The Bills made a series of free-agent moves on defense that will change the look of the unit in 2026. The biggest addition was Edge Bradley Chubb on a three-year, $43.5 million deal that included $21.75 million in guarantees. That likely locks him in to start opposite Edge Greg Rousseau for at least the next two years. But the changes to the secondary -- and lack of moves to date at LB -- could boost the fantasy outlook for S Cole Bishop.
Buffalo signed DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year deal. The journeyman has spent substantial time at both safety and slot corner across stints with five NFL teams. He spoke after signing about a plan for his and Bishop's strengths to play off each other.
But the Bills later signed S Geno Stone, who has run pretty strictly as a free safety across his two NFL stops.
Add in Buffalo trading slot CB Taron Johnson to the Raiders, and the current personnel would seem to point to this approach:
If that plays out, Bishop would likely see more time in the box than he did last year.
Bishop split his time near-evenly between "free safety" and other roles in 2025 (his first full starting season), according to Pro Football Focus. That 50.3% rate of playing deep marked a slight rise from the 47.3% of 2024.
Any shift back in the other direction would be good for Bishop's tackle numbers, which will help in basically any IDP format. And Buffalo's current LB corps might motivate even more box time.
The Bills have so far not re-signed LB Matt Milano, leaving Terrel Bernard as the only incumbent starter. And even he's coming off a down year. Dorian Williams looks like the best current bet to fill Milano's spot, but he has seen limited playing time and struggled in coverage across his three seasons.
Buffalo obviously could still add LB help via the NFL Draft and/or free-agent market. And the team could still look to add DBs. Neither Gardner-Johnson nor Stone signed for a salary that guarantees starter duty.
The Bills' back-7 will bear watching through the spring and summer as we sort IDP values.
Chubb should have his best shot at IDP relevance since at least 2023. He supplied 11 sacks for the Dolphins that season -- his first full year in Miami -- and forced a league-high six fumbles.
Chubb then lost 2024 to an ACL tear he suffered at the end of 2023. He returned to play every game last season but saw his pressure rate dip. That was understandable, of course, coming off a bad injury and playing in a terrible defense.
The contract he got from the Bills says they believe in a rebound.
Chubb's likely to come off the board as a later-round value in IDP leagues this summer.
You have our personal money-back guarantee: If you’re not happy with our service for any reason, just reach out by December 31, 2026, and we’ll give you 100% of your subscription money back. No strings attached. You can cancel with one-click from your account page anytime.
Search
Redraft
Dynasty
Best Ball
