During the 2025 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills’ defensive front seven generated some strong pass-rush pressure but struggled against the run, ranking 30th in EPA per rushing play allowed. The group contributed heavily to the team’s 42 sacks (top-12 league-wide) and led the NFL in quarterback hits from the front seven in several key games. This, despite an inconsistently in getting the job done rushing just four, while opponents averaged 4.6 yards per carry against the front.
As the third in a series
evaluating the Bills’ roster for a potential 2026 Super Bowl run, I’ll apply what I’ve termed as the “Lofton Exercise” to categorize players as “game-winners” (elite talents who can single-handedly win multiple games), “win-with players” (reliable contributors who perform well but aren’t consistent difference-makers), or “needs improvement” (inconsistent or underdeveloped). I continue with a look at Buffalo’s defensive front seven (defensive linemen and linebackers), both those under contract and pending free agents.
Below, I’ll incorporate 2025 stats, postseason performances, and advanced metrics like Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades, expected points added (EPA), success rates, and others to build my case. This unit provided the foundation for Buffalo’s pass rush, but exposed run-defense questions heading into an offseason where schematic and, especially, philosophical changes will certainly shake things up personnel-wise.
Game-Winners
These players stood out as elite talents capable of dominating matchups and carrying the unit in critical moments. Their performances were crucial for the Bills’ success.
EDGE Greg Rousseau*
Greg Rousseau hasn’t made the splash plays that Bills Mafia hoped for, nor has he been a dominant pass rusher with an arsenal of moves that could make opposing quarterbacks’ lives a nightmare. When watching his games, you hardly ever feel like he’s a consistent threat to opposing offenses, capable of making plays that truly change games.
However, when you dive deeper into his performances, there’s a lot to like. PFF has the former first-round pick among the top-10 edge rushers in the league, and part of their Top 101 list, ranked 64th overall. His overall grade of 86.3 ranks eighth among edge defenders, and his 85.1 run-defense grade led all edges. Despite sacking opposing quarterbacks just seven times (led the team), Groot racked up 63 quarterback pressures and improved tackling with an 8.7% missed tackle rate (down from 21.2% in 2024).
Rousseau solidified himself as the Bills’ top edge rusher, leading the team in sacks for the second consecutive season. While his sack total was far from elite compared to the very top of the league, his elite run defense, combined with a good pressure volume, made him the closest the Bills have to a defensive lineman who can win games for them.
Groot still has to play more consistently, similar to the way he performed against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16 (2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles) to make that asterisk above disappear, but he certainly is a great EDGE2 already. Now, there’s added hope that new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard can maximize his potential using him in more creative ways.
Win-With Players
This group provided reliable, complementary production without consistently dominating. Their stats and metrics show solid contributions that help the team win, but they don’t carry teams alone.
DT Ed Oliver
Ed Oliver looked primed for a career year in 2025, but, unfortunately, injuries took away a promising campaign by the former top-10 pick. When on the field, Oliver was highly disruptive, recording one sack in each of his first three appearances. He was particularly demonstrative in the Week 1 comeback win against the Baltimore Ravens, where he recorded six tackles, a sack, and a game-changing forced fumble.
Unfortunately, Oliver couldn’t stay healthy, missing four early season games with knee and ankle issues, and later he suffered a torn biceps tendon in Week 8, landing him on Injured Reserve (IR) before returning for the playoffs, but getting hurt there again. Without more games to really evaluate, it’s tough to have Oliver higher than this “can win with” group.
At his best, Oliver can be a disruptive force, but his lack of size has been problematic in the interior of Buffalo’s run defense. He also hasn’t been a factor in the Bills’ biggest games during his career, which I see as a major red flag. He’s a player who might benefit from more size playing alongside him in Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 base looks. Time will tell.
EDGE Joey Bosa (UFA)
Joey Bosa started the season strong, but cooled off as the season wore on, and while dealing with a left wrist injury. He ended up as a highly effective pass rusher for the Bills when healthy, recording 29 tackles, five sacks, and a league-leading five forced fumbles over 15 games. Bosa provided strong, elite-level pass-rush metrics (88.7 PFF pass rush grade), operating as a key component of Buffalo’s rotation.
In the playoffs, Bosa didn’t have much of an impact, including in the Divisional Round loss, where a completely unnecessary roughing-the-passer penalty wasn’t crucial to the team’s loss because there was another penalty called in the defensive backfield instead. His performance versus the run wasn’t good enough (54.6 PFF run defense grade), but he can still be a veteran presence and a disruptive pass-rush specialist who could return if the price is right (it likely won’t be, though).
DT Deone Walker
Deone Walker had a highly impactful rookie season for the Bills, quickly emerging as a key defender after being selected in the fourth round (No. 109 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite being a mid-round pick, he immediately became the team’s most productive interior defensive lineman. Walker led all rookie interior defensive linemen with a 78.3 PFF pass-rushing grade and recorded 20 pressures at a 7.4% rate.
While elite as a pass rusher, Walker faced a tougher transition in run defense, with his inconsistencies resulting in a 45.4 PFF run-defense grade. He showed improvement late in the season and is expected to anchor Leonhard’s defense as the nose tackle in a 3-4 base. That said, it would be smart for the Bills to have another viable option there so they could move the talented sophomore around, taking advantage of mismatches and maximizing his talent.
Walker’s a player who could become a tier 1 guy by the end of next season.
LB Shaq Thompson (UFA)
Shaq Thompson contributed 56 tackles (33 solo), six tackles for loss, and one sack with a PFF grade of 81.3 for his work in 2025. His veteran savvy shone in coverage and run fits across 12 games, as he earned the leadership role in the middle of the Bills’ defense while linebacker Terrel Bernard struggled with injuries.
The former Panthers defender excelled in coverage (82.9 PFF coverage grade), while his 73.7 run defense grade (ranked 30th) was good enough to improve the team’s defense in an area of need. Thompson proved his utility in 2025 and established himself as a reliable, veteran linebacker for the Bills’ defense.
Thompson’s a win-with piece who would be welcome back on a team-friendly deal, adding leadership and consistency.
EDGE Michael Hoecht
Michael Hoecht had a tumultuous but productive 2025 season, marked by a preseason standout performance, a six-game suspension to start the regular season, a strong debut midseason, and a season-ending injury shortly thereafter. For two weeks, Hoecht looked like a player who could win games for the Bills, and a home-run hit by general manager Brandon Beane.
In just two games, he recorded five total tackles (2 solo), two sacks, and one forced fumble, showcasing a non-stop motor and the kind of versatility that could create nightmares for opposing offensive lines. In his first game with the Bills, Hoecht recorded six pressures and six hurries, 1.5 sacks, three total tackles (1 solo), and one forced fumble. That performance backed up the idea many latched onto in Hochet becoming a dynamic Swiss army knife for Buffalo’s defense. He posted a 23.8% pass-rush win rate and a 19.0 pass-rush productivity (PRP) score.
Unfortunately, just two weeks of production aren’t enough to secure someone as a top-notch player in the league, and the need now to come back from an Achilles injury only raises questions about his performance going forward.
Needs Improvement
These players lacked consistency, often due to limited snaps, inexperience, or simply not being talented enough, even if some of them showed potential at some point. At this point in time, each of them requires more development for possible bigger roles.
LB Matt Milano (UFA)
Milano led the linebackers with 67 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble while working through injury challenges. Despite these limitations, he remained an impactful, even if less consistent, part of the defense as a productive two-down linebacker.
However, when asked to be the every-down player he used to be in his prime, Milano struggled. PFF had him graded at 46.2 overall (ranked 81st out of 88 qualifying linebackers), with a run defense grade of 43.7 (ranked 79th out of 88 LBs), and a coverage grade of 47.9 (ranked 59th out of 88 LBs). His 70.0 pass rush grade (ranked 26th out of 88 LBs) hints that he could still be effective as a blitzer, but Milano hasn’t been comfortable in space the same as he was in the past.
Buffalo needs better from a starting, every-down linebacker. Milano still can be a piece teams can win with in a limited role, but that’s not what the Bills need from him.
LB Terrel Bernard
I’m a big believer in Terrel Bernard, always confident he could lead the Bills’ defense at the MLB spot from the get-go. Unfortunately, though, his 2025 season was marked by a decline in production and injuries, limiting him to 12 regular-season games and causing him to miss both playoff contests.
His overall (48.8, 73rd out of 88 qualifying LBs), pass-rush (52.4, 76th/88 LBs), and coverage (46.7, 65th/88 LBs) grades from PFF saw significant drops compared to his 2023 breakout season. His 12.4% missed tackle rate was bad as well.
Despite the lackluster year, I still believe it’s too soon to give up on the defensive captain. We know he has the right head on his shoulders, and when healthy and if kept cleaner, he can be an elite-level playmaker who can win games for the Bills. The new defensive schemes should be favorable for his play style, as Leonhard’s schemes have some principles very similar to what Baylor’s head coach Dave Aranda employed, which made Bernard a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Bernard remains under contract through 2029 and is expected to continue as a core starting linebacker for the Bills in 2026. If he can stay healthy (and that’s the biggest question with him going forward), his role as a leader in the defense is solidified, and I’m confident we’ll be seeing him back playing as a guy who can win games for the Bills. Right now, though, Buffalo needs better.
DT DaQuan Jones (UFA)
DaQuan Jones provided a steady interior presence with a PFF grade of 72.0 and solid run-defense contributions across 12 games (22 tackles, 3 run stuffs). Despite missing time due to a calf injury, he recorded his highest sack total (3.0) since 2017.
With that said, the Bills can’t rely on him as a mainstay on the interior line as they’ve done in prior season. The emergence of Walker and the schematic and philosophical changes on the defensive side of the ball make it the perfect time to move on from the disgruntled DT, who has beefed with the Bills Mafia recently on social media.
LB Dorian Williams
After a high snap count in 2024, Dorian Williams operated as a key rotational linebacker and special teams contributor in 2025, playing 431 defensive snaps (roughly 44% of the team’s total). He recorded 63 total tackles (29 solo) and two pass defenses over 16 regular-season games. PFF had him ranked 53rd out of 88 qualifying linebackers with his 56.7 overall grade (63.4 run defense, 49.6 coverage, 62.7 pass rush grades). A tackling machine who excels while playing downhill, Williams recorded 13 defensive stops in the run game.
The Tulane product continued to show value as a run-stopper, and the team viewed him as reliable insurance behind starters Matt Milano, Shaq Thompson, and Terrel Bernard. However, his struggles in pass coverage limited him largely to a two-down linebacker role. Can he become more than that in the new defense?
EDGE A.J. Epenesa (UFA)
A.J. Epenesa’s 2025 season saw his production dip across the board — fewer tackles, fewer sacks (from 6.0 in 2024 to 2.5 in 2025), and fewer forced fumbles (two to zero) than the previous year. PFF had him at 86th out of 115 qualifying edge defenders with a 58.8 overall grade (63.5 pass rush, 48.6 run defense).
Despite his penchant for tipping passes at the line, Buffalo has likely seen enough from Epenesa. It’s time to move on and give opportunities to different players at his position, especially in a 3-4 defense where he’s not an ideal fit.
Other Players in this tier:
- DT T.J. Sanders: Poor first year with plenty of opportunities. Overall PFF Grade of 39.9 (ranked 128th out of 134 qualified defensive interiors), Run Defense Grade of 41.7 (ranked 110th/134), and Pass Rush Grade of 51.3 (ranked 124th/134).
- DT Phidarian Mathis: Struggled to make a significant impact, ranking among the lowest-graded players on the Bills’ defense. Overall PFF Grade of 35.2, Run Defense Grade of 53.2, and Pass Rush Grade of 34.7.
- EDGE Javon Solomon: Couldn’t take advantage of opportunities created by injuries. Overall PFF Grade of 42.7.
- Edge Landon Jackson, LB Joe Andreessen, LB Baylon Spector, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DT Jordan Phillips, LB Keonta Jenkins.
Final Assessment
Overall, it’s easy to see why the bills had so much trouble containing the run game from opposing teams, and why they couldn’t generate pressure with just four when it mattered the most. Pair the lack of size in the interior with a duo of smaller linebackers and a base nickel defense, and you’re literally inviting teams to run the ball down your throat.
It wasn’t just the schemes and the players’ fit for them, though. The Bills’ only tier-one player in their front-seven is a questionable one who could easily be in the second group instead. Then you have a rookie and four players missing time injured in the second group, plus some key guys also dealing with injuries and underperforming, falling to tier-3.
2025 was a tough year for the front seven, and the group certainly can use the schematic changes in its favor to do better in 2026. Without a doubt, some reinforcements are also needed.
Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge!
