The Buffalo Bills made a bunch of additions to their defensive line this offseason in hopes that the unit can improve from their inconsistent play the last few seasons. Whether you want to focus on their lack of stopping the run or pressuring the quarterback on a consistent basis, Brandon Beane saw the weaknesses and acted on it.
In both free agency and the draft, the Bills were aggressive at bringing in depth both for the short-term and long-term as well. Now, they could be a big strength for Buffalo heading into this season.
In free agency, the most notable player the team added was edge rusher Joey Bosa. Then they signed Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht (both who are set to be suspended for the first six games). The Bills also extended Greg Rousseau to a four-year deal worth $80 million.
In the draft, the Bills traded up for both T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker in the second and fourth rounds. They also stole Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson in the third, which adds to their youth for the future.
There is a lot of new names added to this unit and the hope is that they can be huge difference makers for the Bills as their Super Bowl window is wide open.
Bills' defensive line listed as X-factor heading into 2025 season
Alaina Getzenberg from ESPN, part of the NFL Nation reporters, recently listed the Bills’ defensive line as the team’s biggest X factor heading into this season. Getzenberg also said that the Bills’ ceiling record wise was 13-4 while the floor was 8-9.
"The Bills made it an emphasis in the offseason to invest in what they viewed as a clear issue, and that was the group up front on the defensive side of the ball, as they selected three linemen in the first four rounds of the 2025 draft. That young group making an impact would be significant, and T.J. Sanders standing out during training camp is a positive sign. On the other end, keeping Joey Bosa healthy for the postseason is a clear priority. More consistency is needed from the likes of Greg Rousseau on the outside and Ed Oliver on the inside for this group to take a step forward."Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
There is so much that can go right, yet there is so much that can go wrong as well. What if the rookies don’t show any signs of promise in their first season? What if Bosa gets hit with yet another injury bug? It’s easier to think about the bad scenarios that could happen, but the hope is that this unit becomes one of the strongest on the team now and moving forward.