Can Ed Oliver build off strong finish?
The Buffalo Bills used a high first round pick on Ed Oliver last year and there was no question that he looked like the steal of the NFL Draft. While he is a bit undersized, he brings a level of athleticism that just isn’t commonly found from interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
As previously mentioned though, Oliver had a bit of a learning curve and really got off to a slow start as a rookie. He didn’t start making a regular impact on this defense until Week 11. That game against the Dolphins started a stretch of three straight weeks with a sack, culminating in a two sack performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
Oliver should be the favorite to be one of the starting defensive tackles entering training camp. He also got good new this week as the charges stemming from his May arrest have been dismissed. The chances that he receives any type of punishment from the league has dropped significantly and he should be able to be on the field for the first game of the season against the New York Jets.