Bills 2026 Training Camp Preview: Roster Battles to Watch at Every Position

The Buffalo Bills open training camp on July 29 at St. John Fisher University with a full 90-man roster — and then some. Defensive lineman Travis Clayton qualifies for the NFL’s International Pathway exemption, which means he practices as an added 91st body without occupying a standard roster spot, according to Bills on SI.

By August 30, Buffalo has to trim that group to 53 players, then fill out a 16-man practice squad. It’s the first training camp of the Joe Brady era, and the new staff brings a defensive scheme shift that’s already reshuffling roles up front, per ESPN.

Here’s a position-by-position look at who’s locked in and where the real competition is happening.

Quarterback: A New QB2 Battle

Josh Allen isn’t going anywhere. Behind him, the picture changed. Mitch Trubisky left for the Tennessee Titans, so the Bills brought Kyle Allen back into the building. He’ll compete with Shane Buechele for the backup job, according to Bills on SI. Buffalo has typically carried only two quarterbacks on its 53-man roster, so whoever loses this one likely ends up as a practice squad arm — if he sticks around at all.

Running Back and Fullback

James Cook comes off a rushing title. He led the NFL in yards on the ground during the 2025 season and looks locked in as Buffalo’s workhorse, with Ty Johnson spelling him on passing downs. Ray Davis, who developed into an All-Pro kick returner, rounds out a backfield that appears set. Frank Gore Jr. is the name on the bubble — he’s been unable to crack the 53-man roster in each of the last two years, and unless he shows real special teams value, that trend could continue for a third straight summer.

At fullback, the Bills have an open competition for the first time in six years after Reggie Gilliam left in free agency. Undrafted rookie Jackson Acker, who built a track record at Wisconsin, appears to have the edge over former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Ben VanSumeren, according to Bills on SI.

Tight End and Wide Receiver

Dawson Knox, Dalton Kincaid and Jackson Hawes return as the same trio that made Buffalo’s 53-man roster a season ago, leaving little room for Keleki Latu or new addition Shane Zylstra to squeeze in — unless the team decides to carry four tight ends instead of a fullback.

At receiver, DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir sit atop the depth chart without much argument. The real fight is for the WR3 job, where Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer and fourth-round rookie Skyler Bell are all in the mix. Buffalo could keep as many as six receivers, and Tyrell Shavers — working back from a torn ACL — has a path onto the roster if he proves his special teams value.

Offensive Line

Connor McGovern and O’Cyrus Torrence return as starters at center and right guard. Alec Anderson, who can line up at all five spots, is in the mix to start at left guard against veteran free-agent addition Austin Corbett, a former Super Bowl LVI starter with the Los Angeles Rams, according to Bills on SI. Lloyd Cushenberry is a candidate for the backup center job, which would squeeze out 2024 draft pick Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.

At tackle, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown are entrenched starters. With Ryan Van Demark gone in free agency, Tylan Grable and fourth-round rookie Jude Bowry are competing to be the primary swing tackle.

Roster Battles Along the Bills’ Offensive Line and Backfield

Defense: A New Scheme Shakes Up the Front

Buffalo’s defense underwent the most significant offseason change on the roster, transitioning away from Sean McDermott’s scheme after nine seasons to new coordinator Steve Leonhard’s system, per ESPN. That shift is already moving personnel around — 2025 third-round pick Landon Jackson is kicking inside to interior defensive line, according to Bills on SI.

Ed Oliver, Deone Walker and TJ Sanders look like roster locks up front. DeWayne Carter, a 2024 third-rounder, is working back from a torn Achilles suffered in a Week 1 practice last year, and fifth-round rookie Zane Durant adds another name to a crowded interior line room.

At edge rusher, Bradley Chubb, Greg Rousseau, Michael Hoecht and second-round rookie TJ Parker are safe bets. Two-time Super Bowl champion Michael Danna adds rotational depth behind them, according to Bills on SI.

At linebacker, captain Terrel Bernard and 2023 third-rounder Dorian Williams return as the anchors, with fourth-round rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr expected to make the roster as well, per Bills on SI.

Secondary: Hamlin and Stone on the Bubble

Cole Bishop, a 2024 second-round pick, returns as the safety group’s centerpiece, with Super Bowl champion CJ Gardner-Johnson favored to start alongside him. That leaves Damar Hamlin and Geno Stone — both with starting experience — potentially competing for a single roster spot, according to Bills on SI.

At cornerback, Christian Benford, second-round rookie Davison Igbinosun, free-agent addition Dee Alford and 2025 first-rounder Maxwell Hairston look like locks, with Alford projected to play primarily in the slot, per Bills on SI. A fifth cornerback spot remains open.

Specialists

Tyler Bass is currently the only kicker on the roster after missing the entire 2025 season, according to Bills on SI. Should he struggle in camp, competition could follow. At punter, incumbent Mitch Wishnowsky — who averaged 41.8 net yards per punt last season, according to ESPN — faces a challenge from seventh-round rookie Tommy Doman. Longsnapper Reid Ferguson, the longest-tenured player on the roster, returns for his 10th season.

What’s Next

Buffalo’s roster is largely set at the top, with most of its 2025 starters back for Brady’s first season at the helm. The real decisions will come in the trenches — the interior offensive line, the defensive front and the back of the wide receiver room — where camp performance over the next month will determine who’s still standing when the Bills open the regular season against the Houston Texans.