Yardbarker
x
Bills’ potential 2026 breakout star after strong OTAs showing
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Bills’ potential 2026 breakout star after strong OTAs showing

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Tim Crean, ClutchPoints  |  Last updated May 27, 2026 2:32 PM ET
Google Add us as a preferred source on Google

The Buffalo Bills are in the midst of offseason OTAs, and what happens on the field in May might give fans some strong hints about what they could see in September and beyond. This year, as Buffalo transitions from Sean McDermott’s 4-3 defense to Jim Leonhard’s 3-4, some of the players on the roster look quite a bit different, both literally and figuratively. One such player is second-year defensive lineman Landon Jackson, who could be the Bills’ potential 2026 breakout star after a strong OTAs showing.

Landon Jackson showed up looking huge at Bills’ offseason OTAs

Jackson was a 2025 third-round pick out of Arkansas. The Texas native measured in at 6-foot-6, 265 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine that year, and that was after putting on over 40 pounds during his time with the Razorbacks. The general scouting report on him was that while he was an effective pass rusher, he lacked the natural bend to get around the edge as a traditional 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker.

As a rookie in McDermott’s defense, Jackson played just 30 snaps in three games and was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury after Week 10, ending his inaugural campaign.

What happened next led to one of the biggest surprises of Bills’ OTAs this offseason.

Jackson started eating around 6,000 calories a day, according to reports, and hit the weight room with the goal to bulk up to between 280 and 290 pounds ahead of the 2026 season. The defensive lineman has tried this before. After his freshman year at LSU, he wanted to bulk up to 300 pounds. However, he didn’t do it in a healthy or controlled manner, and Jackson ended up tearing his ACL before transferring to Arkansas.

This time, it seems as though Jackson did gain weight the right way, and now, the Bills’ defensive coordinator is singing his praises in OTAs.

“He sees the vision of the defense and what his role can be in it,” Leonhard said. “He’s doing a tremendous job of learning the new scheme and where he fits. … I’m excited to see what he can do.”

And what Jackson can now do is why he could be the potential Bills’ 2026 breakout star after OTAs.

In McDemott’s scheme, which was usually a 4-3 Over or Under, the defensive ends either lined up in a 5-technique position (head-up on the offensive tackle) or in a Wide 9 technique, which means lining up all the way outside the tight end. The former is tough for a 260-pound DE, while the latter is difficult for a DE without natural bend around the edge.

Now that Leonard is in charge, the defensive ends will most often line up as 5-techniques or in a 4i-technique, which is inside the tackle. Big, strong defensive linemen who are pushing 300 pounds usually excel in these roles, which is obviously the “vision” that Jackson has for himself in this new defensive scheme.

There will be a lot of competition for these 3-4 defensive end spots when the Bills training camp rolls around. Buffalo doesn’t have a natural nose tackle on the roster, but it’s expected that the massive 6-foot-7, 331-pound Deone Walker will handle those duties. After that, there is Ed Oliver, T.J. Sanders, DeWayne Carter, Michael Hoecht, and rookie Zane Durant, who will all be competing with Jackson for those two spots on the line.

Still, it’s impressive how Landon Jackson showed up at the Bills’ OTAs this offseason, and it could signal a breakout year for the young player.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA.