The Buffalo Bills are bolstering their linebacking corps after an injury to a key depth player this week.
The team announced on September 23 that they signed linebacker Otis Reese IV, a former Tennessee Titans player who saw meaningful playing time last season. Reese will join the practice squad and could replace a depth player who was injured last week.
Bills Add Depth on Defense
The Bills brought in six players for workouts this week, signing Reese to an open spot on the practice squad. The Bills had elevated linebacker Keonta Jenkins from the practice squad for last week’s win over the Miami Dolphins, but he suffered a leg injury in the game.
Reese’s signing could be an indication that the team is worried about Jenkins missing time, though they have not yet given an official prognosis. As SI.com’s Alex Brasky noted, Jenkins is a converted defensive back who appeared in a majority of games for the Titans last year.
Reese IV, a safety in college, was signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and was subsequently placed on Tennessee’s practice squad before signing him to its active roster later in his rookie year,” Brasky wrote.
“The 27-year-old Reese appeared in seven games with three starts at linebacker during his first professional season, totaling 21 tackles and finishing tied for fourth on the team in special teams tackles.”
Bills Make Another Move on Offense
The team’s workouts held this week have already paid dividends on offense, with the team working out and then signing former draft pick Nick Broeker. He came to the Bills as a seventh-rounder in 2023 but was waived at final cuts. The Bills may have had plans to bring Broeker back on the practice squad, but he was claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans.
Broeker appeared in 12 games over the last two seasons, but struggled to find a home this season.
“The Bills are Broeker’s fourth stop of 2025,” noted Ryan Miller of the Democrat & Chronicle. Houston waived him in May, and he briefly signed with the Steelers before being released before the preseason opener. Dallas picked him up off waivers, but he was cut after appearing in two preseason games in August.”
It could be a happy return for Broeker, who said after the 2023 NFL Draft that he hoped the Bills would pick him and already knew tight end Dawson Knox and his later brother, Luke Knox.
I know Dawson Knox pretty well, so that’ll be cool to get back with him as well,” Broeker said. “I actually played with his younger brother Luke at Ole’ Miss, and Dawson would come back and visit, and some of the guys I played with were really good friends with Dawson.”
Broeker said he was excited about the idea of playing for a Super Bowl contender.
“Yeah, definitely really kind of hoped for Buffalo, just seeing all the success they’ve had lately and how many games they’ve won, definitely on the Super Bowl trend so definitely a really cool call to get.”
Bills Add Linebacker Who Played 13 Games Last Season