Bills sign former Eagles linebacker who turned into a fullback

The Buffalo Bills needed a new fullback. So they turned to a former linebacker.

Buffalo announced Wednesday it signed free agent Ben VanSumeren to a one-contract, adding a player with a unique path to the position.

VanSumeren, 25, entered the NFL as an undrafted linebacker in 2023 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He made the transition to fullback in 2024, a role he said "feels natural" after playing both sides of the ball in college.

The 6-foot-2, 231-pounder appeared in 21 games for Philadelphia from 2023-2025, contributing on \defense and special teams as a rookie before switching to fullback in 2024. He saw action in 11 regular-season games for the Eagles during their 2024 Super Bowl-winning season, recording three special teams tackles and catching his first career pass from Jalen Hurts.

VanSumeren's suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 2025 season opener.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 24: Ben VanSumeren #57 of the Philadelphia Eagles sacks Matt Corral #17 of the Minnesota Vikings in the second half of the preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field on August 24, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Vikings defeated the Eagles 26-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

He has rare athleticism for a player his size and position, running a 4.45-second 40-yard dash with a 42.5-inch vertical at the 2023 NFL Combine.