The Buffalo Bills are heading into a pivotal offseason, and the to-do list is long - starting at the top with newly promoted head coach Joe Brady. Brady, known for his offensive mind, steps into a situation that demands immediate upgrades at wide receiver and along the interior offensive line. Both positions were clear weak points in 2025 and need to be addressed if the Bills want to maximize Josh Allen’s prime as he approaches his age-30 season.
But while the offense grabs headlines, the defense quietly needs just as much attention - if not more. There’s a talent gap across multiple levels of the unit, and President of Football Operations and GM Brandon Beane has a major challenge ahead in reshaping the group into a contender-caliber defense.
One of the most pressing concerns? Linebacker.
Veteran Shaq Thompson, who logged significant snaps last season, is set to hit free agency. So is longtime Bill and defensive cornerstone Matt Milano.
That’s two experienced starters potentially walking out the door. Meanwhile, Terrel Bernard - who was expected to be the centerpiece at MIKE linebacker - struggled to stay on the field.
Injuries derailed his season, and even when he played, he didn’t look quite right. Whether it was lingering physical issues or a lack of confidence in his reads, Bernard never found his rhythm in 2025.
The result? A linebacker corps that lacked consistency, leadership, and playmaking.
The Bills were forced to rotate in journeymen and lean heavily on young, unproven players - a risky formula that didn’t hold up over the course of the season. That uncertainty extended to nickel corner as well, where the team never seemed to settle on a reliable option.
So it’s no surprise that linebacker is starting to pop up in early mock drafts. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Buffalo addressing the position with the 26th overall pick, projecting Georgia’s CJ Allen to the Bills in his latest mock draft.
Allen is the kind of player who checks a lot of boxes for what Buffalo needs in the middle of its defense. He’s a true MIKE linebacker - physical, instinctive, and rarely out of position.
He plays with excellent contact balance and strength, and he’s a sure tackler who doesn’t let ball carriers slip away. There are some questions about his hip fluidity, but Allen makes up for it with a sharp football IQ and the kind of leadership that’s earned him the “defensive quarterback” label in Georgia’s elite program.
And let’s be clear - Georgia doesn’t hand out leadership roles lightly. That linebacker room is stacked with NFL-caliber talent, and Allen has emerged as the guy. That says a lot.
Jeremiah noted that linebacker could be a real need for Buffalo given the uncertainty around Milano and Thompson. He also emphasized Allen’s blend of physical tools and intangibles, pointing out that the Bills need to improve a run defense that ranked 28th in the league last season. That’s not a stat you can ignore, especially in a conference loaded with physical running backs and creative ground games.
Allen may not play a “premium” position by modern draft standards, but he brings premium traits - and he’s the kind of player who could step in and lead from Day 1. He was a top-50 recruit coming out of high school, and he’s expected to test well at the combine if he participates. Just as important, he’s likely to shine in interviews and whiteboard sessions - areas where teams get a real sense of how a player sees the game.
This is the kind of pick that could stabilize the middle of Buffalo’s defense for years. They don’t just need a linebacker - they need a tone-setter, someone who can bring energy, discipline, and intelligence to a unit that’s been lacking all three. CJ Allen might just be that guy.