Bills Looking For Defensive Help

The Bills’ defense ranks 30th in the NFL in scoring, 31st in yards and 32nd in EPA per play. Shoddy work against the pass has been the main culprit. Buffalo has given up the second-most passing yards in the league, pulled in just three interceptions and yielded a 102.5 rating. For reference, that’s slightly higher than the 102.1 rating the MVP-contending Allen has registered this year.

The Bills’ issues through the air could lead general manager Brandon Beane to seek upgrades at all levels, including their pass rush. Outside linebacker Gregory Rousseau and tackle Deone Walker have played like stars, but they have been the team’s only real defensive forces. The Bills have just 11 sacks, six of which have come from Rousseau, and they sit a lowly 28th in pass rush win rate. The lack of pressure has made life too easy on opposing quarterbacks and played a role in the secondary’s struggles.

Buffalo is also shaky at inside linebacker, where the team could stand to upgrade over starters Terrel Bernard and/or Dorian Williams. If a trade isn’t made there, the Bills have rookie fourth-rounder Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Shaq Thompson on hand as candidates for more playing time. Thompson, who is on the practice squad, outplayed Bernard last year. However, the 32-year-old Thompson hasn’t seen any action this season.

Although Beane spent recent high picks on two cornerbacks – Maxwell Hairston (first round, 2025) and Davison Igbinosun (second round, 2026) – and safety Cole Bishop (second round, 2024), the investments haven’t paid off this year. Hairston entered the season as a starter, but Iginosun has overtaken him opposite No. 1 corner Christian Benford in recent weeks.

In signing longtime Bill and 2025 starter Tre’Davious White to their practice squad on Oct. 19, Beane addressed the position to some degree. But age isn’t on the 31-year-old White’s side, and he has to prove he’s a fit in Leonhard’s defense. The nine-year veteran has played all but one season (2024) of his career under McDermott. That year, which White divided between the Rams and Ravens, didn’t go well.

Speaking of not going well, the Bills’ free agent addition of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (one year, $3.5MM) hasn’t gone as hoped so far. Already on his sixth team in eight years, Gardner-Johnson pulled in an important interception (his 21st) in a Week 3 win over the Chargers. Otherwise, the negatives have outweighed the positives. Gardner-Johnson is missing tackles at an 18.8% rate, easily a career worst, and Pro Football Focus ranks his overall performance a below-average 62nd among 91 qualifying safeties.

Gardner-Johnson won’t play in this Sunday’s crucial meeting with the Ravens after the NFL gave him a one-game suspension for spitting in the direction of Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in Week 6. That could force the Bills to turn to Damar Hamlin or rookie fifth-rounder Jalon Kilgore to start alongside Bishop, who has regressed after making major strides as a second-year player in 2025.

The Bills have former Ravens and Bengals safety Geno Stone on their practice squad, and though he has been a playmaker, he is a poor tackler who is prone to mistakes. Leonhard & Co. don’t seem to regard Stone as the answer; otherwise, he would have gotten at least one practice squad elevation by now.

After missing three games with a high ankle sprain, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will make his return in Buffalo. The Bills are coming off a bye, which gave them extra time to prepare, but Jackson could have a field day against their floundering defense. Buffalo’s ‘D’ should have an easier test against the Vikings’ offense in Week 9. That game will take place on Monday, Nov. 9, the night before the trade deadline.

Beane only has around $3.88MM in cap space at his disposal, but the GM will likely have to figure out a way to bring in outside defensive help in the next 11 days. Otherwise, even with Allen leading a stellar offense, a Super Bowl berth could end up out of reach yet again.