By: Andy Davies

The NFL season begins in less than 7 days. After another offseason that seems to last forever, fans eagerly await the start of the season with the hope of their team holding the Lombardi Trophy in February no matter how high or low their odds are.

Every offseason, fans and then media like to make their season predictions, stating who they feel can win the division and who will end up with a high pick in the following draft.

Here is a preview of the AFC East in what is the first of eight-division previews.

Buffalo Bills (2020 Record: 13-3 – Lost In AFC Championship Game)

The Bills are back where they once were.

Their glory days of the ’90s where they lost in four successful Super Bowls seemed long gone in the 2000s and early 2010s where they had disappointing season after disappointing season. Head coach Sean McDermott has reinstalled hope into the franchise ever since his appointment in 2017. His debut season with Buffalo saw them reach the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season. The Bills then drafted quarterback Josh Allen in 2018 and the Wyoming QB has seen a gradual improvement as each season has gone on.

His 2020 season is his career-best so far, with 4,544 passing yards as well as 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also contributed on the ground, with 8 rushing touchdowns and 421 rushing yards. Part of Allen’s improvement is down to two individuals. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Daboll’s style of coaching and system saw them used plenty of 11 personnel, which used just one running back and one tight end. This allowed there to be three wide receivers, giving Allen plenty of options to throw to. The status of Cole Beasley in 2021 is uncertain due to his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine but Diggs’ upcoming campaign is far from uncertain. He established himself as one of the best receivers in the league in 2020, with 1,535 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. His trade from the Minnesota Vikings has given Allen the true number one wideout he was always lacking, Even without Beasley, Allen has Gabriel Davis and Free Agency signing Emmanuel Sanders to throw to. He has made great strides in each of his seasons as a pro. Can he make the next step and represent the Bills in the Super Bowl?

This is a brilliant franchise. The supporters breathe and die Bills. They have been loyal despite being one of the more long-suffering fan bases in the NFL. Allen, McDermott, and the rest of the players would love nothing more than to bring a Super Bowl home. The Bills were 60 minutes away from reaching the big game, only to get beat 38-24 by the Kansas City Chiefs. Allen didn’t have a bad day, throwing for 287 yards and two touchdowns. They were simply outclassed by a better team.

The Bills, along with the Chiefs, have strengthened this offseason. The Bills added Emmanuel Sanders in Free Agency along with Mitch Trubisky, who will be a serviceable backup to Allen. They added to areas of need in their roster during the draft, taking two defensive ends with their first two picks. Miami’s Gregory Rousseau and Wake Forest’s Carlos Basham were selected in the first two rounds. Their next two picks were their other area of need, the offensive line. Tackles Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle were selected in the third and fifth rounds respectively. Their defense was second in points allowed in 2019 and only three teams allowed fewer passing yards. However, in 2020, they were 16th in points allowed and 13th in passing yards allowed. This is a defensive front that took their foot off the pedal last season. Should the defense see improvement in 2021, then this can ease the pressure off Allen, Diggs, and Buffalo’s offensive weapons. Their division rivals may have improved this offseason, but the Bills are still by far the favorites.

Prediction: 1st in AFC East

Miami Dolphins (2020 Record: 10-6 – Missed out on playoffs)

It has been an interesting offseason for the Miami Dolphins. The offseason has both began and ended with talk of a trade for Deshaun Watson. However, the concern from Dolphins fans when rumors circulated during Super Bowl week was the team giving up too much for the Houston Texans QB despite drafting Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall just a year before.

Legal troubles came into play involving Watson in March, leaving to disapproval from fans over trade talks last week over whether the team should touch someone with over 20 civil lawsuits hanging over their head. Tua Tagovailoa has since received public backing from head coach Brian Flores, who he has said is their QB.

The Dolphins were also involved in two trades that significantly altered their draft position. The third overall pick was originally theirs thanks to the trade of Laremy Tunsil combined with the poor 2020 Houston Texans campaign. A trade with the San Francisco 49ers saw the Dolphins move from 3rd to 12th on the draft board before a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on the same day saw Miami move to sixth. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was taken with this pick to not only reunite Tua with his college receiver but also to give him help, specifically a deep threat. The free agency signing Will Fuller and the returning Albert Wilson, who opted out in 2020 due to COVID-19, also offer depth in the wide receiver and further help to the Hawaii native.

Miami was one of the best defensive teams in 2020 and has improved this side of the ball. Jaelan Phillips was taken in the first round by the Dolphins to give them an option off the edge as well as in the middle. His versatility means he can play both defensive end and linebacker. Second-round selection Jevon Holland has impressed this off-season and the safety comes in to replace Bobby McCain who departed this summer. Holland adds to an impressive secondary that is relieved to keep hold of their best asset. Cornerback Xavien Howard requested a trade before the front office worked out a restructured deal for the defensive back, who recorded the most interceptions in the entire NFL last season (10).

The Dolphins agonizingly missed out on the playoffs last season as the eighth seed, despite a double-digit win season. This shows the strength of the AFC, especially considering the Chicago Bears made the playoffs in the NFC with 8 wins. Miami’s schedule is tough in 2021, with home games against the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens as well as games on the road against the Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are also twice facing a quarterback in Josh Allen that has a 5-1 record against them along with twice playing an improved New York Jets and the old foe in the New England Patriots. Miami is a well-organized team thanks to the leadership of Flores and this coaching alone can win this team a win or two. This feels like Miami’s time to end a five-year absence from the playoffs. The aforementioned strong teams in the conference mean they could well be in line to once again fall short.

Prediction: 2nd in AFC East

New England Patriots (2020 Record: 7-9- Missed out on playoffs)

The first campaign post-Tom Brady didn’t quite go to plan, with New England having their worst record since the 2000 season. They missed out on the postseason for the first time since 2008. Cam Newton was the quarterback brought in to replace the GOAT and he started well, with four rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns and two interceptions. He missed the Patriots’ fourth game against the Chiefs due to coronavirus and never looked the same after he returned. He has since been cut, with the 15th overall pick Mac Jones set to be the starter when New England and Miami take to the field in week one.

Jones looked impressive in the preseason. He appeared comfortable in the pocket and made some solid throws. Just like any rookie, he will need time to adapt to the NFL. He will be helped by a solid defense, that has many players back after not featuring in 2020.

Kyle Van Noy returns after a year away with the Dolphins. All eight opt-outs from 2020 returned for 2021 before safety Patrick Chung announced his retirement. Linebacker Donta Hightower is the biggest headline returner and will improve this roster, along with the Patriots’ offseason additions as head coach Bill Belichick uncharacteristically spent big in Free Agency. As well as resigning defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and center David Andrews, the Patriots signed wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, linebacker Matthew Judon, tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, center Ted Karras and cornerback Jalen Mills to name a few. With Judon, Van Noy, Hightower, Ja’whaun Bentley, Chase Winovich, and Josh Uche, the linebacker room in New England is filled with depth.

New England and Miami have very similar situations. Both have excellent defenses, are extremely well-coached with quarterbacks facing questions. They will both be very close in terms of records and may even have the same record. The extra year of NFL experience for Tua will help the Dolphins narrowly beat out the Patriots for the second-place finish in the division.

Prediction: 3rd in AFC East

New York Jets (2020 Record: 2-14- Second-worst record in 2020)

Another era begins in the Jets organization. Head coach Adam Gase was fired after a disappointing two seasons. He has been replaced with Robert Saleh, who impressed during his time as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who the Jets traded up to draft third overall pick in 2018, has been traded to the Carolina Panthers this offseason. His replacement? This comes in the form of second overall pick Zach Wilson, who spent his time in college with BYU.

Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports in the UK spoke of how Wilson would drive eleven hours every weekend from BYU to California to work out with John Beck. This shows a tremendous work ethic, one that will stand him in good stead in the NFL.

Wilson has impressed in spells during the preseason and was rewarded in the draft with a guard to protect him, with Alijah Vera-Tucker going fourteenth overall. There tends to be more positive noise coming out of the franchise, with GM Joe Douglas seemingly learning from past mistakes. Wilson will be well protected, with tackle Mekhi Becton having an impressive rookie season in 2020.

Work in progress should be the tag on Wilson’s jersey in 2021. Despite a young and exciting receiver room to work with, the defense is not going to win the Jets games. Saleh also needs time to adapt as a head coach. The Jets should be expecting to have another challenging season, with the strength of their division rivals likely to see them finish fourth in the division. However, if the new QB shows his potential along with the offensive line, then this is an achievement for the organization and one which fans can get behind going into 2022 and 2023.

Prediction: 4th in AFC East.

The post Latest AFC East preview appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Caleb Holfoth (@cmhfilm)

Buffalo is in a prime position to make a run and potentially overtake the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC Champions. After a successful offseason where we saw Brandon Beane address both the offensive and defensive line in the draft and free agency the Bills look to make another jump forward after a successful 2020 campaign. If the Bills want to make that run it is necessary, that some role players step up their game and start to have a major impact every single week. Buffalo has a very young roster in terms of a contender so many of the players they will need to step up have only been in the NFL for a couple of seasons. Not only will these players need to step up for the Bills, but they also have to prove to the organization that they are worthy of keeping in the coming years. These are the three players that have the most to prove for the Buffalo Bills in 2021.  

Tremaine Edmunds, Linebacker

Tremaine Edmunds has manned the middle linebacker spot ever since he was drafted in the same round as franchise quarterback Josh Allen. Edmunds has had an up and down career in his three seasons with Buffalo. Still only 23 years old there has always been an extremely high ceiling for Edmunds since he was picked. Totaling 335 career tackles, and 19 tackles for loss Edmunds has been the anchor of a Bills defense that was elite in 2019 allowing the 2nd least points in the NFL. However, in 2020, Edmunds took a small step back alongside the rest of Buffalo’s defense. Edmunds struggled mightily in run defense causing Buffalo to allow the 7th most yards per carry in the NFL. Edmunds struggled to shed blockers and often either failed to attack the hole or over pursued the running play. Part of this was due to a shoulder injury that Edmunds sustained early in the season as well as the small defensive line that Buffalo had after the losses of Shaq Lawson, Jordan Phillips, and Star Lotulelei who were all oversized lineman that manned a solid run defense.

Edmunds has a lot to prove because the Bills already picked up his 5th-year option for next season. That option will make Edmunds the 5th highest-paid middle linebacker in the NFL per Spotrac. Edmunds has to not only prove his worth to Buffalo to earn a potential long-term deal after 2022 but also has to prove that he can bounce back from a poor season and get back on the right developmental track. Edmunds is a very unique linebacker in terms of age and physical tools so even if he does not become an All-Pro level linebacker as long as he takes a step back in the right direction, he will have proved his worth.

Part of the reason that Edmunds has so much to prove in 2021 is that if he is unable to improve on last season not only will it cast serious doubt about his future with Buffalo but will also make his 2022 salary a burden. Edmunds can easily turn around his career after one slightly down year, but he has pressure on him considering he is the quarterback of the defense, and his first two seasons of play built high expectations for his future.

AJ Epenesa, Defensive End

As a rookie AJ Epenesa could barely get on the field. Epenesa registered only 27% of defensive snaps for Buffalo which is much less than many expected the Bills 2020 second-round pick to play. Part of the reason Epenesa played so little was that he was unable to experience a normal offseason. All of last year’s rookie camps and OTAs were canceled because of COVID-19. Epenesa also came into the season underweight. Buffalo had asked him to cut some weight before training camp, but Epenesa cut two much coming into camp very lean.

Epenesa has a lot to prove in 2021 because he essentially proved nothing in 2020. While he did show some occasional flashes, it was not nearly enough to rely on him in 2021. Epenesa needs to show really solid improvement because both Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison are on the wrong side of 32 years old. Epenesa should be in line for more snaps this season and needs to make the most of them. Luckily, just in OTA’s Epenesa has received some solid reviews.

Another reason the Epenesa has a lot to prove this season is because Buffalo drafted defensive ends in rounds one and two in the 2021 NFL Draft. If Epenesa cannot prove his worth this season he could easily fall behind both Carlos Basham and Greg Rousseau on the Bills depth chart or even further and be in jeopardy of being let, go before or after his rookie deal ends. Epenesa has pressure from all directions. He has high expectations because he is a second-round pick who showed very little impact in his first year and while there may be good reasons for that Epenesa does not have much time to right the ship as the Bills have Basham and Rousseau waiting in the ranks.

Ed Oliver, Defensive Tackle

Ed Oliver his to prove his value in year three. A former top ten pick that has never completely lived up to the hype is a very good player just like Tremaine Edmunds. However, just like Edmunds, Oliver does leave a lot to be desired. Oliver is good but has shown he can be much more than just good. Oliver just struggles to show that consistently. Just like Edmunds the shuffling of the defensive line from 2019 to 2020 could have negatively affected the play of Oliver. However, this season he gets his partner Star Lotulelei back. That means that Oliver can slide back to his normal position and Lotulelei can resume his role as the 1-tech defensive tackle for Buffalo. Oliver struggled with the adjustment of his position last season and described the adjustment here.

Despite starting nine more games in 2020 than 2019 Oliver saw a drop off in his play.

2019: 7 Starts, 1 FF, 5 Sacks, 43 Tackles, 5 TFL, 8 QB Hits

2020: 16 Starts, 1 FF, 3 Sacks, 33 Tackles, 6 TFL, 6 QB Hits

While the drop of was not dramatic it was concerning that Oliver took a step back after showing his rookie year that he had the potential to be one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the NFL. Oliver finally gets to return to the position where he is most comfortable. Oliver has to capitalize this season for Buffalo because Buffalo has been desperate for a complete game-changer along the defensive line ever since the All-Pro season that Marcell Dareus put together in 2014.

Oliver not only needs to be better and prove his potential for the sake of Buffalo but also for the sake of his career. This offseason the Bills have to decide if they are going to pick up Oliver’s 5th-year option which will come at no small price tag. As of now Oliver probably has not shown enough to warrant that option being picked up. However, if Oliver can put together his best season yet both Buffalo and him will benefit. Although it is not necessarily a contract year for Oliver it nearly is because of the 5th year option. His play this season will determine if he gets to make upwards of 10 million dollars in his 5th season.

Final Thoughts

All of these players have different and similar reasons why they have the stuff to prove in 2021. However, if the Bills want to be extremely successful this season and challenge for a super bowl these three players will all have to play much better than they did last season. While Oliver and Edmunds have significant experience and solid play the flashes, they have shown call for greater expectations for both players. If neither Edmunds nor Oliver can come near those expectations this coming season the Buffalo Bills may be in a tough spot next offseason. Lastly, AJ Epenesa seems like a product of a COVID-ridden offseason and the learning curve of the NFL. Epenesa likely would not be on this list if the Bills had not drafted two players who can easily take over Epenesa on the roster if he does not perform. Because of the increased competition at the defensive end, Epenesa has to improve and show value because the clock is ticking.  

The post 3 Buffalo Bills with the most to prove in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Caleb Holfoth (@cmhfilm)

The Buffalo Bills are coming off an AFC Championship run where they obliterated nearly every team, they faced all season except for the Chiefs. The Kansas City Chiefs accounted for half of the Bill’s losses in 2020 and represent the clear block in the road to a championship for Buffalo. In 2021, both teams have kept relatively similar rosters making minor improvements throughout the offseason.

The Buffalo Bills have gone from a team that consistently had top ten picks in the NFL to one of the strongest contenders in just four years. General Manager Brandon Beane and Head Coach Sean McDermott have done about the best job a duo could do in turning a franchise around. With four years of fantastic work behind them, it is about time that Buffalo finally takes that next step as a franchise. This will serve as a breakdown of the Ceiling and Floor of the 2021 Buffalo Bills. 

Floor

We start with the floor of the Buffalo Bills because it offers a more interesting outcome to the 2021 NFL Season. After going 13-3 in the regular season last year and 2-1 in the playoffs with wins against the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens the Bills are one of the major contenders behind Kansas City and Tampa Bay. There is a lot more room for Buffalo to fall than there is to climb in rankings around the league. The floor of Buffalo starts with Josh Allen. After his MVP level season if Allen regresses significantly the Bills could be in a little bit of trouble. During the reign of Sean McDermott, the Bills have been an elite defensive team. However, last season they were about league average taking a step back from the usual. If the defense does not improve or even gets worse and Allen regresses the Bills season could be largely disappointing. Because these are blanket statements, we will dive into each and how either may be possible. 

Josh Allen has made massive jumps each year as the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. While this is very impressive and highlights an extremely good coaching staff and great work ethic of Josh Allen he has yet to regress as a player. There is no guarantee that Allen will ever regress or that it would even be that significant. However, many players do experience regression at some point in their career even if it is just a one-year slump. Josh Allen does still have erratic tendencies in his game. If those tendencies become habits Allen could not only be less efficient but he also could turn the ball over more. If Allen struggles with turnovers the Buffalo Bills could run into some trouble. 

The defense of Buffalo was a perennial top 10 defense until this past season. This past season Buffalo struggled to create turnovers and defend the run. The defense has not had much change from last season keeping largely the same group only adding a couple of players through the draft. Buffalo did not make any major changes which would make a massive improvement on last year’s defense unlikely. Matter of fact, the Buffalo defense could be slightly worse if some of the key defensive players such as Jerry Hughes, who is now 34 and reaching the end of his career. If some major players on the Bills defense regress at all Buffalo’s defense could take another step back. 

So, what does all of this mean? The Buffalo Bills will likely not regress this much but there certainly are some concerns heading into the season. With the 17th game added this season Buffalo’s floor would likely sit at 9 wins. This team is just too well-coached and talented to have a losing record in 2021. The only scenario where Buffalo could end up with a losing record would be if they are hit with an injury bug similar to what happened to the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. The floor for Buffalo is 9 wins and with the 17th game that would seem to be right on the fringe of the playoffs. Buffalo is a completely new franchise from the before Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott Era. The Floor for Buffalo is now a borderline playoff team. 

Ceiling

The Buffalo Bills ceiling is pretty clear and obvious. Winning a Super Bowl is what the Buffalo Bills are capable of. This team was extremely close to the big game last season when they fell to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game. 

What makes this the ceiling of Buffalo is their quarterback, Josh Allen. Allen was extremely well last season making the jump from a solid prospect to a legit star and MVP candidate. Allen is the leader and focal point of the Buffalo Bills and leads them to a season that ended with a 15-4 record if you include the playoffs. 

What makes the Buffalo Bills ceiling so intriguing is that Allen does have much more room for improvement. Allen only threw 10 INT’s during the season however he had 21 dropped INT’s and left several throws on the field. In addition to the interceptions, Allen also finished the season with 9 fumbles. Players who finish third in MVP voting usually do not have this much room for improvement. Between the interceptions, dropped interceptions, missed throws, and fumbles Allen is far from his ceiling which essentially means Buffalo is far from theirs.

Allen showed throughout the season he could deliver to a wide receiver group who easily got open due to the offensive mastermind Brian Daboll. However, when receivers could not get open Allen was able to create plays for himself. If you want to see just how impressive Allen is at creating check out this short montage. 

While Allen is one of the best in the league at doing this, he still makes some baffling decisions that are reminiscent of his rookie and 2nd season. If Allen can clean up those plays, clean up some of his interception numbers, and hold onto the ball a little better he can easily become the best quarterback in the NFL. Will it happen? Probably not but it would be more likely Allen takes a step in the right direction as opposed to a step back. 

While Allen may be the heart and soul of this team, he may not be the main catalyst for Buffalo reaching their ceiling. Under Sean McDermott, the Bills defense ranked second in points per game allowed with 16.2 in 2019. Buffalo’s defense then took a step backward finishing 16th in PPG allowed with 23.4 in 2020. This is a massive change, and it was surprising considering that the defensive roster did not change much at all from 2019 to 2020. This would lead to the possibility that Buffalo had a down year defensively last season and could bounce back in 2021. If the Bills defense could just land right in the middle of their play in 2019 and 2020 it would make them even harder to beat and almost invincible in the NFL against teams not named the Kansas City Chiefs or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There is some reason to think that this will happen in 2021. First, Buffalo gets back its Nose Tackle Star Lotulelei who opted out of the 2020 defense which contributed to Buffalo’s run defense struggling all season. In addition to that, Buffalo used its first and second-round draft picks on defensive ends Greg Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr. after their pass rushers combined for 38 sacks which tied for 15th in the league.  

With the 17-game season becoming official Buffalo should aim for a 14-3 record. While on paper they may have a slightly easy schedule based on last season’s winning percentages they play in a young and hungry division while having to face off with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. Expect Buffalo to be competitive in every game they play and with the right improvement the Bills could very well be on their way to the Super Bowl. 

Final Thoughts

Buffalo’s ceiling is winning a Super Bowl and there only three things in the way. The Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and themselves. If Buffalo can stay healthy and have solid improvement across the board from their young core and Allen, they will stay clear of getting in the way of their potential. Buffalo hopes that the addition of Rousseau and Basham may be able to create some mayhem for Patrick Mahomes when Buffalo faces the 2020 runners-up, and if Buffalo can improve on both sides of the Ball their coaching and desire to beat Tom Brady who has done some very bad things to the Buffalo Bills for a long time could bring them to a Super Bowl. If Buffalo cannot do any of these things, they could have a poor season and be a fringe playoff team that maybe wins a playoff game. 

These are all hypotheticals of course and many other factors have yet to come into play. Regardless Buffalo should be looking at a Super Bowl in 2021. Anything less than a Super Bowl should be considered a disappointing season. 

The post What is the ceiling and floor for the Bills in 2021? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Louis Damiano

The Buffalo Bills knew that they were going to have to be patient during night one of the NFL Draft, and they were as they stayed at 30 and selected Gregory Rousseau, who they believe was the best player available. The first thing that stands out with Rousseau is his size and length. Rousseau’s measurables are everything you look for when you select a raw player at 30. He comes in at 6-foot-6 1/2, 266-pounds with 11-inch hands, arm length of 34.375 inches, and a ridiculous 83 1/4-inch wingspan.

Rousseau will not be a finished product day 1, and it may take a year or two to reach his full potential, but it was his sack production that Bills General Manager Brandon Beane said you just can’t ignore. “You don’t just luck into 15.5 sacks,” Beane said. It’s hard to find the perfect pass-rushing prospect if you are not picking in the top 5, and it’s even more difficult if you are picking at 30. This is a calculated risk for Beane and his staff, and it is one that he is willing to take if it means they find the feared pass rusher that everyone knows this team has lacked on the defensive line. 

How Rosseau Fits

Leading up to the draft I mentioned that the Bills needed to add to their edge-rushing room and taking Rousseau fulfilled that need. The Bills also used their second-round pick on Carlos Basham who looks to be more NFL-ready than Rousseau. But now with the Bills using their top two picks on pass rushers, what was once a position that lacked youth, looks now to be set for the foreseeable future. So, with an overcrowded room, how will the man nickname “Groot” fit? 

Rousseau will enter day 1 as a situational pass rusher with the hope that he and A.J. Epenesa can be the future starting defensive end pairing after 2021 with Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison getting up there in age and on expiring contracts. Rousseau was never going to get 100% of the snap share in year 1 even if he were NFL ready, and probably won’t in his career as a Buffalo Bill because Sean McDermott and Leslie Fraizer use a defensive line rotation. Rousseau, who welcomed himself onto the scene in 2019, with 15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in just 13 games played, will have the opportunity to pick the brains of the veterans on the team and not be pressured to make an immediate impact right away. 

Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season because his mother is a nurse and was working on the frontlines, so he wanted to be able to help his family. In his time off he was able to add 20 pounds to his lean body and remained in close contact with his teammates and coaches. Rousseau is a swing for the fences pick, his traits jump off the screen, but he is still underdeveloped as a pass rusher which comes as no surprise since he mainly played safety and wide receiver in high school. 

Patience. The Bills know that they need to be patient with Rousseau to let him reach his full potential. He will be in a position where he won’t be asked to play more than 40% of the snaps. The hope is that he can continue to learn from the vets in the room and that he will make his true impact as a pass rusher in years two, three, and four. 

The Bills entered the draft with no real glaring needs, but they knew that if they weren’t smart, they would have some big needs to fill with not a lot of money to spend next year with Josh Allen and Tremaine Edmunds ready for huge contracts. The Bills were smart, and sometimes it is hard to be discipline at the draft when you go for big boys at the line of scrimmage on defense and offense instead of the sexier positions like running back or wide receiver. 

Now with the arrival of Rousseau and Boogie Basham, Buffalo now has five significant resources at the defensive end position. Hughes and Addison will enter camp as starters, with the youth of Rousseau, Basham, and Epenesa right behind them, and then you have guys like Darryl Johnson who they like and Efe Obada who they signed this offseason as a free agent and had success at the end of his season in Carolina. 

The Bills will be able to keep five of those guys on the roster, a sixth would be a big number to keep, but they can probably find a way to do that. But that still means that one or two of the names I mentioned above will not make the roster. Maybe the Bills will trade one of them to get more assets in the draft or they can trade one for a player at a position they did not address in the draft like tight end Zach Ertz. Beane admitted at his press conference that this team would think more long term than short term and Rousseau along with the rest of the 2021 draft class for the Bills shows that Beane was telling the truth.

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