After the Buffalo Bills made their nine draft selections, they got to work with signing undrafted free agents right after. They signed 14 undrafted free agents and sent out invitations to nine players to attend their rookie minicamp. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott are always going to be looking to see who can help the Bills get over the hump and bring the Lombardi trophy to Buffalo.
The Bills are always about development and building within. While they will make their swings via trade and/or free agency, that’s not what they are built on.
After the Buffalo Bills made their nine draft selections, they got to work with signing undrafted free agents right after. They signed 14 undrafted free agents and sent out invitations to nine players to attend their rookie minicamp. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott are always going to be looking to see who can help the Bills get over the hump and bring the Lombardi trophy to Buffalo.
The Bills are always about development and building within. While they will make their swings via trade and/or free agency, that’s not what they are built on.
Last offseason, the Bills found a diamond in the rough after the draft when they signed linebacker Joe Andreessen to a contract. Andreessen is a Buffalo native and he didn’t just impress well enough to get invited to training camp, he made it onto the final 53-man roster. Once the news about Deion Jones, who had played in Sean McDermott’s defensive system in Carolina, came out that Jones didn’t make the roster, there was actually a shot that Andreessen would get to be a member of the Bills.
The Bills might have themselves another undrafted free agent (ironically a linebacker) who could end up making the final roster right before Week 1. Brent Sobleski from Bleacher Report listed linebacker Keonta Jenkins as an undrafted player who has the best chance at earning a roster spot come September.
"Despite Matt Milano's extensive injury history, the Buffalo Bills didn't sign or draft a linebacker to improve the team's depth, even as a precaution. Jenkins could easily slide into a sixth linebacker role, while serving as a core-four special-teamer early in his professional career."Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report
Keonta Jenkins just might be an undrafted free agent gem for Bills
It was surprising that the Bills didn’t draft a linebacker in the draft, but maybe it shows that the front office feels comfortable with how that room looks. With having Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, and Dorian Williams as your primary players and then having players like Joe Andreessen and Edefuan Ulofoshio behind them, the Bills linebacking core is solid.
However, Milano is potentially looking at his last year in Buffalo after taking a pay cut earlier this offseason. He has missed a lot of time the last two years, which included a season-ending injury in 2023, and not playing until Week 13 in 2024.
Keonta Jenkins is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker, much like Milano. He became a full-time starter the last three years in college while recording 19.5 tackles for a loss over the last two seasons. If Jenkins can stand out in minicamp and training camp, it may be hard for the Bills to ignore what he might bring to the team and take a chance on him.
