Bills sign LB Joe Andreessen, Lancaster grad who played last year at UB

Lancaster High School graduate and former University at Buffalo football player Joe Andreessen attends the Buffalo Bills rookie minicamp on Friday, May 9, 2023. (Photo by Jonah Bronstein/WIVB)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — Joe Andreessen’s pursuit of professional football brought him back to Buffalo last year. He will stay at home a little longer to achieve this goal.

The Bills signed Andreessen on Saturday, a linebacker who graduated from Lancaster High School and played his final college season at the University at Buffalo after transferring from Bryant, where Andreessen was an FCS All-American.

Andreessen was one of 27 prospects invited to Buffalo’s rookie minicamp this weekend, which included two of his UB teammates, receiver Cole Harrity and kicker Alex McNulty, as well as pro lacrosse star Zed Williams, a native of Cattaraugus Reserve, among four linebackers vying for the last one. open spot on the Bills’ 90-man roster this offseason.

“A little surreal,” Andreessen said after Friday’s practice, which also included all 10 draft picks and 12 undrafted rookies signed by the Bills. “Just walking down the halls and seeing the names I looked up to growing up, it’s a cool feeling.”

In his lone season at UB, Andreessen started all 12 games at inside linebacker and led the Bulls with 90 tackles (12 for loss).

Andreessen considered entering the draft a year ago after setting a Bryant record with 116 tackles in 11 games and leading the FCS with 77 solo stops. He became the fifth player in school history to achieve AP All-America status and was selected Big South Defensive Player of the Year by Phil Steele Magazine.