The AFC’s running back and tackle conversations this week put a few familiar names in the spotlight, with Bills back James Cook and Jets runner Breece Hall both drawing strong league-wide praise.
Cook landed on Jeremy Fowler’s list of top running backs, and one AFC executive made the case for why he’s climbed into that tier: “He has a three-down skill set, pass-game value, inside run ability and a speed threat on the outside,” the executive said. “[He] has become a complete player.”
Hall also earned a spot among Fowler’s top backs, and the description from one high-ranking executive was just as glowing: “True three-down back, creates as a runner and can play in the passing game with good hands. He’s a big back [at 220-plus pounds] with the ability to create on his own with good body control and is strong through contact.”
At tight end, Bills pass catcher Dalton Kincaid drew a positive evaluation from an NFC executive, who pointed to the talent and the unfinished nature of his game: “A very gifted athlete. He hasn’t put it all together yet, but that’s partly due to injury - he absolutely can. I expect him to.”
Buffalo left tackle Dion Dawkins, meanwhile, only received an honorable mention in Fowler’s ranking of offensive tackles. One anonymous executive described him this way: “A solid starter, plays with an edge, can be good in both phases but shows inconsistent effort.”
There was also movement brewing in Buffalo beyond the rankings talk. According to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, the Bills and guard O’Cyrus Torrence have mutual interest in getting an extension done.
In Miami, Quinn Ewers appears to be settling into the quarterback room after the Dolphins added Malik Willis in free agency. Ewers said the move has made things easier around the position group.
“Having Malik added has been great for everybody,” Ewers said via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “He’s a great dude to be around, super fun to have in the room. Right now, I’m not too worried about all that, but just trying to stay ready and continue to improve my game, continue improving in my role, and continue to hone in on all the details.”
The Dolphins have far more invested in Willis, who got $45 million guaranteed, than they do in Ewers, a seventh-round pick. Even so, Ewers said he’s in a better place now after spending a full season learning the offense, and he believes that experience has sharpened his game.
“I’m not swimming anymore so that’s nice,” Ewers said. “We’re finally able to tread water a little bit.
I get a full NFL offseason to hone in on some of the smaller details. I don’t have to worry so much about learning each and every play because I feel comfortable enough now that I know I can focus on other things, like keys and tells from the defense.
I feel like my game is really starting to improve.”
Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik echoed that progress, saying, “I really think you’ve seen Quinn take the next step of, ‘All right, I’m owning what this is right now,” Dolphins OC Bobby Slowik added. “Let me take advantage of kind of the little bit I already know and let me go out and just play what I see and play convicted and let it rip.’”
In Other News...
Bills Just Took Another Swing At Solving Their Receiver Problem
The Bills added another name to the receiver mix by claiming Quentin Skinner off waivers after the Jets let him go, a low-risk move that fits the kind of springtime roster churn Buffalo has been leaning into while trying to find more answers at the position. Skinner brings an intriguing frame at 6-foot-5 and a college rsum that suggests there may be more there than his early NFL footprint has shown.
He barely got on the field in New York, appearing in one game this season, but Buffalo will get a longer look during offseason activities and see whether his traits can translate into something more useful. At Kansas, Skinner put together a productive career and flashed big-play ability, including a standout 2024 season that led the Big 12 in yards per catch, which is the sort of marker that can keep a receiver on a teams radar even after a quiet start in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Should Keep A Close Eye On Mecole Hardman Jr
Mecole Hardman Jr. gave the Bills a late-season reminder of why his speed still matters after joining the practice squad in November 2025 and working his way onto the active roster before the year was over. He was around for Buffalos final stretch, then stayed in the picture by signing a one-year reserve/futures contract in January 2026, which keeps him in the mix as the team moves through the offseason.
For Buffalo, the interest is obvious because the receiver room is still sorting itself out toward the back end, and Hardmans path to a spot is tied to how the roster settles over the next few months. He is healthy entering the 2026 offseason and already has the kind of recent game experience that can make a player hard to ignore when the Bills start making decisions on the 53-man roster. [Read more 🡒]
Deone Walker Could Change Everything For The Bills Defense In 2026
The Bills have reasons to believe their defense can take a step forward in 2026, starting with a new coordinator in Jim Leonhard and the expected return of Ed Oliver in the middle. One of the biggest wild cards is Deone Walker, the fourth-round pick from 2025 who was thrown right into the fire as a rookie and ended up starting 16 games, giving Buffalo a young interior piece with a chance to grow fast.
Walkers next jump could matter just as much as Olivers return. He has spent the offseason focused on conditioning so he can stay on the field longer and be more effective as a pass rusher, and the Bills are counting on that development to help turn a promising line into a disruptive one. If he makes the kind of leap Buffalo is hoping for, the front could look a lot different by the time 2026 rolls around. [Read more 🡒]