Jim Leonhard will be back in Buffalo

DENVER , CO - JANUARY 4: Secondary coach Jim Leonhard of the Denver Broncos stands on the field before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, January 4, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images

The Buffalo Bills have hired Denver Broncos passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard as their new defensive coordinator. Leonhard had two stints with the Bills as a player.

Leonhard was also interviewing for the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator job.

New Bills head coach Joe Brady is from the Sean Payton coaching tree and now both his coordinator hires come directly from Payton's Broncos staff.

Leonhard spent multiple seasons with the Buffalo Bills as a safety in the mid-2000s before a successful career on Rex Ryan's Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets defenses. After Leonhard's NFL playing career, he made his name as University of Wisconsin's defensive coordinator, where they were consistently ranked among the best in efficiency, turnovers, and red-zone defense.

The move could signal a commitment to evolution on the defensive side, injecting fresh ideas and modern adjustments. The Broncos and Leonhard's Wisconsin teams all ran a base 3-4 defense while the Bills ran a 4-3 under Sean McDermott.

GM Brandon Beane talked about some versatility on the roster in the event they moved to a different alignment.