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For the Buffalo Bills, the 2025 preseason will be anything but quiet. The franchise remains a fixture in the AFC playoff picture. However, that also means the margin for error has shrunk. This is no longer about proving they can win. It’s about making sure every single piece of the roster is built to contend for a Super Bowl. And for players fighting for jobs this August, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Will Buffalo’s defensive overhaul deliver results? The Bills enter 2025 with enormous expectations after making it clear through the draft and free agency that their defense needed a major facelift.
This offseason, the front office locked down key pieces for the future. They extended defensive end Greg Rousseau and cornerback Christian Benford. They also swung big with the addition of veteran pass rusher Joey Bosa. Still, there are plenty of unknowns. Six of Buffalo’s draft picks were spent on defense. That included three defensive linemen, and their development will be critical. Add to that the lingering health concerns around Bosa, questions about where linebacker Matt Milano stands, and the fact that two defensive linemen will miss the first six games due to suspension. Now, you have a unit with plenty to prove.
The Bills’ winning culture attracts talent, but there are only so many roster spots to go around. As the front office sorts through a deep pool of veterans and rookies, this preseason will be a brutal proving ground for anyone hoping to make the cut on a team with championship-or-bust ambitions.
Here we’ll try to look at the three Buffalo Bills players on the roster bubble who must shine in the 2025 NFL preseason.
Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones has been a steady presence in Buffalo’s front seven. That said, this summer could be different. Entering the final year of his deal, Jones suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs of a numbers crunch. Releasing him would reportedly save the team $5.5 million. That’s a tempting bit of flexibility for a franchise tight on cap space.
Buffalo didn’t hide its priorities in the draft, too. They traded up twice to secure defensive tackles TJ Sanders and Deone Walker. Add those rookies to a group that already includes Ed Oliver and DeWayne Carter, plus the free-agent addition of Larry Ogunjobi. As such, it’s clear that the defensive interior has been overhauled.
The Bills will need Jones’ experience, especially early in the season while Ogunjobi is sidelined. However, once the rookies gain their footing, tough decisions loom. If Sanders and Walker shine in camp and preseason action, the coaching staff could decide that the cost savings outweigh the veteran presence.
Jones doesn’t control the cap math, but he can control the narrative. He needs to dominate in camp, show leadership, and remind everyone that there’s value in proven production.
Ryan Van Demark is a...
