Bills' Rookie Jersey Number Choices Imply Two Defensive Starters Won't Be Back

If they eventually come back to the Buffalo Bills, they'll need to choose a new preferred jersey number.

The Bills officially revealed the jersey numbers for their 10 drafted players with second-round cornerback Davison Igbinosun and fifth-round defensive tackle Zane Durant taking numbers that belonged to defensive starters last year.

Igbinosun will wear No. 21, which former All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer donned during his eight seasons with the Bills. Durant will sport No. 92 — a number that defensive tackle DaQuan Jones owned since 2022.

The 35-year-old Poyer and the 34-year-old Jones have yet to find suitors on the free agent market. The former had suggested that 2025 could be his final season when he returned last September after spending 2024 with the Miami Dolphins.

Poyer, who was a staple in ex-head coach Sean McDermott's secondary, was unavailable for the Bills' overtime playoff loss to the Denver Broncos due to a hamstring injury suffered one week earlier. It was the first time he missed a postseason start in 13 games.

As for Jones, Buffalo no longer appears to have a need for the grizzled veteran in its new defense led by coordinator Jim Leonhard. Jones, whose age appeared to catch up with him last year, made 51 starts for the Bills over the past four seasons.

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones takes a seat while the offensive line is on the field during first half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov 16, 2025 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

More noteworthy number selections

We wrote about second-round edge rusher TJ Parker choosing No. 99 in the aftermath of the draft, highlighting the fact that defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi most recently wore the number.

Likely to go down as a Bills' free agent failure, Ogunjobi showed little when he finally saw the field after a six-game suspension. It would be shocking if Buffalo suddenly had interest in bringing back the soon-to-be 32-year-old.

Fourth-round rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell chose No. 13. Those two digits had belonged to Gabe Davis, who is on the road to recovery from a brutal knee injury suffered in the wild-card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars this past January.

When he posted a workout photo showing progress on Instagram earlier this offseason, we wrote about the potential of a reunion with Davis down the road.

Gabe Davis on cart — Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) is carted off after an apparent injury during the fourth quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fourth-round linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr has claimed No. 52, which was worn by defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in 2025. The 33-year-old Phillips claimed he's content with retiring if the Bills don't call him back for a 12th NFL season.

Somewhat fittingly, fourth-round offensive tackle Jude Bowry took the number of the player he was essentially drafted to replace. Bowry will wear No. 74 after swing tackle Ryan Van Demark left for the Minnesota Vikings.

Bills' draft pick jersey numbers

No. 99 — DE TJ Parker (Round 2)

No. 21 — CB Davison Igbinosun (Round 2)

No. 74 — LT Jude Bowry (Round 4)

No. 13 — WR Skyler Bell. (Round 4)

No. 52 — LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (Round 4)

No. 29 — S Jalon Kilgore (Round 5)

No. 92 — DT Zane Durant (Round 5)

No. 32 — CB Toriano Pride Jr. (Round 7)

No. 39 — P Tommy Doman (Round 7)

No. 60 — G Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Round 7)

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