Like all 32 NFL teams, the Buffalo Bills are constantly chasing the Super Bowl. However, it’s a little different for this Bills team, which has made four appearances in the big game but has yet to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

And, not all teams are really in the hunt like the Bills. After all, Buffalo has reached the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons. But this year is different.

This marks the first time since 2016 that they will advance to the postseason without Sean McDermott as head coach. Now it’s Joe Brady’s show, and newly-promoted team president Brandon Beane is helping lead the charge.

While the Bills are almost a lock to reach the postseason, once they get there, they’ll have a hard time getting over the hump and getting to the Super Bowl. Thus, more experienced players, especially those with previous playoff and/or Super Bowl experience, may be able to make a bigger impact in Buffalo.

That may be the thinking behind bringing former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Mike Danna in for a workout recently.

The 28-year-old has spent his entire six-year career with the Chiefs after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 177th overall selection. He has started 49 of 87 games, recording 194 tackles (25 TFL), 21.5 sacks and six forced fumbles.

Danna has reached the postseason in five of his six NFL seasons, missing only last year. If signed, he would bring two Super Bowl rings to Buffalo, and also a lot of playoff experience (16 games, 7 starts).

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The Buffalo Bills parted ways with head coach Sean McDermott this offseason after seven consecutive seasons of double-digit wins. Although expectations for the organization clearly have not been met, it appears that some in the league believe things will not get better any time soon.

Speaking to Mike Sandow of The Athletic, an NFL executive shared his belief that the Bills’ window as a Super Bowl contender in the AFC has closed. This is despite the expected regression from the New England Patriots and the AFC seemingly being “down” right now.

“I think Buffalo’s window is closed.”

Unnamed NFL executive on Buffalo Bills entering 2026 season

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In 2025, Buffalo tied for the fourth-most wins in the AFC and then reached the divisional round, but lost in overtime. This led to head coach Sean McDermott being fired, general manager Brandon Beane being promoted to president of football operations and offensive coordinator Joe Brady being named head coach.

The Bills front office responded to that disappointment in 2025 by adding safety Geno Stone, nickel C.J. Gardner-Johnson and edge rusher Bradley Chubb to bolster the defense. Equally important, Buffalo traded for wide receiver DJ Moore to provide Allen with an effective offensive weapon.

It’s fair to assume that the Kansas City Chiefs will bounce back in 2026 with the return of Patrick Mahomes and the signing of Kenneth Walker. Elsewhere in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals look better on paper next season.

One reason some around the league are skeptical of the Bills’ approach may have something to do with the team’s draft class. Beane traded downs twice in Round 1 and, in a class that was considered unusually weak, there were some questions whether the team had taken the right approach.

NFL officials skeptical of Buffalo Bills draft strategy

Another executive questioned the Bills’ strategy in the 2026 NFL Draft. While President of Football Operations Brandon Beane received much praise from analysts for trading down multiple times, an analytics-approved strategy, some around the league were not as keen on this specific draft reason.

One executive said, “You get an advantage from the guys who pick you, whether it’s third or fourth or something later, they weren’t going to give you any (good) player in this draft.”

The Athletic’s NFL executive trading down on the Buffalo Bills draft class

This was not the only opinion that expressed doubt as to whether this is the right year to trade up multiple times and collect large amounts of Day 3 draft capital. Another NFL executive told Sandow that it was a “weird draft” because the class was “terrible at the top and terrible at the bottom.”

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However, as some of Beane’s teammates in front offices around the league pointed out, a weak 2026 NFL Draft class actually made it, so there was no “right” strategy to take. Beane setting himself up to take multiple swings may prove to be the best approach as it at least gives him a chance to take more swings at different players who may strike out.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

When selecting so late in the NFL Draft, as Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has become accustomed to, it becomes difficult to predict which prospects will be available in the latter half of the first round. Of course, as mentioned, this is nothing new for the Bills, who haven’t had a top-10 selection since making Ed Oliver the ninth overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.

This time, the Bills don’t have a pick until No. 26 in the first round. Most Bills draft projections expect the team to focus on a wide receiver or defender. It turns out, the Bills’ evaluators have invested a lot of time exploring a specific position on defense.

According to NFL insider Tony Pauline of Essential Sports, the Bills have done an “extreme amount of work” on off-ball linebacker prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“In my first-round mock draft, I had Buffalo select Georgia’s C.J. Allen,” Pauline wrote. “I’m told the Bills, who don’t have a selection until No. 91 after their pick in the early frame, are doing a lot of work on off-ball linebackers.”

Allen has been a common choice for the Bills at No. 26. He is viewed as the second-best pure linebacker prospect behind Ohio State star Sonny Styles and a potential first-round selection after clocking a 4.47 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The Bills have a total of seven selections in the NFL Draft, including Nos. 26 and 91. After that, the chances of finding an immediate contributor diminish significantly, but the Bills will still have five chances to find someone who can crack their roster.

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It appears the Buffalo Bills listened to the outside criticism aimed at their receiving corps. At the beginning of the offseason, the Bills’ newly promoted president of team operations, Brandon Beane, made a trade with the Chicago Bears for a new starting receiver, sending a second-round selection in exchange for DJ Moore.

While the trade boosted Josh Allen’s receiving corps, was the trade really worth it? Not according to an unnamed NFL executive.

recently, athletic I had a chance to talk to several NFL executives, and in doing so one was extremely critical of what the Bills have done this offseason.

One executive said, “DJ Moore was going to be cut, and they gave up a second-round pick to get him.” “They gave up a second-round pick and $40 million (in guarantees). What’s going on?”

Still, as Mike Sandow explained, the Bills often have trouble recruiting top free agents to Buffalo, even with Allen’s presence. In short, the Bills would have paid more to make sure they got their man in Moore.

But is that really the difference maker the Bills need? Moore, 28, has seen his numbers decline in recent seasons. He posted a career-high 1,364 receiving yards in 2023, but his total yardage dropped to 966 in 2024 and 682 in 2025.

Obviously, the hope is that Moore can return to Buffalo as a 1,000-yard receiver where he will be the focal point in Joe Brady’s passing attack. Still, even if he doesn’t record the fifth 1,000-yard season of his career, he could still help draw attention away from Buffalo’s other playmakers. As long as Allen can rely on him, Moore could be a positive addition to the Bills’ receiver room, but whether he’s worth a second-round pick remains to be seen.

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Wide receiver has been a controversial position for the Buffalo Bills in recent seasons, really ever since they moved on from Stefon Diggs. While the team is still a strong annual playoff contender as long as they have Josh Allen, some can’t help but wonder if the team will experience more success in the postseason with better playmakers to help their MVP quarterback.

The Bills made a potentially impressive move by trading the 60th overall pick as well as the 165th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Bears in exchange for DJ Moore. But is this enough?

It turns out, Buffalo’s job may not be complete.

According to Bills general manager Brandon Beane, the team has already talked to former Buffalo receiver (now free agent) Brandin Cooks.

He is an extremely accomplished receiver with six 1,000-yard receiving seasons to his name. Still, Cook will also be 33 when the season starts. He hasn’t even had a 1,000-yard season since 2021.

Cooks spent five games with the Bills last season, but he managed only five receptions for 114 yards on 11 targets. Perhaps another season in first-year head coach Joe Brady’s system could help Cooks become a more impactful contributor in Buffalo. Still, history shows he’s not the playmaking solution Buffalo was looking for.

Still, that doesn’t mean he can’t help the Bills in a complementary role to their top receivers. Plus, he certainly won’t break the bank as a free agent, having not thrown for 279 yards since 2023. In other words, while it never hurts to give him a chance to impress, the Bills would be better off giving that chance to a young receiver with long-term upside rather than one whose best days are long gone.

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The Washington Capitals (33-27-7) go up against a tough opponent on Thursday night. Thankfully, they were able to pull out a 2-1 upset win over the Buffalo Sabers (40-10-6).

It wasn’t easy though, as the Capitals got off to a slow start. Sam Carrick got Buffalo on the board early as the Sabers looked for their ninth consecutive win.

However, the Capitals took the lead in the middle frame as Ryan Leonard tied it with a tally. The rookie now has goals in three consecutive games.

Charlie Lindgren was also impressive against a fiery Buffalo team. The 32-year-old netminder stopped shot after shot and finished with 29 saves.

“Again, the character of this team — just going out and continuing to fight,” Lindgren said. “It was fun to watch. I thought we played very well the last 40 minutes.”

Late in regulation, the Capitals got just what they needed as Jacob Chykrun scored the game-winner with 1:33 remaining. Washington kept their playoff hopes alive as they handed Buffalo their first loss since Feb. 5.

After that, the Capitals will return home for a Saturday afternoon matchup against Boston.

capitals analysis

After a blowout 4-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Capitals knew they would face a big test the next evening. Buffalo entered Thursday as one of the top teams in the NHL after years of futility.

The Sabers took the lead early and led 1–0 in the opening period. Former Capital Beck Malensteen skated in and slid the puck past Carrick in front for the tally.

Fortunately, Lindgren was able to shut out Buffalo the rest of the way. The netminder got the start after Logan Thompson played last night in Philadelphia.

The Capitals were also successful on the penalty kill late in the first. Olympic gold medalist Tage Thompson fired five consecutive one-timers, but none of them went in.

The second period is when the Capitals really started playing well. Trailing 1-0, Leonard skated up the ice with the puck and hit a wicked shot to tie it 1-1.

The 21-year-old registered his 14th goal of the season in the process. He extended his goal streak to three games and his point streak to five.

Due to the match being very competitive, the match remained tied at 1-1. After being outshot in the first two periods, the Capitals outscored Buffalo 13–4 in the third.

Then, with 1:33 left in regulation, Aliaksei Protas found a wide open chicron, who fired in for the game-winner. The 27-year-old now leads all NHL defensemen with 23 tallies and seven game-winning goals this season.

Additionally, Protas’ assist proved to be the 100th assist of his career. The Russian forward now has 45 points this season.

capitals report card

Team: A-

Despite the slow start, the Capitals got the job done against a red-hot Buffalo team. They also kept their playoff hopes alive with an extra two points.

Charlie Lindgren: A

Lindgren was notable between the pipes as he stopped 29 of 30 shots. The 32-year-old made several key saves to hold off the Sabres.

Jacob Chykrun:A

Chicrun came up in the clutch with the game-winning goal at the end of regulation. The blueliner now has 23 goals on the season.

Ryan Leonard: A

Leonard continued his hot streak and equalized in the second period. The 21-year-old player registered his 14th goal this year.

Harry Lichtman is an award-winning journalist who covers the Washington Capitals for SportsNut. He also contributes to the sites… More about Harry Lichtman

The Buffalo Bills come close to reaching the Super Bowl every year, especially since Josh Allen emerged as a Pro Bowl quarterback in 2020. Nevertheless, Sean McDermott was somewhat surprisingly sacked after failing to meet his targets.

Now that the Bills have a new head coach in Joe Brady, some changes are expected, even if he is already a current member of the team. With free agency around the corner, the Bills may be preparing to say goodbye to some members of their core.

That could include one-time Pro Bowl center/guard Connor McGovern, who is set for free agency after three seasons in Buffalo.

The 28-year-old recently told athleticTold Tim Graham he wanted to return to Buffalo. Still, he hasn’t heard a single peep from the team. Due to the lack of contact, McGovern’s “gut” tells him that he will not be asked to return for a fourth season with the Bills.

“They haven’t contacted me once,” McGovern said. “In my conscience, it says it’s over and done with.”

If the Bills are indeed willing to allow McGovern to test free agency, we would imagine he would have a fairly healthy market, considering he has started all 49 games he has appeared in since signing in Buffalo. Before joining the Bills, McGovern spent three seasons with the Cowboys where he started 29 of his 45 appearances.

As a player with positional versatility capable of playing guard or center, McGovern should have no problem landing with another contender if that’s what he wants.

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The Buffalo Bills often came close to a Super Bowl appearance under Sean McDermott. Unlocking Josh Allen’s elite level of performance as NFL MVP certainly helped. Yet, despite seven consecutive playoff appearances, the Bills were not able to reach the promised berth, leading to McDermott’s dismissal after nine seasons as head coach.

Now the Bills are moving forward with a new leadership group, starting with recently promoted Brandon Beane and first-year head coach Joe Brady, who was promoted from offensive coordinator. One of the top items on Buffalo’s agenda should be strengthening the team’s receiving corps, which was clearly something McDermott would love to see as well.

Recently, ESPN’s NFL analysts Dan Graziano and Ben Solak came up with a list of the best 15 players who could hit the trade block this offseason. In doing so, he named Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as a potential trade candidate. Nevertheless, when listing teams for which Thomas could be suited, he also listed the Bills in addition to the Patriots, Steelers and Raiders.

If the Bills are willing to part with some valuable draft picks (possibly no less than a second-round pick plus change), perhaps they could pry Thomas out of Jacksonville. He appears to be an ideal fit for the receiver the Bills were looking for when they selected Keon Coleman with the 33rd overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Coleman is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, but the 22-year-old has compiled only 67 receptions for 960 yards and 8 touchdowns in two seasons in Buffalo. Meanwhile, Thomas is 6-foot-2, 209 pounds and the 23-year-old has compiled 135 receptions for 1,989 yards and 12 touchdowns since becoming the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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未來幾週，這將決定布法羅比爾隊的成敗。

上週末在 NFL 季后賽中以外卡戰勝傑克遜維爾美洲虎隊後，他們的 LX 超級碗夢想仍然存在。

7

比爾隊是亞足聯季后賽中經驗最豐富的球隊，擁有最好的四分衛喬什·艾倫，並且有機會首次舉起隆巴迪獎杯。

為了讓事情變得更好，他們今年不必與堪薩斯城酋長隊競爭。這個宿敵在過去五個賽季中四次將布法羅隊淘汰出季后賽，其中包括兩屆亞足聯冠軍賽。

但帕特里克·馬霍姆斯隊這次未能進入季后賽。相反，在周六的分區賽中，一號种子丹佛野馬隊阻礙了布法羅隊的比賽。

如果贏得這場比賽，比爾隊距離自 1994 年以來首次重返超級碗僅差一場胜利。

2026 年亞足聯將敞開大門，多年來一直處於榮耀邊緣的球隊終於可能破門而入。

但布法羅的情況可能會大不相同——尤其是如果一個人在 2014 年贏得了一場臭名昭著的競購戰。

喬恩·邦·喬維 (Jon Bon Jovi) 離收購比爾隊還有多遠？

12 年前，創始人拉爾夫·威爾遜 (Ralph Wilson) 去世後，當該系列產品上市時，喬恩·邦·喬維 (Jon Bon Jovi) 正是有興趣收購該系列產品的人。

這位音樂家代表了一群多倫多投資者，並投入了大量資金。