What the Bills Defense Needs in the 2026 NFL Draft
It was another disappointing postseason for the Buffalo Bills, getting eliminated by the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. Despite making the playoffs five seasons in a row, the Bills have not had a single Super Bowl appearance in that span, reaching only the Conference Championship. While every season presents its issues, and it’s usually a mix of both sides of the line of scrimmage, the Buffalo defense failed to provide any consistency. The Bills, now entering 2026 with new head coach Joe Brady, are also prepared to make changes to the defense. They’ll also have a new defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, who’s hoping his style of coaching can help push the defense to the next level, along with using the 2026 NFL Draft to his advantage.
The linebacker position is the one position Buffalo should go after first, considering they’ve yet to do anything in free agency to address it. They’ll have the 26th overall pick in the first round, leaving some good options to fill this position. Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez could be a great addition to the team, providing them with a heavy hitter. Finishing fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, Rodriguez ended his last season in college with 128 combined tackles, seven forced fumbles, and four interceptions. They also have the option of Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen, who’s a former All-American, earning 88 combined tackles last season. The most likely name they’ve been linked to, however, is Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter.
So far trending as a high-upside pick, Trotter will more than likely be available when it’s the Bills’ turn to make their selection. The former Mizzou Tiger earned 84 combined tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and two sacks last season. Buffalo has become one of the most talked-about teams when it comes to who should draft Trotter, as he’d be a strong fit to grow under Brady’s defense. The team still has needs on the offense side of the ball, including the wide receiver position, despite landing former Chicago Bear D.J. Moore, who was traded to Buffalo last month. As important as it is to find more weapons for quarterback Josh Allen, the priority needs to stay on defense so they don’t have another repeat of the playoffs next season. The Bills are now two weeks away from making a decision on what route they want to take in this year's draft, to finally reach a Super Bowl.
