This veteran OLB has the size and physical skills to sneak onto the field in 2026

The Buffalo Bills have a new defensive scheme, and with that comes new responsibilities for some old friends. The defensive ends in former head coach Sean McDermott’s 4-3 (or, perhaps more accurately, his 4-2-5) scheme are now outside linebackers in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 scheme. Will that lead to some surprise keeps on the 53-man roster once September comes?

In today’s installment of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss an outside linebacker whose experience at the position might be his best leg-up on the competition for a roster spot.
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Name:  Andre Jones Jr.

Number:  75

Position:  OLB

Height/Weight:  6’5″ 258 lbs.

Age:  27 (28 on 10/25/2026)

Experience/Draft:  2; selected by the Washington Commanders in the seventh round (No. 233 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft

College:  Louisiana-Lafayette

Acquired:  Signed with Bills’ practice squad on 8/28/2025

Financial situation (per Spotrac):  Jones Jr. signed a reserve/futures contract on January 19. It’s a two-year deal worth $2.265 million overall. For the 2026 season, Jones Jr.’s cap hit is $1.075 million if he makes the roster. There are no guarantees on the deal, so the Bills can release him without carrying a dead cap charge if they so choose.

2025 Recap:  Jones Jr. was elevated for three games during the regular season, and he played fairly well in the limited role he was assigned. He totaled five tackles in those games while playing 38 defensive snaps, equal to 22% of the snaps in those three games combined. His best game came against the Cleveland Browns, where he made four tackles on 22 defensive snaps. He was also a contributor on special teams, appearing on 58% of the snaps in that phase over those three games. He was elevated from the practice squad for Buffalo’s Wild Card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, as well. He played 13 defensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps in that game, making one tackle.

Positional outlook:  Jones Jr. is one of eight outside linebackers on the current roster. Bradley Chubb, TJ Parker, Greg Rousseau, Javon Solomon, Michael Hoecht, Mike Danna, and Cade Denhoff are the others.

2026 Offseason:  Jones Jr. is healthy and participating in offseason workouts.

2026 Season outlook: Jones Jr. faces an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster, but his experience at outside linebacker, which is the position he played in college, could be an asset this summer. Given that the Bills have a host of players who have not had much, if any, experience playing as a stand-up edge rusher, Jones Jr.’s experience doing so could help his cause this summer.

Of course, that experience is firmly in the rearview mirror now, and given the names on the list of players that he’s competing with, it seems unlikely that Jones Jr. is going to be on the team once September arrives. Some factors that could lead to him making the team include Michael Hoecht’s continued recovery from Achilles surgery and other injuries that may crop up this summer. Hoecht, for his part, seems to be ahead of schedule, and his stated goal is to be ready for Week One.

I’m not sure how many OLBs the Bills will keep, but for my money, I’d assume that Hoecht, Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, and TJ Parker are all roster locks. Javon Solomon and Mike Danna feel like they’re the next two in line, and Jones Jr. falls a step below them. Cade Denhoff is a distant eighth among the eight outside linebackers on the roster.

Does Jones Jr.’s special teams flexibility help him leapfrog someone like Danna, who has also never truly played as an outside linebacker? Will a switch to a 3-4 scheme help someone like Solomon, who excelled in college as a more hybrid EDGE type? Will Hoecht be able to come back and contribute in Week One?

Without the answers to those questions, it’s hard to evaluate Jones Jr.’s roster chances fully. He’s going to be a priority practice squad candidate for Buffalo if he’s released, which I think is the most likely scenario. However, he definitely has a chance at sneaking onto the roster thanks to his versatility and experience in an odd-front scheme. Jones Jr. is a solid backup who could fill multiple roles this season.