Western New York native Joe Andreessen is playing his way into competition for making the Bills’ 53-man roster thanks to a strong performance in preseason action against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
On Saturday the rookie was calling and leading the Bills defense on the field against a pro offense led by a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Russell Wilson.
He would finish the game leading the team with 12 tackles.
“It was kind of nice,” Andreessen said to the media after the game. “They didn’t surprise me with it or anything like that. … I’m an undrafted guy, and I kind of looked at it as an opportunity, like nothing to lose.”
While he is one of the newer faces on the roster, he is a familiar one to Buffalo. Andreessen is a Lancaster, NY native and played college football at the University at Buffalo before signing with his hometown team in May following a successful rookie tryout.
“A lot of people aren’t really expecting me to make the team,” he continued. “You know, I’m a rookie tryout guy, so it was just something to take full advantage of, and hopefully I showed it to people out there today.”
Starting weakside linebacker Matt Milano is out for much of the regular season with a bicep tear and Terrel Bernard, who played in his place during an injury last season, was held out of this weekend’s game as a precaution at the position.
That opened the door for Andreessen to see playing time with Buffalo’s starters in only his second career game.
One of Buffalo’s leaders on defense, pass rusher Greg Rousseau, spoke about how Andreessen was not fazed by any big moments or by playing in front of a big stadium crowd.
“He’s that guy,” Rousseau said. “You couldn’t sense any fear with Joe. He stepped up to the plate, called it with the ones, and it was great seeing him flying around here and making open-field tackles. He was doing his thing.”
Baylon Spector and vet Deion Jones are who Andreessen is competing with behind Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams in the linebacker’s group. Still, the rookie is making a case on the field for consideration.
And his new head coach had good things to say about him as well.
“He did [have a game],” McDermott shared. “Yeah, he did. When a young guy gets an opportunity and he makes the most of it, it’s just fun to watch. Watch a young man like that, especially a local guy. I think I met his aunt in the elevator in the hotel. She was excited, was on the phone with Joe’s mom, who had just called in at the time. You love stories like that, right? Real happy for Joe.”
During the second half on a fourth-and-2 run by Steelers quarterback Justin Fields in Buffalo territory, Andreessen tackled him in the open field to end their drive with a seven-yard loss to give the Buffalo offense the ball back.
“I was telling the guys on the sideline I was super nervous,” Andreessen noteed. “That’s a very athletic guy out there and there was a lot of room. … I was just in my zone and he broke contain. I was trying to track the near hip and I didn’t want him to cut back on me and I didn’t press it super hard.”