ClutchPoints
The Buffalo Bills entered training camp with their roster mostly solidified. The 2024 AFC finalists bring back MVP Josh Allen, one of the most cohesive offensive lines in the NFL, and skill position depth charts that are mostly set, especially at the top. Still, there are a few Bills first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
There aren’t a ton of candidates here, as the Bills will pretty much start 10 of the 11 players they started on offense last season, with the sole exception being Josh Palmer taking over for Amari Cooper at wide receiver. Sure, there should be some interesting battles down the depth chart, with promising young players like Frank Gore Jr. and Tyrell Shavers battling for spots, but the starters are locked, barring injury.
On defense, there is a little more room for movement. Buffalo went heavy on defense in the 2025 NFL Draft, so there are plenty of young players hungry for spots. The safety battle is particularly interesting with Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Cole Bishop, and Cam Lewis all fighting for the starting nods. However, that is not the most likely spot for a starter to lose their job, as all those safeties got starts last season.
Finally, the most intriguing starter in danger isn’t in offense or defense, and this competition could have major implications for the Bills late in the 2025 season.
Eleven-year NFL vet DaQuan Jones did an admirable job last season, starting 16 games next to Ed Oliver. In fact, he’s started all 39 games he’s suited up for in Buffalo over the last three seasons. At 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, Jones has been responsible for trying to stuff the run next to the undersized Oliver.
The problem is, the Bills have been terrible against the run the last few seasons. They finished 12th against the run last season, but that doesn’t tell the whole story as they would have finished much worse if Allen’s high-powered offense didn’t jump out to big leads on so many teams.
That’s not necessarily Jones’ fault alone, but general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott obviously realized that they need an upgrade at DT2. The front-office duo spent two of their first four picks on DT in the 2025 draft and even traded two premium second-round picks to move up to take one of them.
With second-round pick T.J. Sanders and fourth-round selection Deone Walker in the mix, along with last year’s third-round pick DeWayne Carter, Jones’ job is definitely in jeopardy.
Obviously, this will be a major rotation for the Bills this season, so who gets the actual “start” each game doesn’t really matter. Still, if the massive 6-foot-7, 330-pound Walker can become a little stronger against the run, he’ll have a real chance top become the true DT2 next to Oliver.
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