Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is seeing exactly what teams hope to see from a rookie in camp: rapid growth, fewer mistakes, and a player starting to look comfortable in the defense.
That player is safety Jalon Kilgore, who arrived at Bills training camp with plenty to sort through but has already made a noticeable leap just over a week into practices. Leonhard said Kilgore has sharpened his understanding of Buffalo’s scheme and trimmed down the early errors that can slow a young defensive back.
"He's taken a huge jump," Leonhard said. "He's eliminated a lot of mental mistakes that he was having early, and he's talented, man."
The progress has shown up in more than just cleaner assignments. Leonhard said Kilgore is beginning to play with more freedom and confidence, and that the rookie’s activity has stood out.
"He's making plays on the football, he's flying around. He's exciting," Leonhard said. "He's soaking it all in, and it's really fun."
Buffalo plans to keep testing that growth as camp moves forward. Leonhard said the team will gradually expand the 2026 fifth-round pick’s workload and give him chances to handle different responsibilities within the defense.
"Obviously, as camp goes on and you get more installs, there's different roles that come up for the safeties, and it's just trying to get him at the right time," he said. "But over the next week, week and a half, he's really going to have an opportunity to show his skill set, and we'll put him in a lot of different positions."
What has impressed Leonhard most, though, goes beyond athletic ability. He pointed to the rookie’s mindset and how he carries himself as a sign that Buffalo has something to work with.
"He's wired the right way," Leonhard said. "He's going to be a really good player, I think."
For now, Kilgore is still early in the process. But with the coaching staff watching his development closely, his camp performance is starting to build a case for a bigger role. If he keeps trending this way, that opportunity could come sooner rather than later.
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