Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills

Joe Marino, a respected NFL analyst and former Bills beat writer known for his critical yet data-driven takes, has been vocal in his disappointment with the Buffalo Bills’ recent roster moves and strategic decisions. As the Bills navigate a pivotal stretch of the 2026 season—fighting for playoff relevance after an 8-6 start—Marino has publicly questioned nearly every key choice from the front office, from offseason free-agent signings to in-season coaching adjustments. For Marino, the Bills’ moves (or lack thereof) have not addressed their core weaknesses, instead prolonging issues that have held them back from Super Bowl contention for years. Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills breaks down his main criticisms and why he believes the Bills are failing to maximize their championship window with Josh Allen.

Marino’s biggest frustration centers on the Bills’ offseason free-agent strategy, which he argues prioritized short-term fixes over long-term solutions. After the 2025 season, the Bills had critical needs on the offensive line and at wide receiver (beyond Stefon Diggs), but instead of targeting impactful starters, they signed aging veterans on one-year deals—including offensive tackle Riley Reiff (34) and wide receiver Jarvis Landry (32). Both players have underperformed: Reiff has allowed 7 sacks this season (tied for the most among AFC tackles) and was benched in Week 14, while Landry has just 21 catches for 243 yards and no touchdowns. Marino has repeatedly pointed out that the Bills wasted cap space on these stopgaps instead of investing in young, ascending players who could grow with Allen. “They’re treating every offseason like it’s a one-and-done shot, but this approach just keeps digging them deeper,” Marino said on his podcast. “You can’t build a contender by signing 30-somethings who are past their primes—you need to draft and develop, or pay for elite talent that can move the needle.” Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills frames this free-agent misstep as a core reason for the Bills’ current struggles.

Marino is also highly critical of the Bills’ failure to fix their offensive line issues—a problem he has highlighted for three consecutive seasons. Despite drafting offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence in the third round of the 2024 draft and signing Reiff in 2026, the Bills’ line remains one of the NFL’s worst: they’ve allowed 52 sacks (third-most in the league) and rank 26th in rushing yards per attempt (3.8). Marino has criticized general manager Brandon Beane for not using higher draft picks on the line, noting that the Bills have selected just one offensive lineman in the first two rounds since 2019 (Cody Ford, 2019, who is no longer with the team). He also questions Beane’s decision to extend center Mitch Morse in 2025 (a four-year, $40 million deal) despite Morse’s history of knee injuries—Morse has missed six games this season, further destabilizing the line. “This is a front-office failure of epic proportions,” Marino wrote in a recent column. “They know Josh Allen can’t succeed behind a bad line, yet they keep punting on the position year after year. It’s inexplicable.” Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills emphasizes how the line’s lingering struggles have validated Marino’s longstanding concerns.

Another point of contention for Marino is the Bills’ coaching staff’s in-game decision-making, which he believes has cost the team multiple wins this season. He has been particularly critical of head coach Sean McDermott’s conservative approach on fourth down— the Bills rank 22nd in the NFL in fourth-down conversion rate (45%) and have punted on 12 fourth-and-1 opportunities this season, including a crucial one in Week 14 against the Texans that led to Houston’s game-winning drive. Marino has also questioned offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey’s scheme, which he says fails to leverage Allen’s mobility and overrelies on long, developing passing plays that expose the offensive line’s weaknesses. For the Buffalo Bills, these coaching choices have turned winnable games into losses, and Marino argues that McDermott’s job should be on the line if the team misses the playoffs. “You have one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, and you’re running a system that neuters his strengths,” Marino said in a recent interview. “McDermott is a good defensive mind, but he’s not putting his team in position to win on offense—and that’s a problem.” Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills explores how coaching decisions have become a focal point of Marino’s criticism.

Marino also takes issue with the Bills’ handling of their wide receiver corps, which he says lacks depth and fails to take pressure off Diggs. After trading Gabriel Davis to the Lions in 2025, the Bills have not replaced his production: Landry has been a non-factor, and rookie sixth-round pick Josh Palmer has just 18 catches for 210 yards. Marino argues that the Bills should have targeted a proven No. 2 receiver in free agency (like Brandin Cooks, who signed with the Bills’ divisional rival Dolphins) or used a high draft pick on the position, instead of relying on unproven players. This lack of depth has forced Allen to target Diggs on 35% of his passes this season—making Diggs the most targeted receiver in the NFL and leaving him vulnerable to double teams. For the Buffalo Bills, this overreliance on Diggs has made the offense predictable and easy for defenses to game-plan against. “They had a chance to give Allen a legitimate second option, and they chose not to,” Marino said. “Now Diggs is getting doubled every play, and the offense sputters when he’s not open. It’s a self-inflicted wound.” Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills highlights how the receiver corps’ weaknesses have hurt the offense.

Finally, Marino is skeptical of the Bills’ long-term plan to compete for a Super Bowl, arguing that their current trajectory will lead to Allen’s prime years being wasted. Allen, who turns 29 in 2026, is under contract through 2028, but Marino warns that if the Bills don’t fix their offensive line and add playmakers soon, Allen’s production and health could decline. He also questions whether Beane and McDermott are the right leaders to turn things around, noting that the Bills have not advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs since 2020. For the Buffalo Bills, Marino’s criticism is a wake-up call—one that suggests the team needs to make sweeping changes (either in the front office, coaching staff, or roster) to avoid squandering their championship window. “This is a make-or-break offseason for the Bills,” Marino concluded in a recent analysis. “If they don’t address their core issues, they’re going to look back in a few years and regret letting Josh Allen’s prime go to waste. Right now, they’re not doing enough—and that’s why I’m unimpressed.” Joe Marino Unimpressed with Moves by the Buffalo Bills wraps up by underscoring Marino’s belief that the Bills’ current path is not sustainable for long-term success.