The Buffalo Bills could look to bring back a familiar face to help bolster their defensive line.
Buffalo has focused on revamping their defense after firing head coach Sean McDermott. Jim Leonhard was brought in as the defensive coordinator, and he is switching to a 3-4 defense, so having an impact nose tackle is key.
With that, Bills analyst Jamie Malloy of FanSided urges Buffalo to bring back nose tackle Austin Johnson.
“If Bills fans were watching this team in 2024, they probably remember when Johnson was added on a one-year deal to help the interior defensive tackle spots in Sean McDermott’s 4-3 scheme. At 6-foot-4, 314 pounds, Johnson is a strong, powerful lineman who previously played nose tackle for the Tennessee Titans when he was drafted in 2016,” Malloy wrote.
“While he may have been undersized for a 3-4 nose tackle, the Bills’ 3-4 includes a nose tackle as well as a 4i defensive tackle. He could very well be playing the nose in a 3-4 set or in a 4i when they go to their 4-3 set. The bottom line is that Johnson provides another great athlete with a big body and the versatility to shine in Jim Leonhard’s attacking defense.”
Johnson played for the Bills in 2024 and appeared in 15 games, recording 19 tackles, 0.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. He would help add more depth to the defensive line and help clog up the run lanes to bolster the defense.
Johnson was selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Bills Enjoying New-Look Defense
As Buffalo began OTAs, the Bills are learning a new defense and a new system.
With the Bills switching to a 3-4 defense, some players are switching positions or how they are lining up. Star defensive tackle Ed Oliver admits it’s weird learning a new system but is excited about it.
“Everything you did in the last relationship, yeah, throw that all that away,” Oliver said. “This [is] a whole ‘nother person … so you got to relearn. … It’s fun, it’s different. Change is always hard but sometimes change is good. I don’t know, I just look at it with that kind of optimism and just let it ride.”
Leonhard will be a first-time DC in the NFL. However, he has plenty of coaching experience as he served as DC at Wisconsin in college and was the interim head coach. So, as he installs his new system in Buffalo, he knows it might take a bit of time for it to work.
“I had a vision for what I want it to be, and it might not totally get there in year one,” Leonhard said. “We have to be real as far as who we have, what their skill sets are. And I have to be flexible as well as them.”
The Bills open their 2026 NFL season on Sept. 13 against the Houston Texans on the road.
Buffalo’s D-Line Depth
Buffalo has been trying to revamp its defense, and the Bills have addressed their defensive line.
The Bills will start Deone Walker at nose tackle, while DeWayne Carter is predicted to be the backup. At defensive tackle, Ed Oliver will start, while TJ Sanders will start at defensive end.
Buffalo also has Landon Jackson, Zane Durant, and Phidarian Mathis as the backups.
But the Bills still could add more depth by bringing back Johnson.
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