Javon Solomon arrived in Buffalo with a reputation that fit neatly on a scouting report: edge rusher, sack hunter, quarterback chaser. That was the headline when the Bills used a fifth-round pick on him in 2024, coming off a final season at Troy University in which he led the nation with 16 sacks and finished with 33 for his career, second all-time in the Sun Belt Conference.
But Buffalo is giving Solomon a different kind of chance now, and he’s convinced it can show more of what he brings to the table.
“Yeah for sure,” he said recently. “Being who I am, I love that versatile aspect in terms of like dropping, rushing, playing the run. So I think this did nothing but boost my self-esteem, my internal motivation just to keep going and stay motivated.”
The shift matters because Solomon barely got on the field on defense in his first two seasons. Used as an edge player in Sean McDermott’s 4-2-5 scheme, he appeared in 31 games with one start, logged 330 snaps and spent 208 of them rushing the passer. The production was modest: three sacks and 22 QB pressures.
Now he’s working as a stand-up outside linebacker in Buffalo’s new defense, lining up off the ball in a two-point stance. At 6-foot-1 and 246 pounds, he had a tougher time making noise when he was colliding with offensive linemen often 50 pounds heavier. The new setup, he believes, gives his athleticism more room to matter, whether that means rushing, setting the edge or dropping into coverage.
Coach Joe Brady sees it that way too.
“It's a lot more natural position for him now in the role that he's playing,” Brady said. “Being able to drop in coverage, being able to rush from the edge, being able to stand up, I think he has such a unique skill set because he can be an outside linebacker that can rush the quarterback and drop in coverage.
“Solly’s one of the strongest guys on our team to be able to set the edge for the defense. Going into this offseason there was a lot of questions about that outside linebacker room in general and the depth that we've been able to add to it, both from the draft and free agency, as we have, it’s definitely one of the strengths of our team.”
That depth made Solomon’s spot worth watching all summer. Buffalo added Bradley Chubb as a priority outside free agent to go with Greg Rousseau as a starter, drafted TJ Parker in the second round, expected Michael Hoecht back from injury and later brought in Mike Danna in late spring. For a while, Solomon and Danna looked like they were battling for one roster spot.
Then the initial 53-man roster came out and both were on it.
The situation could still shift in the days ahead, but Solomon has one thing going for him: he’s already proven he can help on special teams. For the past two seasons, that’s been a big part of his value, and it may be the clearest path to playing time again.
“I love it,” Solomon said. “It's just kind of an easy thing to go out there and just play, especially when you got the NFL logo on.
You go out there on the field, you're giving your all regardless. Teams is something I've been into and I continue to grow in that day in, day out.
I see myself as a player that’s very high on special teams.”
Last season, Solomon was fourth on the Bills with 278 special teams snaps and finished with 10 tackles, sixth-best on the team. Brady pointed to that work as a real asset.
“He's a good special teams player, so there's so much value in that, different than when you are just playing like a defensive end position,” Brady said.
For now, that’s likely where Solomon helps most. Breaking into the top four on defense - Rousseau, Chubb, Hoecht and Parker - is going to be a tall order if injuries don’t open the door. Still, Solomon says he’s ready for whatever comes next.
“Hundred percent, and that's what this league is about, though,” he said. “It doesn't matter if you’re first or you're last, there's talent everywhere, so to be able to light that spark in me to keep going, that's what I need.
Anytime I put a helmet on and I'm doing something football related, it's a passion for it. Whether it's playing offense, whether it’s playing defense or special teams, I want to go out there and show myself, and being in this defense is gonna bring the best out of me, showing my versatile aspect and growth as a player.”
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