Bradley Chubb’s contract really plays out like a 2 year deal.
A pre June 1st release in 2028 would result in $6m dead cap and $14.5m in savings.
A post June 1st release in 2028 would spread out the dead cap to $3m in 2028 and $3m in 2029, but lead to $17.5m in savings
Hahahahahaha that’s quite the fed follow up to my thread haha
…. Essentially allowing the defense to throw rock, paper, and scissors equally/as needed across both situation & offensive personnel/alignment
Fin
….But the ceiling of the Bills defense in 2026 (and beyond) is very much tied to getting the right body types & skillets to weaponize + weave the defense in and out of multiple fronts & coverage structures seamlessly/fluidly….
Couldn’t get this post to break up the right way so here’s an unnecessary but necessary mini thread of one long post:
Jim Leonhard will raise the floor of the Buffalo Bills defense in 2026 purely through philosophy, identity, and scheme…
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) and the Eagles secondary sorting out the pre snap alignment & movement from the Rams.
Post snap CJGJ keys the TE action, triggers & fits accordingly, and makes the stop in the hole
More post/center field play from C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Yes please
If the Buffalo Bills can get this kind of play from C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) - some post/center field effectiveness to go along with the violence & tenacity he brings coming forward - it’ll go A LONG WAY for the defense (Cole Bishop especially)
The Rams plans this offseason:
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) meeting Kamara in the alley for a stop on 3rd & 1
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) meeting and stonewalling Bijan in the hole for a stop on 4th & 1
Danielle Hunter (55) with the euro step + cross chop off the left edge. He wins so decisively early on that he doesn’t even need to club the outside shoulder to get through the arc. He just chops down the outside arm and flattens for the sack
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) with the quick trigger and smooth tackle from depth
He did at one point have a ton of velociraptor in him. Gotta see if he still has it
This is from 2024 when he played more deep Safety snaps (813) as opposed to the 90 he played in 2025, when he was used mostly as a box Safety/big nickel (275 box snaps and 399 in the slot)
CJ Gardner-Johnson (8) detonating on a WR
Career:
1,111 box
2,247 slot
1,587 deep
With the Bills needing more of a post/range based ballhawk Safety to pair with Cole Bishop, grabbing CJ Gardner-Johnson is an interesting move. Only a 1 year deal, so expect Safety to still be a draft priority
2025 snaps:
275 box
399 slot
90 deep
2024 snaps:
248 box
115 slot
813 deep
I gotta get to his tape. But I’d likes him for a while. The pairing with Bishop is interesting in terms of fit
Never wrong, just early haha
Bishop Fitzgerald (18) letting the QB’s eyes take him to the ball for an INT
Bishop Fitzgerald (19) with the INT in the low red zone in man coverage
He widens with the motion, slow plays the route to try and work square/maintain leverage, attaches at the collision point, then comes off and under the WR to make the pick
USC Safety Bishop Fitzgerald (19) with a pretty pick 6 as the Tampa player in Tampa 2 Robber
-QB’s eyes take him to the field
-He reads the route distribution & attacks the 2
-As he drives/closes, he gets his eyes back on the QB to read & jump the throw
Bradley Chubb (2) off the left edge. If one rep was a microcosm of his game as a rusher it’d be this. Power, pop, and effort
This is real nice from Bradley Chubb (2) off the left edge
He sells a spin inside which opens up the LT to get beat around the arc. Chubb feigns the spin then hits the LT with a stab in the chest and melts through the outside shoulder to heat up the QB
Ok
A regular first down conversion for Josh Allen on a 3rd & 16
Bradley Chubb (2) with some smooth hand usage and movement off the left edge to heat up the QB and force an incompletion. Times his slight dip/lean with his hands to glide past the LT (beat the hands beat the man)
Bradley Chubb (2) off the left edge for the sack after working inside and playing through a hold/contact
