In pairing one pending free-agent-to-be with every NFL franchise, Pro Football Focus plucked a familiar name for Bills fans.
The outlet suggests Buffalo sign pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue from thhe Jaguars to help its pass rush and potentially fill a void left by Shaq Lawson, who appears headed for free agency after a breakout 2019 season.
Here is what PFF had to say:
With Shaq Lawson set to hit free agency and Lorenzo Alexander retiring, Buffalo has nearly half of its total edge pressures to replace this offseason. Luckily, the Bills have the third most cap space to play with and can bring in marquee guys. Edge defender Yannick Ngakoue makes too much sense for Buffalo — he can slide right into Lawson’s 6/7-tech role and make an immediate impact. Ngakoue has produced PFF pass-rush grades that were among the 20 best edge defenders in each of the past three seasons, and his 196 pressures in that same period are the 10th most. His tackling and run-defense have been subpar, but his pass-rushing is what matters most — and he gets pressure on the quarterback consistently.
At 24, Ngakoue is a coveted talent to hit the open market. The fit on paper makes too much sense for the Bills not to at least entertain the idea.
Along with Lawson, Jerry Hughes, 31, is aging a bit and the Bills could stand to get younger at the position. In addition, Trent Murphy, who’s mostly been ineffective as a pass rusher since signing with the Bills, could be a causality for Buffalo this offseason. Ngakoue is a name to monitor for the Bills once free agency opens in March.
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