The Buffalo Bills addressed their linebacker depth by signing Otis Reese IV on Thursday, bringing back a player who spent time with the team last season. To make room on the roster, the Bills placed Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles on injured reserve. The move was announced just before training camp practice at St. John Fisher University.
This is Reese’s second stint with Buffalo in less than a year. He signed with the practice squad on Sept. 23, 2025, and was released two weeks later. He then landed on the Patriots’ practice squad and finished the season there, even signing a reserve/futures deal in February. New England waived him on July 31, and he returned to Buffalo on Aug. 6.
General manager Brandon Beane has emphasized maintaining relationships with players familiar with the system. “That’s our job is to keep a running list of players at each position,” Beane said. “You’re naturally going to lean to someone who you know has done it recently for you and had success.” Reese hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game for Buffalo, but his NFL resume includes 20 games with the Titans, where he recorded 38 tackles and an interception.
Reese originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Tennessee in 2023. He played college football at Georgia, where he started as a safety, then transferred to Ole Miss and became a standout linebacker. At Ole Miss, he amassed 198 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. His position change has made him a special-teams asset.
The Bills currently have seven inside linebackers on their roster, so Reese faces an uphill battle. Projections suggest he’s fighting for a practice squad spot at best, competing with younger players like Theron Gaines and Keonta Jenkins. But Reese’s experience could give him an edge. He’s 28, healthy, and has been participating in practices.
His first career interception came in December 2024 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he filled in for an injured starter. That kind of reliability is what teams often remember. Reese will wear No. 30 and has the preseason to prove he belongs. The Bills, meanwhile, are banking on him as a low-risk addition.
