The Buffalo Bills have taken an unconventional step during the 2026 offseason's Organized Team Activities (OTAs) by cross-training offensive tackle Tylan Grable at defensive tackle--a move that highlights the team's creative approach to roster construction as they seek interior defensive depth.
Grable, a sixth-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft out of UCF, has spent significant portions of the recent OTAs lining up inside on the defensive line, head down in a three-point stance, over the guard, rather than his usual spot protecting the edge as an offensive tackle. This experiment is not a formal position change, but it reveals the Bills' willingness to explore flexibility in addressing their roster needs heading into training camp.
Addressing a Defensive Tackle Roster Challenge
Buffalo's offensive line currently includes six tackles on the active roster: Spencer Brown, Dion Dawkins, Travis Clayton, Tylan Grable, Chase Lundt, and Jude Bowry. Among those, Clayton, Lundt, and Bowry are recent draftees from 2024 onward and have yet to see NFL regular-season snaps at the tackle position. Grable, meanwhile, has some limited experience as a rookie with 42 snaps and showed promise in pass protection.
On the defensive interior, the Bills face a distinct depth challenge. Veteran Ed Oliver is the lone proven, experienced starter at defensive tackle, having logged substantial NFL snaps. Behind him, players like DeWayne Carter--entering his second season--along with rookies including T.J. Sanders, Deone Walker, Zane Durant, Tommy Akingbesote, and others lack extensive in-game experience at the position. Phidarian Mathis, who contributed 148 snaps last season, adds valuable but limited depth. This collection of young and unproven players underscores the need for additional physicality and depth on the defensive front.
Grable's Physical Profile Suits The Experiment
At 6-foot-5 and 306 pounds, Grable has the size advantages to be a versatile piece along the line. While considered somewhat light for a traditional NFL offensive tackle, his weight aligns more closely with the profile sought by Buffalo's defensive scheme under coordinator Jim Leonhard. Leonhard's defensive approach values quickness off the snap over sheer mass, a characteristic displayed by recent fifth-round pick Zane Durant, who described himself as "a 3-tech at heart." Durant, measuring 6-foot-1 and around 285 pounds, represents the type of interior penetrator the Bills want.
Grable's length and lower-body strength could make him a disruptive presence from the interior defensive tackle spot despite his offensive background. The key question--the focus of this spring's experimental reps--is whether he can effectively play with leverage and handle the physical demands inside on defense.
Insights From Jim Leonhard
During his press availability, Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard addressed ongoing defensive line evaluations. Without mentioning Grable by name, Leonhard spoke about adjustments expected in training camp and the need to truly understand players' grasp of the scheme through on-field reps rather than just meetings.
Leonhard praised a veteran defensive lineman for a body transformation and demonstrated confidence with the scheme, highlighting the staff's commitment to molding players to fit schematic needs. That this experiment involves Grable signals the coaches see potential value in expanding his role, aiming to exploit his physical gifts in new ways to enhance roster flexibility.
Cap Constraints and Development Focus
The Bills' salary cap situation--with about $9.81 million in available space but $46.21 million dead money--limits Buffalo's ability to add veteran defensive tackle help this offseason. Consequently, internal development takes center stage. Players like Carter, Sanders, Durant, Zion Logue, and Mathis must all contribute meaningfully, yet the team remains cautious about its interior depth.
Testing Grable at defensive tackle allows the Bills to gain valuable insights into a potential situational role for him as a jumbo-package interior pass rusher, particularly on third-down scenarios or goal-line stand packages where a heavier look inside is advantageous. Even if Grable doesn't transition fully to defense, these reps offer learning opportunities that could improve his overall game and maximize his value to the team.
Balancing Offensive Line Depth
Buffalo's offensive tackle depth also requires attention. Dion Dawkins, 32, is the most experienced tackle but showed vulnerabilities last season, allowing six sacks. Brown is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, while Clayton, Lundt, and Bowry remain developmental prospects without NFL starts. The team has also added swing tackle Alec Anderson, who brings starting experience, and retains Da'Metrius Weatherspoon on the roster.
Shifting some of Grable's reps to defensive line drills carries a trade-off in offensive line preparation, yet the Bills appear confident in the younger tackles' ability to bear additional workloads. This balance illustrates the front office and coaching staff's assessment of where the most pressing roster needs lie.
What Comes Next For Grable and the Bills
The ultimate verdict on Grable's defensive potential will come during training camp at St. John Fisher University this July. There, he must contend with NFL-caliber guards in full pads, proving he can maintain leverage, anchor against power, and contribute as an interior rusher.
Success would add a rare and valuable piece to the Bills' defensive toolkit--a 6-foot-5 interior lineman with a tackle's length and strength playing a disruptive role on passing downs and in heavy personnel packages. Failure, meanwhile, would see him return to focus exclusively on offensive tackle, having gained new insights into leverage and pad level that can only benefit his development.
The Bills face a complicated roster puzzle compounded by cap constraints and limited experienced depth inside. The willingness to try this unconventional experiment with Grable reflects a sharp front office mindset, driven by a refusal to accept the status quo. It embodies a belief that sometimes the path to roster improvement is carving value from within rather than pursuing costly external acquisitions.
As rookie Zane Durant put it recently, "I'm ready for whatever." Grable appears equally prepared to embrace this opportunity to prove himself in a new role. The 2026 Buffalo Bills are set to find out if this innovative experiment pays dividends in their quest for defensive disruption and roster versatility.
This offseason maneuvering adds an intriguing chapter to Buffalo's ongoing story of roster adaptability as they seek every edge in their pursuit of NFL contention. Whether Tylan Grable becomes a viable defensive tackle option or returns to his offensive roots, exploring this cross-training avenue exemplifies the Bills' thoughtful and analytical approach to team-building in a challenging cap environment.