Beyond those, Brady has filled additional roles as he builds out the staff. He has explicitly retained six assistants from Sean McDermott’s era: running backs coach Kelly Skipper, tight ends coach Rob Boras, assistant offensive line coach Austin Gund, assistant wide receivers coach DJ Mangas, passing game specialist Mark Lubick, and offensive quality control coach Kyle Shurmur, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia.
The Bills’ official site lists 21 coaches under Brady, and the team remains active in adding defensive assistants. According to SB Nation’s Buffalo Rumblings, Buffalo has added college coaches Bobby April III as outside linebackers coach and Jay Valai as cornerbacks coach, both bringing recent collegiate experience to the staff.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has said there was no explicit plan to target college coaches, but he noted that concepts from the college game are increasingly permeating the NFL. He explained that having coaches who have recently coached at the college level helps, a point echoed by Sal Capaccio of WGR 550.
Leonhard also spoke highly of safety Cole Bishop, calling him a “very big fan” of what Bishop can contribute. Bishop impressed in Buffalo’s secondary, delivering 99 tackles, four interceptions, and strong overall versatility as he transitions from his rookie season to a deeper role in a potential 3-4 scheme.
Buffalo’s transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 framework adds complexity to personnel decisions, but the rookie success and college-tied hires suggest Brady and general manager Brandon Beane are prioritizing adaptability and cross-league concepts.
Overall, the Bills’ coaching staff build under Joe Brady reflects a strategy to blend NFL experience with fresh, college-informed ideas while preserving key contributors from the previous regime. The approach aims to create a flexible, modern system on both sides of the ball.
