The Buffalo Bills have added a fullback to the roster, signing former Eagles FB Ben VanSumeren to a one-year deal.
VanSumeren's football journey has been unique, to say the least. His athletic ability has allowed him to carve out roles wherever he is, providing value on defense, offense and special teams.
The Michigan native was originally a two-way athlete at Garber High School in Essexville, Mich., where he became the No. 15 ranked in-state prospect in 2018. In high school, VanSumeren collected nearly 4,000 combined rushing and receiving yards with 50 total touchdowns in four years. He also collected 79 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions.
VanSumeren started his collegiate career at Michigan as a fullback before transferring to Michigan State in 2021. With the Spartans, he transitioned to linebacker fulltime where he was a two-year letter winner and had 93 tackles across two years.
The athletic testing profile for the 6-foot-2, 235-pound VanSumeren was one of the best among linebackers in the 2023 draft class. He posted a 4.45 40-yard dash, a 42.5-inch vertical and a 1.52 10-yard split.
VanSumeren was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and was listed as a linebacker while contributing on special teams. He made the switch back to fullback in 2024, saying, "it really feels natural. It's something I did growing up," via the Eagles official website.
Two separate season-ending injuries wiped away both his 2024 and 2025 season. In 2024, VanSumeren did log limited time on the field before his injury, playing 22 snaps at fullback and recording one reception.
He showed promise as a powerful blocker, opening up space for All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley.
Now, VanSumeren will have a chance to make another NFL roster in Buffalo.
