Before Tuesday’s practice session, Bills general manager Brandon Beane met with the media to reflect on Buffalo’s roster going into the 2026 regular season and the decisions that informed who made the 53-man roster.
Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by recapping what Beane and head coach Joe Brady had to say about the roster, including why Beane feels “really good about what’s on the 53,” and why Brady is excited to see what Buffalo’s “unique tight end room” can do this year.
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the assessments below and then let us know your thoughts on whether Buffalo’s roster is better than last year.
How the Bills constructed their 53-man roster
During his session with reporters, Brandon Beane addressed how he went about constructing Buffalo’s 53-man roster, along with several bigger-picture questions facing the team.
When the roster cuts were made, some fans were surprised that Beane opted for three true boundary cornerbacks in Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun, though it should be noted Jordan Hancock can also be deployed here. For as much as Beane said the Bills needed to add more talent to their cornerback room this offseason, Beane said he’s happy with the cornerbacks heading into the season.
And when it comes to who starts opposite Benford, Brady has already named Hairston as CB2 while Beane expressed confidence in Hairston’s abilities.
“We have a lot of confidence in (Hairston),” Beane said. “I think IGB has done a really good job. If we didn’t have confidence in him, we’d just sit him down and throw IGB in. He’s a young player that’s gonna continue to push his way, and Max knows that he’ll have to play at a certain level, or there’s a young man here that’s ready to showcase kind of what he can do.”
Another surprise move was Buffalo’s decision to keep four tight ends—Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes and Keleki Latu—on the active roster. Brady said the team is looking forward to utilizing “such a unique tight end room that you have the ability to build a lot of different structures and play 10 personnel sets, 20 personnel sets and do a lot of different things with that. So, that’s part of it.”
Beane also addressed the inside linebacker position, why the team is happy to welcome back linebacker Shaq Thompson, how Greg Dortch could serve as a useful addition, and more!
- Bills’ roster deeper, more talented than 1 year ago. Will it matter? – Buffalo News (subscription required)
- Bills roster takeaways: No. 2 CB questions, the Keleki Latu surprise and injury updates – The Athletic (subscription required)
- Buffalo Bills aim to overcome ‘playoff wall’ with 2026 roster – WGRZ
- ‘Feel really good’ | Bills GM Brandon Beane and HC Joe Brady on the state on Buffalo’s 2026 roster – BuffaloBills.com
- 4 key takeaways from Bills coach, GM after final cuts – Democrat & Chronicle
- Bills GM stands by Maxwell Hairston as starter despite summer struggles – newyorkupstate.com
- Bills notebook: Brandon Beane on roster, injuries and attendance – Buffalo News (subscription required)
- How Bills’ 53-Man Roster Maps Out Front Office’s Vision – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
- Bills GM Brandon Beane provides team injury updates prior to Week 1 of 2026 season – BuffaloBills.com
Even more Bills news
Recapping how the Bills got some good news on the injury front during Tuesday’s practice. Plus, learn how Josh Allen is once again raising money to benefit the Patricia Allen Fund at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Buffalo; see which Bills made it onto ESPN’s list of the top 100 players; and more!
- Bills get number of key players back at practice Tuesday – WGR 550
- Bills Finally Get Some Good News on Injured Players, But it Wasn’t All Good – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
- Josh Allen is again raising money with sale of Children’s Hospital patient-inspired caps – Buffalo News (subscription required)
- Who will be the top 100 players in the NFL this season? Our experts’ full rankings – ESPN.com
- Browns saw something they liked in Buffalo Bills rookie Toriano Pride Jr. during joint practice – newyorkupstate.com
- Browns claim Toriano Pride Jr. off waiver from Bills – WGR 550
- Buffalo Bills Announce Highmark Stadium Rally Day Event Dates – BuffaloBills.com
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