NFL
By: Randall Slifer
The Buffalo Bills are officially through joint practices and two preseason games. The new-regime Buffalo Bills have looked good, playing with intensity and tempo. Let’s talk about some players/topics that looked good, and some that looked bad:
Stock Up: Jordan Hancock
Jordan Hancock has played more of a nickel role in 2026, but still has played some safety this preseason. He has looked fantastic. In the box, he is patient and reads offenses well. He is playing smart on screens and short passes, and his tackles have been sound. Dee Alford is the starting nickel, but Jordan Hancock won’t be a far drop when Dee is out of the game.
Stock Down: Wide Receiver Health
On Saturday versus the Cleveland Browns, the Buffalo Bills did not play DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Dante Pettis, or Skyler Bell due to injuries. DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir would not play in game 2 of the preseason, but the rest need the preseason reps. Skyler Bell has yet to play a preseason game in his rookie year. Keon Coleman does not need an injury when Bills Mafia has been patient for his breakout year (if there is one).
Joe Brady is a first-year head coach, and aligning game plans with your back-end wide receivers is important. Keon Coleman was being used in off-ball routes and in a more versatile way before his injury. Skyler Bell is a rookie coming from UConn, where he needs all the reps he can get. The defensive backs that were covering him at UConn are far different than the NFL.
Stock Up: Offensive Line depth
The offensive line has looked good as a whole throughout these preseason games. The left guard position is the only position in question. Alec Anderson will end up with the starting job, but the depth at guard looks good. Austin Corbett and Armaj Reed-Adams have looked good these past two games. Sedrick Van Pran Granger looked good versus the Browns.
Chase Lundt is being worked at tackle and guard, potentially becoming the 2025 Alec Anderson by playing all positions on the line. There was concern after game one about the tackle depth, but Tylan Grable played very well against the Browns. Last year, the Buffalo Bills had two tackles out for a game, and the backups held up well. If the situation arises again, Tylan Grable can take the left tackle spot; you can move Alec Anderson to right tackle and fill the left guard spot with Corbett.
Stock Down: Geno Stone
Geno Stone was hoping to make his comeback in Buffalo after a rough couple of years over in Cincinnati. His years in Baltimore looked much better, but these preseason games have not shown much positivity. He is having a tough time carrying receivers in the middle, and his run defense is average.
The issue with Geno Stone will be who backs up CJGJ and Bishop. Damar Hamlin is average at best, and Jalon Kilgore is just a rookie. Kilgore has had some solid flashes, but a veteran next to Bishop is ideal. This allowed Cole Bishop to be a Swiss Army knife all over the field. If Geno Stone does not pick up the pace, he may be left off the 53-man roster.
Stock up: Zane Durant
The Buffalo Bills selected Zane Durant with the 181st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. In a loaded and young defensive line, Zane Durant has stood out. Zane Durant may have gotten drafted in his perfect scenario. Jim Leonhard’s defense often uses sub-300-pound defensive tackles in his scheme. Zane Durant is an athletic freak, literally. He was on Bruce Feldman’s “Freak’s List” in 2025 with outstanding numbers:
4.66 40-yard dash – 21.1 mph on GPS
4.43 shuttle – 31’ vertical – 9’10” broad
Squat: 660lb – Bench Press: 425lb – Power Clean: 345lb
His strength makes it look easy to keep his gap, and he can handle double teams at only 290 pounds. He will be in the back of the depth chart for the full year, but I would not be surprised if he turns into a good NFL defensive tackle.
There is much more to be positive about in Buffalo, including Tyler Bass, Landon Jackson, and Kyle Allen. The Buffalo Bills look like a deep team on both offense and defense. They need to avoid any serious injury until Week 1 hits, and the true test comes against the Houston Texans. As always, Go Bills.
