Leighton Vander Esch
Leighton Vander Esch was a first round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft, only three picks after Tremaine Edmunds. Similar to Edmunds, Vander Esch would step in as a starter during his rookie season and made an immediate impact with 140 total tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defended while being named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
Unfortunately, Leighton Vander Esch would deal with injuries that limited his performance in 2019 and 2020 as he played only a total of 19 games. The Cowboys would not pick up his fifth-year option but he returned on a one-year deal last offseason. It was a good move as he had a bounce-back season with 90 total tackles but did miss three regular season games.
When on the field, Leighton Vander Esch has proven he can be a very good linebacker and certainly would be a great addition to this Buffalo Bills’ defense. The biggest concern certainly is his health and the Bills may be hesitant to offer a long-term deal to a player with his injury history.