Sources: Bills to hire Leonhard to run defense

BUFFALO, NY. -- Former Buffalo Bills player Jim Leonhard is expected to be hired as the team's defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday.

The hiring will mark a change in direction on the defensive side of the ball after Sean McDermott was fired following nine seasons leading the Bills and the team's defense.

Leonhard, 43, is currently the defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach with the Denver Broncos. This year, the Broncos defense put up 68 sacks, four short of tying the single season record (72, 1984 Chicago Bears), and allowed the second fewest yards per game (278.2).

Leonhard joined the Broncos in 2024 as the team's defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach.

Prior to that, he was a senior football analyst at Illinois and spent 2016-22 coaching at Wisconsin, including all but one year as the defensive coordinator and also spent some of the 2022 season as interim head coach.

Undrafted out of Wisconsin, Leonhard played with the Bills from 2005-07 and in 2013. The 10-year NFL safety and special teams player also played for the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Broncos and Cleveland Browns.

Leonhard marks the second Broncos coach that new Bills head coach Joe Brady is set to add to his staff in a coordinator role. Brady worked under Broncos coach Sean Payton in 2017-18. The Bills are also set to hire Pete Carmichael as the team's offensive coordinator, per source.

Brady and Leonhard have not overlapped on a coaching staff previously.

"I only get one opportunity to be a head football coach," Brady said during his introductory press conference. "I'm not in the business of hiring my friends and making sure I want to get the best football coaches for these players cause they deserve that, and so, that's what's important to me."

Leonhard also met with the Los Angeles Chargers and Ravens for defensive jobs.