The Buffalo Bills made a big addition to their linebacker room this offseason, drafting a rookie who is expected to take on a significant role in 2026.
That could mean the end of the line for a popular linebacker, whose unlikely rise to the active roster last season drew national attention thanks to the ever-present “Hard Knocks” cameras.
USA Today’s Nick Wojton offered an early projection of the team’s final 53-man roster, predicting the Bills would keep just four linebackers — Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreesen, and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Though all of the other linebackers have been with the team for at least two seasons, Wojton predicted that Elams-Orr could work his way to the top of the depth chart.
“Elarms-Orr and Andreesen have had positive reviews this spring as backups. Elarms-Orr could even push Williams to start,” Wojton wrote.
That would mean Jimmy Ciarlo, who became a popular player last season after being featured on “Hard Knocks,” would fail to make the final roster. Ciarlo was a late addition to training camp but excelled through the preseason, making 11 total tackles and a fumble recovery through three games.
Though Ciarlo was waived on August 26 as part of the team’s final roster cuts, he returned to the practice squad and was called up for the team’s Week 5 game against the New England Patriots. Ciarlo was released in November, but returned to the team in January on a reserve/futures contract.
Ciarlo first came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets in 2024, but suffered a torn ACL in his preseason debut and was later waived.
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