The Buffalo Bills really nailed their selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now comes the near-impossible feat of trying to predict what the 53-man roster will look like. Here's our way-too-early prediction of what the team may look like entering the 2026 NFL season.
The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books
, and the Buffalo Bills had themselves a very successful time, all things considered.
This draft felt like a slam dunk by general manager Brandon Beane with more than a handful of late-round steals during one of the most important drafts.
These projections aren't in order of the depth chart, merely the players that we think will be on the 53-man roster or not. So don't freak out when you see Skyler Bell
as the team's No. 6 option. We don't think that's going to happen when the regular season begins.
Note:Drafted rookies will have a ** next to their name, and undrafted players will have ***.
IN:Josh Allen, Kyle Allen
OUT:Shane Buechele
The skinny:No real surprises here. The Buffalo Bills will elect to keep two quarterbacks on the roster; two Allens are the team's quarterbacks. Shane Buechele is an excellent candidate for the practice squad, and we're excited to see him light it up once again once the preseason rolls around. Shocking, Josh Allen made the team. Who would've thunk it?
IN:James Cook, Ty Johnson, Ray Davis, Jackson Acker***
OUT:Frank Gore Jr., Desmond Reid***
The skinny:The real surprise here is undrafted free agent Jackson Acker
making the team as the fullback. Buffalo lost their fullback in Reggie Gilliam in free agency, so there is a hole to fill there for the team, and Acker comes in and makes waves to make the roster.
It's a longshot, but that's why these exercises are so much fun. You never know what'll happen. The team needs a fullback, and Acker can come in and do exactly that. Outside of that, no real surprises with this list.
IN:DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Skyler Bell**, Ja'Mori Maclin***
OUT:Stephen Gosnell, Jalen Virgil, Mecole Hardman, Max Tomczak***, Gabriel Benyard***
IR:Tyrell Shavers
The skinny:The real surprise here is just wishful thinking. Ja'Mori Maclin was brought in as an undrafted free agent, and we are projecting him to make the team in our way-too-early 53-man roster predictions. With Tyrell Shavers starting the season on injured reserve, Buffalo makes a tough call between Mecole Hardman and Maclin, but ultimately the job goes to Maclin. It's one of the best receiving cores quarterback Josh Allen will have during his tenure as a Buffalo Bill. An exciting time to be a member of the Bills Mafia.
IN:Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes
OUT:Keleki Latu
The skinny:Again, another position with no real surprises. With other team needs being more apparent, the Buffalo Bills elect to keep just three tight ends on the roster. Keleki Latu is an excellent option for the team's practice squad and showed some real flashes when he was asked to come in for relief. The big three all remain the same.
IN:Dion Dawkins, Spencer Brown, Connor McGovern, O'Cyrus Torrence, Alec Anderson, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Ryan Van Demark, Chase Lundt, Jude Bowry**
OUT:Travis Clayton, Nick Broeker, Bruno Fina***, Da'Metrius Weatherspoon***, Ar'maj Reed-Adams**, Tylan Grable,
The skinny: While fans may have been scratching their heads with the team's decision to draft Jude Bowry, he silences the critics and makes his way onto the 53-man roster. He beats out players like Tylan Grable to take over the final spot on the offensive line. While he will purely be depth and more of a developmental player, he could make some waves if anyone gets injured and is forced into action. Outside of that, no real surprises here.
IN:Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, Javon Solomon, Landon Jackson, T.J. Parker**
OUT:Andre Jones, Jr., Cade Denhoff***, Kody Huisman***
IR: Michael Hoecht
The skinny: With Michael Hoecht starting the season on injured reserve
, Landon Jackson makes the cut, along with the first selection in the draft, T.J. Parker. Once Hoecht gets back and healthy, expect Jackson to be a practice squad candidate. Unfortunately, neither of the undrafted free agents made the team in our prediction.
IN: Ed Oliver, Deone Walker, TJ Sanders, DeWayne Carter, Phidarian Mathis, Zane Durant**
OUT:Tommy Akingbesote, Zion Logue
The skinny: Zion Logue showed flashes when he was asked to come in for relief when injuries plagued this room specifically. A healthy Ed Oliver
and a healthy Deone Walker make this entire unit that much more dangerous. Zane Durant, despite being a late-round selection, cracks the 53 in our prediction.
Still, expect Buffalo to make a move for another defensive tackle as Durant and Walker play different roles, and Walker desperately needs some help behind him. Things change rapidly in the NFL, and I think this room gets another body or two before the season begins. But with what's there, this is how we have it shaking out.
IN:Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Keonta Jenkins, Kaleb Elarms-Orr**
OUT:Jimmy Ciarlo, Theron Gaines***, Jayden Flaker***
The skinny: The fan-favorite Jimmy Ciarlo
didn't make the 53-man roster, and it pained me to do so. He came on HBO's Hard Knocks and immediately had the fan base falling in love. However, late-round pick Kaleb Elarms-Orr jumps onto the scene and makes an immediate impact, earning him a spot on the 53-man roster. Still, Ciarlo is an excellent candidate for the practice squad. This is another position that I expect the team will add some reinforcements, whether it's a reunion with Shaq Thompson or even bringing in New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke.
IN:Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston, Dee Alford, Davison Igbinosun**, Toriano Pride Jr.**
OUT:MJ Devonshire, Daryl Porter, Jr., Te'Cory Couch, Jordan Dunbar***
IR:Dorian Strong
The skinny:Brandon Beane said that this was one of the most important positions he was targeting in the 2026 NFL Draft. Not surprisingly, the team's second selection in Davison Igbinosun makes the team, but probably even more surprising is that the late round selection in Toriano Pride Jr also made the cut in our 53-man prediction.
This is yet another position we could see Buffalo bringing in some depth with a player like Tre'Davious White
, which would make things that much more interesting when the team is forced to cut down the roster to 53 players. Still, with what's there, this is what we got.
IN:Cole Bishop, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jordan Hancock, Sam Franklin, Jalon Kilgore**
OUT:Wande Owens, Geno Stone, Kani Walker***
The skinny: The new addition of Geno Stone gets beat out by late-round pick Jalon Kilgore. Kilgore will look to be one of the steals of the draft. While it's Cole Bishop and C.J. Gardner-Johnson
's positions as the starting safeties, expect Kilgore to come in and make an immediate impact and potentially be the long-term answer at the position.
INTyler Bass (K), Tommy Doman* (P), Reid Ferguson (LS)
OUT:Mitch Wishnowsky (P)
The skinny: Bye-bye Mitch Wishnowsky. The team drafted Tommy Doman late in the 2026 NFL Draft, and our way-too-early prediction has him beating out Wishnowsky for the starting punter position. Outside of that, no real surprises here to round out the list.
At the end of the day, this is what makes projecting a 53-man roster so fun, and impossible to truly nail down. Injuries will happen, surprise cuts will shake things up, and a few unexpected names will force their way into the conversation.
But if this version holds anywhere close to reality, the Bills aren't just deeper, they're more dangerous. There's a clear mix of proven talent, young upside, and just enough edge to make this roster feel different.
And if even a couple of those late-round "long shots" hit? That's when things go from interesting to something Bills Mafia won't be able to stop talking about.
