Bills roundtable: 4 offseason questions ahead of the combine
News sports reporters Jay Skurski, Katherine Fitzgerald and Lance Lysowski answer questions surrounding the Bills this offseason.
With Joe Brady hired as head coach and his staff formed, the Buffalo Bills have shifted their focus to building out their roster for the 2026 season.
The NFL scouting combine will be held in Indianapolis from Feb. 23 through March 2. Free agents can have their representatives begin to negotiate with other teams at noon on March 9, and they can sign contracts at 4 p.m. on March 11. The NFL draft is April 23-25, with the Bills picking 26th in the first round.
To prepare for the busiest portion of the offseason, News sports reporters Jay Skurski, Katherine Fitzgerald and Lance Lysowski answered four key questions surrounding the Bills.
Connor McGovern was the Bills starting center the past two seasons. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Q: Which of the Bills' free agents is most important to retain and why?
Skurski: Shaq Thompson. In moving to a 3-4 defense, the Bills are going to need linebackers. Thompson was their best last season. He brought a toughness to the defense that elevated the entire group. He’s got experience playing in a 3-4 scheme, which is especially important with the transition the team will make under new coordinator Jim Leonhard. Thompson’s age (31) is somewhat concerning, but in a way it works to the Bills’ advantage, because he’s not likely to secure a long-term, lucrative contract on the free-agent market. Given the Bills’ minimal amount of cap space, Thompson should be affordable.
Fitzgerald: Center Connor McGovern is going to be expensive, but I think he’s a critical part of this offense. We saw some of the early bumps in training camp when McGovern moved to center two years ago, and how he and quarterback Josh Allen were able to work together to solve those problems. Since then, their rapport has been strong. The offensive line likely will see some change, with McGovern and David Edwards both pending free agents, and with offensive line coach Aaron Kromer retiring. More continuity with McGovern would be better. His projected cost of $16.27 million from Spotrac makes the decision a little trickier, though.
Lysowski: McGovern. The Bills starting center the past two seasons played a pivotal role in helping Allen identify and execute pre-snap adjustments. It’s not easy for Beane to fit McGovern under the cap, but who’s the replacement if Buffalo lets him walk? Sedrick Van Pran-Granger has started two games in two seasons. Alec Anderson is probably a better fit to play left guard. The Bills likely will turn to free agency if Edwards and/or McGovern depart, but there’s risk in integrating a new center during a season in which they’ll have a new offensive line coach.
Q: What is the Bills' biggest positional need heading into free agency and the draft?
Skurski: Edge rusher. The Super Bowl showed that getting after the opposing quarterback is a winning formula in the biggest moments. The Bills have not been able to do that enough. Brandon Beane has taken several swings, Joey Bosa being the latest example, but simply hasn’t connected enough to this point. Whether it’s at defensive end or outside linebacker in a 3-4, the Bills need young players with speed who can get to the quarterback quick, because game plans increasingly call for the ball getting out quick. With Bosa and A.J. Epenesa scheduled to become free agents, there will be turnover at the position.
Fitzgerald: Brandon Beane, look away. Wide receiver, wide receiver, wide receiver. The Bills still need to tend to a position group that has been a thorn in their side for a bit now. Last year’s group was injury-marred, but even with that understanding, I don’t think the corps was strong enough. There are good receivers to watch for in this draft, and I think that’s where Beane should build, if possible. Tending to wide receiver is a rallying cry for fans, but more important than it being a buzzword, it is a true area of need.
Lysowski: Linebacker. The Bills won’t be able to rush the quarterback if they can’t stop the run, and they can no longer rely on Matt Milano to play on the inside. Shaq Thompson should be re-signed on a one-year contract if he’s content with the role he’d have under the new coaching staff. The defense needs leaders and Thompson was arguably the most vocal on that side of the ball in 2026. But it’s time for the Bills to get younger and more athletic at inside linebacker, especially as Leonhard implements a 3-4 scheme. Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams and Joe Andreessen are under contract, but the Bills need a young, athletic, ball-hawking playmaker in the middle of their defense.
Q: Who is the prospect you’re most interested in seeing at the combine?
Skurski: Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion. In case you've been living under a rock for the last nine months, wide receiver has been a considerable source of ... frustration for fans. The Bills need to give Allen a better set of weapons at the position in 2026, and Concepcion would be a good place to start. He has 25 receiving touchdowns over the past three seasons, and will challenge for the fastest player at the combine. Concepcion averaged 15.1 yards per catch last year for the Aggies, and that kind of big-play ability would fit in well in Buffalo's offense.
Fitzgerald: Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. The 23-year-old has a very decorated hardware cabinet after this season. I’m looking forward to hearing how he thinks he can translate his skills to the next level after he tied an NCAA single-season record this past season with seven forced fumbles. He performed well at the Senior Bowl on the field, and per NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, he was strong in interviews in Mobile as well. The Bills have some uncertainty at linebacker moving forward and Rodriguez could make splash plays as a professional.
Lysowski: Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen. The first-team All-American started 29 games across three seasons with the Bulldogs, capping his collegiate career with team highs in tackles (85) and tackles for a loss (8). He has the instincts and athleticism to give Buffalo’s defense the exceptional inside linebacker it has lacked since injuries slowed Milano. Leonhard made it clear during his opening news conference that success for the Bills will begin with stopping the run and few in college football were as strong in pursuit as Allen.
Bills head coach Joe Brady, right, and general manager Brandon Beane pose for a photo during a news conference on Jan. 29.
Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Q: On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the promotion of Joe Brady and his coaching hires to this point?
Skurski: Seven. I was a bit underwhelmed at first by Brady’s promotion, because he’s not the shiny new toy. Stepping back, however, it does make sense. Continuity for Allen is not a bad thing, and it’s entirely possible Brady’s play-calling looks different when he’s in the big chair. His biggest hire to date is that of Leonhard, which has been universally met with approval. If he gets the defense on track, he’ll be a head coach candidate very soon. Brady will be under immense pressure immediately, but he seems to have the right DNA to face it head-on.
Fitzgerald: Six. I was curious about the Brady promotion at the beginning, but I like what the head coach is now doing with his staff, and that bumped up my score. I think the Leonhard hire as defensive coordinator was particularly strong. Brady is surrounding himself with a good crew. But a coaching staff looking good on paper doesn’t mean much. It will be hard to know for sure until we see some games. I’m wary to rate Brady too highly until we see if and how the offense evolves with him as head coach. There are obvious strengths of this offense – an MVP for Allen and rushing title for James Cook reflect that – but the team needs to look dynamic in the playoffs.
Lysowski: Eight, factoring in the candidates available at the time of Sean McDermott’s firing and the qualities the Bills needed in his replacement. There are reasons to be skeptical. Brady is the youngest head coach in the NFL, and he’s going to balance the role of a CEO with calling plays. Consider the staff Brady assembled, though. His offensive coordinator, Pete Carmichael, worked in the same role for Sean Payton. The defensive coordinator, Leonhard, will bring the energy and a philosophical change that unit desperately needed. The position coaches are experienced football minds and up-and-coming teachers with impressive résumés.