Brandon Beane looks to have struck gold, and it has Bills fans buzzing and believing big things are ahead in 2025
Brandon Beane has to be thrilled with the performance.
The Buffalo Bills lost their first preseason matchup against the New York Giants, but the team gained valuable insight into its roster, which has the fan base more than excited for the start of the regular season.
When Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane and the front office started the NFL draft, it was apparent that the team wanted to bolster the defensive line. Stopping the run and getting after the quarterback is the name of the game, and in one preseason game, Beane has to be feeling like he struck gold by selecting Deone Walker and T.J. Sanders.
PFF recently updated its grades from preseason Week 1, which had multiple Bills rookies rising to the occasion. One single play from Deone Walker had the fan base buzzing, helping him earn a team-high PFF grade of 92.8.
Deone Walker looks ready to compete
Walker was selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft; Walker saw his stock fall due to injuries throughout his career. Buffalo scooped Walker up, pairing him with Ray Davis and Maxwell Hairston as Kentucky draft picks on the current roster.
The talented pass rusher was a two-time team captain for Kentucky, starting in 36 of 37 games, including 35 straight in three seasons. Walker was named a First-team Freshman All-American in 2022, First-team All-SEC in 2023, and Second-team All-SEC in 2023. Walker was a monster in college, and the Bills are hoping to get that same type of production in his NFL career.
Having Walker be dominant early will go a long way toward propelling the Bills closer to the Super Bowl. It’s early in the preseason, so temper your expectations, but if his film is any indication, Bills Mafia is in for a real treat once the regular season rolls around.
Walker wasn’t the only rookie balling out
However, it wasn’t just Walker who was turning heads for the Bills in their preseason loss. Another rookie on the defensive line made his presence felt: Sanders.
Sanders also flashed early in the contest, earning him an 82.0 PFF grade. Now, PFF isn’t the end-all, be-all, but it’s an important data point that should have the fan base more than a little excited.
Sanders, like Walker, was brought in to be a disruptor on the defensive line. He was selected in the second round of the NFL draft (41st overall) as a defensive tackle and was the final Bills player to sign his contract from this year’s draft class.
The talented defensive tackle earned a slew of awards during his college career, as reported on his official page on the Gamecocks website:
- *2024 Third-Team All-America (College Football Nation)
*2024 First-Team All-SEC (College Football Nation)
*2024 Second-Team All-SEC (AP, Phil Steele)
*2024 SEC Interior Defender of the Year (College Football Nation)
*2023 Third-Team All-SEC (College Football Network)
*2023 Fourth-Team All-SEC (Phil Steele)
*2023 Nutrition Award
*2023 Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring
*2023 co-South Carolina Spirit Award – Defense
While Walker had his flashy moment on social media, Sanders also showed that he’s ready to compete on gamedays, and it shouldn’t be understated how great he looked in limited reps. Both players deserve their flowers for what they accomplished in their first NFL action.
It’s just the preseason; a lot of work is left to do
After one preseason matchup, the fan base should be excited about the defense’s future. All that’s left to do is wait for the team’s upcoming preseason contest against the Chicago Bears. We have a feeling we’ll see these two light it up once again. Regular season football is almost here, and the team seems ready to set the league on fire.
If Beane hits on these two picks, it could be an absolute game-changer for the entire defense.
Buffalo Bills News
Latest NFL development should have the rest of the league terrified with what just happened to Bills QB Josh Allen
Josh Allen is ready to set the league on fire.
Be part of the A to Z Sports community and vote in our latest Buffalo Bills poll as the preseason gets underway.
