The Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns faced off in Week Two of the 2026 NFL preseason, and after a lengthy lightning delay, the teams were able to complete a fairly competitive game. Buffalo’s first drive was put on hold after just 1:39 of game time thanks to strong storms that blew through the area, as the game began in heavy rains. After the delay, though, much better weather prevailed, and the teams were able to complete the exhibition.
With both teams playing mostly backups, it was a good
day to watch some depth pieces make their case for the 53-man roster. Buffalo’s depth showed out strongly, and they spearheaded the club to a blowout win. Here’s our stock report after the Bills’ second preseason game.
Horns Up: Trent Sherfield Sr.
With a battered receiving corps, the Bills needed players to eat snaps. These backup wideout had a chance to show their mettle, as well. Sherfield may not be a young pup, and he has plenty of NFL film to show what he is at this point in his career, but he showed himself to be a reliable target on Saturday. He was a frequent recipient of Kyle Allen passes in the first half, catching a few longer gains on the Bills’ rain-delayed opening drive, which ended with a touchdown. Sherfield also showed off as a gunner on special teams, combining with fellow reserve wideout Stephen Gosnell on a tackle after rookie punter Tommy Doman’s 50-yard punt on Buffalo’s second possession. I’ve long felt that Sherfield is the most likely WR6 in camp thanks to his ability on special teams, but he flashed some value on offense, as well. He helped his case for the 53-man roster today.
Horns Up and Down: Mecole Hardman Jr
As with Sherfield Sr., Hardman Jr. saw some extra reps on offense thanks to the injuries at receiver. Unlike Sherfield Sr., Hardman Jr. did not make the most of his opportunities. He dropped two passes, both of which came on third downs and would have given the Bills first-down yardage. Hardman Jr. did a nice job on a kickoff return after Cleveland scored a touchdown in the second quarter, gaining 30 yards to set the Bills up in solid field position. However, with running back Ray Davis as the reigning All-Pro kickoff returner while also looking to add the punt-return role to his resume, Hardman Jr. is going to need to be useful as a wideout in order to make the team. Hardman Jr. had a good two-minute drill at the end of the first half, making a first-down grab to start things off before capping the drive with a nine-yard catch and run on a wide receiver screen with just 15 seconds remaining in the first half. Hardman Jr. has the juice to help out in multiple roles, but he needs to show consistency in order to do so, something that has been hard for him throughout his career.
Horns Up: Kyle Allen
Josh Allen’s backup had himself another solid outing, looking, poised, decisive, and accurate in first-half action. Kyle Allen completed 10-of-12 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. That included some long gainers to Sherfield Sr., as well as a big-time pass to Ja’Mori Maclin in the aforementioned two-minute drill, which set up Hardman Jr.‘s touchdown grab. Yes, it was only the preseason, and yes, it was against the Cleveland Browns’ backups. However, No. 11 did exactly what he was supposed to do given the scenario.
Horns Down: Damar Hamlin
Yes, he had an interception in the first half. That play was less a result of something Hamlin did than it was good fortune, as linebacker Joe Andreessen made the nice play to knock the ball into the air and Hamlin just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, Hamlin was fooled multiple times by misdirection, and he allowed some big gains in coverage when he was just a step or two slow in trying to cover his assignment. The Bills are going to have some tough decisions to make in the defensive secondary, and while there is something to be said about keeping a heady veteran like Hamlin for depth, the Bills might be better off rolling the dice on the youth, athleticism, and versatility of players like Jordan Hancock and Jalon Kilgore.
Horns Up: Footballers Who Use Their Feet
Tyler Bass drilled a 52-yard field goal in the second half; he also hit on two extra points in the first half and two more in the second half. Rookie Tommy Doman Jr. landed two punts inside the 20-yard line, including a 50-yard boot, while averaging 43 yards per punt. Mitch Wishnowsky hit an absolute missile on his first punt, drilling a 59-yard boot that was only returned for one yard. Overall, Buffalo’s special teams group looked solid. It was nice to see Bass hit from range, and while punting is never fun, it was good to see the rookie perform in his first real action.
Horns Down: Shane Buechele
Sure, he’s the third-string guy, but Buechele showed once again that he has neither the arm strength nor the consistent accuracy to be an NFL quarterback. Buffalo would be wise to look for a younger player to develop for their practice squad, someone who might have some long-term viability as an NFL passer, sooner rather than later. Buechele still might make the practice squad for this season, and as he showed on the touchdown pass he threw to Ja’Mori Maclin, he can sneak one in on shorter routes. He also has enough mobility to give other third-stringers problems. However, the Bills should be looking to replace him as soon as they feel comfortable doing so.
Horns Up: Depth Corners
Last week, it was Kani Walker making a fabulous play to intercept a Carolina Panthers pass. This week, it was Te’Cory Couch going up and catching a ball that Jordan Dunbar deflected to intercept Deshaun Watson. Dunbar and Walker made some nice plays in the run game, as well, as they showed zero fear in sticking their head in to deliver some punishment around the line of scrimmage. Davison Igbinosun looked good in that regard, as well, totaling four tackles and one tackle for loss in his limited action. The Bills might lack name recognition in the defensive secondary, but it seems as if they have a strong young core of defensive backs to choose from heading into the regular season.
Horns Down: Maxwell Hairston
Maybe this is unfair, as the second-year man has been nursing an injury for much of the summer and he has yet to play this preseason. However, Hairston was injured for much of last season, as well, and his continued inability to suit up is only giving other players a chance to show that they can do his job. Igbinosun, in particular, has garnered lots of buzz this summer, and while someone like Walker or Dunbar might not be considered true threats to Hairston’s role on the team, they have done a nice job with their opportunities. Hairston might not be on the roster bubble, but the CB2 job appears to be very much up for grabs.
Horns Up: Ja’Mori Maclin
This guy can run a little bit! Maclin made two huge plays, catching a 71-yard touchdown pass in the second half where he took a simple shallow drag route and sprinted to paydirt. He also made a huge grab on Buffalo’s final scoring drive of the first half, hauling in a Kyle Allen lob for a 37-yard gain to put that scoring drive in business. Maclin played like a man who knew he had a big opportunity to prove himself, and while he might still fall short of the 53-man roster, he made the coaching staff’s job more difficult with his ability to find space and beat corners off the line.
Horns Down: Frank Gore Jr.
Gore Jr. fumbled on his lone kickoff return attempt, and while he recovered his own fumble, it’s still not a great look. He also dropped a pass on a screen attempt in the fourth quarter, as he looked to run before he secured the grab. Finally, he once again looked like the slower, less explosive option when compared to Ian Wheeler, who made players miss in the backfield and displayed good hands and burst. Wheeler just looks like the superior option overall, as he does everything Gore Jr. can do, but with much more burst and athleticism overall.
Horns Up and Down: Your Call
Who do you want to single out, friends? I’m especially interested to hear thoughts on the defensive line (My quick thoughts: run stuffing good, pass rushing not good), the offensive linemen (Bruno Fina at center? Jude Bowry still looking overmatched), and the linebackers (Buffalo Joe looking explosive, Keonta Jenkins seeing a ton of run, Jimmy Ciarlo with a big run stuff). Let us know in the comments below!
