Honest discussion of our D Line

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

2 hours ago, DJB said:

Bosa can play both sides so this shouldn’t be an issue 

 

Yeah I've read that too, that he's better from the left, but can play right side pretty well also.

[BuffaloMatt]

I've said it before. I think Oliver is undersized.

Edited Wednesday at 06:51 PM by BuffaloMatt

[chris heff]

2 hours ago, BuffaloMatt said:

I've said it before. I think Oliver is undersized.

Oliver needs a true one technique, that weighs 300+ playing next to him.

[Don Otreply]

Our d line is a better, with the additions, let’s hope a big nose tackle is in the making for this team, FA or draft, 

[LABILLBACKER]

Can anyone describe Bosa without using the term "when healthy".  We did not improve our pass rushing production very much. Maybe a sack or two? 

 

I knew our odds of getting a Garrett, Crosby, Hendrickson were slim to none. Thought maybe Beane could've gone after Sweat or Koonce more aggressively?  Who knows what we have in Bosa & Hoecht??  So that leaves the 6-8 brothers AJ & Greg. Neither show up in the playoffs and neither is likely to ever touch 10 sacks.  We need to draft a diamond pass rusher next month. I'm already looking at 2026 FA pass rushers.

[harmonkillebrew]

7 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

We are much better off than we were the end of the season and NO we are not done adding. We will still address DE, DT in the draft. But as of right now, our pass rush is much better. 

I don't know. I think that's wishful thinking. And even if it's better that's still a low bar. As we saw, without Floyd and Von not back to old Von, we were pretty bad.

 

Hoecht to me is the wildcard. Can he be a Lorax type X factor in the rush? I think Bosa is too fragile to risk as starting DE.  

We have nothing at 1-tech to make up for DaQuan's decline.

We still need a strong draft at DT and DE to turn the tides on what has become a mediocre Dline.

[GASabresIUFan]

4 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Can anyone describe Bosa without using the term "when healthy". 

No.

 

The first 6 years of Bosa's career he was a terror.  He was a capable run defender, but primarily a great edge rusher.  He had 68 sacks in his first 79 games.  Over the last 3 season he's only played 28 of a possible 50 games, although last year he did manage to suit up for 14 games.  in those 28 games he's had only 14 sacks and 52 tackles.  Not sure how, but he was named to the PB last year.  

 

I think what the Bills are getting is a guy who can still rush the passer and play 3 downs when necessary.  I expect he'll be on a pitch count, especially early in the year, to keep him healthy and to give guys like Solomon and whomever we draft a chance to get decent reps and enhance their development.  

[klos63]

11 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

Right now Carter and Solomon are the only “prospects” along the D-Line, Bills are in a good position in a deep draft class for D-Line to add 2 picks in rounds 1-2 to solidify both the short term depth and long term future of the D-Line while still having a pick in the first two rounds to address a need elsewhere 

I hope Solomon sticks,  because I just bought my son, Solomon, his jersey,  after I purchased my son  Oliver,  Ed's jersey. 

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFan said:

No.

 

The first 6 years of Bosa's career he was a terror.  He was a capable run defender, but primarily a great edge rusher.  He had 68 sacks in his first 79 games.  Over the last 3 season he's only played 28 of a possible 50 games, although last year he did manage to suit up for 14 games.  in those 28 games he's had only 14 sacks and 52 tackles.  Not sure how, but he was named to the PB last year.  

 

I think what the Bills are getting is a guy who can still rush the passer and play 3 downs when necessary.  I expect he'll be on a pitch count, especially early in the year, to keep him healthy and to give guys like Solomon and whomever we draft a chance to get decent reps and enhance their development.  

I agree, in order to get anything out of him you must gradually ease him into the season. With load management,  pitch counts and emphasis on 3rd down.  Then hopefully he's near 100% approaching the playoffs. 

[strive_for_five_guy]

10 hours ago, BuffaloMatt said:

I've said it before. I think Oliver is undersized.

Seriously, and then we’re needing to somehow make up for it with extra size elsewhere which never actually happens, so then we get run on constantly.

[MJS]

I was hoping for a dishonest discussion.

[gonzo1105]

You can’t really ask if he’s done enough without seeing how the draft plays out. Has he done solid so far yea I’d say we’re better up front than last year. Do I want to see them add young quality guys who can get after it with 30 and/ or 56 and 62 you bet 

[ganesh]

The Bills need a fierce pass rush to get past Mahomes and company and win the SuperBowl.   They still need to add talent at DT and DL in the draft that can contribute immediately.

[BobbyC81]

16 hours ago, BuffaloMatt said:

I've said it before. I think Oliver is undersized.

Duh!   That’s been said since before he was drafted.

[BuffaloBill]

It looks more and more like the Bills will use their first three picks to land a mix (2 at one of the positions and 1 at the other) of DL & CB’s.  Yes, there is always the BPA statement but it’s odd how it always works out that the BPA also fills an area of need.  

[PoundingDog]

I don't know we are much better at D.  We pretty much signed a bunch of role players to be honest, which is par for the course in FA for teams like us. You are not going to get a prime Chris Jones type in FA market.

 

Bosa is a name. But there are reasons the Chargers wanted to trade him, and no one wanted to do that. There are reasons no one is offering more than the Bills offered for a one-year prove-it deal. I'm not saying Beane should not take a chance -- honestly I would if I were in Beans' position; the point is difference makers are going to come from the draft.

 

This is a D-Line talent heavy draft. I remember in 2019, Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams,  Clelin Ferrell, Josh Allen (not QB), Ed Oliver, Rashan Gary, Christian Wilkens, Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Jeffrey Simmons, Montez Sweat, Jerry Tillery, LJ Collier drafted in the first round. Maxx Crosby was later drafted in the 4th. Is it too much to ask that Beane do better than 2019 where he got Oliver?

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

22 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I’ll begin by saying I like what Beane has done so far to improve the D line with the draft still to go. On paper this line should be more effective at stopping the run, but it seems about the same in rushing the QB with upside if Bosa remains healthy.

 

Here is how things stand 

DE - Groot, AJE, Solomon, Bosa, Hoecht (DT/LB)

DT - Oliver, Jones, Carter, Ogunjobi, Lodge

Ogunjobi is an upgrade on Austin Johnson, Bosa is an upgrade on AJE and Miller when healthy and Hoecht fills the utility role held by Smoot last season.  My biggest concern with Bosa, besides his health, is whether McD will again push Groot to the right side to accommodate Bosa like they did with Miller.  This is not the highest and best use of Rousseau’s talent IMHO.

 

The best part of the Bosa signing is that he is a 3 down player and he hopefully send AJE to the bench or off the team.  I am not a fan.  The Bills can save a decent amount in cap if they release him and the truth is he is mediocre against the run and his pressure rate was terrible last season.  I’d much rather Bosa rotate with Solomon, Hoecht and whomever they draft.  My hope is a good edge rusher falls to the Bills at 30.  That player then has a good camp earning PT above AJE and the tackling challenged Solomon.

 

I am looking forward to watching DTs Oliver, Jones, Carter and Ogunjobi play the interior this season.  I believe Ogunjobi can challenge Jones for the starting job.  With Ogunjobi and Carter on one year deals at this point, finding a DT early in this draft is also still an imperative.

The ultimate question is has Beane done enough to improve our defense against the run and our pass rush?  

 

 

 

I'm thinking they may draft a true nose tackle type like that kid think he played for Michigan??  Could see him starting as rookie, but on likely passing passing plays Ogunjobi comes in for  him so have Groot, Oliver, Ogunjobi, and Bosa rushing the passer.

[Bermuda Triangle]

22 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

 

 

I am looking forward to watching DTs Oliver, Jones, Carter and Ogunjobi play the interior this season.  I believe Ogunjobi can challenge Jones for the starting job.  With Ogunjobi and Carter on one year deals at this point, finding a DT early in this draft is also still an imperative.

 

 

 

Isn't Ogunjobi a 3-tech?  He sounds an awful lot like Carter.  Hopefully, Beane can find a 1-tech in the draft, because Jones is long in the tooth.

[todd]

Bills badly need a dominant 1-tech. That leads to better opportunities for our LBs and DEs to make an impact, not to mention our 3-tech DL. Nobody on the Bills interior consistently requires double teams, and a real 1 tech would help. 
 

I don’t really follow the draft - just don’t have the time - so I’m not qualified to know what players might fit that need. But there’s gotta be somebody that fits the bill. And lots of draft capital to move around to get one.

[JGMcD2]

15 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Can anyone describe Bosa without using the term "when healthy".  We did not improve our pass rushing production very much. Maybe a sack or two? 

 

I knew our odds of getting a Garrett, Crosby, Hendrickson were slim to none. Thought maybe Beane could've gone after Sweat or Koonce more aggressively?  Who knows what we have in Bosa & Hoecht??  So that leaves the 6-8 brothers AJ & Greg. Neither show up in the playoffs and neither is likely to ever touch 10 sacks.  We need to draft a diamond pass rusher next month. I'm already looking at 2026 FA pass rushers.

Herein lies your problem.