Buffalo Bills: Predicting the DL depth chart entering training camp
By Aaron Tully
Backup DE: A.J Epenesa
Before the Buffalo Bills used their first two draft picks in 2021 on defensive ends, the Bills used their first selection in the 2020 draft (54th overall) on defensive end A.J Epenesa. Epenesa played just 27 percent of the Bills’ defensive snaps in 2020, recording 14 combined tackles and one sack.
Defensive linemen usually need a season or two to adjust, and considering the abnormality of the 2020 season for everybody, Epenesa was certainly not bad in his rookie campaign. With more of a normal offseason and a year of experience under his belt, it should surprise no one if Epenesa claims the starting right end position and shows significant improvement in year two.
It is easy to forget about Epenesa due to the clustered nature of Buffalo’s defensive end depth chart, but he could emerge as the starter across from Jerry Hughes in 2021.
Backup DE: Gregory Rousseau
Due to the massive influx of edge rusher depth for the Buffalo Bills during the offseason, you could really place Gregory Rousseau, Efe Obada, and Carlos Basham Jr. in any order on the depth chart behind the first three and it would make sense.
Rousseau gets the nod due to his incredible size, good speed, and a ton of upside. Rousseau is raw, however; he played just 14 games at the collegiate level. His lack of experience in college will certainly limit his snaps in 2021, but his 2019 season where he recorded 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in 13 games will be enough to keep him in the conversation on the depth chart.
The upside that he flashed in the 2019 season was enough for the Bills to use the 31st overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on Rousseau, and he will be a potentially golden project for them over the next couple of seasons.
Backup DE: Carlos Basham Jr.
Carlos Basham Jr. was selected 61st overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bills; he was the second one they had selected in as many picks. Basham however, may actually be more NFL ready than his fellow rookie Gregory Rousseau. Basham played three times as many college games as Rousseau did. In those games, Basham recorded 19.5 sacks, 35.5 tackles for loss, and forced seven fumbles. Four of those forced fumbles came in 2020, where Basham played just six games. Basham also has versatility; he is able to rush from the defensive tackle spot in the subpackage. Basham is a promising player who could be a future contributor to the Buffalo pass rush.
Backup DE: Efe Obada
Efe Obada is an interesting player to look out for during training camp. Obada played just 39 percent of the Carolina Panthers’ defensive snaps in 2020, but he recorded more sacks than any individual player on the Bills did. Obada recorded 5.5 sacks in 2020, while the sack leader for the Bills, Mario Addison, recorded five.
Obada’s efficiency in 2020 was impressive, and that alone could earn him a roster spot as a member of the pass rushing rotation for the Bills in 2021.