Bills defensive back Cole Bishop talks with Damar Hamlin between drills during day six of Buffalo Bills training camp. Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills' strongest and weakest position groups heading into season opener

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ronnie Eastham | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 5:53 PM ET

The start to the Buffalo Bills' 2025 season is only a few days away, and questions remain surrounding certain positions, while others are solid.

The Bills open the season against the Baltimore Ravens, so we wanted to look at the Bills' strongest and weakest position groups heading into the season.

Earlier this week, the Bills lost a key member of their defensive line rotation when defensive tackle DeWayne Carter's season ended prematurely with an Achilles injury. Still, this isn't the team's weakest position group. We don't know what we will get from the defensive line, but newcomers Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht make this group better than the 2024 version. The Bills' linebackers bring arguably one of the top duos in Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano, with solid depth in Dorian Williams.

Josh Allen and the quarterback room is too easy an answer when talking about the strongest group, so we excluded the QB room for the conversation. The receiver room doesn't have that elite superstar, but it is solid top to bottom, with each bringing something different. The running back trio of James Cook, Ray Davis, and Ty Johnson might be the best threesome in the NFL. After further Buffalo Bills 2025 roster analysis, here is what we determined.

Buffalo Bills Offensive Line: NFL’s Top Unit?

The Buffalo Bills' strongest position group is the offensive line. Returning all four starters from a season ago, NFL offensive line rankings 2025, Pro Football Focus ranked this unit third in the league. This will also mark the third year in a row that at least four of the five starters have played alongside each other. Additionally, Bills left tackle made the NFL's Top 100 list, and Spencer Brown was recently recognized as one of the top right tackles in the league.

The interior of the Bills' offensive line is solid with Connor McGovern anchoring the line, and guards O'Cyrus Torrence and David Edwards. The Bills' starting five allowed the fewest sacks in the league, and has excellent depth with Alec Anderson, Ryan Van Demark, and Tylan Grable.

Safety Concerns: Buffalo’s Weakest Position Group?

This was a tough call between the Bills' defensive backs and safeties, but Christian Benford and Taron Johnson are as good as they come, and when healthy, Tre White and Max Hairston should provide good starting quality and depth. The answer came down to the Bills' safety. Buffalo Bills safety depth chart returns starter Taylor Rapp, and he's a serviceable starter, but he's not a game-changer.

The other perceived starter is Cole Bishop, and the book is still out on him. He's had some solid moments, but has also made many mistakes. Damar Hamlin is still on the depth, and should provide leadership and understanding of the defense, but if the team has to rely on him as a starter, he's more of a liability than an asset. The Bills also brought back Jordan Poyer, but no one is expecting him to be the former All-Pro.