Pittsford, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In 2005, Jim Leonhard showed up at St. John Fisher University trying to make the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent safety out of the University of Wisconsin.
Fast forward to 2026, the now 43-year-old is running the Bills defense as the new defensive coordinator.
Leonhard carved out a 10-year NFL career with the Bills, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns. Leonhard played 54 games in two stints with the Bills, and 142 games in the NFL overall.
He admits being back where it all started is a little surreal.
"In some ways, it feels a little full circle," said Leonhard with reporters on Thursday in Rochester. "It was always a great place to go to camp, because as a team, you do become close and you're isolated.
"Training camps were always a little bit special and nerve wracking, because you're high stress and you're trying to make a team, especially being undrafted. But it is a bit of a strange feeling walking around here, kind of feeling like you know it, but at the same time, it's a totally different feel with the roll I'm in."
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said Wednesday the first thing Leonhard talked about during his interview for the defensive coordinator position is how his defense can help defensive tackle Ed Oliver be more of a consistent and better player. Leonhard will be looking for 1-on-1 matchups for the veteran.
"You've got to make teams find him. If you know where a guy's going to be, it's a little bit easier for an offense to game plan. And the front structure we're going to run is more multiple than it's been in the past, and that frees up a guy like Ed," Leonhard said. "We have some experience around him, some guys that know how to play off interior D-linemen. You look at a Bradley Chubb and a Greg Rousseau; Greg's had a ton of reps with Ed, so the more experience you have around a guy like Ed, it frees him up and allows him to be the key piece of it and guys to play off of him."
All the players are learning about Leonhard since this his his first year with the Bills as the leader of the defense.
"My job is trying to make that break-in period as short as possible," Leonhard said. "There always is one, because you're learning new players and they're learning me. We're getting comfortable with each other, and over communicating is probably the No. 1 thing I can do and let them get into my brain. 'What am I thinking? How do I see this play and being very open, which sometimes I don't want to be?' That's the fastest way."
Whether it's cornerback or linebacker, many are asking if the Bills have enough depth.
"There's a number of depth concerns. You're always looking to make that roster better, whether it's at corner, but there's just not a ton of experience past the first group," Leonhard acknowledged. "That's going to be a heated battle among many during camp, and there's a lot to be determined on that field."
It's weird how some NFL players are excellent tacklers, and others are very poor at it. And in some cases, they never seem to improve. Leonhard says it's something he will stress a lot.
"To me, that's one of the biggest separators in the NFL. It's who can tackle and who can't tackle," he said. "There's a natural limit, and if guys don't bite coming out of college, it's hard to turn them into great tacklers. But as a coaching staff, you have to emphasis it. You have to find ways to be creative to create the finish part of the tackle."
Leonhard has pretty much seen it all in the NFL, but there's been one thing that really has seemed to shock him since coming to Buffalo.
"It's been professional habits in the meeting room," Leonhard admitted. "There's obviously been a good foundation with this group of guys, and you start putting on film and you're talking over calls and they're communicating. They're making coverage calls, they're making adjustments and alerts, and we're installing a new call that they didn't know. So just to see the habits within the meeting room settling and how you can take that to the field, they're very interactive. And very few places I've been have had that. I know I can coach to a certain level because you're going to get response, and it changes your teaching style.
"I almost jumped back, because so many guys started talking fast and I'm like, 'Oh ****, should I stop this?' And anytime you have that, you're so far ahead. because they're not waiting to get on the field."
The Bills will have Friday off from practice at training camp.
