One Bills Veteran on the Chopping Block After Buffalo's T.J. Parker Pick

One of the players most impacted by the Buffalo Bills’ decisions throughout the 2026 NFL Draft was Landon Jackson.

The Bills’ 2025 third-round pick saw his rookie season cut short after Week 10 due to a knee injury, and now, after Buffalo brought in second-round pass rusher T.J. Parker, at the very least, Jackson is in for a position change heading into his second professional campaign.

Brandon Beane declared during his post-draft press conference that Jackson has bulked up with the team’s intention of kicking him inside in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s multiple-front defense. If the position switch doesn’t work out, his time in Buffalo could run shorter than anyone ever imagined.

Disappointing pick

Clemson Tigers defensive end T.J. Parker (3) pass rushes against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Even before he was injured a season ago, it didn’t appear as if Jackson had much chance of realizing the third-round potential with which he was drafted. Prior to his season-ending ailment, Jackson struggled to earn a jersey on game day, appearing in just three games during his first year in the NFL.

He played just 16% of the Bills’ defensive snaps in 2025 and didn’t offer much value on special teams either, where he was on the field for just 18% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps. While competing on the defensive side of the ball, he didn’t total a single tackle or sack, remaining off the stat sheet.

Along with Jackson, Buffalo also selected two defensive tackles during the ’25 draft. Deone Walker burst onto the scene with a phenomenal rookie year, and while TJ Sanders didn’t prove to be a home run pick in Year 1, he showed flashes of competence, much more so than Jackson in his first season.

Another option

Buffalo Bills defensive end Landon Jackson (94) after the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Now, enter Parker, a player the Bills must have coveted to maneuver their early draft board to best position themselves to select.

The Clemson product was not a stat-stuffer at the college level, particularly in his final season with the Tigers, when his sack total dropped from 11 the year before to five during the 2025 campaign. He earned a Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade of 74.5, which was 180th among 852 players graded at his position.

So, while he may not be the ultimate answer at the edge rusher position, Parker will be given every opportunity to overtake Jackson and make him an afterthought, even more so than he already is, for the Bills’ defense.

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