According to Bruce Feldman, Buffalo is expected to hire Ryan Nielsen as a senior defensive assistant. Feldman also noted that Nielsen, 45, had drawn interest from multiple teams before joining the Bills.
Nielsen brings a strong defensive pedigree, having served as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator in 2024. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 and held various coaching roles with the New Orleans Saints from 2017 to 2022.
His hiring is particularly interesting because of his preference for man coverage. In 2022, his Saints defense ranked eighth in man coverage rate, while the Falcons were 11th in 2023. Last season, the Jaguars ranked second in the league in man coverage usage. This is notable given that the Bills, traditionally a zone-heavy defense under Sean McDermott, deployed man coverage 41.5% of the time in the playoffs against the Ravens and Chiefs—with particular success against Baltimore. Nielsen’s expertise could indicate a shift toward more man coverage in Buffalo’s defensive scheme.
Another key aspect of Nielsen’s coaching philosophy is his emphasis on simulated pressures and blitz packages. His defensive lines have consistently generated strong pressure. During his tenure with the Saints from 2017 to 2020, the team ranked third in both pressure percentage and total sacks. In 2023, his Falcons defense posted the NFL’s 10th-best pressure rate (23.0%) despite ranking only 17th in blitz percentage, while also allowing the eighth-fewest passing yards that season.
Buffalo’s defense has already been successful under McDermott and Bobby Babich, but Nielsen’s addition could further enhance the unit’s effectiveness in 2025.
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