Bills Get Some Wind on Their Backs as New Season Approaches

The Buffalo Bills are just a few months away from the 2025-26 season starting, and the excitement is building quickly. The team has a strong roster going into the new season, headed up by MVP-winning quarterback Josh Allen, and most in the NFL think the Bills are one of the teams to beat. This could actually be the year the team goes all the way and brings home a championship.

But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, the team has to get out there and start winning games, and analysts in the NFL are pretty much in agreement that the Bills will do just that.

Now, ESPN has released its roster of the best projected starting lineups in the NFL for the 2025-26 season. It’s very interesting to see where the team sits on this tally, and it’s in a good place.

The Buffalo Bills Are Elite

The Buffalo Bills can’t seem to get over the Kansas City Chiefs hump, but this might be the year that they do it. In a feature published on Monday, July 21, ESPN reveals its best projected starting lineups in the NFL. For the piece, ESPN “asked NFL analysts Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder to rank every lineup in the league.” They add that they “combined their rankings to form the ultimate preseason roster ranking, considering factors such as talent, age and production.”

Buffalo was named No. 4 on the roster, which is darn good. They’re just behind the Lions, Eagles and Ravens.

Clay states that the Bills’ biggest strength is Allen, who “has finished no lower than sixth in QBR in each of the past five seasons (third or better in four of those seasons, including 2024).” Clay adds that Allen’s “counting stats were down last season, but he still finished top eight among QBs in both passing (28) and rushing (12) touchdowns for the fifth straight year. Mitchell Trubisky is the backup.”

The roster’s biggest weakness, ESPN believes, is at the safety position. “The Bills’ roster is in pretty good shape, so we have to pick on a safety group with some uncertainty,” they state.

Two Bills Players Need to Break Out

Ultimately, the X factor for the Bills, according to Walder of ESPN, is the combo of wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid. “The Bills need at least one of the two to take a big step forward,” he states. “If they do, GM Brandon Beane will look plenty justified not investing more in another pass catcher.”

He adds, “More importantly, that would give Allen another real playmaker to throw to besides Khalil Shakir. (I’m not much of a believer in former Chargers receiver Joshua Palmer.) If neither breaks out, then Buffalo has a pass-catching weakness.”

So, the Bills aren’t No. 1 on this tally, and that honor went to the Ravens. But, it’s great to see them at No. 4, and they could surely inch up enough to get the job done this season. Seeing these stats should only make those who love the Bills even more excited for the new season.