The Buffalo Bills defensive end position went from average to one of the best on the whole roster in the span of two off-seasons. From signing Von Miller last year to Greg Rousseau’s progression to signing Leonard Floyd this year, the Bills have done everything possible to improve the quality and depth of the DE position. And they’ve done a fantastic job. Finding a good pass rush has been one of Brandon Beane’s main focuses since becoming GM in 2017. They’ve tried it countless times with many players, but this may be the best group the Bills have had.
Current Bills DE Depth Chart
- Von Miller
- Greg Rousseau
- Leonard Floyd
- Shaq Lawson
- Boogie Basham
- AJ Epenesa
- Shane Ray
- Kingsley Jonathan
- Kameron Cline
After the 2021 playoffs, the Bills decided they needed to improve their pass rush to contain Patrick Mahomes better. Everything they’ve done the last couple of years has been just for that. The Bills expect to get more aggressive with Sean McDermott calling the defensive plays, hence why they’ve done so much work to the DE position. The Rams pass rush with Von Miller and Leonard Floyd was fantastic just three seasons ago. Now, with those two and Greg Rousseau on the edges, McDermott should have everything he needs to get the defense going again.
Camp Battles
The training camp competitions at the back-end of the DE position is going to be fun to watch come July. Here are a couple to keep an eye on:
53-man Roster: AJ Epenesa vs. Boogie Basham
Practice Squad: Shane Ray vs. Kingsley Jonathan
Could Someone Be Traded?
The Buffalo Bills like to make moves right before the season, trading away Cody Ford last year. And their most recent trade at the DE position, was when they shipped Darryl “Bam” Johnson to the Panthers in 2021. The Bills could look to make another pre-cutdown trade before the season begins if they like the value from Epenesa or Basham. Epenesa would have the most value, considering he’s coming off of a 6.5 sack season. And, if they feel like they can’t (or won’t) retain him after the season, it would make sense to get compensation for him.
Featured Image: Associated Press
