick as a receiver, a returner, or both when the Bills sort out the 53-man picture later this summer. [Read more 🡒]