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Bills predicted to sign AJ Epenesa despite drafting T.J. Parker.

The Buffalo Bills made a surprising decision during the 2026 NFL Draft when they chose to trade out of their first-round pick not once, but three times. In the end, they walked away with the 35th pick, which became their first selection in the draft.

Buffalo selected Clemson pass rusher T.J. Parker with the 35th pick. The Bills did well to add a dynamic player, and it didn’t matter which position they addressed, since they needed talent across the defense.

Parker Has a Chance to Play Well This Season

Parker has the potential to step in from Day 1 and compete for the starting job. NFL.com’s Tom Blair believes that Parker is one of the top 10 rookies in the NFL who has a strong chance to succeed in his first year and beyond.

“Why get excited about someone who looks like a backup pass-rushing option behind Gregory Rousseau and Bradley Chubb? Well, in part because Rousseau and Chubb’s presence means the Bills won’t need to force Parker’s development,” Blair wrote on Tuesday. “At the same time, Chubb is turning 30 this summer and is on a three-year deal that includes no more guaranteed money after Year 2, per Over the Cap. So there should be plenty of room for Parker to claim a larger role down the road.”

Parker played three seasons at Clemson, but his final year didn’t go as well as he had hoped. In 12 games, Parker recorded 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, a significant drop from 2024, when he recorded 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

There’s a possibility that Parker didn’t perform well because the entire Clemson team struggled, despite expectations that it would be one of the top teams in college football.

Parker now has the chance to revitalize his career by joining one of the top NFL teams. A fresh start can often work wonders for a player, and that might be exactly what Parker needs. It’s also possible that he could be a great fit for the new defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard.

Parker Can Fit Jim Leonhard’s Defense

“And, of course, Parker will have the chance to do plenty right away even while playing behind Rousseau and Chubb,” Blair added. “As Sal Maiorana of the Democrat and Chronicle pointed out, Parker is suited for the 3-4 scheme that new coordinator Jim Leonhard is implementing. And Mike Hoecht will be less than a year removed from a torn Achilles. The Bills haven’t ranked in the top 10 in QB pressure rate since 2022, per Next Gen Stats, and they could really use a long-term partner for Rousseau. If Parker impresses, he can start down the path toward becoming a crucial defensive counterweight to Josh Allen’s superstar QB play.”

It will be interesting to see how Parker performs during summer practices, which kick off this weekend with the rookie mini camp. While he has a long way to go before becoming a starter, putting in solid work during these summer sessions can give him a leg up when training camp rolls around in late July.