Latest news with #BobbyBabich
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills 'Big Human' Turning Heads As Potential Shocker on 53-Man Roster
Bills 'Big Human' Turning Heads As Potential Shocker on 53-Man Roster originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Six of the Buffalo Bills' nine draft picks this offseason came on the defensive side of the football. Advertisement While first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston and second-round tackle TJ Sanders get all the attention, there's another defensive rookie who can immediately impact the 2025 unit. Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson wasn't selected until the third round of the draft, but he's already made a shocker of a strong first impression for one of the better defenses in the league. "He's a big human," said Bills' defensive coordinator Bobby Babich during the first week of June. "We definitely wanted to make sure that there was a size piece to what we were trying to do. "Certainly, he has a long way to go in adapting and him earning the right to play and carve out a role for himself, but he's doing a good job. A heck of a dude, and I'm happy he's here." Advertisement In three seasons with the Razorbacks, Jackson recorded 16 sacks, including back-to-back seasons with 6.5. He stood out during the Senior Bowl and had the athletic profile to be seen as a steal in the third round. At 6'6" and 260 pounds, Jackson is considered an oversized edge rusher. If he can add an element of speed to his game, he could become a better player than most realize. But it won't be easy. Buffalo already has strong role players along the defensive line, including Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau, and A.J. Epenesa. Jackson will need to stand out in a big way during training camp if he wants to see the field early in his career. Advertisement So far, though, it appears he's doing precisely that. Related: Bills' First-Round Pick Predicted to 'Disappoint' in Rookie Season Related: ESPN Provides Empty 'Update' On Bills' James Cook Contract This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills Coach Ranking Reveals Steep Drop After Major Change
Bills Coach Ranking Reveals Steep Drop After Major Change originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In 2023, the Buffalo Bills were led by QB Josh Allen but were also anchored by one of the finest defenses in football. They finished fourth in the league in points allowed and ninth in yards given up, culminating in a successful 11-6 campaign. Advertisement That was with head coach Sean McDermott calling plays. But ... in 2024? A major change. In his first season since being hired as defensive coordinator and play-caller, Bobby Babich did to his credit keep Buffalo's defense competing despite several major injuries throughout the year. At the same time, Buffalo suffered a significant decrease in almost every statistic across the boat. To wit ... The Bills finished 17th in yards allowed and 11th in points given up during the 2024 campaign. And no position group saw a steeper decline from the prior year than Buffalo's secondary, as that group finished 24th in the league in both passing yards allowed and touchdowns. Advertisement That is why one site ranks Babich as the 19th-best coordinator in the league going into 2025. "In his second season of calling defensive plays for the Buffalo Bills, Bobby Babich has the chance to cement himself as one of the top ascending coaches in the NFL," the site said. "Buffalo's defense was in the middle of the pack in 2024, but Babich's work as a positional coach has been impressive over the years." Those are some rather positive words, given the stat decline. There is, however, reason to believe that Babich will have more success in his second season as a play-caller. Buffalo addressed several needs on the defensive side of the ball, muscling up with free agent acquisitions like Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, and Larry Ogunjobi. Advertisement With an infusion of talent coming from the draft (highlighted by first-round corner Maxwell Hairston), the Bills are giving Babich some more of the sort of assets needed to field a top unit this season. And once the football bullets start to fly? Buffalo's young coordinator will be under the microscope - stats-related and more - in 2025. Related: Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld Earn Major Award Nominations Related: Bills Trade for $36 Million 'Seamless Fit' Expected to Lift Josh Allen This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bobby Babich, Bills Looking For More Consistency in 2025 Defense
Bobby Babich, Bills Looking For More Consistency in 2025 Defense originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills have always seemed to find a way to field an elite defensive unit over the last few years. Advertisement Since head coach Sean McDermott was hired in 2017, Buffalo's defense has been a key part of the team's success including two runs to the conference championship game. As the organization looks to turn that success into a championship unit, though, there's one thing the young group must prove in 2025. Being more consistent. "The biggest thing is the consistency. I think the biggest thing is the consistency we talked a lot about that last year," defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said to WGRZ in Buffalo. "I think the overall consistency in our approach, in our execution, making sure that no matter who we're playing, certain things stay the same. I need to make sure I do that first and foremost as the leader of the defense. Advertisement "That would be my biggest thing, is the consistency and our overall approach to the game." There can be a new plan here. In fact, there needs to be, as the Bills know their own truth here. Buffalo's defense struggled mightily in the playoffs against some of the top teams in the league including the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. Those kinds of matchups can be forgiven. Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes are two of the best quarterbacks in the game. But if they want to reach the Super Bowl, there will need to prove they can be consistent in the biggest moments of the sport. And Babich's plan should be able to help with that. Advertisement Related: Bills' Josh Allen And Hailee Steinfeld Wedding Guest List Revealed Related: Bills Signing Josh Allen to New $330 Million Contract About To Pay Off This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bobby Babich Addresses New Experiences With Bills Defense
Bobby Babich Addresses New Experiences With Bills Defense originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich is at age 41 one of the youngest playcallers in the NFL today. Advertisement It should come as no surprise, then, that Buffalo's defense saw major improvements later in the season than earlier in the year. As Babich got more comfortable with his players, the more confident he got in his calls. This season, Babich is a more experienced playcaller, obviously, and has plenty of talent on defense to continue their roles as one of the best units in all of football. And that familiarity is huge for his confidence in Year 2 at the helm. "For anybody going through something the first time, everything's the first time," Babich said to WGRZ. "So now, you've been in those situations, and now you're a little bit more scarred per se. You're a little bit more weathered based on the situations and how fast those things can come up." Advertisement "Scarred'' and "weathered.'' That sounds about right. Buffalo signed free agents like Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, and Tre'Davious White to add veteran pieces to their defense. As things stand right now, Buffalo is expected to have one of the better defenses in the league next season. With Babich getting more confident in his calls, the organization should see their defense hit a new gear in 2025. One that can have them competing with the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens even more than they were in years past. Who knows! It could even get them to the Super Bowl after years of playoff failings. Advertisement Related: Bills' Josh Allen And Hailee Steinfeld Wedding Guest List Revealed Related: Bills Signing Josh Allen to New $330 Million Contract About To Pay Off This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
