The Bills left Cleveland with a 31-7 preseason win over the Browns, and even with a heavy dose of backups on the field, there was still plenty to sort through. For Joe Brady’s staff, that’s the whole point of this stage of the summer: find answers, separate the fringe guys, and keep the roster picture moving.
The clearest answer came at quarterback. Before the game, the Bills’ backup job behind Josh Allen still felt up for grabs, even if Kyle Allen had been the favorite on paper.
With Josh Allen not playing against the Browns, Kyle Allen took the chance and made the most of it. He finished 10-for-12 for 128 yards and a touchdown, while Shane Buechele turned in a solid showing of his own at 5 of 10 for 111 yards and a touchdown.
But Kyle Allen was the better quarterback on the day, and that matters in a competition like this.
Brady also had to manage a strange start. The game was delayed by rain in Cleveland, but the Bills didn’t come out flat once things finally got going. The final score did the talking, and with Brady in his first year as a head coach, keeping the group locked in through that kind of delay is part of the job.
Not every spot on the roster looks settled yet, either. Left guard appears to remain a live battle between Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett. Anderson got the start against Cleveland, but Brady already said both players will get a chance in Buffalo’s preseason finale on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s also a final receiver job worth watching. Ja'Mori Maclin and Trent Sherfield both helped themselves against the Browns.
Maclin caught 2 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, while Sherfield added 4 catches for 54 yards. With one preseason game left, both could still be making a push.
In Other News...
Bills Veteran Edge Addition Suddenly Looks Far Less Safe
With the preseason winding down, the Bills are getting close to the kind of roster calls that can reshape the edges of the defense in a hurry. Outside linebacker is one of the spots under the microscope, especially in a new 3-4 look that puts a premium on getting after the quarterback and forces every pass rusher to justify his place.
Mike Danna, brought in as a veteran addition, now finds himself in a less secure position than he probably expected when he arrived. With depth building at his spot and his performance drawing scrutiny, the Bills are weighing whether he fits into the final picture or becomes part of a last-minute move elsewhere as the roster gets trimmed. [Read more 🡒]
Bradley Chubb Is Giving Bills Fans Hope And One Familiar Concern
Brandon Beane has spent years chasing proven help off the edge, and the Bills have seen how that gamble can go both ways. The front office has leaned on veteran pass rushers before, including Von Miller and Leonard Floyd, with mixed returns shaped as much by health as by production. Now Bradley Chubb is the latest name in that conversation, and early signs from training camp suggest Buffalo has reason to feel better about this one than some of the earlier swings.
Chubb arrived after a full 2025 season with Miami following his recovery from a torn ACL, and he has already brought the kind of presence Buffalo wanted when it signed him in the 2026 offseason. The hope is obvious: a steady, disruptive outside linebacker who can strengthen a pass rush that needs it. The familiar concern is less about talent than availability, which is why the Bills may have to manage his workload carefully and use him in rotation to keep the bigger picture intact. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Finale Could Shape A Steelers Quarterback Decision
The Steelers are still weighing how to handle their quarterback room as the roster deadline approaches, and the final preseason game against the Bills could end up carrying more significance than a typical August finale. Head coach Mike McCarthy has said he would like to keep four quarterbacks on the active roster, a group that includes Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, but there is no guarantee that plan survives the last round of cuts.
Howard's preseason has not gone smoothly, and Mike DeFabo noted that Pittsburgh may have to consider stashing him on the practice squad instead of carrying him on the 53-man roster. The Steelers are expected to get one more look at Howard and Drew Allar against Buffalo, which gives the team one last chance to sort out a decision that could shape the depth chart well beyond the preseason. [Read more 🡒]