ORCHARD PARK — The speed increase in the NFL had Landon Jackson treading water during the preseason. Now he’s got a week to make sure he doesn’t drown.
Thoughtfulness is usually a quality trait. It means Jackson is detailed and that he cares desperately about being good. But overthinking isn’t always good and it can be completely consuming, just ask former Buffalo Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam.
The third-round pick’s first NFL training camp was a struggle at times. Jackson wasn’t bad, but there were more noticeable mistakes than flashy plays.
After the preseason finale in Tampa, Jackson got a week to reset. Because in little more than a week, the Baltimore Ravens come to town, the results on the scoreboard matter greatly and the Bills need positive contributions from Jackson, particularly early in the season.
“A lot of it is just not as much experience as I had at the previous level, where I was fully confident in what I knew,” Jackson told GNN Sports. “… Definitely trying to just overthink and that leads to you kind of second-guessing yourself here and there. … Really just continuing to stay in the playbook, continuing being out there, getting extra reps and finding ways to build that confidence within.”
Relentlessness on and off the field were key reasons the Bills took the defensive end with the 72nd pick in the draft. But effort doesn’t always produce results, because there are plenty of NFL flameouts with a dogged work ethic.
During the preseason, Jackson’s brain and legs weren’t always synchronized. Jackson found himself diagnosing a play and thinking “OK, I have to go there,” rather than reacting without thinking about what he’s supposed to do.
Jackson acknowledged NFL speed — whether it was practices or games — required an adjustment period. A physical freak who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds and notched a 40 ½-inch vertical leap during pre-draft workouts at 6-foot-6, 264 pounds, Jackson can’t rely on athleticism to get by like he was able to do at times in college.
“We saw him beginning to play free,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “For some of these guys, the thinking starts to get involved as opposed to just playing. That’s the journey of a rookie season.”
Every rookie needs time to adjust in the NFL. Only 36 rookies have recorded double-digit sacks, while Von Miller and Micach Parsons are the only rookie edge rushers in the last 25 years to earn All-Pro honors.
But the key for Jackson is not letting his mistakes outweigh the positives. He had fewer tackles (1) than penalties (2) during the preseason, including an offsides call against the New York Giants that negated rookie safety Jordan Hancock’s interception.
Jackson thought his offsides call and his roughing the passer penalty against the Chicago Bears were ticky-tack, but still admitted that they were mistakes he needs to minimize in the future.
“I can’t really get frustrated with it,” Jackson said. “I just got to learn from it and learn certain tendencies of different players. If the tackle lines up a little deeper than previous snaps, I just have to adjust my alignment, but just get a better feel for that.”
The first six weeks of the season will be critical for Jackson. With Michael Hoecht serving a six-game suspension, the Bills must find a No. 4 defensive end behind Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa.
Jackson and 2024 fifth-round pick Javon Solomon are the current choices, although Jackson has a longer rope as a rookie and a high draft pick. Solomon has a year in the defense to his advantage, but they are completely different players.
Solomon has more burst and effectiveness as a pass rusher, with the athleticism to move off the line to operate in a similar role to Hoecht. Meanwhile, Jackson is 5 inches taller and 15 pounds heavier and can play right away as an early-down run defender like Shaq Lawson and Dawaune Smoot once played.
The fourth defensive end position isn’t a huge role, but it’s still an important one. Whoever lands the job will play roughly 30% of the snaps, especially since Bosa hasn’t played a full season since 2019.
“At the end of the day, I know the type of player I am and I know the way it goes,” Jackson said. “You’ve got to come in, everything takes time. So really just trying to fully understand it and just kind of trust the process.”