Inside this edition of the Bills, Bills, Bills Pod, I'll tell you why I so, so, so badly want R Mason Thomas in a Buffalo Bills (should that be possessive?) come late-April. But if not R Mason Thomas, then I'd be really happy with Akheem Mesidor. Ideally both, though! I also think Keionte Scott rules, and Darrell Jackson, Jr. rocks, and Jayshawn Barham is awesome, and Brenen Thompson is cool, and Bishop Fitzgerald could be great, and Josh Moten could be sick, and Dominic Zvada deserves to be drafted not just signed as a UDFA.

Don't skip the musical interlude! Don't skip the musical

interlude!

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With the announcement on January 31, 2026 that Jim Leonhard would be assuming the role of Defensive Coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, a new suite of archetypes has become available to Brandon Beane and the front office who select players in the NFL Draft. That's freakin' exciting! Prospects like R Mason Thomas, Cashius Howell, and Romello Height are now - theoretically, anyhow - on the menu, or at least, not intrinsically prohibited from appearing on the menu thanks to the 3-4-ish defensive scheme that Leonhard runs. Heck, big papas like Kaydan McDonald, who didn't fit McDermott's one-gap, penetrating style of IDL may profile as potential fits in the new system. That's doubly exciting!

In this mock draft I select R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma) in R1, followed by Darrell Jackson, Jr. (DT, Florida State), Malachi Fields (WR, Notre Dame), Aiden Fisher (LB, Indiana), Jadon Canady (NCB, Oregon), Mason Reiger (EDGE, Wisconsin), Eli Heidenreich (FB, Navy).

The Bruce Exclusive (Nolan) episode I mention in this episode and highly recommend streaming can be found here

Go Bills

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#10 Keon Coleman 🦬 In each of Drake London's three seasons, he has been moved around the formation with increasing frequency, culminating in a 2024-25 season during which he only played 60% of passing snaps from wide alignments, and finishing with the 4th most receiving yards in the NFL. I submit that Keon Coleman ought to be similarly distributed among the pre-snap pass-catching positions (X, Y, Z, F) to make the most optimal use of his length and strength. If Brady dials things up right, Josh can just sit back and sling the ball around the field to any of the now many weapons he has at his disposal. Defenses should be back on their heels in 2025-26, and if they can no longer sleep on Keon, he'll have earned his nomination as my 10th most important Buffalo Bill for this year.

Thanks to The Draft Professor for the tip about how enjoyably home-grown out Buffalo Bills roster is 🙌

That list o' mine again:

1. Josh Allen
2. Matt Milano
3. Taron Johnson
4. TJ Sanders
5. Spencer Brown
6. Dion Dawkins
7. Terrel Bernard
8. Landon Jackson
9. Ed Oliver
10. Keon Coleman

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#9 Ed Oliver 🦬 In 2023, the year after signing the $68mm 4-year contract extension that made him the 13th-highest paid DT in the league, Ed Oliver had a career year. In this episode I'll tell ya all the reasons why Ed could easily have been considered a top-5 (or, really, top-4) interior pass rusher in 2023. Unfortunately for Bills fans - and for Ed Oliver, and by proxy Brandon Beane and Bobby Babich - Ed Oliver's production saw a significant statistical drop-off in 2024. So, while experts like Joe Marino and Kyle Crabbs were on the verge of labeling Oliver a "Roster Cornerstone," heading into this season, Marino and Crabbs are hesitant to call him anything better than a "Sufficient Starter." So... what the heck?!

That list o' mine again:

1. Josh Allen
2. Matt Milano
3. Taron Johnson
4. TJ Sanders
5. Spencer Brown
6. Dion Dawkins
7. Terrel Bernard
8. Landon Jackson
9. Ed Oliver
10. Keon Coleman

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#8 Landon Jackson 🦬 A river runs through the gulf between the positive feelings that many in Bills Mafia share about our Mike Linebacker, Terrel Bernard, feelings that evidently also permeate throughout One Bills Drive from whence a four-year contract extension worth up to $42mm was drawn up this offseason, an extension that made Bernard the 12th-highest paid LB in the NFL, and what PFF thinks of Bernard. 48.2. That's Bernard's 2024 overall defense grade from PFF. But I love the guy and I'll tell ya why! I also project a decent likelihood for a high volume of snaps for rookie Landon Jackson early in the season, not only as a consequence of Michael Hoecht's six game suspension, but as a result of my hottest offseason take, which is that AJ Epenesa is bound to get traded.

Of course, since I've said it out loud, it won't happen, but I'm standing by it nonetheless. Go Bills.

That list o' mine again:

1. Josh Allen
2. Matt Milano
3. Taron Johnson
4. TJ Sanders
5. Spencer Brown
6. Dion Dawkins
7. Terrel Bernard
8. Landon Jackson
9. Ed Oliver
10. Keon Coleman

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#5 Spencer Brown and #6 Dion Dawkins 🦬 As this edition of Bills Bills Bills has them ordered, are stalwarts. Textbook. Bookends. While so many in Bills Mafia whine, complain, and, dare I say, bitch about Josh's lack of weaponry, Beane and McDermott have done marvelously to drafted, develop and re-sign the two most important offensive players not named Josh Allen.

Oh, and, the first 10 minutes of this episode are spent, again, talking about TJ Sanders. I guess I really like the guy. Hope I feel this way in six months! Go Bills.

That list o' mine again:

1. Josh Allen
2. Matt Milano
3. Taron Johnson
4. TJ Sanders
5. Spencer Brown
6. Dion Dawkins
7. Terrel Bernard
8. Landon Jackson
9. Ed Oliver
10. Keon Coleman

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