Buffalo Bills 2022 Free Agent Profile: Defensive End Efe Obada

Last offseason, the Buffalo Bills drafted two defensive ends in the NFL Draft with the selection of Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham in the first and second round respectively. While those two players got a majority of the focus considering where they were drafted, Buffalo also signed Efe Obada.

The former Carolina Panthers’ defensive end was limited in his playing time but made the most of his opportunities. Did he do enough to be re-signed this offseason? Let’s take a look at his career and what he did last season with Buffalo.

Career Overview

Efe Obada didn’t have the typical path to the NFL and after brief stops with the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons, his best opportunity came as part of the NFL International Player Pathway Program. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers in 2017 and after one season on the practice squad made the Panthers’ 53-man roster in 2018.

He would play in 42 games over three seasons with Carolina and showed he could be an efficient pass rusher with limited snaps. He would finish with 7.5 sacks and 26 QB hits with a majority of those coming in 2020 when he had 5.5 sacks and 15 QB hits.

2021 Season Recap

Obada was a free agent last offseason and the Buffalo Bills signed him to a one-year deal. While he never played for Sean McDermott, the Bills’ defensive line coach Eric Washington knew the player well from their time together in Carolina.

Obada once again showed what he did in Carolina in that he could be a good depth player and when given the opportunity would make the most of his snaps. He would finish the year with 3.5 sacks and eight QB hits while playing only 35% of the defensive snaps.

Should the Buffalo Bills re-sign Efe Obada?

The contract extension for Josh Allen does give the Buffalo Bills an advantage of knowing how much of his contract will impact the salary cap in future years, it does force the front office to also try and find bargains in free agency.

At defensive end, Efe Obada may be a perfect example of that type of bargain as a player who may not command a large contract but will play well when given the opportunity. He showed that last year working in the rotation with Rousseau, Jerry Hughes, and Mario Addison.

This is one move that should be a priority for the front office to get done sooner rather than later that improves the position but doesn’t necessarily stop them from adding a top-tier pass rusher, in free agency or the NFL Draft.