Has AJE turned a corner?

[Dan Darragh]

AJE made a really nice play to flush Fields from the pocket enabling Milano to make a monster one-on-one open field tackle.  (Pretty good for a second-string Pro Bowler)

[First Round Bust]

11 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

The Wikipedia entry for him lol: Chukwuemeka Kingsley Jonathan (born April 28, 1998) is an American football defensive end for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Syracuse and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills in 2022. He was also the number one overall pick in the 2022 CFL Global Draft.

 

Without reading any further, I feel like I remember him being cut by the Bills and/or signing elsewhere, and then very recently being re-signed to our PS. Had to scoop him back up before the CFL got its hooks into him, apparently.

 

Kingsley per spotrac, spent camp with us, cut at end of camp, immediate claim by Bears who kept until mid-Nov cut and then we claimed:

 

7 games active - 6 games played - 35 snaps - will keep an eye on this

 

NOV 17 2022 Signed to the practice squad by Buffalo (BUF)

NOV 15 2022 Waived by Chicago (CHI)

AUG 31 2022 Claimed off waivers by Chicago (CHI)

AUG 30 2022 Waived by Buffalo (BUF)

[Big Turk]

3 minutes ago, First Round Bust said:

 

Kingsley per spotrac, spent camp with us, cut at end of camp, immediate claim by Bears who kept until mid-Nov cut and then we claimed:

 

7 games active - 6 games played - 35 snaps - will keep an eye on this

 

NOV 17 2022 Signed to the practice squad by Buffalo (BUF)

NOV 15 2022 Waived by Chicago (CHI)

AUG 31 2022 Claimed off waivers by Chicago (CHI)

AUG 30 2022 Waived by Buffalo (BUF)

 

He was signed to the PS on the 8 year anniversary of Snowvember!

[GreggTX]

Shaq Lawson has been playing well too. Our depth on the DL is excellent.

 

[Andy1]

 

[Goin Breakdown]

Crazy to say but I think Von has made an invaluable impact on this line, Eve when he's not out there. I don't think these guys want to let him down. They really do play for one another. 

[Simon Says]

With Miller out,there was a need, and an opportunity. 

[Maine-iac]

4 hours ago, Bermuda Triangle said:

Epenesa did play against Miami, and he wasn't very good.

You're right, my fault for looking at ESPN.  Didn't remember seeing him show up so when ESPN listed him as out and didn't have the game listed in his game log I assumed he didn't play that game.  Guess he just didn't do anything that game.  Pro football reference has him listed at 21 snaps.  That said Miami has a pretty good LT and that's where Epenesa usually lines up.

Edited December 25, 2022 by Maine-iac

[Livinginthepast]

Epenesa made a great play on that sack yesterday where he reached around the lineman to grab a hold of Fields. Superb play by him! He also has an old school football mean/dirty streak in him which in Von's absence we need!

[Ralonzo]

12 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

My question from today is where did Kingsley come from? That guy was balling

 

He looked like that all preseason. His playing style is thrift shop Von. If Epenesa can be a speed or power guy, it's a decent mix at edge with Shaq as an edge setter type, AJE and Groot with a blend of anchor and rush, and Jonathan as a bendy guy with a real good first step.

Edited December 25, 2022 by Ralonzo

[Big Turk]

53 minutes ago, Goin Breakdown said:

Crazy to say but I think Von has made an invaluable impact on this line, Eve when he's not out there. I don't think these guys want to let him down. They really do play for one another. 

 

It's not crazy...I have seen several times when AJE has used Von's "ghost rush" and beat the tackle cleanly...he did it again yesterday actually.

[Dr.Sack]

AJ is a guy who looked bigger and scarier in college, now he’s down 20 lbs he doesn’t look scary, but at least he’s maxed out his speed and explosiveness to chase down mobile QBs. The ultimate test is how he performs against the Bengals front which is beatable. 

[The Jokeman]

1 hour ago, Dr.Sack said:

AJ is a guy who looked bigger and scarier in college, now he’s down 20 lbs he doesn’t look scary, but at least he’s maxed out his speed and explosiveness to chase down mobile QBs. The ultimate test is how he performs against the Bengals front which is beatable. 

He also ran poorly in the combine, I think the Bills asked him to slim down so he could be quicker. Hopefully Boogie can develop just as well.

[Goin Breakdown]

3 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

It's not crazy...I have seen several times when AJE has used Von's "ghost rush" and beat the tackle cleanly...he did it again yesterday actually.

It's so cool right!!?

[BADOLBILZ]

5 hours ago, TN Bills Fan said:

Jonathan got in because Groot was getting buried against the run.  For some reason the bears stopped running right after the first quarter

 

That is totally false.

 

The Bears had one good run to the right.............on the first drive of the game..........and it was the first play that Kingsley Jonathan was inserted for Rousseau.     

 

Jonathan got totally engulfed and Montgomery went like 30 yards to the goal line.

 

 

 

[Saxum]

14 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

AJ, Boogie and Groot have all had a nice step up esp in Von’s absence. Shaq is also putting together a nice season which is helping esp in run defense. 

 

Shaq always was a good run blocker but not so good as a pass rusher.

He seems to be playing well on run and pass without selling out like Phillips does occasionally.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

15 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

AJ, Boogie and Groot have all had a nice step up esp in Von’s absence. Shaq is also putting together a nice season which is helping esp in run defense. 

Groot and Lawson are playing well. Basham and Epenesa are doing enough to not hurt the team. As others said Epenesa was invisible last week and was decent against the Bears. 

I like stats but his 6.5 sacks seems like one of those stats that doesn't tell the whole story of how he plays.

[BADOLBILZ]

16 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

McD didn't seem too happy with him when he lined up in the Neutral Zone...

 

But yeah...he played very well other than that.

 

 

 

He's slippery and made some nice plays.     The Bills really need to find a useful DL that they didn't have to buy in UFA or use a 1st or 2nd round pick on. 

[Saxum]

3 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

It's not crazy...I have seen several times when AJE has used Von's "ghost rush" and beat the tackle cleanly...he did it again yesterday actually.

 

AJ has always been flexible for his size but did not incorporate in his rushing very much but now he seems to have got everything in balance.

 

 

3 hours ago, Dr.Sack said:

AJ is a guy who looked bigger and scarier in college, now he’s down 20 lbs he doesn’t look scary, but at least he’s maxed out his speed and explosiveness to chase down mobile QBs. The ultimate test is how he performs against the Bengals front which is beatable. 

 

2 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

He also ran poorly in the combine, I think the Bills asked him to slim down so he could be quicker. Hopefully Boogie can develop just as well.

 

During first year communication was poor for him to prepare on his own during COVID year.

Second year he go new directions on weight and it hampered him.

This year his weight seems to be right for defense needs and he is performing.

The good thing about EJ is he appears to stay healthy and availability is very important.

[Steptide]

Not to sound negative, but I know some of aj's sacks have come in garbage time when the game was basically over. He's definitely been better and had some nice games, but I'm not about to label him a game changer yet