Joe Andreessen was the Buffalo Bills‘ local hero last offseason in making the final 53-man roster.

In 2025, he’s making an even bigger push according to ESPN.

ESPN named a “surprise” player for every NFL team following offseason workouts. For the Bills, Andreessen was the selection.

While not the flashiest pick, the linebacker has turned heads at spring workouts.

Mostly a special teamer as a rookie, Andreessen might work his way into an important backup role for Buffalo’s defense ahead of the likes of Baylon Spector and others.

As a rookie, Andreessen had 26 tackles, including one for loss, in 13 games played.

ESPN’s breakdown on Andreessen can be found below:

Largely a special teams player as a rookie last year, Andreessen was signed after trying out at rookie minicamp, and he then earned a roster spot. He made a significant statement going into his second season with his performance during the mandatory minicamp.

Availability is something the Bills emphasize, and Andreessen saw increased time during team drills, in part due to Baylon Spector’s injury. He made multiple notable plays, including picking off Josh Allen. And he put himself in a good position to compete for the backup middle linebacker job.

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: ESPN picks the Bills’ biggest surprise of the 2025 NFL offseason