Olivier Vernon
The Buffalo Bills have tried to rebuild the defensive end position and added youth over the past two seasons with A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau, and Carlos Basham Jr. However, for this article, I will still consider Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison the starter.
That is why a player like Olivier Vernon would be considered a clear upgrade at the position over a player like Addison. In his first season with the Bills, Addison was only able to register five sacks and with him being 34 at the start of this season it doesn’t seem likely that he will return to the level he was playing at with the Carolina Panthers.
Meanwhile, Olivier Vernon is a veteran defensive end who is coming off a nine-sack season with the Cleveland Browns. He has had five or more sacks in seven of the last eight seasons and in the one season he didn’t reach that mark he played only 10 games due to injury.
The Bills are unlikely to make any changes at the defensive end position and will want to give their younger players as many snaps this year, but Vernon is a free agent that if added would step in as a starter right away.