The Bills made a conscious decision this offseason to get better and younger on the defensive line. They replaced Von Miller (36) with Joey Bosa (30), but most of their significant additions came via the draft. The Bills used multiple early round selections on the defensive line, including Landon Jackson and T.J. Sanders. Both players are expected to have big roles early in the year and could eventually become starters by the postseason.
But one player who hasn’t received much attention is Deone Walker, the mammoth defensive tackle from Kentucky. Walker measured in at 6-7, 331 pounds at the NFL Combine, and he brings some much-needed size to Buffalo’s defensive line.
However, Walker isn’t your traditional 330-pound nose tackle. His best work comes as a pass rusher as he recorded 7.5 sacks during his sophomore season at Kentucky. He’s not a polished run defender yet and a big reason why is due to his size. He doesn’t have the lateral movement speed to play against wide-zone rushing attacks and his height consistently puts him at a leverage disadvantage.
One of the biggest issues for Walker was that he would often stand straight up after the snap, and that allowed offensive linemen to get their hands into his chest and move him despite his size. But a midseason back injury could certainly explain why that happened so frequently during the 2024 season.
The good news for the Bills is that Walker is now fully healthy according to Chris Brown, and was on the field during the first training camp practice of the year. Head coach Sean McDermott said that there are no limitations for Walker entering camp, but they will keep an eye on his previous back injury as practices go along.
McDermott: DT Deone Walker is off the rep management he operated under in the spring. He will not be limited. We recognize the back will be taking impact and we’ll keep an eye on things but no limitations. #Bills
— Chris Brown (@ChrisBrownBills) July 23, 2025
Walker was a fourth-round pick by the Bills, which indicates that he should have a role on the defense right away. He’s going to need to drastically improve as a run defender before his snap counts increase, but he has all of the physical traits to become an impact player in the NFL.
We’ll see how the previous back injury heals for Walker and how that affects his performance during the preseason. Still, he is just another talented defensive lineman at the Bills' disposal going into the year. Keep an eye on the former SEC star during practice and the preseason as he has a real chance to make an impact as a rookie.