The Buffalo Bills are bringing a familiar face back to help the linebacking corps.
The team announced on Thursday that they signed veteran Otis Reese IV, who spent part of last season on the team’s practice squad. Reese had started training camp with the New England Patriots but was cut loose this week, paving the way for his return to Buffalo.
Bills Boost Linebacking Depth With Roster Move
Reese had been with the Patriots since November 2025, when he was cut loose by the Bills and landed with their AFC East rival. He remained in New England through the offseason and started training camp with them, but failed to gain a foothold on a roster spot.
KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson reported Friday that the Patriots released the veteran linebacker.
Reese has some NFL experience under his belt, coming into the league as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Tennessee Titans in 2023 and appearing in 20 games for them over two seasons, including five starts.
Reese played mostly on special teams, but did record an interception in his rookie season.
Otis Reese IV Could Add Versatility to Buffalo’s Roster
The Bills could look for both defensive and special teams contributions from Reese. As SI.com’s Jeremy Brener noted, Reese gained a reputation as a versatile player who just fell out of favor with the Titans.
“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.”
The Bills have seen some changes to their linebacking corps this year, with veteran Matt Milano hitting free agency and still waiting to find a new team. The Bills also used a fourth-round pick on TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who has already made a big impression at training camp.
“Seemingly a fairly quiet and reserved person, Elarms-Orr has still found a way to make his presence felt on a consistent basis,” wrote SI.com reporter John Green.
Elarms-Orr was also involved in a fight at practice this week, which has become something of an annual occurrence when the teams put on pads for the first time.
“Whether it’s from starting a massive ‘Bills Brawl’ at practice on Tuesday morning following a collision he had with tight end Dalton Kincaid, or whether it be from continually receiving starting reps alongside fellow linebacker Terrel Bernard through the first five days, Elarms-Orr is essentially—aside from the newly formed Allen-Moore tandem—the ‘talk of the town,’ so to speak, amongst players, coaches, and fans,” Green wrote.
Bills Sign Versatile Linebacker Days After Being Cut by Division Rival