There are many questions that headline the Buffalo Bills at training camp. One of the biggest is how the defense will look. The expectations were raised for the defense this past season, having hired defensive-minded head coach Rex Ryan to a team that already included the likes of former first overall pick and defensive end Mario Williams, as well as Jerry Hughes, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus, and Stephon Gilmore among others. However, the result was a decline in statistics, such as sacks and fumbles.
The overall ranking of the Bills’ defense slipped from 4th in 2014 to 19th in 2015. The Bills in 2014 under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had 54 sacks, which was ranked number one in the NFL. The following season, under Rex and new defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, they only managed to sack the quarterback 21 times. They were ranked 31st in the league in that category. The Bills also only had nine fumbles this past season after having 14 the previous season. The change in defensive schemes and how productive the defense had been between Schwartz and Rex led to multiple criticisms by players. This also led to players leaving for other teams, including Mario Williams and linebacker Nigel Bradham.
While some Bills fans expect the defense to remain what it was the previous year, others believe the team will still manage to turn the corner under Rex and his staff, despite what was considered a step backwards. There are a few notables to watch going into this season that could help make the Bills a top defense once again. The first person to watch for is Rex Ryan.
One reason to expect a different Bills team come September is the defensive system will only be 3-4. Last season Ryan tried to please all of the defense by running a hybrid system of both the 4-3 and 3-4 systems. While it was nice that Rex was trying to get all players on board by using both systems, the results were players being confused about where they were going during plays. Rex now will only be sticking to the same system that he is known for when he was the head coach of the New York Jets. It will also help bringing in a few of the top defensive draft picks this past offseason, such as defensive end Shaq Lawson, who will miss all of training camp and a few weeks of the regular season with an injury; Reggie Ragland; and Adolphus Washington, in the first three rounds of the draft.
Getting into the rookies, many of them are expected to make the team, and even be starters. The top pick Lawson has played the outside linebacker position for the Clemson Tigers. During his freshman and sophomore years, he was in the double figure tackles for a loss, joining defender Anthony Simmons as the only other person at the college to do so. He can also play both the 3-4 and the 4-3 defenses, so if the Bills ever had to change defensive schemes at all during his career there, he would be able to adapt to it. Ragland was an inside linebacker from Alabama. He is good when it comes to not over committing to the ball carrier.
Adolphus Washington is a very athletic player, and opposing offensive linemen have a hard time trying to catch him. If the former Ohio State defensive tackle is only covered by one player for most of a game, he will fully take advantage of that, and win those battles most of the time. However, while these rookies have the potential to have an immediate impact, the Bills will still need to look to the veterans in order to have a bounce back season.
The first returning player on the defense to watch for is Stephon Gilmore. The twenty-five-year-old cornerback will become a free agent at the end of the season, and will be looking to make sure that the team locks him up long term. He finished last season with 36 tackles, and three interceptions. So far, Rex has liked what he has seen in training camp from him, and the potential is there to have a breakout season. Then there is former Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, who had 38 total tackles last season, and falling to two sacks after previously having ten the previous year. He is considered one of the biggest names on the defense. How he does individually could sway how the rest of the defense plays every game. Additionally, there’s safety Aaron Williams, who missed the majority of last season with a serious neck injury that could’ve potentially ended his career. Last season Williams had 51 tackles and an interception. If he can fully return with the team, his presence will definitely help the team get back on track.
Overall, the Bills defensively can have a big year, but a few things will have to go their way. Players cannot call out the coach or other teammates; if there is no unity, then the team will not be able to execute in the games properly. The rookies will have to step up to fill in the starting positions, and the Bills will have to hope that they manage to not have a lot of injuries. The key veterans also have to lead the way as well, and find ways to have that same impact that made them a top defense in the previous few seasons. If all of the players can buy into Rex’s 3-4 system, the rookies can fit in right away with the rest of the defense, and players can stay away from getting injured, the Bills might be able to bounce back and return atop the standings of the NFL defenses.
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