Last Friday was the first day of the 2026 Buffalo Bills' rookie minicamp in Orchard Park. It marked the first time the coaches had the chance to see these young players show their talents in their NFL careers.
T.J. Parker is already showing why Brandon Beane puts his faith in bigger, more powerful edge rushers with good hands that can set the edge in the run game. But they also have a linebacker who breaks the mold of the Bills' preference for small, fast linebackers.
The Bills have had trouble finding a bigger, more powerful linebacker who can be a force in stopping the run. Under Sean McDermott, Beane was drafting lighter, faster linebackers who would get gashed in the run game through the second level of the defense.
Bills linebacker impressed at rookie minicamp
Kaleb Elarms-Orr is different now that Jim Leonhard is the defensive coordinator.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound athlete is a powerful thumper at linebacker who isn't afraid to be aggressive and lay the big hit. The Bills' priority has been to revamp their defense to stop the run, and Elarms-Orr was known in college to be one of the country's best run-stopping linebackers.
Yes, these practices are non-contact; however, athletes can still make impressive outings during individual drills, as seen with Elarms-Orr's battle with a tackling dummy, which led to an audible video per Jon Scott on X.
We don't get too much from our short time watching #Bills rookie minicamp.
— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) May 8, 2026
This is something that popped to me - literally.
Listen to the force and coaches reaction to 4th round LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr going through this drill. pic.twitter.com/Iztmnrh0pO
There were more big plays on Friday, as Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com said that Elarms-Orr made an NFL-ready type of play by knocking the ball out of the receiver's arms to create an incomplete pass.
"The biggest takeaway from the day was how confident and comfortable Elarms-Orr looked among his fellow rookies. He seemed to take charge in team drills and even made a head-turning play. A pass was completed over the middle of the field, and the rookie linebacker came flying into the play and ripped the ball out to force the incompletion," Parrino wrote.
While roster spots aren't even close to being determined, Elarms-Orr may have been drafted into a great situation. Considering his draft value as a first- or second-round pick, the Bills drafted him in the fourth round as one of the best players available. He will be competing against established bodies such as Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard, which could bring out the best in him as he tries to make the 53-man roster.
What Elarms-Orr needs to do going forward
The enthusiastic rookie must also beat out Joe Andreessen and Keonta Jenkins to earn a reserve linebacker position. With the uncertainty surrounding Shaq Thompson and Matt Milano, the Bills could also add a veteran linebacker for very cheap to compete with Elarms-Orr, who is on a rookie contract.
No matter what happens with Elarms-Orr, the Bills may have found a diamond in the rough player to be able to join the other rookies and perform well in this young, athletic defense.
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