Orchard Park, NY (WGR550) - My 2026 State of the Bills series continues with a look at the defensive linemen.
Under contract:
- Ed Oliver
- Deone Walker
- TJ Sanders
- DeWayne Carter
- Landon Jackson
- Zane Durant
- Phidarian Mathis
- Tommy Akingbesote
- Zion Logue
- Kody Huisman
Ed Oliver‘s last two seasons have been mired by injuries. He missed three games in 2024, and wasn’t fully healthy in several others. Then last season, after playing in the opener and even dominating up front, Oliver missed the next four games, returned for a couple contests, then missed the rest of the season until playing sparingly in the playoff loss at the Broncos. In the three regular season games he did play, Oliver collected a sack in each one of them. If the 28-year old can stay healthy, the next biggest question this year is how he will fit into Jim Leonhard‘s new defense, where he’s expected to play 4i or 5-tech (just inside or just outside the offensive tackle). He’s truly a boom or bust candidate based on both those factors.
Deone Walker proved to be an excellent fourth-round draft pick last year, ultimately making the NFL All-Rookie team. It will be interesting and exciting to see him grow even further with a full NFL off-season under his belt.
Fellow 2025 rookie TJ Sanders showed some flashes, but also some struggles. Due to several injured players along the defensive line, Sanders played some defensive end for the team last year, which will ultimately help his versatility moving forward, especially in Leonhard’s scheme. But he also missed five games himself due to injury.
A third defensive lineman the Bills drafted last year who also had his season cut short due to injury was Landon Jackson. Jackson played in just three games before tearing his ACL and PCL. Jackson, drafted as a defensive end for a 4–3 scheme, has bulked up to be able to play with his hand down on the defensive line this year. He played last season at about 265 pounds and said he’d like to play this year at around 285. He’s been participating in all off-season workouts and the body change is noticeable.
DeWayne Carter didn’t even have a chance to see the field his second season after tearing his Achilles during training camp last year. Now, entering his third season, Carter is one of the candidates to play what will most resemble the nose-guard position in the new defense (even if not right over the center). However, with so many bodies on the defensive line, Carter could actually be fighting for a spot on the roster come training camp.
One of those roster spots will most likely go to Zane Durant, the team’s fifth round pick out of Penn State. At 6’1”, 291-pounds, Durant is much more like Ed Oliver than DeWayne Carter when it comes to projecting where he will play, but for the new regime to identify him and make him a fifth-round pick says a lot about what they feel he can bring to the roster.
Not long after last season ended, and shortly after Joe Brady was hired as head coach and brought in Leonhard to run the defense, the Bills re-signed Phidarian Mathis. The four-year veteran and former second-round pick played in just six games for the Bills last season, but did a really nice job when called upon. At 6’4”, 321-pounds, he moved well down the line and always seemed to be in good position. The Bills electing to bring him back as quickly as they did means they probably feel he’s a good fit for the new scheme.
Zion Logue has spent the last two years on and off the Bills active roster and practice squad. The 6’6”, 314-pounder has appeared in five games over the last two seasons, mainly serving as a big-bodied anchor in the interior of the defensive line.
Tommy Akingbesote was a seventh-round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, but did not make the initial roster. He then signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad but was waived after a few weeks. The Bills signed him to their practice squad in October and then inked him to a reserve/future’s contract after last season. He has yet to play a down in the NFL.
The Bills signed Kody Huisman as an undrftaed free agent out of Virginia Tech following this year’s draft. Huisman played in 12 games for the Hokies in 2025, registering 38 tackles and was named All-ACC Honorable Mention. He had spent the previous four seasons at North Dakota state.
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