The Buffalo Bills finally made a move to address their needs on the edge after the new league year officially flipped to 2026 by signing ex-Miami Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb to a three-year, $43.5 million contract in free agency.
The Bills still have plenty of other needs to address, especially on the defense. However, general manager Brandon Beane has now brought in two talented and proven veterans to take care of the roster’s most critical needs at wide receiver and the defensive edge.
Of course, free agency can often shift the best-laid plans in the NFL Draft. Where the Bills had been consistently mocked to select a pass rusher or pass-catcher in the first round, with Chubb joining the defense and D.J. Moore sitting atop the receiver depth chart, how much, if at all, should Beane’s draft strategy change when it comes to his No. 26 overall first-round pick?
Bills' new playmakers raise questions about their first-round choice with No. 26 pick
The Bills are now in an interesting position with Chubb and Moore on the roster. Both are much better options than Buffalo had at their respective spots in 2025, but neither gives full confidence that the issues at both positions are completely resolved.
Moore is coming off one of his worst statistical seasons, though he did flash in the postseason for Chicago. Chubb, on the other hand, has battled several injuries throughout his career, including three separate instances where he tore his ACL since high school. He played all 17 games for Miami last year, leading the team with 8.5 sacks, but that medical history still lingers.
Beyond that, Moore turns 29 next month, and Chubb turns 30 this summer. They aren’t the oldest players the Bills could have pursued for both spots, but that’s a factor worth considering when it comes to that first-round draft pick.
Beane could take his two new playmakers on each side of the ball and decide that trading back is the right decision as the draft unfolds. After all, the receiver and edge classes are considered two of the deeper positions in a draft class that is otherwise recognized as uninspiring. Why not build up some more draft capital and fill up the roster with mid-round talents who can develop in the Bills' new era under Joe Brady?
Well, the enticement of the players available in that spot could sway him into staying at 26. After all, this is a championship-contending team that needs to make additions that help in that aspect first. If Texas A&M edge Cashius Howell slips to 26, he’d be a great situational pass rusher to work in rotation with Chubb and Greg Rousseau. And at receiver, Washington’s Denzel Boston could be available in that spot, giving Buffalo another talent to add to the group.
The Bills still have time to make other moves that will no doubt impact their draft strategy over the next few weeks. But the way things stand right now, it seems the Bills’ best interest will be staying put and drafting someone they feel can develop into that cornerstone player for years to come.
Credit where it’s due, Beane has managed to make some sound moves despite not having much financial flexibility. But it’s not lost on Bills Mafia that there is more work to be done, and future-proofing the roster early in the draft is still in play with the veteran additions he’s made so far.