Former Buffalo Bills edge rusher Kingsley Jonathan is back on the open market after being waived by a division rival.
Jonathan had several stints with the Bills, spending some time on the practice squad and taking on a significant role when Von Miller was out with a knee injury. He had signed with the New York Jets this offseason, but failed to make it to the second preseason game.
Bills Could Target Veteran Edge Rusher
The former Syracuse standout first joined the Bills in 2022, appearing in one game that season. He took on a bigger role the following year, appearing in 13 games as the Bills looked to fill the void while Miller was returning from a torn ACL and spending much of the season getting back to speed. Jonathan remained with the Bills in 2024, appearing in one game.
Jonathan signed with the Jets in the 2025 offseason but missed final cuts, returning to the Bills in November and staying with them for close to a month before being released and rejoining the Jets.
The Bills could look to bring back Jonathan as a trusted edge rusher, especially as a target for the practice squad if they need depth later in the season.
Bills Have Tough Decisions Among Edge Rusher Group
The Bills went into the offseason with what appeared to be a hole in their edge rushing group as veteran Michael Hoecht recovered from a torn Achilles, but his rehab has gone faster than expected and he is on pace to start the season.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia suggested that could lead to a difficult decision on who the Bills keep and who they choose to cut. He predicted the team would keep five — Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, T.J. Parker, Javon Solomon, and Hoecht.
‘With Hoecht ahead of schedule in his recovery, something has to give with the edge rusher group,” Buscaglia wrote. “As long as Hoecht avoids beginning the year on Injured Reserve — and it’s trending that way as he’s practiced every single day since camp began — it could force a decision for a veteran with guaranteed money.”
Buscaglia suggested that former Kansas City Chiefs edge rusher Mike Danna, who joined the team in the spring, could be the odd man out.
“Mike Danna, an early May signing, has over $1 million guaranteed on his one-year deal, but he’s faded into the background in the outside linebacker group,” Buscaglia reported. “With investments in Hoecht, Parker a roster lock and Solomon as one of their best special teams assets, I’ve got Danna on the outside of this projection.”
The Bills are expected to take a more aggressive approach to pressuring opposing quarterbacks under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, moving away from former head coach Sean McDermott’s style where blitzing was rare.
Longtime Bills Edge Rusher Cut Loose By Division Rival