Defense? Again? For the Buffalo Bills, it's about the bigger picture in 2026...
Loud and clear, this organization is again telling you what they believe was the problem the last decade. (Now, the pressure heightens.)
We’ve been reporting on the Bills transition since the 2026 season ended. Links below if you missed anything.
Joe Brady two-parter:
The hiring:
‘He wants to win the whole damn thing:’ Inside the Buffalo Bills’ decision to hire Joe Brady as HC
The firing:
Draft grades are here! Hoard supplies. Take shelter. Hug your loved ones. Barring an Amish-extreme media blackout, nobody is safe… and, oh no. What’s that lurking on Instagram? 2027 mocks have arrived to eat your brain cells.
Of course, it’s impossible to accurately assess how any of the 257 players selected over the course of 72 hours will perform with their new NFL teams.
Here’s what everyone should do, however.
Pull up the draft history of your favorite team on Pro Football Reference, look back five years and judge accordingly.
The assumption for the Buffalo Bills heading into the 2026 draft was that they’d prioritize defensive pieces for new coordinator Jim Leonhard — especially after shipping a second-round pick for veteran wide receiver DJ Moore. There’s a strong argument for acting exactly as Howie Roseman does in Philadelphia by trading up. To hell with future picks in the name of chasing a premier talent in the top 20. Instead, Brandon Beane traded down three times, back into the second to select Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker and Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun. Many constituents are not pleased.
Rather than draw blanket conclusions on these two prospects, let’s look back.
The Bills have been hammering defense for ages. Last season, they went D-D-D-D-D with their first five picks. Before that, they’ve been investing heavily into the defensive line.
Watching the voracious discourse melt down X brought back memories of our chat with Bills GM Brandon Beane exactly one year ago. When I brought up Philadelphia’s beatdown of Patrick Mahomes — the Chiefs QB didn’t cross midfield until his team was down 34-0 — Beane was very quick to point out that building a dangerous pass rush has always been a focus of his. He’s been investing both draft capital and free agency dollars in defensive line since Year 1. Elite quarterbacks can, in fact, bleed. To him, the carnage inside the Superdome was not revelatory. Nor was Tampa Bay chasing Mahomes around for 497 yards worth of scrambling before sacks and throws a few Super Bowls prior. He cited the Carolina Panthers teams past he witnessed up close and said he knew what needed to be done.
When asked what gives him confidence Sean McDermott and the Bills staff could use the new pieces on defense to get different results, he was matter of fact.
“Yeah, I mean that’s what we have to do,” the GM said. “Everyone’s on board and that’s how we’re attacking it.”
There were highs, lows, injuries and the same January bellyflop.
The Bills fired Sean McDermott.
Beane stayed.
Joe Brady was promoted to head coach.
This organization is basically plastering its belief in gigantic letters across new Highmark Stadium.