DE Kony Ealy
One of Walker’s teammates on what was a stacked Houston roster, Kony Ealy has a connection to the Bills’ current regime.
Ealy played for the Carolina Panthers from 2014-2016, famously notching three sacks and one interception in a Super Bowl 50 loss.
In Carolina, Ealy played under current Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott, who served as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator from 2011-2016. He found success in McDermott’s defense, recording 14 sacks throughout his three years under the coach’s tutelage.
Ealy found himself out of the NFL after short stints with the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders, with the once-promising defensive end attributing his decline in play to a “nervous breakdown” he suffered after the deaths of his father and sister.
Ealy ultimately overcame this adversity, returning to the game of football with the XFL earlier this year. He was impactful throughout the league’s shortened-inaugural season, tallying nine tackles, five quarterback hits, and 0.5 sacks.
Now free to make a return to the NFL, don’t be surprised if the Bills have some interest in Ealy. Buffalo’s front office, led by former Carolina assistant general manager Brandon Beane, loves to bring in former Panthers when possible, already signing three former Carolina players this offseason.
Ealy would also bring competition to a defensive end group that is in need of a consistently disruptive pass-rusher. Though Ealy hasn’t taken a snap in the NFL since 2018, he once showed signs of being just that.
Ealy’s professional development was suddenly halted in 2017. Perhaps a reunion with his former defensive coordinator would allow him to realize his potential.
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