Bills draft still leaves huge defensive question mark as challenge to fix it before 2026 season becomes increasingly clear
The Buffalo Bills got better, on paper, after a wild 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Brandon Beane had a killer day three, but that doesn’t mean that questions don’t remain. Here are our 4 biggest questions immediately following the 2026 NFL Draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft is over, but that doesn’t mean the questions are done.
Buffalo is looking to get over the hump and claim its first-ever Super Bowl, but do they have a roster that’s capable of doing that? Only time will tell, as general manager Brandon Beane had perhaps his most important draft to date.
With the madness over with, we wanted to pose four questions that are on the top of our minds after a wild and fantastical draft weekend. Without further ado, here are out biggest post-draft questions for the Buffalo Bills.
Can Keon Coleman get his stuff together and be impactful in 2026?
The Buffalo Bills, while there were rumblings, wound up not trading wide receiver Keon Coleman at any point during the 2026 NFL Draft. New head coach Joe Brady has been vocal about Coleman being part of the team’s long-term plans, and that was solidified by the team’s decision not to part ways with him during draft weekend.
The Buffalo Bills bolstered their wide receiving core with the addition of Skyler Bell in the fourth round. Bell has a chance to come in and immediately make an impact, potentially pushing Coleman out of some meaningful playing time. Can Coleman turn it around?
He’s been his own worst enemy, facing disciplinary actions on several occasions, that’s forced him to miss time. And when he is active, he’s left much to be desired outside of an exciting Week 1 performance against the Baltimore Ravens. That, and a pretty awesome touchdown in the divisional round loss to the Denver Broncos.
Now that the draft is over, it just has us wondering what Coleman’s role in the offense might look like, and whether or not Buffalo is done adding firepower to the wide receiving room. He’s on a short leash, and only time will tell if he’s able to overcome being his own worst enemy to be successful with the organization. Brady and general manager Brandon Beane haven’t given up on him quite yet.
While speaking on WGR550, Beane admitted that a team at the combine inquired about Coleman’s availability via trade, and a few more teams reached out in March. Though he admitted that there were no calls during the draft to trade for Coleman.
Will the Buffalo Bills add more linebacker help in free agency?
The Buffalo Bills needed to address the linebacking position in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they did so by drafting Kaleb Elarms-Orr from TCU in the fourth round. Still, it feels like Buffalo needs to make another move at linebacker.
Whether it’s a reunion or free agency, the middle of the defense needs some help. The team won’t want to rely on the hope that Elarms-Orr can come in and make an immediate impact, but rather on the belief that they’ll grow into the position.
Personally, I think Buffalo should look to free agency and see what they can do to try to bring in Bobby Okereke. He was a defensive captain for the Giants, and inside linebacker coach John Egorugwu is now with the Bills, so the connection is there.
This isn’t a knock by any means on Elarms-Orr; he’s just not a sure thing, and the Bills need some valuable depth at the position. Expect Buffalo to make some kind of move for a linebacker before the season begins in 2026.
Could we see some reunions in Buffalo after the 2026 NFL Draft?
Speaking of linebacker help, the Buffalo Bills could look for some reunions after the draft has ended. Two names that immediately come to mind that could come in on a cheap deal and help Buffalo desperately are Shaq Thompson and Matt Milano. Two players who showed flashes in 2025 despite their ages. Thompson specifically really impressed, sometimes even coming in and playing instead of linebacker Terrel Bernard. For Milano, I just really loved the selection from Buffalo years ago, and it’s just wishful thinking.
Beane said that coming into the draft, the most important position of need was cornerback. Which isn’t surprising, seeing how the season ended in 2025. Dane Jackson had to come in for relief and was immediately burned for a touchdown. While the team has several stellar cornerbacks on the roster in Maxwell Hariston and Christian Benford, they are also one injury away from being in a difficult spot.
Beane mentioned that the door wasn’t closed for another reunion, this time with veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White, who played exceptionally well in 2025. The Bills have a few holes on the roster to address, and could look to make some reunions happen to help bolster Jim Leonhard’s new defense. Only time will tell, but we’re hoping.
The team drafted Davison Igbinosun with their second selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, but you can never have too many cornerbacks on the roster.
Did the Buffalo Bills do enough to get over the hump while giving Josh Allen the weapons he needs?
The Buffalo Bills and general manager Brandon Beane had a stellar final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, highlighted by the selection of UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell in the fourth round. Bills Mafia was pounding the table for the team to add another weapon for quarterback Josh Allen, and they did exactly that with the selection of Bell.
Now, the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiving core is looking much better. The team traded for their No. 1 guy in DJ Moore, drafted a young gun in Bell, and still has players like Khalil Shakir on the roster. Outside of the receivers, Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox are viable options, and the team has one of the best running backs in football in James Cook, though it would be nice if they could get him more involved in the passing game in 2026.
The real question is whether or not the team did enough to give Allen as many weapons as possible so he doesn’t have to go Superman, all the time. That, and if the defense was given enough weapons so that they can get off the field and allow Allen and the offense to cook, while not giving up 30 points in a playoff game consistently.
