Bills act fast at premium positions entering 2026, but there’s still plenty of work to be done
While they aren’t any big splash names, they are important pieces moving forward.
The Buffalo Bills are wasting no time getting their roster in order heading into 2026. While it’s still the infancy stages of the offseason, new head coach Joe Brady and the coaching staff are locking up some important pieces heading into the new year.
From navigating the difficult salary cap position they find themselves in, to making sure quarterback Josh Allen has reliable weapons, to fortifying the defense, it’s going to be a tall task for Brady and company. However, Buffalo has already started the process of building the team for 2026.
While they may not be the flashiest of names, they still hold value and play a crucial part in the team’s success. According to the transaction wire, Buffalo is bringing back quarterback Shane Buechele and wide receiver Jalen Virgil to one-year contracts.
Buffalo makes series of roster moves with 2026 in mind
Buechele shone during the preseason, playing in every snap in the finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and earning a spot on the roster. He was part of the reason why wide receiver Tyrell Shavers made his way to the 53-man roster with one of the most beautiful touchdowns I’ve ever seen in the preseason. Buechele didn’t see any action in 2025, but is a viable option if either Allen or Mitch Tribusky were to go down with an injury.
Buechele finished his preseason with Buffalo, going 36 for 46 with 380 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He wound up joining the Kansas City Chiefs after both quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew, went down with injury, going 7 for 14 with 88 yards.
As for Virgil, he’s not going to make any waves, but the entire room is going to need an overhaul, and he could use that to his advantage to potentially squeak in as a No. 6 or No. 7 wide receiver on the depth chart, if Buffalo elects to keep that many pass catchers on the roster. He didn’t register a single reception in the preseason for Buffalo, and over the course of his career, he has 11 receptions for 243 yards while playing in the preseason for the Denver Broncos from 2022-2024.
In 2022, with the Broncos, he registered two catches for 75 yards and a touchdown on four targets.
These aren’t headline-grabbing moves, and they’re not supposed to be. They’re depth plays. Insurance policies. Familiar faces who understand the building and the expectations that come with it. But, they both play at a premium position for Buffalo.
Let’s be clear, bringing back Shane Buechele and Jalen Virgil isn’t what’s going to define Buffalo’s 2026 season. The Bills still need answers at wide receiver. They still need cap clarity. They still need impact talent that can help quarterback Josh Allen get over the hump in January.
These early signings simply keep the floor intact while the front office figures out how to raise the ceiling. Joe Brady and general manager Brandon Beane have started the checklist. The easy boxes are getting marked off. Now, the hard part begins.
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