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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bills training camp 2025 defensive back preview: What to expect from Joey Bosa, overhauled group
As long as head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have been around, they have stressed the importance of a consistent pass rush. It's an all-around effort from their defensive line, but the focus on getting sustainable reps from their defensive ends has always been a priority for the Bills in their collective offseasons. Advertisement This year wasn't any different. The Bills again went back to the drawing board to try to improve what has, at times in the postseason, let them down. Now, with another fresh group in for the 2025 season, the team will see if this is the year the defensive ends can help put them over the top in the playoffs. What stands out about this year's group? Here is a detailed outlook for when the Bills return for training camp this week. After being disappointed with their consistent ability to get to the quarterback, the Bills went into overhaul mode of their defensive end room. The only thing intact from 2024 is that Greg Rousseau will be one of their two starters. Von Miller was released in a cap-saving move. The team didn't re-sign Dawuane Smoot. Depth edge rushers Casey Toohill and Kingsley Jonathan are also gone. A.J. Epenesa was a starter last season, and if all pieces are healthy, he will likely return to a rotational role in 2025. The team signed Joey Bosa to a one-year deal in the hopes that he has one big year left in him. They also signed Rams defensive lineman Michael Hoecht and drafted Landon Jackson with an early third-round pick. Although there is no certainty that 2025 will provide better results than last season, it, at the very least, will be much different personnel-wise. How much will Joey Bosa be able to contribute every week? The Bills made all of their moves during the 2024 offseason in an effort to have far more flexibility in the 2025 offseason, and after another disappointing season of having an inconsistent pass rush, the team invested one of their biggest free agent contracts on Bosa. As name recognition goes, the Bills couldn't have done much better in free agency — but as we well know about the NFL, what a player was able to do in the past is not a fair predictor of future success. Bosa became a household name because he generated 10 sacks or more in four of his first six seasons with the Chargers and was thought of as one of the best at his position in the NFL. That began to slip in 2022 as injuries became the story of the second stage of his career. Advertisement Bosa missed 12 games in 2022 and another eight games in 2023. Last year was his healthiest since his string of Pro Bowl seasons ended in 2021, but Bosa still missed three games, and generated only five sacks. Even beyond just that statistic, over the last two seasons, his pass-rushing efficiency has fallen from where it once was. His pressure rate in 2023 was 12.2 percent, and in 2024, it went down to 11.8 percent. For context, in the four years prior, Bosa's pressure rate never dipped below 15.7 percent, according to TruMedia. Even though that rate dropped, it still puts him in the realm of an effective pass rusher, though it's worth wondering if the accumulation of injuries has worn down that effectiveness. The Bills know that, and were able to sign him to a manageable one-year, $12.6 million contract because of the injury concerns. It was a calculated risk, as Bosa has missed 45 percent of the regular season over the last three years. That will be the biggest hurdle for the Bills in going from an average pass-rushing group to taking a step forward, as Bosa is one of the most critical pieces to that retooling from 2024. Before Bosa could even step foot onto the practice field, Bosa suffered a calf injury just days ahead of Organized Team Activities, and that ruled him out of the entire three-week span of spring practices. While it would be a bit over the top to say it's a bad omen, it's more so a stark reminder of how important their practice and in-game plan will be for Bosa. Back in 2022, ahead of Miller's season-ending injury, the Bills had as good a pass rush as they have under McDermott. But none of that regular season success mattered because Miller wasn't available when it mattered most in the postseason. That is likely to be the point the Bills want to drive home the most, which sets up the conversation of what is fair to expect from Bosa every week in the regular season, given his lengthy injury history? The plan in place from the Bills to keep Bosa available and avoid the temptation to deviate from it will be of utmost importance this season. Bosa, when healthy, will be the starter opposite Rousseau. But it wouldn't be a shock to see him hover around the 50 percent of defensive snaps mark this season. Even for the Bills, who employ a heavy rotation with their edge rushers, 50 percent is on the low side for a starting defensive end in their scheme. Even Epenesa got to 56 percent for the year, who, despite being a starter, was not used on obvious passing downs the vast majority of the season. However, all of this will depend on how much Bosa's body will stand up to the plan the Bills have for him this season. Their ideal scenario would be to keep him fresh enough to play a heavier amount of snaps in the postseason, but he has to get there in a healthy state before that plan can come to fruition. Either way, how the Bills handle Bosa's usage will likely be a major talking point all season. Michael Hoecht vs. Landon Jackson This battle is a weird one because it's a competition that could extend into the regular season when only one of the players is available to the team. Hoecht will be suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing drugs. As of now, the Bills have three players that, when healthy, are a pretty safe bet to get snaps. That trio includes Rousseau, Bosa and Epenesa. Hoecht and Jackson both had a fairly significant investment made in them by the team in the offseason and are both a part of the Bills' plan in 2026 as well. However, the Bills usually operate most smoothly with a four-person rotation at defensive end. They've used five at times, but usually, there is a favored player for reps between the fourth and fifth best on the depth chart. That's where the competition comes into play. Hoecht and Jackson will have all summer to convince the Bills that they should be that fourth defensive end. Hoecht will have to make every rep count during practices and the preseason because those will be his only chances before he's gone for the first month and a half. That absence will give Jackson a massive opportunity to force the Bills' hand and make him the last player to round out the pass rusher rotation, and given their draft investment in him, if he shows accelerated potential, they could easily lean into that even though he's a rookie. Should Jackson stand out, Hoecht will have the ability to move around the defense as a versatile piece they could use in different situations. But with so few options to be gameday inactive across the roster, whoever is the fifth-best between these two could wind up being a healthy scratch, which is why this bears watching. Advertisement Javon Solomon Although he doesn't have quite the investment level as Hoecht and Jackson, Solomon is a name to keep an eye on. He showed some real pass rushing skills during his rookie training camp, and in small doses of reps near the end of games, he also showed that it translated into regular season results. What prevented Solomon from getting on the field more on defense was his inconsistency as a run defender, or in containing the edge against mobile quarterbacks. The Bills like their edge rushers to be all-around defenders, so Solomon must improve in this area this summer to warrant additional playing time consideration. But anytime a young player has some pass rushing juice, it gets the coaching staff's attention. If he winds up getting a stable amount of snaps by the end of the season, it would not be a shock, given what he showed as a rookie. Defensive end isn't one of those positions that makes it a requirement for the depth pieces to play special teams, but the more athletic ones can certainly lend themselves to playing multiple units. Of the group this year, Solomon has a great chance to be an every-week core-four special teams asset, which could provide some safety to dress on game days throughout the season. Hoecht and Jackson could also be considered for special teams, but perhaps not as every unit player. Solomon is the star of the show for special teams as far as this group is concerned. Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Landon Jackson, Javon Solomon, Michael Hoecht (suspended) Because Hoecht will be suspended for six games, he does not count against the 53-man roster to begin the season, which gives the Bills some flexibility to start the year. Outside of him, Rousseau, Bosa and Jackson are all roster locks. If Bosa wasn't such an injury risk, the Bills could at least consider trading Epenesa ahead of final cuts. However, moving on from a player like Epenesa, who they trust as a starter if Bosa isn't available, likely pushes an Epenesa trade far down the list of considerations. Solomon makes the team for special teams purposes, and if he can show more as an all-around defensive end, he could even be a bit more than that. The big question will be what the Bills do with their roster once Hoecht is eligible to return in Week 7 and how they make room to add him. However, there's a good chance it won't be releasing any of these defensive ends, as they all serve a purpose on the roster. (Top photo of Landon Jackson: Gregory Fisher / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Analyst Questions Bills' 'New Look' Defensive Line
Analyst Questions Bills' 'New Look' Defensive Line originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills entered the 2025 offseason hoping to improve the team enough for a Super Bowl run and to keep pace with AFC rivals like the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. Buffalo had eyes on improving mostly on defense, where it needed help at linebacker, safety, corner and the interior of the defensive line. General manager Brandon Beane addressed corner with their first-round pick this year in Maxwell Hairston and spent their second-round pick on South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders. Their fourth-round pick was Kentucky DT Deone Walker, and the team also added another corner in the fifth round in Ohio State's Jordan Hancock. With all the additions to the defense, Beane and the team hope there's enough there for a Super Bowl run. But Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine wrote that Buffalo might not have done enough. "Much like the Ravens, anything short of a Super Bowl is going to be disappointing for the Buffalo Bills this season. Both teams have unquestionably been among the most elite teams in the league," Ballentine wrote. "Both have been denied a Super Bowl berth because of Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs. For both teams, every offseason becomes an arms race to find the edge that could put them over the top. This offseason, it was clearly looking to upgrade the defensive line for the Bills. Not only did they add veterans in Joey Bosa, Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht, but they also attacked the defensive front in the draft by taking T.J. Sanders (second round), Landon Jackson (third round) and Deone Walker (fourth round). Assuming all six new additions make the roster, that's a ton of depth up front. "After watching the success the Eagles had against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the Bills have to hope that a deep collection of defensive linemen can push them over the top. They'll have to be because Buffalo is among the most cap-strapped teams in the league. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills Sign Receiver Labeled 'Uninspiring Choice' By Analyst
Bills Sign Receiver Labeled 'Uninspiring Choice' By Analyst originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The NFL offseason can be a strange place, and for the Buffalo Bills, the franchise was urged to sign a new weapon for Josh Allen, and they did, Los Angeles Chargers receiver Joshua Palmer. Advertisement But that wasn't good enough for some, with the need not satisfied and others wanting a genuine No. 1 weapon despite the obvious salary cap limitations. Palmer has posted at least 500+ receiving yards in his last three seasons in L.A., so he isn't exactly a mug, but for ESPN's Seth Walder, the signing of Palmer wasn't good. "Palmer is an uninspiring choice given his 1.6 yards per route run last season (and failure to ever reach 1.9 yards per route run in a season) despite playing with Justin Herbert in Los Angeles," Walder writes. "When the Bills didn't draft a wide receiver until the seventh round, GM Brandon Beane took issue with the criticism." Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) runs the ball against the Denver Broncos during the first half at SoFi Stadium.© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Perhaps the best thing about Palmer coming to Buffalo is that he won't need to be the No. 1 guy, with Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir, along with tight end Dalton Kincaid, all part of an arsenal of weapons that helped the Bills reach the AFC Championship game last year. Advertisement Instead, Palmer will be asked to be part of the machine, not the driving force. Yes, his numbers might not be greater than they were in Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean he won't be a valued part of Joe Brady's offense. Some are writing off the signing of Palmer before he's played a snap with the defending MVP, so we'll let the cake bake on any narrative around Joshua right now. Related: Bills Tipped To Still Be 'Undisputed Heavyweights' of AFC East Related: Bills Know No. 1 Challenge Is To Finally 'Slay That Dragon' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Bills training camp 2025 linebacker preview: A familiar group, but questions remain
For the majority of the time the Bills have employed Sean McDermott as the head coach and Brandon Beane as the general manager, the team has operated with the linebacker position being one of its strengths. That mostly revolved around three players in Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard. Advertisement Bernard took over for Edmunds after the latter left as a free agent in 2023. However, the 2025 season could offer some intrigue as to what the position's future holds if things don't go according to plan. Even with a familiar group to 2024, it remains to be seen how things evolve based on the performances of a handful of linebackers. Here is a detailed outlook for when the Bills return for training camp in late July. Even with a few questions about the position, the linebacker position went almost completely untouched from how the team left it in 2024. Last year, they carried six linebackers when all were healthy, and all six are still under contract for the 2025 season. Their most significant changes had to do with the contract status of their starting duo, Bernard and Milano. They identified Bernard as a core starter moving forward and signed him to a contract extension through the 2029 season. Milano's contract change was significant in the opposite way. The longtime Bills starter agreed to a pay cut in 2025 and, in the same agreement, erased the final year of his contract, which scheduled him to become a free agent in March. Along with those contract changes, Bernard changed his jersey from No. 43 to No. 8. The team added veteran Shaq Thompson in the late spring, who is coming off a torn Achilles early in the 2024 season. Thompson has a long history with McDermott in Carolina, though he's likely arrived for depth purposes only. Can Matt Milano return to his pre-2023 injury form? The Bills had to wait a long, long time to get Milano back on the field from when all his injury troubles began. Following a season-ending injury in Week 5 of the 2023 season, Milano had his 2024 comeback deterred, with a multi-month injury suffered just a few weeks ahead of the regular season. Milano didn't return to the field until December, and with that much of a layoff, there was certainly some rust. To expect him to immediately return to his sky-high playing level at the beginning of the 2023 season after two serious injuries and a 420-day layoff between games would be asking too much of the player. Advertisement However, after working through the rust in the first pair of games back, Milano was slowly working his way toward a positive playing level. The key to his game has always been his instincts, and pairing that with his speed turned him into one of the most impactful linebackers in the NFL when he was in his prime. As he was getting re-acclimated to playing, his instincts and recognition skills were as clear as day when you watched him on film. He anticipated plays extremely well, which put him into position to make plays. As he continued to stack games together, the Bills were clearly happy with the weekly progress Milano was making, because they never even considered replacing him in the lineup despite the early rust. Though there were a couple of things that were different about Milano's game, and each is notable as it pertains to 2025. While the instincts and anticipation were still clear and a strength to the Bills' defense, Milano's speed, whether due to age, injuries or the combination of the two, was not as prominent as it was before his long layoff began. Milano had turned 29 only a few months before the 2023 season, and heading into the upcoming campaign, Milano will be 31. It is worth wondering if his speed from previous years will even have a chance to return this season. And, given his age and how long he's been playing, it's also a consideration that his playing speed could worsen. The second notable development of Milano's game in 2024 was that his role had changed pretty significantly for most of his games. Before the injuries, Milano was an every-down player and a third-down threat. Upon his return, the Bills made Milano into just an early-down linebacker. Whenever it became an obvious passing situation, they would take Milano off the field and instead substitute a dime backer into the game, usually defensive back Cam Lewis. Milano's initial role was effectively the same role that Dorian Williams had in the lineup until Milano returned to action. That continued, for the most part, up until the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs. Even in the losing effort, Milano played easily his highest snap count of the season, nearly 99 percent, as the Bills didn't want to take him off the field. It is worth wondering what the plan might be for Milano in 2025. Will it be the early return approach to keep him fresh, or do they want to return to Milano in his three-down role? If Milano proves the playing speed is what it was last year, or even better than it was with a healthy offseason to train, it will likely answer all of these questions positively for the Bills. If there's one certainty, it's that Milano's high-level recognition skills aren't going anywhere. However, the Bills have to see how it all comes together this summer with Milano, and should he have lost a step, then it becomes time to wonder if they should pivot. If they are forced to think of alternative options, they have an extremely capable backup in Dorian Williams, who has 13 career starts in the Bills' defensive scheme. Williams may lack recognition skills, but he makes up for it with his athleticism and raw speed. These are answers they likely won't have until the regular season begins and Milano's playing level is revealed, and until that time, he'll operate as the unquestioned starter. The Bills are certainly hoping they won't need to pivot from Milano, their longtime star, but to not entertain the possibility would be unwise, and considering they adjusted Milano's contract with both a pay cut and removing a year likely means they acknowledge the different possible outcomes. Baylon Spector vs. Joe Andreessen Ahead of the spring workouts, it seemed both players were relatively safe to make the team, though that was until the Bills added Thompson. Now, the safest of the two seems like Andreessen, even if he's not the backup middle linebacker as of now, which sets up for an interesting battle this summer. When healthy, Spector spent the entire 2024 season as Bernard's primary backup, though a couple of issues continued to pop up. For one, Spector struggled whenever he had to fill in for Bernard, which opens the door up to a potential competition by itself. But secondly, Spector has struggled with injuries throughout his Bills career. Just last year, he went to Injured Reserve twice during the season, missing Weeks 10 through 14, only coming back for two games and then landing on IR the rest of the way. Andreessen was the star of the summer, not only earning a roster spot as an undrafted rookie, but jumping ahead of both a veteran player (Nicholas Morrow) and a rookie draft pick (Edefuan Ulofoshio). With a full offseason to work, Andreessen, who showed some potential at middle linebacker last preseason, could be primed to steal that backup role from Spector. Andreessen was one of the standouts of the spring practices, too, which will help his chances to earn more reps at the beginning of training camp. And Spector is also in the final year of his rookie deal, so it may be in the Bills' best interest for Andreessen to win that job as he's under their roster control through 2027. If Spector loses that job, there is a chance it could cost him a roster spot, but that may be too big of a leap at this point. Advertisement Edefuan Ulofoshio The team used a fifth-round draft pick on Ulofoshio in 2024 in the hopes he could have some immediate special teams dividends along with being a dependable depth piece before long, but neither was the case in 2024. Even with his status as a draft pick, Ulofoshio was outplayed by Andreessen throughout training camp and the preseason, which led to the Bills making Andreessen active nearly every week beginning in Week 3. On the other hand, Ulofoshio was a healthy scratch in 13 of the team's first 14 games, and was only active on game day down the stretch due to injuries to Milano in Week 16 and Spector the rest of the season and playoffs. The Bills did keep six linebackers for much of the season in 2024, so that works slightly in Ulofoshio's favor. However, with significant offseason additions at defensive end, defensive tackle and cornerback, the Bills may need to find a spot somewhere to keep everyone they acquired this offseason. That someone could be Ulofoshio, as he might be an easier player to get to the practice squad due to his position, and with the team having felt comfortable keeping only five linebackers on the 53-man roster in previous seasons. Unlike a few positions, if a backup linebacker makes the 53-man roster, they are expected to play most, if not all, of the core four special teams units. There are even some occasions where starters will play, though that likely won't be the case in 2025 for the Bills, with Bernard and Milano as the clear-cut starters. Williams, Spector and Andreessen are all expected to make the team, and all three have been every-unit players in the past. When Ulofoshio was active, he was also a core-four special teams piece. Thompson will need to prove the most in this area to stick, as well. Regardless of whether they keep five or six, those backup players will be some of the most important to special teams coordinator Chris Tabor's plans in 2025. Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Dorian Williams, Baylon Spector and Joe Andreessen The top five seem pretty safe as of now, but it all comes down to whether the Bills keep five or six linebackers this year. They simply can't keep everyone, even with the team having two extra roster spots to begin the 2025 season due to the suspensions of Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi. At this point, keeping Ulofoshio would be a luxury after he didn't do enough last year to warrant being active every week. He can certainly play his way onto the team during the summer, but if the Bills need a spot for some additional roster flexibility, as of now, Ulofoshio is likely the best candidate to be left off. Ulofoshio would be a priority practice squad addition if they cut him and he clears waivers. Then it comes down to Thompson and how he looks coming off a serious injury, and he would be battling Spector and Ulofoshio for the fifth and sixth linebacker spots. They might view Thompson as a key veteran member of the practice squad this year. (Top photo of Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard: Tina MacIntyre-Yee / USA Today)
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffalo Bills' biggest offseason signing criticized in ESPN team grades
Josh Palmer hasn't played a game for the Buffalo Bills yet, but he's already received a cold reception from ESPN. The Bills earned a B-plus in ESPN sports analytics writer Seth Walder's offseason report card, which graded all 32 NFL teams, a mark that places Buffalo in the league's top third. But the biggest knock was wide receiver. Advertisement ESPN praised the team for locking up its core, including quarterback Josh Allen and wideout Khalil Shakir, but questioned Buffalo's biggest free-agent signing and labeled the receiver group a lingering weakness. The signing of Palmer to a three-year, $29 million deal was Walder's least favorite move. He called the former Charger 'an uninspiring choice,' citing Palmer's 1.6 yards per route run last season despite playing with Justin Herbert. Palmer, 25, had 39 receptions for 584 yards and one touchdown in 15 games last season. He's expected to compete for a starting role alongside Shakir and second-year receiver Keon Coleman. Jun 11, 2025; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) makes a catch during Minicamp at Highmark Stadium. General manager Brandon Beane pushed back earlier this offseason against criticism for not drafting a receiver until the seventh round. But Walder argued the concern is valid. Advertisement 'The reality is that wide receiver is a weakness, but the Bills are also basically capped out − they have almost no room in 2025 and are well over the 2026 cap − so it was going to be tough to bring aboard a better veteran,' Walder wrote. 'Given the Bills' status as a Super Bowl contender, I don't think it was wrong to critique their decision to not select a wide receiver in the first three rounds of the draft. That means Keon Coleman, the No. 33 pick in 2024, will have to take a big step in Year 2.' Walder praised Buffalo's internal investments, including extensions for Allen, Shakir, Greg Rousseau, Christian Benford, and Terrel Bernard. The Shakir deal, in particular, worth $13.25 million per year, was labeled a bargain, especially compared to deals for Dyami Brown (Jaguars) and Tutu Atwell (Rams), who are each making $10 million per year. Josh Palmer, shown here with the Los Angeles Chargers, is the Buffalo Bills' biggest offseason signing but drew criticism in ESPN's 2025 team report card. Shakir had more receptions and touchdowns than Brown and Atwell combined in 2024, and could now be one of the most important players in Buffalo's offense, whether or not Palmer proves ESPN wrong. Advertisement The Bills also added veterans along the defensive line, including Joey Bosa and suspended tackles Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi, though each of those additions carries questions about health or availability. First-round pick Maxwell Hairston was also referenced in ESPN's write-up, with Walder noting the ongoing civil lawsuit related to a 2021 sexual assault allegation. GM Brandon Beane has said the team "fully investigated" the matter before drafting Hairston. Buffalo Bills wide receivers LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: Khalil Shakir #10 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball in the Fourth Quarter during the NFL Match between Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 08, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by) Thirteen of the 90 players on the Bills' roster are wide receivers: Khalil Shakir Keon Coleman Joshua Palmer Elijah Moore Curtis Samuel Laviska Shenault Jr. Kaden Prather Jalen Virgil KJ Hamler Tyrell Shavers Kristian Wilkerson Kelly Akharaiyi Stephen Gosnell This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: ESPN offseason grades: Bills' top signing criticized, WRs a weakness
