Bills' star LB makes case to remain with team as free agency looms

With free agency approaching, one of the Buffalo Bills’ star defenders from the 2025 season is making his case to remain with the team despite a change in leadership at the defensive coordinator position.

Veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson was one of the bright spots for an embattled Buffalo defense this past season. And while some may believe his sound performance during the ’25 campaign was a product of him playing in a familiar defense that featured a 4-3 front, the 31-year-old trusts that he can continue to offer the same level of impact no matter what scheme the Bills are set to deploy under new DC Jim Leonhard.

Clapping back

Thompson took to social media to express his displeasure with a characterization made on the Bills’ in-house podcast, Bills by the Numbers, on Wednesday.

Thompson posted to his X account, “Appreciate the love on the pod, but quick correction — since 2019 I’ve been in a 3-4, not a 4-3. Been productive there too. All good, just do the homework. I can play any scheme.”

Those comments were made in response to remarks made by hosts Chris Brown and Steve Tasker during the program, which Thompson felt were incorrect.

“Even at the Mike linebacker spot, you don't really have somebody that fits that profile right now on your roster,” said Brown, who then discounted Thompson's ability to contribute at inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. “Shaq Thompson had a nice season, but he’s six-foot, 230 (pounds).”

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@OneBillsLive Appreciate the love on the pod, but quick correction—since 2019 I’ve been in a 3–4, not a 4–3. Been productive there too. All good, just do the homework 😄 I can play in any scheme
— Shaq Thompson (@ShaqThompson_54) February 4, 2026

Tasker chimed in, “Shaq Thompson doesn’t fit that bill.”

Brown questioned, “You need six-three, at least 235 (pounds), right?”

Tasker responded, “You need a Brian Urlacher, Luke Keuchly, six-five guy who can run, who is big. They gotta be able to take a physical pounding and dish it out.”

That's a nice thought, but I don't know if a Hall of Fame LB is walking through that door over the next few months.

The stats

Thompson finished 12 games with the Bills this season with an impressive showing. The 11-year veteran recorded 56 tackles while serving as the team’s premier run-stopper from the linebacker position.

Before spending this past year in Buffalo, according to Thompson's timeline, he played in a 3-4 scheme with the Carolina Panthers since the 2019 season. From 2019 to 2022, he recorded four straight seasons with 104 or more tackles. His high-water mark came in 2022, when he played 17 games and finished with 76 defensive stops, which were tied for ninth-most in the league, per Next Gen Stats. Injuries plagued his 2023 and 2024 campaigns.

So, while there may be a lack of confidence among some that Thompson will be able to transition to the Bills’ new look defensively, he appears to be ready to roll no matter what the team throws at him. That is, if he is to be re-signed this offseason.

Thompson is set to become an unrestricted free agent and has a projected market value of $2.4. million, per Spotrac. The Bills are presently $10 million over the NFL’s 2026 salary cap and have plenty of shuffling to do up and down the roster.

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