Ed Oliver's 2025 season was the first in which he didn't appear in double-digit games due to ankle and biceps injuries.
According to new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, we should consider it a minor setback for a major comeback. The Bills' defensive director believes Oliver's best days are ahead of him now that he's playing in Leonhard's system.
"I think Ed's going to be really disruptive in this defense," Leonhard said Tuesday, via The Athletic, "the base defense being more different for him than what it's been in the past and, in all reality, (giving Oliver) a little more freedom than he's had in the past."
Freedom is an important detail to note as the football world prepares to witness Leonhard's spin on Buffalo's defense. Over seven NFL seasons, Oliver has attracted an average double-team rate of 38.4 percent, per Next Gen Stats, and while he's consistently overcome the additional attention to record an average QB pressure percentage of 11.7 from the defensive interior, more one-on-one matchups should allow Oliver to prove his dominance.
As Leonhard noted, Oliver is starting to understand how the Bills are "going to be able to utilize him and create some one-on-ones, isolate some guards, which all defensive linemen get excited about."
Oliver also has a standout example to turn to for proof of what Leonhard can do for him. Zach Allen, an underrated defensive tackle in Arizona who rose to prominence under Leonhard's direction as pass game coordinator in Denver, earned two All-Pro nods (second team in 2024, first team in 2025) over the last two seasons, recording 15.5 sacks in that span.
The production becomes even more interesting when diving into the advanced metrics. When examining QB pressures, Allen's best three seasons (67 in 2024, 64 in 2023, 59 in 2025) rank among or better than Oliver's peak campaign (60 in 2023). In those seasons, Allen faced an average double team rate of 35.8 percent, and in his last two campaigns, that average dropped to 35.3 percent, both marks that are better than what Oliver has seen throughout his career in Buffalo.
The numerical differences might seem minuscule, but it's enough to inspire belief in Leonhard's vision. Oliver already seems convinced.
"I know this sounds cliché, but if you turn on the tape, the guy they had in Denver was pretty good, and he looks like he was playing pretty free," Oliver said. "So hopefully I can have that same success in the same system. That's definitely exciting. I don't know. I just can't wait."
Excitement isn't always the first response to a change in leadership. After seven years spent under since-fired coach Sean McDermott's direction, Oliver must now learn a new system. But he senses the opportunity and is fully embracing what Leonhard could offer.
"I guess it's like a breakup, kinda," Oliver said. "Everything you did in the last relationship, throw all that away. This is a whole 'nother person. You've got to relearn. It's fun. It's different.
"Change is always hard, but sometimes change is good. I just look at it with that kind of optimism and let it ride."
