The Buffalo Bills are notorious for trying to boost their pass rush, especially in recent memory seeing as how it’s been a weakness in the playoffs. You can make an argument that it plays a major role in them suffering a heartbreak every single postseason. They are so close to getting over the top, but they keep running into the same monster almost every single year; The Kansas City Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes doesn’t get pressured and he has owned the Buffalo defense in four of the last five playoff matchups. Enough is enough. It’s time for the Bills to finally do what they haven’t been able to do and get to Mahomes with a consistent pass rush.
Look at what’s happened in the two Super Bowls the Chiefs have lost. Mahomes was pressured in all four quarters and he couldn’t do anything against the Tampa Bay or Philadelphia defenses. Buffalo’s defense has yet to apply any sort of pass rush to make Mahomes nervous.
The Bills are doing what they can to their credit, it’s not like they are ignoring it. They extended Greg Rousseau to a four-year extension and brought in Joey Bosa from the Los Angeles Chargers. Bosa is a different type of veteran than what Von Miller is. Bosa is more downhill and is a pure bull-rusher. In addition, the Bills also have 5th-round pick from last year Javon Solomon, and they signed Michael Hoecht in free agency (but is facing a six-game suspension).
Don’t be surprised when you see the Bills going for an edge rusher in the draft, even though there is a specific one that Brent Sobleski from Bleacher Report is urging the Bills to avoid this coming week. Sobleski is highly suggesting that the Bills should stay away from Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson.
Avoiding a player like Landon Jackson would come back to haunt Bills
I’m not saying that the Bills should be looking to draft Jackson in the first round because they have more pressing needs at cornerback and defensive tackle. However, if Jackson is somehow available by the time the Bills first second-round pick (No. 56), Brandon Beane should strongly consider taking him (depending on what the Bills did in the first round).
You can never have too many pass rushers, especially in the AFC when there is a chance you could run into teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bengals in the playoffs. All three of those teams have allstar quarterbacks and the Bills would benefit heavily from a solid edge rusher rotation.
Jackson similar stats as A.J. Epenesa has had the last couple of years (averaging around 6.5 sacks per year) and he stands at 6’7” and 280lbs. He’s a big edge rusher who can push around an offensive tackle if he gets a perfect first-step.
Saying that the Bills should avoid someone like Jackson is quite surprising. If he’s available in the second round, Buffalo would have the chance to draft someone who can develop behind guys like Epenesa and Bosa, both who are entering contract years in 2025.