The Buffalo Bills have put the 2025 season behind them and are moving forward into a new era led by Joe Brady.
With Sean McDermott out, the Bills have shuffled the deck with Brady being promoted to head coach, and Jim Leonhard named the defensive coordinator. Two moves that most see as largely positive ones.
And in truth, they’ll have to be given the amount of pressure that will be on the organization in 2026.
There’s no grace period. Buffalo needs wins, and they need them in the postseason.
NFL.com’s Eric Edholm has put the Bills fifth in his latest power rankings and offered a little insight into what Buffalo’s mindset has to be in 2026.
“The Bills suddenly face a lot of change with the elevation of Joe Brady to head coach and the addition of Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator,” Edholm writes. “Yes, they’re technically behind the Patriots right now, but the Bills have to view the 2026 season as their chance to reclaim the AFC East, even with the coaching changes.”
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Can Bills reclaim AFC East throne in 2026?
Absolutely, they can, and it mostly has to do with the New England Patriots’ daunting schedule.
Mike Vrabel’s team plays eight playoff teams from 2025, and that doesn’t include the Detroit Lions or Kansas City Chiefs, who both missed out and are on their schedule too.
So, the Bills, if they can at least keep the status quo they had under McDermott, with Brady, then you can make a great case for Buffalo to reclaim the AFC East.
Of course, this is all said without knowing what happens in free agency and the draft, but the Bills appear poised to be just as dangerous in 2026 as they were last season.
