Buffalo Bills: 2020 Season Outlook for Ed Oliver
This is what Buffalo Bills fans could expect from Ed Oliver in his second year in the league.
Last year, the Buffalo Bills used their first round pick, ninth overall, on defensive tackle Ed Oliver. The former University of Houston defensive lineman entered with a great deal of fanfare. He was replacing longtime Buffalo Bill, Kyle Williams, who retired that offseason.
One of the reasons fans were so excited because of the physical gifts that Oliver possesses. The way he moves and the explosiveness he has is not typically found in defensive tackles.
Unfortunately, the season did not start off the way many expected and Oliver struggled. However, something clicked midway through the year, and he finished really well with four sacks over a three game stretch, including a two sack game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
2020 Season Outlook for Ed Oliver
The hope for Ed Oliver is that he will be able to pick up right where he left off last season. The second-year defensive tackle has already discussed these expectations earlier during training camp.
The biggest question is what increase in terms of snaps will Ed Oliver have in his second season, and will the performance reflect the increase playing time. This season Oliver enters camp as the unquestionable starter and will not have to compete with Jordan Phillips, who left the Buffalo Bills in free agency this offseason.
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As a rookie, Ed Oliver played 54% of the team’s defensive snaps however had a stretch in the middle of the season with 50% or fewer snaps in five of six games. That is why entering this year, he should be expected to finish playing between 60% and 65% of the defensive snaps for the Buffalo Bills. This should also help him increase his numbers in his second season in the NFL.
Prediction: 58 total tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks