Buffalo Bills deliver again LB Shaq Thompson on observe squad

Shaq Thompson is again with the Buffalo Bills.

Not that he ever actually went wherever.

The Bills signed the veteran linebacker to their observe squad Monday after Thompson spent your entire offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

“I wanted to be a Bill. I wanted to play football. I wanted to be around these guys,” Thompson stated on Tuesday. “When you come to work everyday and everybody has the same mindset… They make work fun. They make the building fun. Atmosphere is fun.

“Just brothers. It’s extra than simply soccer gamers coming collectively. It’s a real household right here.”

Thompson, 32, didn’t participate in OTAs, training camp or the preseason, so he’ll need some time to get back into football shape.

But the Bills already know what he can do.

Thompson played 12 games with six starts for Buffalo last season and finished seventh on the team with 56 tackles despite dealing with hamstring and neck injuries. He also had six tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble.

Thompson stepped up within the playoffs, too. He intercepted a cross within the Bills’ wild-card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and led Buffalo with eight tackles. He added 5 tackles, together with two tackles for loss, in opposition to the Denver Broncos within the divisional spherical.

The Bills now have an skilled linebacker in case he is wanted once more.

Buffalo has Terrel Bernard again in the course of its protection, however the depth behind him is younger. Dorian Williams, Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Joe Andreessen are the opposite inside linebackers on the Bills’ preliminary 53-man roster.

Thompson gives Buffalo insurance if one of those players struggles or an injury creates an opening.

The approach looks familiar.

The Bills used their practice squad last season to bring back several veterans who weren’t with the team during training camp, including safety Jordan Poyer, wide receiver Gabe Davis and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.

Thompson has a similar opportunity to work his way back into the lineup. He had to ramp up last year, too.

Thompson suffered a torn Achilles in September 2024 throughout his closing season with the Carolina Panthers, ending his season after 4 video games. He recovered in time to signal a one-year, $1.255 million contract with Buffalo in June 2025 and was prepared for the season opener.

The Panthers selected Thompson with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent his first 10 seasons in Carolina and has 808 tackles, 13 sacks, three interceptions and five forced fumbles in 135 career games.

He played his first two NFL seasons in Carolina when Bills general manager Brandon Beane was the Panthers’ assistant general manager and former Bills head coach Sean McDermott was the defensive coordinator. Those relationships helped bring Thompson to Buffalo last year.

This time, the Bills don’t need him to immediately step into the lineup.