The Buffalo Bills made some last-minute roster changes, cutting ties with a veteran linebacker less than a day before they are set to kick off the preseason opener.
The Bills announced on Friday that they released veteran linebacker Otis Reese IV, who was a late addition to the 90-man roster after he was cut by the New England Patriots this summer. Reese already had another stint with the Bills and was expected to compete as a reserve linebacker and special teams regular, but will instead need to look for a new team.
Veteran Linebacker Gone Before First Preseason Game
The Bills had signed Reese last week, landing him after he was cut loose by the Patriots. Reese came into the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Tennessee Titans in 2023, appearing in 20 games over two seasons, making five starts.
As SI.com’s Jeremy Brener noted, Reese gained a reputation for his versatility and spent considerable time on special teams before losing his spot on the Titans roster.
“Throughout his career, Reese made 38 tackles and recorded one interception,” Brener noted. “He had a chance to earn a starting job with the Titans defense out of training camp, but it appears the team feels better about Cedric Gray or James Williams Sr., both of whom were higher than him on Tennessee’s first unofficial depth chart.”
Reese spent part of the 2025 season with the Bills on their practice squad, but never got a call-up to the active roster and was released in October.
Bills Could Need More Linebacker Help
Despite their decision to release Reese, the Bills may need to make more moves to bolster their linebacking corps. The position is seen as one of the thinnest on defense, with the Bills losing a steady starter when Matt Milano hit free agency.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested the Bills could bring back another former linebacker, Tyrel Dodson, through a trade with the Miami Dolphins.
“Logical trade chips are few and far between for the Miami Dolphins, who already gutted their roster this offseason,” Knox wrote on August 10. “However, Miami could look to move linebacker Tyrel Dodson as part of its rebuilding effort. Dodson started 16 games this past season and racked up 129 tackles, five sacks, and 10 tackles for loss. He’s also set to carry a cap hit of only $3.7 million on the final year of his contract, which would make him very attractive to cap-tight teams … if the Dolphins’ plan is to phase out Dodson over the next year, trying to maximize his value with a preseason trade would make a ton of sense.”
Bills Cut Ties With Veteran LB Just Hours Before First Preseason Game