The Buffalo Bills surprised a few people when they didn’t address their defensive line during the 2023 NFL Draft. But, after not selecting a player at the position, the team has gotten to work on the free agent market bringing in a few veterans.
First, it was Poona Ford, a defensive tackle who agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal in May. Just over half of that deal, $1.15 million of it, is guaranteed. Trade rumors will end around defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who signed a four-year, $68 million deal with $45 million guaranteed, this past weekend.
With the interior of the defensive line now set, the Bills are addressing things on the edge. Their pass rush is receiving a major boost as the team agreed to a one-year deal with veteran EDGE defender, Leonard Floyd.
Floyd was released earlier this offseason by the Los Angeles Rams, who are undergoing a roster facelift. He is one of the multiple veterans the team either released or did not re-sign in free agency, which Buffalo is certainly happy about.
The Bills are adding a bonafide pass rusher to their already stout defense. He will help compensate for the loss of his former Rams teammate, Von Miller. Miller suffered a knee injury on Thanksgiving that has put his availability for early in the 2023 season in jeopardy. Miller isn’t the only former teammate that Floyd will be reuniting with. Safety Nick Rapp and offensive guard David Edwards are both in Orchard Park this season.
Buffalo can now rest a little easier knowing they have a capable veteran replacement in case it takes Miller a little longer to get back on the field. The pass rush is something that the Bills have invested heavily in recent years. In addition to signing Miller, they used first or second-round picks on pass rushers in 2020 and 2021.
Floyd is joining the team after registering at least 9.0 sacks in three straight seasons with the Rams. He finally began to realize the potential that the Chicago Bears saw in him when they selected him No. 9 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Georgia.
After recording only 18.5 sacks and 44 quarterback hits in four seasons with the Bears, Floyd totaled 29 sacks and 59 quarterback hits in three with the Rams. Los Angeles had some star-studded lineups during Floyd’s time there and the same can be said about the unit the Bills will be trotting out there.
