The Buffalo Bills’ linebacker room is drawing a softer public defense from Joe Brady than the numbers deserve.
Buffalo’s defense as a whole has been rough to start the season, even if the run defense has steadied some ground by allowing 108.2 yards per game. The bigger issue has come through the air, where the Bills are giving up 280 yards per game - a figure that ranks 31st and sits ahead of only the Detroit Lions, who have been dealing with a wave of injuries in the secondary.
That reality has made the back end the easy target, but the group in front of it hasn’t exactly been bailing anybody out. The linebackers have struggled to cover the middle, have overpursued on tackles, and have yet to look like a clean fit through five games. Terrel Bernard, in particular, has been one of the unit’s weakest links.
Still, Brady wasn’t interested in piling on when he met with the media Wednesday. Per Thad Brown of WROC-TV, the Bills’ offensive coordinator said he has no issue with how the linebackers are playing, even while acknowledging that rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr could deserve more snaps.
Joe Brady continues to say he has no problem with play of #Bills LBs.
He likes having Shaq Thompson in house, but does not give any indication he's even being considered as an option.
"Would love for Kaleb to play more... but that's no indictment on TB or Dorian."
- Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) October 14, 2026
Brady also said he likes having Shaq Thompson in the building, though he didn’t suggest Thompson is being viewed as a real option right now.
The problem for Buffalo is that the NFL trade deadline is approaching, and the defense looks vulnerable enough to force action. If the Bills are going to make a move, linebacker feels like a logical place to start. Zach Baun of the Philadelphia Eagles or Mack Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals could be fits, at least on paper, because each brings traits Buffalo currently seems to be missing at the position.
With the Eagles and Cardinals both off to poor starts, it wouldn’t be shocking if either team explored moving veterans for assets. And if Buffalo’s linebacker issues keep showing up going into Week 6 and the bye week, Brandon Beane may have no choice but to at least check on the market for help.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Just Saw Why Prevent Defense Sparks So Much Frustration
Late-game defense has long been a sore subject for Buffalo fans, and a new look at how NFL teams handle a lead only sharpens the debate. Using play-by-play data stretching from 2001 to 2025, the analysis suggests that conservative coverage often leaves a defense more exposed than it helps, especially in the closing minutes when a lead still feels fragile and every snap carries outsized importance.
Buffalo has seen the frustration firsthand, with a recent win over the Rams fitting the kind of sequence that keeps prevent defense under scrutiny. The bigger takeaway is not just that teams surrender touchdowns in those spots, but that the way those drives unfold matters just as much, leaving coaches to weigh whether sitting back really protects a lead or simply hands an opponent the kind of rhythm that is hardest to stop. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Brady Just Clarified A Tricky Bills Linebacker Situation
Shaq Thompsons return to Buffalo has added an interesting layer to the Bills linebacker room, but not the kind that usually comes with an immediate role change. Joe Brady said the veteran, who recently rejoined the team via the practice squad, is being brought back more for his presence and leadership than for a quick path onto the field, and he pointed to the way the current linebackers have been playing as a reason to keep things steady.
The more immediate lineup conversation seems to center on rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr, whom Brady wants to see on the field more often without disrupting the rotation that is already in place. For now, that leaves Buffalo with a familiar balancing act: keeping a productive group intact while figuring out how to make room for a young players development, all while Thompson waits for whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Injury Report Leaves One Big Question For Sunday
The Bills kept things light in Southern California on Wednesday with a walkthrough as they begin turning the page toward Sundays game against the Raiders, and the injury report reflected a team still sorting through the bumps and bruises from recent weeks. Several players were listed in various stages of participation, while the overall picture suggested Buffalo is managing both fresh knocks from the last game and lingering issues that have followed it into the new week.
There was at least some encouraging movement, with Joe Andreessen, Ray Davis, Damar Hamlin and Dorian Williams no longer on the injury list. The bigger watch remains on the group whose availability could shape how the Bills line up in Las Vegas, especially as practice ramps up later in the week and Buffalo tries to get as close to full strength as it can before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]