Is Javon Solomon the most underrated Buffalo Bills rookie?

The Buffalo Bills drafted Javon Solomon in the fifth round this year out of Troy. In his college career, he was successful at getting to the quarterback, totaling 33 sacks in his five-year career, including 16 sacks in his final season. The 23-year-old pass rusher may be low on the depth chart right now and battling for a roster spot, but there’s a very good chance he can make an impact in a year or two down the road. So what exactly makes him the most underrated Bills rookie, besides just his college stats?

Many have called Solomon an undersized pass rusher, who stands at just 6’1 249 lbs. However, that hasn’t stopped Solomon yet. He’s won at the collegiate level and has been winning against the big offensive tackles in the NFL. Solomon has learned to win matchups with his small frame, and it earned him a First-Team All-Sun Belt in 2023.

Solomon has received some praise from the coaching staff for handling his first season in the league so far, with Bobby Babich telling reporters “Up until now, Javon’s doing a nice job. There’s a lot of room for growth, but Javon’s a good football player, he’s a very good student, not only with the coaches, but he uses his vets and he’s constantly picking their brains and that’s an impressive thing.”

The talent he’s brought over from Troy along with what he’s learned from the veterans in this room, have helped him tremendously this summer. He had a very good training camp when the Bills were in Rochester, and it has translated onto the football field. In his first game last Saturday, Solomon played in 21 defensive snaps and totaled two tackles. 

As the Bills look to replace some of their special teams veterans who departed in free agency, rookies will have to step up into that role, much like Solomon has done already. The Bills defensive end room is filled with talent, including on the back end of the roster. Guys like Kingsley Jonathan and Kameron Cline have been in this system for a while and have either been on the practice squad or the active roster before. Not to mention an addition that hasn’t been talked about enough, Casey Toohill, who’s coming off of a five-sack season for the Washington Commanders last year. They won’t just hand Solomon the roster spot, even if he has already earned it one week into the preseason. 

Solomon may surprise some people this year. He will get some playing time in Sean McDermott’s wacky pass-rush rotation, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him get to the quarterback a few times. With Von Miller’s time likely up in Buffalo after this year, the Bills needed to start planning for the future, and Solomon can be a very good depth piece at no cost at all.