The Buffalo Bills could move on from a third-round pick after just one season in the NFL.
Buffalo selected Landon Jackson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arkansas. The pass rusher played well in the SEC, but he fell in the draft as he was considered a bit of a project.
Jackson ended up beginning the year inactive, but he did appear in three games before tearing his MCL and PCL in Week 10 and was placed on the injured reserve. It was a disappointing end to his rookie season, and now, after the Bills’ additions to the pass rush, Jackson could be fighting for his job, according to analyst Randy Gurzi of SI.
“Throughout the 2025 NFL draft process, the Bills were continually connected to Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson. He wound up being selected by Buffalo in the third round, but wasn’t much of a factor as a rookie,” Gurzi wrote.
“He appeared in just three games before suffering a torn MCL and PCL, ending his season prematurely. Jackson still has potential, but is facing a lot of competition on the edge. Bradley Chubb, Greg Rousseau, T.J. Parker, Mike Danna, and Michael Hoecht will make it tough for Jackson to carve out a role.”
If Jackson can’t make the Bills roster, it would be frustrating for fans to see a third-round pick from one year ago already be off the roster and a waste of a Day 2 pick.
Yet, the hope for many fans is that Jackson can prove why he was a Day 2 pick and help revamp the pass rush and add some youth and speed to the position.
Bills Were ‘Very Excited’ About Landon Jackson
Although Jackson was mostly inactive before his injury, Buffalo was ecstatic to draft Jackson.
Jackson was linked to Buffalo in the first and second rounds in mock drafts, so general manager Brandon Beane was thrilled to land him in the third round.
“(I’m) very excited,” Beane said. “High character DNA. A longer athletic dude, a lot of sacks, went against a lot of premium talent in the SEC, and had a lot of production.
“Obviously, athletically tested very well. This guy is smart, he knows how to rush, he has feel in there. He’s not just an athletic guy, he’s got feel, instincts, awareness, he’s tough. He’s a dog.”
Although the Bills were excited about Jackson, he didn’t make much of an impact. The Bills felt like he needed to improve and make some changes to his game, while he was an inactive.
In his final year in college, Jackson recorded 49 tackles and 9.5 sacks, after recording 11.5 sacks and 44 tackles the year prior.
Buffalo Revamped Pass Rush
The Bills changed their defense by firing head coach Sean McDermott, who was a defensive-minded head coach.
Buffalo also hired Jim Leonhard as their new defensive coordinator, and he’ll be switching to a 3-4 defense. With that, Greg Rousseau will become an outside linebacker, while the team also signed Bradley Chubb.
Along with Chubb, the Bills drafted T.J. Parker in the second round to add even more pass-rush help.
Buffalo also signed Mike Danna to join a unit that also features Michael Hoecht, T.J. Sanders, and Ed Oliver, among others.
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