ORCHARD PARK — TJ Parker listens for the call and quickly processes his assignment. And then he watches someone else perform it.
Parker paused for a moment to ponder the last time he was a guy rather than the guy. He landed on his freshman season at Clemson. Parker only started three games, but he was one of six Clemson true freshmen to play in all 13 games and was a freshman All-American.
The Buffalo Bills’ top draft choice is in a completely different situation than anything he’s ever gone through during his football career. Parker spends more time during games visualizing his role than playing.
The 35th overall pick played 14 defensive snaps in Week 1 and 17 in Week 2, dipping to just nine in last week’s 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. But Parker had an idea what was coming when he was drafted in April.
The Bills already had Greg Rousseau and Michael Hoecht on the roster, then added veteran Bradley Chubb on a $43.5 million contract in free agency. Parker knew he was entering a low-pressure situation, but one that required patience.
“Nobody likes sitting on the sideline, but that’s where I’m at right now,” Parker told GNN Sports after practice Wednesday. “I got two great guys in front of me who are making a lot of plays, so give credit to them. At the same time, I’m going to do my role the best way possible. So I got to be there for my teammates every day, playing my roles on special teams, what I got to do, and when my opportunity comes, I just got to take it.”
A rookie season is usually the longest for a player because there is limited time off between the end of the college season to the pre-draft process and the start of the NFL schedule. Including the preseason, Parker is midway through his seventh game week. That would be over half a college season.
Veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson’s locker is next to Parker’s. Thompson was able to give Parker some perspective early in the week.
“He said, ‘Man, we still got 15 weeks left,’” Parker recalled. “When you put it in perspective like that, that’s crazy. It’s still a whole season and I know it’s a long season. And that’s where you got to prepare your body, take care of your body and just be ready whenever.”
Parker’s situation is not unlike the rest of Buffalo’s rookie class. Except for punter Tommy Doman Jr., the Bills don’t have a rookie playing a prominent or starting role on a regular basis.
Second-round cornerback Davison Igbinosun has played the most — 26% of defensive snaps — but he has been a rotational player like Parker and fourth-round linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr. Meanwhile, fellow rookies Skyler Bell, Jude Bowry, Jalon Kilgore and Ar’maj Reed-Adams have been inactive for the first three weeks.
Last year the Bills had four players log at least 30% of the offensive or defensive snaps through the first three games. Keon Coleman was the lone Bills rookie to do it in 2024, while only Dalton Kincaid and O’Cyrus Torrence did it in 2023 and Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam did it in 2022.
“There’s guys that we don’t want to play as many snaps as we are and they’re doing a great job,” Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “It’s hard to take Chubb and Greg off the field right now and we know we need to and we will continue as the season goes on. … You’re trying to get (rookies) snaps and get them in the right situations. There’s going to be weeks that they play more than others.”
Rousseau is off to a torrid start and is likely going to nab AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors leading the NFL in pressures (23), quarterback hits (8), tackles for a loss (8), sacks (6) and forced fumbles (3). Chubb has also been solid, with 1 ½ sacks and six quarterback hits during the first three weeks.
Both are playing 76% of the snaps. But while Chubb played over 70% in all but one season during his eight-year career, Rousseau has only done it once (2024). Eventually the Bills are hoping to preserve them as much as possible for the postseason.
Whether it’s spot duty or opportunity through injury, Parker is likely to see an uptick in playing time at some point in the season.
“He’s just trying to be a sponge and absorb as much information as we can help get to him,” Hoecht said. “But the NFL is a long season and there’s a lot of snaps. Eerily on, you got to get your sea legs under you, but I’m sure as the season continues, his role is going to grow. Great player. He’s an athlete — long and strong.”