It’s hard to win in the NFL without 2 edge rushers competing at a high level. It’s made a lot easier when you have a rotation of 3 edge rushers who essentially all serve as starters to wear down opposing offensive tackles.
The Buffalo Bills might have that 3rd edge rusher and a future star in rookie T.J. Parker, their 1st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Pro Football Focus singled out Parker as 1 of the NFL’s highest-graded rookies in the preseason. The Bills went a perfect 3-0 in the preseason as they gear up for the regular-season opener against the Houston Texans on September 13.
Parker finished with an 83.8 overall grade from PFF and was at his best in the preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“The 35th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft had his best game of the preseason this past week, notching a 91.7 PFF grade in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers,” PFF’s Gordon McGuinness wrote on August 31. ” He ends the preseason with four total pressures from 37 pass-rushing snaps and a pair of tackles resulting in a defensive stop.”
T.J. Parker Called ‘Difference Maker’ for Bills
With Greg Rousseau and high-priced free agent Bradley Chubb penciled in as starters, Parker has a unique opportunity to help the Bills win without the tremendous pressure some 1st-round picks have
McGuinness previously singled out Parker as 1 of a pair of rookies, along with wide receiver Skyler Bell, who might be able to step in from Day 1 and move the needle for the Bills as they try to win the 1st Super Bowl in franchise history.
“T.J. Parker earned PFF grades above 80.0 in each of his final two seasons at Clemson and has the length to become a difference-maker at the next level with the right coaching,” McGuiness wrote on July 31. “He generated 41 pressures on 325 pass-rushing snaps in 2025, with 17 resulting in either a sack or quarterback hit.”
T.J. Parker Put Up Big Numbers at Clemson
Parker was a stats machine at Clemson from the moment he stepped on campus, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023 followed by consecutive All-ACC selections in 2024 and 2025.
In just 3 seasons, Parker finished with 126 tackles, 41.5 TFL, and 21.5 sacks.
“Parker had 41.5 career tackles for loss, the second most in FBS since 2023,” ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg wrote in April. “He also is the only FBS player since 2024 with at least five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. Those are the kind of impact plays the Bills will be looking for from Parker in the years to come.”
The Bills were serious enough about fixing their edge rusher woes that they added Chubb on a 3-year, $43.5 million contract.
“Dolphins edge Bradley Chubb and the Bills agreed on a 3-year, $43.5M deal with $29M guaranteed,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on March 9.
Chubb was designated a post-June 1 release and signed with the Bills within the first hour of the new NFL league year opening.
According to Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, it’s a mistake they could end up paying for in the long run, calling Chubb’s injury issues flaring up again the “worst case scenario” for the Bills on defense in 2026.
That could open up the door to a bigger role for Parker.
“The Bills had injury issues a year ago defensively, especially in the front-seven,” Davenport wrote. “If those continue, trouble could be brewing, especially if Chubb (who missed the entire 2024 season with an ACL tear) joins them. Add to that potential issues in the slot after the departure of Taron Johnson, and the nightmare scenario is a defense that is largely unchanged in 2026 backsliding against the pass while once again struggling against the run.”
Buffalo Bills Rookie T.J. Parker Receives High Praise Following Preseason