The Buffalo Bills have been patient since free agency started and while they have not made a ton of moves, the moves that they have made should bring immediate impactful play. When it comes to their true free agency signings, Bradley Chubb has been their biggest splash signing on a three-year deal where he be brought in to provide a pass rush that the Bills seem to keep missing on.
Outside of Chubb, the Bills also signed safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Smith, and also brought in cornerback Dee Alford who will more than likely be the nickel replacement for Taron Johnson.
Outside of the true signings, the Bills did give Connor McGovern an extension to be the anchor of the offense line for Josh Allen which was a very smart move. Then Buffalo pulled off a trade to acquire D.J. Moore from the Chicago Bears to give Allen a true No. 1 receiver. Right now, the Bills are going in the right direction, but with them being kind of quiet ever since the signing of Stone, it has to make you wonder the vision could be for the Bills leading up to the draft.
Even with the additions on defense that the Bills have made, they still have plenty of work to do but right now, the direction that they could be going into the first round appears to be clear at a position that they still need help with.
Bills seem likely to go in edge rusher route in first round of NFL Draft
The Bills have Bradley Chubb and Greg Rousseau as their main edge rushers, but with Chubb being listed as an outside linebacker, Buffalo needs to bring in someone who can put their hands in the dirt and fire off the snap. Not to mention, they also need to add depth as well with A.J. Epenesa heading to the Cleveland Browns.
This incoming class has solid edge rusher and linebacker groups and at No. 26 overall, there is good chance that great players will slide down to the Bills or atleast into the range to potentially trade up.
If there is one edge rusher that Bills fans should have their eye on if Buffalo was looking to gain edge rusher help, look no further than T.J. Parker out of Clemson. In three years with the Tigers, Parker had 21.5 sacks including 11 in 2024. His numbers decreased a little bit last season which could make him fall a little in the first round, but then that’s where Buffalo can gain his services and his potential upside that he brings.
He has the size and the speed to get off the line fast and break down the pocket. Depending on how Jim Leonhard wants to utilize Chubb, Parker may benefit from being on the same side as him.
Even if it’s not Parker, it truly does feel like the Bills may go with an edge rusher early on in the first round if they don’t trade back.