The Buffalo Bills spent the last two seasons building depth at the linebacker position. For a team that often used its nickel personnel, it seemed like wasted resources to continue adding depth at linebacker when only two played at once. However, Buffalo dealt with myriad injuries at the position over the years, which led the team to add more talent. When those injuries continued, those young, talented players stepped in and gained valuable experience.
So, in a matter of a few years, the linebacker
group went from one of major concern to one where even the depth pieces were trustworthy parts of the defense overall. Now, the Bills find themselves in a situation where they will once again need to overhaul the linebacker group thanks to a scheme change.
Outgoing head coach Sean McDermott primarily ran an even-front defense, meaning Buffalo most often had four defensive linemen on the field. That meant that the Bills usually had two or three linebackers on the field at once. With new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard preferring an odd-front scheme, that means that Buffalo will likely have three or four linebackers on the field more often this season. It also means that the linebackers will have different responsibilities than they did in McDermott’s defense.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Leonhard’s exact defense, it’s difficult to evaluate the linebackers on Buffalo’s roster accurately. Much of what we’re doing here is speculating about how the pieces Buffalo has will fit. Throw in the possibility that some defensive ends — think Greg Rousseau and Landon Jackson — may end up playing an outside linebacker/EDGE role this season, and we really don’t quite know what Buffalo’s defensive personnel will look like. Free agency and the NFL Draft will provide some clarity, but until then, we can only make educated guesses.
With that in mind, here is our look at the state of the Buffalo Bills linebacker room entering the 2026 NFL season.
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Matt Milano
Contract Status for 2026: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 30 (31 on 3/17/2026)
Playing Time: 12 games (12 starts), 492 defensive snaps (50.1% of team total), 6 special teams snaps (1.38% of team total)
Key Statistics: 67 tackles, 6 QB hits, 7 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Milano has had a great run with the Bills, starting off as a humble fifth-round draft choice and elevating his game to All-Pro status. By the end of the season, Milano didn’t quite look like his All-Pro self, but he started to look like a more dynamic version of the player who struggled to return from injury during the 2024 season. Milano still missed time due to injury this season, sitting because of a pectoral injury suffered early in the year.
Milano’s contract was restructured last year so that he could be a free agent this year. Buffalo will carry a dead cap charge of just over $11 million, but they could theoretically re-sign Milano. Whether that happens will largely depend on how new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard thinks Milano fits into his scheme.
Terrel Bernard
Contract Status for 2026: Signed; first year of a four-year $42.143 million contract ($5.472 million cap hit; $11.8 million dead-cap number)
Age: 26 (27 on 5/7/2026)
Playing Time: 12 games (11 starts), 621 defensive snaps (63.24% of team total), 54 special teams snaps (12.44% of team total)
Key Statistics: 65 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 QB hits, 3 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception
Bernard was a huge disappointment last season, as he dealt with injury for most of the season, and when he did play, he was handily outplayed by his backup, veteran Shaq Thompson. Whether Bernard’s downturn in play was due to the injuries or something else remains to be seen, but Bernard was not a starting-caliber linebacker last season. Buffalo is locked into keeping Bernard on the roster, as it’s far more advantageous from a financial standpoint to keep him than it is to cut him. His status as a leader and a captain helps, as well.
It’s fair to question Bernard’s fit in an odd-front scheme, as he was already undersized for an even-front look, and 3-4 linebackers are generally bulkier than their 4-3 counterparts. Again, take that with a grain of salt, because good football players come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s not out of the question that Bernard could thrive in a defense where there are three linemen instead of four. Bernard’s lack of size has limited him, though, as it relates to shedding blocks, something that likely isn’t going to be helped by a shift to a three-man front. He’s been less and less effective in pass coverage over the last two seasons, as well.
Bernard needs to stay healthy and prove that he can hack it in the team’s new scheme; otherwise, his $42 million contract extension is going to be a deal the team regrets sooner rather than later.
Dorian Williams
Contract Status for 2026: Signed; final year of four-year rookie contract ($1,712,711 cap hit; $258,692 dead-cap number)
Age: 24 (25 on 6/8/2026)
Playing Time: 16 games (9 starts), 256 special teams snaps (58.99% of team total), 434 defensive snaps (44.2% of team total)
Key Statistics: 63 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 QB hits, 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery
Williams has been a vitally important member of the defense for the last two seasons, as injuries to Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano have pushed him into the starting lineup at various points. He’s also one of the team’s top special teams players, totaling 15 special teams tackles, which was good for second on the team. Williams isn’t perfect in coverage, as he sometimes is slow to react within his zone, and he’s not a great man-coverage player, either. What he is, though, is a heavy hitter who is best when he triggers and fires downhill.
A new scheme that allows him to play to his strengths could be beneficial, and I could see Williams playing well in what should be a more aggressive scheme under Jim Leonhard. At worst, Buffalo can continue to use Williams as a weapon on special teams. At best, Williams can step in as a starter next season and potentially earn a second contract with the Bills.
Shaq Thompson
Contract Status for 2026: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 31 (32 on 4/21/2026)
Playing Time: 12 games (6 starts), 417 defensive snaps (42.46% of team total), 57 special teams snaps (13.13% of team total)
Key Statistics: 56 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 QB hits, 2 pass breakups, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble
The veteran linebacker had a bounce-back year in 2025, as he stayed healthy for most of it while outperforming the man who was expected to start in front of him. Thompson was thought of as a “Sean McDermott signing” when he inked a one-year deal, but he was arguably Buffalo’s best linebacker in 2025. Now that McDermott is gone, I’d expect that Thompson will be elsewhere next season, but he also played well enough where he likely earned a starter-level contract. Regardless of whether McDermott stayed or left, that’s something the Bills likely cannot afford.
Joe Andreessen
Contract Status for 2026: Signed; final year of three-year rookie contract ($1,075,834 cap hit; $834 dead-cap number)
Age: 25 (26 on 2/7/2026)
Playing Time: 17 games (2 starts), 341 special teams snaps (78.57% of team total), 96 defensive snaps (9.78% of team total)
Key Statistics: 35 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 QB hits
“Buffalo Joe” has carved out a role as an ace on special teams over the last two seasons, but with a new coordinator and a new scheme, there’s a possibility that Andreessen can challenge for a larger role on defense, as well. In limited time on defense over the last two seasons, Andreessen has been somewhat of a liability, especially in pass coverage. He’s shown flashes, though, and given how difficult McDermott’s defense was to grasp, it’s possible that a scheme with simpler keys and reads could allow Andreessen’s natural strengths to shine through.
As we said with Dorian Williams, the worst-case scenario is that Buffalo has a great special teams player. Andreessen was second in the entire NFL in special teams tackles last season, totaling 23 tackles in that phase of the game. Only Del’Shawn Phillips, himself a former Bill, had more with 24 special teams tackles for the Los Angeles Chargers. At best, Andreessen continues to develop and becomes a solid contributor on defense, as well.
Baylon Spector
Contract Status for 2026: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 27 (28 on 10/20/2026)
Playing Time: 3 games, 40 special teams snaps (9.22% of team total), 3 defensive snaps (.31% of team total)
Key Statistics: 3 tackles
Spector is another player who is likely gone now that head coach Sean McDermott is no longer with the club. As far as special teams players go, the Bills could certainly do worse, but they’re going to need some bigger, more versatile linebackers. Spector is not a player Buffalo should look to retain.
Keonta Jenkins
Contract Status for 2026: Signed; second year of three-year rookie contract
Age: 23 (24 on 1/26/2026)
Playing Time: 3 games, 39 special teams snaps (8.99% of team total), 23 defensive snaps (2.34% of team total)
Key Statistics: 9 tackles
Jenkins is extremely undersized at 6’3” and 219 pounds, but he was quite effective on special teams this season in limited chances. After playing a hybrid nickel/safety/outside linebacker role (known as the “Star”) at Virginia Tech, he was primarily a weakside linebacker in Buffalo’s old scheme. Can he bulk up and show some use on defense to add to his special teams value? That might be the difference between Jenkins sticking with the team in some capacity and him being released outright.
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Final Thoughts
Of all the personnel groupings on defense, I expect this one to change most drastically this offseason. The Bills will likely allow Milano and Thompson to sign elsewhere, and while I think Thompson could be a strong player in Leonhard’s defense, I don’t know that I’d be willing to pay him $4-$5 million next year to find out how well he fits.
Of the players returning, I’m most interested in what they would do with Dorian Williams. He showed signs of being a strong contributor over the last two seasons, even leading the team in tackles during the 2024 season. Is he an outside linebacker or an inside linebacker in this new scheme? My gut says he kicks inside, but I also might be overthinking it. Williams’ versatility will help him contribute, and if his biggest contribution ends up on special teams, then so be it.
The same could be said for Joe Andreessen, who I believe is still likely best suited for special teams, but might be poised to earn regular snaps on obvious run downs in a 3-4 scheme. In limited action over his first two years, Andreessen’s inability to cover consistently has been an issue. I’m interested to watch how he fits once camp rolls around.
The Bills will likely be active in free agency and in the draft at linebacker. Leo Chenal is a popular name for the Bills to sign, but he’s a 25-year old stud off-ball linebacker who may command a salary that Buffalo can’t pay on the open market given their salary cap constraints. Do I want Buffalo to sign him? Absolutely. Am I confident that they will? Not necessarily. If he’s looking for his Spotrac valuation (in the neighborhood of $4.5 million per season), sign me up. If it’s closer to his Stick to the Model valuation ($11 million or so per year), then I might hesitate.
Another linebacker who fits perfectly and is a free agent is Alex Singleton, who just played for the Denver Broncos over the last four seasons. He at at least 135 tackles in three of his four years with the Broncos, and he is coming off a postseason run where he had 26 tackles and a forced fumble in two games. Sure, he’s entering his age-33 season, but he’s also quite familiar with Leonhard, and he likely won’t command a tremendous salary over a short-term deal.
There are other veteran options who could be helpful, such as Justin Strnad (another former Bronco), Logan Wilson, Micah McFadden, Devin White, and Christian Rozeboom, but they all come with different layers of question marks. Some of those linebackers are talented, but they’ve also played in 4-3 or 4-2-5 fronts, so swapping out Milano, say, for a new player who would also be adapting to a 3-4 base defense might not provide much benefit.
Buffalo will likely use the NFL Draft to stockpile more linebackers, as well. The Bills have been linked to Georgia’s CJ Allen in various mock drafts, and they hosted Jeremiah Trotter II on an official visit recently. Cincinnati’s Jake Golday, Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez, and Alabama’s Deonte Lawson are all players who could step in and help immediately. Utah’s Lander Barton is someone I like, as well, and the Bills could also go with a local product by drafting Red Murdock out of the University of Buffalo. There’s no shortage of quality linebackers in the draft, and Buffalo should invest in at least one.
While the switch to a 3-4 base doesn’t mean that Buffalo has to dump its entire defensive roster — and it also doesn’t mean the team won’t ever play with four down linemen — it does mean that the team will have to remake a few positional groups. The linebacker group is going to need an injection of fresh faces this offseason.
