Jim Dunaway, selected ninth overall in the second round of the 1963 AFL Draft from Ole Miss—where he was a consensus All-American and national champion—joined Western New York as a highly regarded interior lineman. Playing next to Tom Sestak, Dunaway quickly proved himself to be a powerful, relentless tackle who contributed to one of the most formidable defensive fronts in professional football history.

Dunaway had remarkable strength and lateral agility for his time. Playing as a left defensive tackle, he was adept at filling A-gaps, overpowering offensive guards, and disrupting running plays early. His skill in resetting the line made it hard for opponents to set up an inside run, and his strength in collapsing the pocket often pressured quarterbacks into hurried throws.

Dunaway was a central force behind Buffalo's dominance in the mid-1960s, helping lead the franchise to consecutive AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965. He was a core member of the legendary Bills front seven, which set an All-Pro football record by holding opposing ball-carriers to zero rushing touchdowns for 17 consecutive games across the 1964 and 1965 seasons.

During his peak, Dunaway received four consecutive AFL All-Star selections (1965–1968) and was honored as a First-Team All-AFL selection in 1966. His interior presence enabled Buffalo's defense to maintain a consistently leading position in the league concerning points and yards allowed during the AFL's prosperous years.

Following nine seasons in Western New York (1963–1971) and accumulating 126 regular-season appearances with the Bills, Dunaway's tenure concluded prior to the 1972 season when he was released by Buffalo. He was promptly acquired by division rival Miami, where he spent his final NFL season as a primary rotational tackle on the undefeated 1972 Dolphins team that secured victory in Super Bowl VII.

With the Bills, Dunaway played 126 regular-season games (114 starts), won 2 AFL Championships, earned 4 AFL All-Star selections, 1 First-Team All-AFL honor, and recorded 22.5 unofficial sacks along with 12 fumble recoveries.

Drafted out of Penn State in 1961, Stewart "Stew" Barber originally signed with Buffalo as a linebacker. It didn't take long for head coach Lou Saban to realize Barber's potential on offense, shifting him to the trenches, where he became the primary architect of the team's pass protection and edge blocking for nearly a decade.

Barber possessed a rare blend of linebacker agility and trench-warfare strength. Settling in at left tackle, he excelled at setting wide, immovable bases against the league's fastest pass rushers, keeping the pocket clean for Jack Kemp. In the run game, his athletic mobility allowed him to seal off defensive ends on the perimeter, creating massive cutback lanes for heavy-hitting backs like Cookie Gilchrist.

Barber locked down the left tackle spot in 1962, earning his first career AFL All-Star selection during a season that saw Buffalo introduce its high-powered offensive attack.

His prime coincided directly with Buffalo's back-to-back AFL Championship runs in 1964 and 1965. Barber was named a First-Team All-AFL selection in 1964 after leading an offensive line that paved the way for Cookie Gilchrist and captured the franchise's first league title. He backed that up in 1965 with his second First-Team All-AFL nod, keeping Jack Kemp protected through a 23–0 championship shutout of San Diego.

Barber remained a model of elite performance, racking up five total AFL All-Star selections (1962, 1964–1967) and adding a Second-Team All-AFL honor in 1966.

Spending his entire nine-year professional career (1961–1969) exclusively with the Bills, Barber played in 122 regular-season games, anchoring the line through the greatest decade in the organization's early history before retiring on the eve of the AFL-NFL merger. In 1998, the organization recognized his contributions to their early dynasty by inducting Barber into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame.

Ted "Mt. Washington" joined the Buffalo Bills as an unrestricted free agent in 1995, following periods with San Francisco and Denver. He arrived in Western New York as a formidable presence. At 6 feet 5 inches and over 365 pounds, Washington was the key pillar of Buffalo's 3-4 defense, delivering the most outstanding and commanding phase of his 17-year NFL career.

At his size, Washington redefined what it meant to play nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme. Lined up head-up over the center, he was virtually impossible to move with a single block, regularly absorbing double and triple teams without giving up an inch of ground. His ability to reset the line of scrimmage inside allowed pass rushers like Bruce Smith to operate on the edges, while leaving linebackers clean to flow freely and make plays in the run game.

Although nose tackles generally don't achieve flashy stats, Washington consistently contributed in the box score during his six seasons in Buffalo. Partnering with Pat Williams to create the well-known interior duo called "The Package," Washington led a run defense that consistently ranked as one of the AFC's toughest to face.

His peak came in the late 1990s, when he earned three Pro Bowl selections (1996, 1997, and 2000) and was named Second-Team All-Pro in 1997. Despite his large physique, Washington showed impressive durability and ability to collapse the pocket, missing no games throughout his time with the Bills.

After the 2000 season, the Bills faced a significant salary-cap crisis. Washington was released in March 2001 after refusing a second restructuring pay cut. He then signed with the Chicago Bears, earning a First-Team All-Pro honor and eventually winning Super Bowl XXXVIII with the New England Patriots before retiring in 2007.

In Buffalo, Washington played and started in 96 regular-season games, recorded 378 combined tackles and 19.5 sacks.

Charles Romes arrived in Buffalo as a late-round flyer (12th round, 309th overall in 1977) and distinguished himself as the first French-born player in NFL history. Stepping into the secondary as a rookie, Romes developed into an iron-man starter at right cornerback, holding down the position across a decade of service.

Romes possessed a typical length for a perimeter cornerback of his era. He primarily operated on the right boundary. His strengths included reading route stems, maintaining position in the hip pocket of outside receivers, and exploiting off-target throws through disciplined ball skills.

Romes’ defining characteristic as a Bill was his remarkable availability. After participating in all 14 games as a rotational defensive back during his rookie season, he assumed the role of the full-time right cornerback in 1978 and commenced every game for Buffalo over the subsequent nine seasons.

During his decade-long tenure in Buffalo (1977–1986), Romes participated in 151 consecutive regular-season games, including 137 consecutive starts—ranking as the eighth-most starts in the franchise's history. He functioned as a primary secondary anchor during Chuck Knox’s division-winning team in 1980 and their subsequent playoff campaign in 1981.

Romes logged at least one interception in nine consecutive seasons with the Bills (1978–1986). His individual peak came in 1985, when he recorded a career-high 7 interceptions. He also set a career-best mark the previous season, in 1984, with 5 interceptions.

In total, Romes recorded 28 interceptions for 493 return yards, eight fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown as a Bill, placing him fourth on Buffalo's all-time career interception leaderboard.