Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills aren’t known for playing their defensive linemen in multiple positions like they are their offensive linemen. Usually, if a player is drafted as a defensive end, that’s where he’s playing. The same goes for defensive tackle, although there is some nuance to that given the former defense’s need for one-tech and three-tech players.
Sometimes, though, there are players who can fill multiple roles up front. Rare are the players who can go both inside and outside along the defensive line, but last year, the Bills ended up playing a rookie in a more versatile role. Was that sheerly out of necessity, or were the Bills forecasting that player’s future?
Perhaps it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, but in today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss a young player who will likely see time at multiple spots along Buffalo’s new-look defensive line.
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Name: T.J. Sanders
Number: 98
Position: DT
Height/Weight: 6’4” 297 lbs.
Age: 23 (24 on 7/30/2027)
Experience/Draft: 2; selected by Buffalo in the second round (No. 41 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft)
College: South Carolina
Acquired: Second-round draft choice
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Sanders enters the second year of his four-year rookie contract. For the 2026 seaosn, his cap hit is $2,419,411. If he’s released, Buffalo will carry a dead cap charge of $8,136,967.
2025 Recap: In the early going, Sanders played more than perhaps Buffalo thought he would thanks to an injury to Ed Oliver. Sanders was pushed around in those early matchups, as he was consistently beaten at the point of attack, and he looked especially weak in his anchor against the run. He totaled just two tackles in his first four games. However, a knee injury suffered before Buffalo played the New England Patriots led the team to place him on injured reserve. When he returned, he looked like a far better player. Sanders was activated from IR ahead of Buffalo’s Week Eleven matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he had three tackles in that game alone. He finished the regular season strong, and he even made his first career starts in Buffalo’s last two regular season games. He played a mix of defensive tackle and defensive end, proving to be quite versatile in addition to showing his overall improvement. He had 16 tackles, one sack, and one pass knockdown during the regular season. Although he played 35 total snaps in the playoffs, he did not register on the stat sheet.
Positional outlook: Sanders is one of eight defensive tackles listed on the current roster. Tommy Akingbesote, DeWayne Carter, Deone Walker, Ed Oliver, Zion Logue, Zane Durant, and Phidarian Mathis are the others. Landon Jackson and Kody Huisman are listed at defensive end, which is another spot where Sanders may see time this season.
2026 Offseason: Sanders is healthy and participating in offseason work to date.
2026 Season outlook: As strange as it seems, Sanders’ experience at multiple spots last season will likely give him a leg up this...
