Buffalo Bills rookie says he's ready to return, contribute for banged-up D-line

An injured Buffalo Bills rookie is nearing a return.

T.J. Sanders had his 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve opened this week and subsequently participated in his first two full practices since being sidelined in early October. And upon making his way back to the practice field on Wednesday and Thursday, Sanders says he is feeling as good as he did before his four-game absence.

“I feel great — honestly, that's the truth,” said Sanders, who mentioned he was a bit taken aback by his physical condition. “Honestly, it kind of surprised me.

“You know, I’ve been doing kind of (individual drills) the last couple days, you know, just trying to get back into the flow of things, but wasn't dealing with anything then. But you know, coming out here full speed, you know, I was surprised at how good I felt, actually.”

Sanders' extended journey

It’s been a long road back for the Bills’ second-round pick, who sustained a knee injury leading into Week 6, requiring surgery and a stint on IR. However, through it all, Sanders has remained steadfast in his approach to his recovery, which has allowed him to be ready to contribute to his team as soon as this weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Definitely challenging, being in the rehab room every day, doing the same things over and over,” added the former No. 41 overall pick. “But knew I had to do everything in my power to get back. So, that's all I was really focused on.”

Being off to the side, unable to practice alongside his teammates near the start of his professional season, may have been a struggle. But all it did was strengthen the hunger inside him.

“I wouldn't call it anxiousness,” said Sanders. “Just ready to come in and do my job like I've been trying to do all year. We've been dealing with the injury bug all season, and this is just another step throughout the year.”

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Bills defensive tackle T.J. Sanders works to get past A.J. Epenesa during position drills during day seven of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Thursday, July 31, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Banged-up unit

The Bills could certainly use Sanders' services up front, as they currently have two defensive tackles, Ed Oliver and DeWayne Carter, on IR for the rest of the regular season, while a few other pieces are also missing along the Bills’ front. And while Sanders’ contributions were limited during his first four games prior to his injury, the rookie believes he was starting to find himself just as absence began.

“Just a kid who was getting better week to week,” he said regarding his early-season progress.

It was tough on the youngster as he was forced to miss almost a quarter of the regular season. But Sanders said that the time away from the game field helped him refine some aspects of his game, which gives him hope for a more impactful future.

“Just being able to kind of decompress. Take a little small physical break from the game,” he added. “It was definitely good, you know, kind of work on my body, you know, get it back stronger.”

He also had time to dive into the film of his first four games, a process which he feels has helped him better prepare for what’s to come for the remainder of the season.

“I felt like I was just was kind of starting to slow down just a little bit for me," said the rookie of his film review. "Where I can finally start playing a little faster and make more plays.”

Sanders recorded just two tackles and a slim quarterback pressure rate of 6% before sustaining his injury. There's a long way to go for the rookie, but after making the most of his four-game departure from the lineup, there's hope he will be able to turn things around and become a force for Buffalo inside down the stretch.

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