The Buffalo Bills made a surprising move just before the roster deadline, releasing veteran linebacker Deion Jones and keeping undrafted rookie Joe Andreessen on their final roster. However, a recent report suggests Jones could soon rejoin the team due to a series of injuries depleting their linebacker depth.
Bleacher Report has identified Jones as a player the Bills should consider bringing back, noting the team’s injury troubles. “The Bills brought in veteran linebacker Deion Jones during training camp but ultimately released him. They might want to keep his number handy as their linebacker position is thinning. Matt Milano could be out for the season, and Terrel Bernard is likely to miss about a month after suffering a pec strain against the Dolphins.”
Jones, released in August, originally joined the Bills to add depth at linebacker. He has played in 91 games across his eight-year NFL career, earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2017 with the Atlanta Falcons. Last season, Jones played in 13 games for the Carolina Panthers, recording 35 tackles and one sack.
Jones became expendable due to the strong performance of Joe Andreessen, a local standout from Lancaster, New York. Andreessen earned his spot on the roster after impressing in a rookie minicamp tryout and excelling in both defense and special teams during training camp.
With Bernard injured in the September 12 game against the Dolphins, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that while Bernard’s pectoral strain is not season-ending, he could miss about a month and may be placed on injured reserve.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott confirmed Bernard’s injury and mentioned the team is evaluating whether to place him on injured reserve, which would sideline him for at least four weeks.
Meanwhile, the Bills’ defense has also suffered other significant injuries, with Milano injured in training camp and cornerback Taron Johnson hurt during their Week 1 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
With injuries piling up, some suggest the Bills should bring back the veteran linebacker they released just weeks ago.
