The best backup scenarios the Buffalo Bills face with the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft just days away
The Buffalo Bills and general manager Brandon Beane have one of the most important drafts to date. There are plenty of team needs, but we wanted to dive in and take a look at the best backup scenarios for the Bills heading into one of the most important weekends to date.
The Buffalo Bills are just days away from the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, with plenty of work to do ahead of the big day. General manager Brandon Beane and the front office have their work cut out for them.
With plenty of team needs, several holes on the roster, and intrigue surrounding what Buffalo might do throughout the entire draft, we wanted to stop and focus on some backup scenarios for round one. Not exact players, but some backup plans that Buffalo could be looking to utilize once the madness begins.
From not trading down, saying goodbye to a familiar face, and fixing one of the biggest question marks on the roster, here are the best backup scenarios for round one.
Best player available instead of trading down
Instead of trading down and out of the first round, one of the best backup scenarios for Buffalo is staying put and taking the best player available. For some reason, it feels like a forgone conclusion that Buffalo is going to trade out of the first round.
General manager Brandon Beane has said that the team doesn’t have a ton of first-round grades, and with Buffalo picking at No. 26, the reasonable thing would be to trade down.
However, this article is about backup scenarios for Buffalo entering draft night. I think a good backup plan for Beane and company is to stay put and take the best player available, regardless of position.
The team needs help at defensive tackle, linebacker, cornerback depth, safety depth, interior offensive line depth, and wide receiver. Surely, there will be a name or two that’s enticing at No. 26 with Buffalo on the clock.
Trading WR Keon Coleman for a second-round pick
Again, this is all hypothetical, but one backup scenario for Buffalo to get back in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft would be to package a deal with wide receiver Keon Coleman to do exactly that.
Coleman hasn’t had a fantastic tenure in his time with the Bills, not quite living up to the second-round hype that brought him to Buffalo in the first place.
Head coach Joe Brady has been adamant that Coleman is part of the team’s long-term plans, but that could be coach-speak ahead of the big day. If the right deal is on the table and Buffalo simply can’t say no, I think all of Brady’s comments fall by the wayside.
Taking a linebacker instead of a wide receiver in round one
Beane has long said that trading for wide receiver DJ Moore wouldn’t stop Buffalo from drafting a wide receiver high in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. While that would be exciting, getting quarterback Josh Allen another weapon, there’s a backup scenario at play.
No, it’s not trading down out of the first round or taking the best player available. Instead, it’s to draft a middle linebacker of the future with the first-round selection.
Buffalo doesn’t have a middle linebacker on the roster that could easily win the job under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, so the team could use the draft to fill that void. That, and then wait until after the draft to bring back Matt Milano on a one-year deal, but that’s a different story.
Instead of taking the position that fans are clamoring for, we could see Buffalo taking a linebacker to fill a major team need with one of the better linebacking classes to date.
No matter which direction Beane ultimately takes, the reality is simple: Buffalo can’t afford to miss. Whether it’s sticking at No. 26, making a bold trade, or zigging while everyone expects a zag, the Bills need impact players now.
That’s what makes these backup scenarios so important. Draft night rarely goes according to plan, and the teams that adjust on the fly are the ones that come out ahead. IF Buffalo is prepared for every twist and turn, it won’t matter how the board falls.
And if that happens, this draft won’t just fill holes on the roster; it could be the moves that finally push the Bills over the top.
