The Buffalo Bills’ rebuilt defense is starting to take shape, and one of the quieter names in the mix may be the one worth watching closest.
A lot changed in Buffalo this offseason, starting with Jim Leonhard stepping in as defensive coordinator. That shift brings more than a new voice.
The Bills are moving from a 4-2-5 look to a 3-4, and the whole feel of the defense is expected to change with it. Under Sean McDermott, the priority was keeping the top of the defense clean and limiting explosive plays in zone coverage.
That system also leaned heavily on linebacker versatility, which helped make Matt Milano such an important piece.
Leonhard’s version is expected to be more aggressive up front, with a steadier pass rush and more pressure coming from different spots. That approach has already influenced the roster, with the Bills adding Bradley Chubb and using an early second-round pick on T.J. Parker.
The secondary has seen plenty of movement too, especially at safety - a little ironic, considering Leonhard’s own NFL playing days came at that position. Buffalo already had Cole Bishop, brought back Damar Hamlin on a one-year deal, and then added C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone in free agency.
But the draft may have delivered the most interesting name in the group: South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore.
Kilgore slipped farther than many expected, and there’s a real chance Buffalo landed a player with starting upside. He brings the kind of flexibility coaches love, able to play safety and also work down in the box against the run. Over three seasons at South Carolina, he piled up 178 total tackles, 21 pass breakups and 8 interceptions.
Now he gets to learn under Leonhard, a former safety himself. That matters. It gives Kilgore a direct line to a coach who knows the position from the inside out.
Leonhard spoke to the media before Thursday’s practice and said Kilgore is "going to be a good player" and "quiet" and "very coachable" per Sal Capaccio.
Bills DC Jim Leonhard on Jalon Kilgore: “he’s going to be a good player. He’s quiet.
Very coachable.” Said he’s excited to see what he can keep doing given some opportunities over the next couple weeks.
- Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) August 6, 2026
That kind of praise matters, especially this early. Being coachable is one of the fastest ways for a young player to earn trust, and it suggests the staff believes Kilgore can be molded into more than just a depth piece.
Gardner-Johnson and Bishop still look like the likely names to open things up on the back end, but Kilgore has a path. He could work his way into regular-season snaps and make a case to be more than just a rookie contributor. If that happens, he could follow a trajectory similar to the one Bishop took early in his career.
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