The Buffalo Bills underwent a defensive overhaul this past offseason, and a number of existing pieces did not fit into the plans.
The Bills let veteran safety Taylor Rapp walk in free agency while reshaping the defensive secondary. They brought back defensive lineman Zion Logue to compete for a spot on the new 3-4 front under first-year coordinator Jim Leonhard , but he didn't survive cutdown day .
As the Bills move forward with what they view as upgrades, Rapp and Logue have resurfaced with other NFL teams.
On Monday, the Denver Broncos signed Rapp to their practice squad while the Cleveland Browns gave Logue a P-Squad contract.
Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) rushes the ball past Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (9) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rapp, who spent three seasons with the Bills, could see his former team when the Broncos host Buffalo for a Netflix special on December 25 .
While the Browns and the Bills won't face each other in the regular season, Logue likely caught his new team's attention when Buffalo visited Berea for a joint practice on August 20. We wrote about Cleveland claiming Bills' seventh-round cornerback Toriano Pride as a result of their evaluations from that week.
Buffalo signed two experienced options in free agency - Super Bowl LIX champion Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and former Cincinnati Bengals ' starter Geno Stone . Additionally, the Bills used a late fifth-round draft pick on South Carolina's Jalon Kilgore.
The Bills entered the summer with Cole Bishop , a 2024 second-round draft pick, penciled in as one starter. The other spot, however, was open. Rapp made six starts there in 2025 before an injury sent him to Injured Reserve for the remainder of the season.
Bills C.J. Gardner-Johnson does a warm up drill before practice at Buffalo Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford on Aug. 6, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Despite missing chunks of the preseason due to minor injuries, Gardner-Johnson has emerged as the starter next to Bishop. The energetic personality brings a welcomed edge to the defense.
Meanwhile, Buffalo retained Damar Hamlin on the 53-man roster as veteran insurance and assigned Stone to the practice squad .
Logue played five games for the Bills over the last two seasons, which he mostly spent on the practice squad. It's worth noting, however, that Buffalo ran a 4-3 defensive front then.
With the new defense featuring only three down linemen, Logue auditioned for a spot behind Ed Oliver at defensive end. Logue, who logged three tackles and one quarterback hit during preseason game action, was listed as a third-teamer on the unofficial depth chart throughout training camp.
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver and defensive tackle Zion Logue dance to the music for a few moments while waiting for their turn to run a drill during the Return of the Blue Red practice at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Aug.1, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Even with fifth-round rookie Zane Durant beginning the season on Injured Reserve, Logue could not earn a roster spot. The Bills kept six down linemen - Oliver, TJ Sanders, Landon Jackson , Greg Gaines , Deone Walker and DeWayne Carter . International Pathway exemption Travis Clayton is on the practice squad.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/bills/onsi as Bills' Defensive Upgrades Send Two Castoffs to Other NFL Practice Squads .
