Alongside the San Francisco 49ers, Joe Brady’s Buffalo Bills decided not to partake in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Thus, the team is set to make its first picks in this year’s draft on Friday night in Round 2.
Due to coaching changes, the Bills have a series of specific needs to cover to transform the roster to the needs of their new schemes, particularly defensively.
The team’s top need is a nose tackle, a type of player they don’t currently have and which they need for their new defensive scheme, a 3-4 hybrid system. Despite trading out of the first round, they will only have one pick each in Rounds 2 and 3. Nonetheless, the strategy has allowed them to improve their position in each round. They have pick No. 35 in Round 2, and picked No. 66 in Round 3.
Here is a list of their top needs going into Day 2 of the NFL Draft, with a series of options available for them.
Top 3 position targets for Joe Brady and the Buffalo Bills in Day 2 of the NFL Draft
#3 Wide Receiver
The Buffalo Bills recently got D.J. Moore to fill in the gap that hadn’t honestly been addressed since the departure of Stefon Diggs a couple of seasons ago. Despite the new addition, the wide receiver corps could do with more depth and more options for Josh Allen. On Day 2 of the draft, the Bills could target Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion or Washington’s Denzel Boston.
#2 Edge Rusher/Linebacker
There are some durability concerns regarding Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams. While the players are still in their prime, adding further optionality at linebacker could be a good idea for the Bills. There isn’t much depth on the team beyond those two starters. Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell could be a good option for them, and he could be versatile enough to play as an edge, too. If they prefer to add a proper edge rusher, Clemson’s T.J. Parker is another option.
#1 Defensive Tackle
The change from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 hybrid system under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard makes the addition of a nose tackle a primary need for the Buffalo Bills. The current tackles the Bills have don’t have the appropriate build to play this role. Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, Georgia’s Christen Miller, and Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter are 300-pound-plus players who are available and could fill this role for Buffalo.
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