With the Buffalo Bills needing help at linebacker, one analyst believes a former Super Bowl champion could be a good fit for new defenisve coordinator Jim Leonhard.
The Buffalo Bills have a lot of positions to address in the offseason. One of those positions that might go under the radar despite being a major need is linebacker.
The Bills head into an offseason with a lot of uncertainty at the spot. Matt Milano is set to hit free agency after nine seasons in Buffalo, while Shaq Thompson is a free agent after one year with the team.
Elsewhere, you have Terrell Bernard, who struggled with both injuries and general play last season. Behind him, however, there's not much in the form of experience or depth.
The only other two linebackers under contract heading into 2026 are fourth-year veteran Dorian Williams and former undrafted free agent Joe Andreeson.
That's it. Three linebackers.
So, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise when analysts talk about what available linebackers could be a fit with the team. What could be a surprise to some fans is when a Super Bowl-winning linebacker is viewed as a "best fit" for the Bills.
That's exactly how Pro Football Focus' (PFF) Mason Cameron views Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean.
The four-year veteran has become somewhat of a fan favorite in Philadelphia. But, with his rookie contract over, there's a lot of talk about him looking for a more prominent role with a new team.
That's where Buffalo comes in.
Cameron suggests that Buffalo look at the 25-year-old Dean to help shore up a position with a player who can do what the Bills have struggled with in years: stop the run.
"The addition would give the Bills a plus run defender they’re in desperate need of, evidenced by Dean’s 96th-percentile run-stop percentage (10.3%) over the past two seasons," Cameron says. "Dean would give new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard a chess piece to amplify his aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme after posting the second-highest PFF pass-rush grade among linebackers since 2024."
PFF has Dean listed as the 11th-best available free agent this offseason. If the Bills were to find a way to bring a player like him into the organization, it could send a message that Buffalo isn't ready to step aside just yet.
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