Bills urged to make this one move before training camp

We are getting closer by the minute to the start of training camp and before you know it, NFL fans will be watching games battle it out each week until February. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for NFL fans and no other fans are more excited than fans of the Buffalo Bills. Each and every year, Bills Mafia makes their presence known at Highmark Stadium and on the road. They will be getting ready to watch the team that Brandon Beane and the front office have put together this offseason.

The Bills will be known as a team that went through major changes this offseason. It was highlighted by the departure of many veterans that helped change the culture for the better. At the same time, Buffalo made solid acquisitions and are thinking about the future with some players, such as Greg Rousseau.

One of the obvious moves that the Bills would do this offseason was pick up the fifth-year option for Rousseau. He has grown in his game the last three years and has had the opportunity to learn from veterans like Von Miller and Leonard Floyd. In addition, some pressure has been taken off of him because of someone like A.J. Epenesa stepped up which forces offensive tackles to go one-on-one with Rousseau. 

Up to this point, Rousseau has logged 129 total tackles, 17 sacks, 42 QB hits and 12 pass deflections. He has slowly lived up to his first-round draft stock, but has yet to have a major breakout season.

Should the Bills extend Rousseau’s contract before training camp?

Thomas Valentine from Pro Football Focus suggests that before training camp starts, the Bills should extend Rousseau to a long-term contract.

For the front office to pick up the fifth-year option, this shows that the Bills believe Rousseau can be a big franchise player for the organization. At the same time, Rousseau has not hit his ceiling as to the impact he can bring. He has shown flashes but he is not a top ten edge rusher, maybe not even top fifteen.

Should the Bills extend Rousseau before training camp, or even the start of the season, it would be a risk that could come with high reward. If Beane were to give Rousseau an extension and he outplays his contract, the deal would become a bargain and it can cause other teams to feel pressure of having to sign their pass rushers to a bigger deal. Although, if an extension was given out to Rousseau and he underperforms, it is not a good look for the Bills and will face pressure themselves from the fans and the media.

The Bills have Rousseau on his rookie deal for the next two years. Maybe they extend him during or after the season, but to extend him in the next two weeks is a bit extreme.