Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Bills' revamped unit named team's biggest storyline going into training camp

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Mike Moraitis | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 2:48 PM ET

It's no secret that the Buffalo Bills need to get better on the defensive side of the ball if they want to get over the hump.

In their last five playoff losses, two of which came in the AFC Championship Game, Buffalo's defense is surrendering 33.2 points per game in those contests.

The Bills dumped whatever they could into the unit this offseason, with the most high-profile signing being that of Joey Bosa, who replaces Von Miller.

The also team signed Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi to bolster the defensive line and used six of its eight draft picks on defense with the selections of Maxwell Hairston, T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson, Deone Walker, Jordan Hancock and Dorian Strong.

Whether or not those moves will pay off and improve the Bills' defense remains to be seen, but ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg is saying that what happens with the defense is the "biggest storyline" entering Bills training camp.

"Work was done this offseason to keep some of the team's pillars for the long haul, including extending defensive end Greg Rousseau and cornerback Christian Benford and adding veterans such as defensive end Joey Bosa," Getzenberg wrote. "The unknown is how the new group will come together on the field with the young additions -- six overall defensive players taken in the draft, three defensive linemen -- in addition to health question marks surrounding Bosa and where linebacker is, while two linemen are set to be suspended for the first six games."

How the group meshes isn't the only concern thing to watch, though.

Bosa and Milano have checkered pasts with injuries and the former has already come down with one this offseason.

Then there's Hoecht and Ogunjobi, who will both miss the first six games after being suspended for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

In the secondary, the Bills could be relying on the rookie Hairston for a starting role out of the gate, which is troublesome because he is unproven.

If Hairston doesn't prove to be ready, the Bills would have to turn to either Tre'Davious White or Dane Jackson, neither of whom are ideal options to start.

There's no doubt that this Bills defense has plenty of promise ahead of the 2025 campaign, but there's enough concerns to keep fans worried things won't pan out.