The Buffalo Bills saw their dominance in the AFC East come to an end last season as the New England Patriots were the division winners.
With Josh Allen now having a new head coach in Joe Brady, coupled with a new receiver in D.J. Moore, the offense appears to be in great shape. Defensively, Bradley Chubb was added for Jim Leonhard, but the group as a whole and how it can work with Leonhard's scheme is an unknown.
The expectations for the Bills in Brady's first year, if anything, have gone up, as Sean McDermott was fired for a reason.
And for Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, he has the Bills going 11-6 in 2026 and winning the division.
"The Bills are the most talented team in this division," Verderame wrote. "They have a cyborg at quarterback in former MVP Josh Allen. Expect them to contend for the AFC’s top seed while getting back to the AFC East penthouse."
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Are Bills primed for 2026 success?
Offensively, you can make the case they're better, simply with the Moore addition.
But the concerns weren't on offense; it was the defense.
How Leonhard's unit performs could determine how far the Bills go in 2026, and how quickly they acclimate to the new scheme will also impact Buffalo.
There's every reason to think the Bills can reclaim their mantle as the AFC East top dogs in 2026, but the defense has to come to the party, because Allen can't do it all himself... well, he can, but he shouldn't need to.
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