New Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard met with the media during OTAs and talked about some of the ways his 3-4 hybrid scheme will reshape Buffalo’s defensive identity.
One Buffalo player who stands to benefit most from the front change is Ed Oliver, who was drafted 9th overall by Buffalo in 2019.
The defensive tackle is adjusting to a completely different system under Leonhard and notes that the transition has been almost like starting over.
“Everything I know and come to know, you just … yeah, throw all that out,” Oliver said to the media. “This is the new … like a breakup. Everything you did in the last relationship, throw that out of the way. That’s a whole other person. You’ve got to relearn.”
The most significant schematic shift under Leonhard is happening in the trenches, where Buffalo operated for years out of a 4-3 or four-man front sub-packages under former head coach Sean McDermott.
Now, the base defense will be a true 3—4.
This means that Oliver won’t purely be a downhill penetrator at the line anymore, as the 3-4 gives him more lateral freedom and two-gap opportunities. That change could unlock a new ceiling for the former top-10 NFL Draft pick.
“I think Ed’s going to be really disruptive in this defense,” Leonhard said to the press. “The base defense being more different for him than what it’s been in the past, and in all reality, a little bit more freedom than he’s had in the past. The sub-package things are a little bit more familiar to what they’ve done here from a front structure.”Oliver sees the same thing in Leonhard’s game film from his time with the Broncos.
“I know it sounds cliché, but if you turn on the tape, the guy they had in Denver was pretty good,” he added. “And he looks like he’s playing pretty free. Hopefully, I can have that same success.”
During the 2023 offseason, the Buffalo Bills signed Oliver to a four-year, $68 million contract extension that included $45 million guaranteed. He and the team also restructured his contract to open up additional cap space as they prepared for the 2026 campaign.
Oliver’s 2025 season was limited to three regular‑season games and one playoff appearance due to a torn bicep. During that year, he underwent several surgeries to repair it.
“It was hard. It was different,” Oliver said about that process. “I think that’s the first time I had two surgeries in one year … really three. I’m just happy to be healthy.”
The emotional toll he experienced had an impact as well.
“It sucks. It definitely does suck,” he said. “You start questioning yourself — why me? You go through the pity party, typical athlete thing. But hey, I’m healthy, and I don’t want to think about that. I’m thankful for my health now. Maybe this year will be different.”
The good news is he says he’s now “fully 100% ready to go” and focused on thriving in Leonhard’s system.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Bills’ Ed Oliver ‘really disruptive in new defense’ says Jim Leonhard