Words were not minced in the NFL Wire’s latest mock for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Are the Bills good? Yes. But what did they lack last year? Pass rush.
Touchdown Wire‘s Doug Farrar laid that point out very clearly in this mock. And because of that, Miami prospect Greg Rousseau is the pick for the Bills.
Here’s Farrar’s breakdown:
The defending AFC East champs have as loaded a roster as you’ll find anywhere in the NFL, but there is one obvious need — quarterback pressure. Last season, Buffalo’s sack lead was shared by linebacker A.J. Klein and end Mario Addison with five each, and veteran Jerry Hughes came in second with 4.5. The hope is that 2020 second-round pick A.J. Epenesa is ready to hit the proverbial next level, but it’s also possible that the Bills could be true Super Bowl contenders with more of a push in this direction. Rousseau had just one season as a starter for the Hurricanes — he opted out in 2020 — but his effect on the defense in 2019 was clear. He racked up 15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, 46 total pressures, and 40 stops. With his freakish athleticism and ability to win from multiple gaps, Rousseau projects well as a rotational disruptor who can become truly special over time.
Hard to not love reading a sentence with the Bills and Super Bowl in it. In an effort to add to the reasoning for Rousseau to Buffalo, we can do a bit of reading between the lines.
We’ve know for awhile that the Bills would have Addison, Hughes and Epenesa back in 2021. Despite that, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane was still linked with pursuing the likes of JJ Watt and Jarren Reed this offseason, two of the top pass rushers on the free-agent market.
He didn’t land either… so where there’s smoke, we could have some fire. Rousseau is a roll of the dice based on his experience, but some pass rushing prospect out there might be the Bills’ target at the upcoming draft because of Beane’s approach this offseason.
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