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Joe Andreessen: Who Is Bills Breakout LB? Will He Make Buffalo’s Roster?

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Joe Andreessen was an unexpected star during Week 2 of the NFL preseason. The Buffalo Bills linebacker recorded 12 total tackles and two tackles for a loss across 44 snaps in the team’s 9-3 road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Andreessen was a long shot to make the Bills final 53-man roster when signed as an undrafted free agent earlier this year. Now, after a standout training camp and a few strong preseason outings, he’s making a serious case to help replace injured superstar Matt Milano.

The underdog story is fueled further by the fact the 24-year-old linebacker was born and raised in the Buffalo area. Bills quarterback Josh Allen said the team even calls him “Buffalo Joe.”

Who Is Joe Andreessen? What’s Next For The Bills Linebacker?

Andreessen’s Buffalo Background

Andreessen was born and raised in Depew, New York. The Buffalo suburb is a mere 25-minute ride from the home of the Bills, Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. He attended Lancaster High School in the neighboring village of Depew.

“Yeah, it’s been quite the experience to say the least,” the linebacker said before the team’s preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. “Kind of coming out here, and the love that Buffalo has shown me, the fans, it’s been awesome, but still a lot of work to be done and you know I’m just pushing to be the best me every day.”

Andreessen left the Buffalo area for the first five years of his college career. He attended Bryant University in Rhode Island, an FCS program. He recorded 256 total tackles, 37.5 tackles for a loss, 15 passes defended, five interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles in 39 games for the Bulldogs.

The defender returned to Western New York to play his senior season at the University at Buffalo. He led the Bulls with 90 total tackles, including 12 tackles for a loss, in 2023. He also chipped in two passes defended, a sack, and a forced fumble in 12 contests.

Andreessen joined the Bills for rookie minicamp in May and earned a spot on the camp roster.

What His Coaches, and Teammates Are Saying

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott is enjoying the rise of Andreessen just as much as the fans.

“I think I met his aunt in the elevator in the hotel and she was excited, was on the phone with Joe’s mom, who had just called in at the time, and you just, you love stories like that, right?” McDermott told reporters Saturday. “So, real happy for Joe.”

He added: “When a young guy gets an opportunity and he makes the most of it, it’s just fun to watch, watch a young man like that. Especially a local guy.”

Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa noted Andreessen carried himself like a battle-tested veteran on the field.

“While I was in there with him, he was just oozing confidence,” Epenesa said. “I could see him playing well, playing fast. And he’s just taking so many steps and having guys like [Terrel Bernard] and Dorian [Williams] around him help encourage him as well. So, it was awesome to see him play.”

Edge-rusher Greg Rousseau said simply, “You couldn’t sense any fear with Joe.”

What Are Andreessen’s Roster Chances?

The Bills were likely only going to keep five linebackers if both Milano and Bernard were healthy. Now, with Milano out until at least December, they’ll probably keep six for added depth. That’s a boost to Andreessen’s hopes of making the team.

Bernard and Williams are locks, but it’s pretty wide open beyond that. Neither Nicholas Morrow nor Deion Jones have impressed since being signed as veteran free agents this offseason. Baylon Spector and rookie Edefuan Ulofoshio are younger options but had similarly mundane camps.

It says a lot that McDermott immediately pushed Andreessen into a starting role in the first game after Milano’s injury. It was a test and he passed with flying colors.

Andreessen is probably inside the 53-man roster cut line with one preseason game to go.

If Andreessen Makes The Team, What Role Will He Play?

Milano’s injury creates a major problem for the Bills defense. The unit doesn’t have another linebacker capable of covering tight ends in space. Bernard and Williams, the likely starters, are both more of downhill defenders.

Andreessen unfortunately fits the same mold. He was a middle-of-the-field eraser for most of his collegiate career, and that’s what he’s been asked to do by the Bills so far. If he was more versed in coverage, his outlook would be more clear.

So the question is how will the Bills attempt to defend someone like Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs or Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens? It’s possible they may ask Andreessen to learn more coverage on the fly. His underlying athletic traits suggest it’s something he could excel at over time.

All told, Andreessen is probably ticketed for a standard backup and special-teams role if he makes the roster. As impressive as he’s been in the preseason, the regular season is a completely different animal, and asking him to play a significant role would come with risk for the AFC contenders.

He’s earned a spot on the roster, however, and he’s already exceeded expectations in a major way. Perhaps he’ll continue to prove people wrong to become an impact player for the Bills in 2024.

Main Photo: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

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