Grading the Bills’ Defense Through 9 Games This Season

Aug 20, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills assistant head coach/defense Rob Ryan (left) and head coach Rex Ryan on the field before the game against the New York Giants at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills assistant head coach/defense Rob Ryan (left) and head coach Rex Ryan on the field before the game against the New York Giants at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) is sacked by Buffalo Bills defensive end Adolphus Washington (92) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) is sacked by Buffalo Bills defensive end Adolphus Washington (92) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Adolphus Washington Defensive Grade Through Nine Games:

C +. . Defensive Tackle. Buffalo Bills. ADOLPHUS WASHINGTON

No one was expecting Adolphus Washington to be the Bills top contributing draft pick after they selected Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland in the first two rounds but that is exactly what he has become after Lawson missed six games due to shoulder surgery and Ragland injured his ACL and was lost for the season.

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  • These injuries caused Washington to be the top draft pick who was able to play from the beginning of the season. He’s played in all nine games and has done pretty well considering he was a third round pick who has seen a meaningful amount of snaps.

    Washington has proven to be better against the run than he is at getting pressure on the quarterback. This season so far he has 9 tackles, 4 assists, 2 sacks, a pass deflection and one run stuff for negative two yards. His sacks came in back to back weeks in Week 5 and Week 6.

    Pro Football Focus ranks him as the 38th best interior defensive lineman in the league with a grade of 73.6. We gave the third round draft pick a “C+” because he is doing better than most expected but he still has plenty of room for improvement.

    Expect his output to increase slightly over the remainder of the season as he gets more snaps alongside Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams who will command double teams freeing up Washington to make some plays.

    Next let’s take a look at the Bills first round draft pick, Shaq Lawson, and grade him on his performance so far this year.