It’s no secret that the Buffalo Bills have a big need at EDGE to give new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard a fighting chance to turn this defense around. For nearly a decade, the Bills have been in the middle of a 4-3 or 4-2-5 scheme. It definitely has its pros, but the unit has been the main reason why the Bills kept falling short in the playoffs.
While the offense should remain somewhat similar under new head coach Joe Brady, the defense is going to look a lot more different than fans remember. Changes have already been made, including signing three new secondary members, a veteran edge rusher in Bradley Chubb, and the Bills are even going to be moving Greg Rousseau to outside linebacker.
With the Bills only having seven draft picks for next week’s draft, and not having a second rounder to use, they are in a tough spot. At this point, you could make an argument for them going in multiple directions.
Either way, the Bills have to bring in defensive help that will be a great fit for Leonhard’s defense, and Brent Sobleski from Bleacher Report listed a specific edge rusher out of Illinois as an ideal pick for the Bills.
Illinois DE Gabe Jacas listed as ideal pick for Bills in 2026 NFL Draft
"Mainly, he's [Jacas] a consistent presence off the edge. As Pro Football Focus noted, his 141 quarterback pressures since 2022 led all Big Ten defenders. Second, he has experience playing from a two-point stance and dropping into coverage, which will help a transition into coordinator Jim Leonard's defensive scheme. Finally, Leonard has ties to Jacas. He served as the Wisconsin Badgers' defensive coordinator when the defender was named a Freshman All-American, then joined the Fighting Illini staff the following year." said Sobleski.
Jacas may not be the prospect that Bills fans have listed as a notable first round selection, but the production is there, as well as the ties to Leonhard. If there is one thing that the Bills have always been about, it’s familiarity. The Bills promoted Joe Brady from offensive coordinator to head coach, and part of the reason why is because of the familiarity with Josh Allen and the offense.
Brady would then hire Pete Carmichael Jr. as the offensive coordinator because the two of them worked together in New Orleans under Sean Payton. Familiarity is a common theme in the organization, and it can be both good and bad.
Jacas is coming off arguably his best season in college with 11 sacks (27 total in his college career) and his pressure rate is something that can’t be ignored. Is he a true first round pick? Probably not. Is he a solid fit for the Bills? Absolutely. It’s situations like this where the Bills may hurt by not having that second round pick because they could lose out on a ton of talent who would be a great fit for them.
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