DT Cavon Walker
The Bills have already seen some turnover at defensive tackle this offseason, replacing the departed Jordan Phillips with Vernon Butler and Quinton Jefferson, whom the team has listed as both a DT and DE.
With Butler and Jefferson joining Ed Oliver, Harrison Phillips, Star Lotulelei, and Vincent Taylor on the team’s depth chart, it’s fair to say that Buffalo’s defensive tackle room is a bit crowded.
With that being said, the group lacks pass-rushing ability. Outside of Oliver and Jefferson, who will presumably serve as a rotational three-tech, the team does not have a proven pass-rusher at defensive tackle. Though Butler tallied six sacks in Carolina last season, he did so in a 3-4 defense. He’s never bested 1.5 sacks in a season in a 4-3 defensive scheme.
Phillips has not shown consistent pass-rushing ability throughout his young career, while Lotulelei and Taylor are run-stuffers and block-eaters.
Bringing in a potential three-tech who could compete for a roster spot would not be a bad idea given the Bills’ current situation at defensive tackle.
Enter Cavon Walker.
The XFL’s most disruptive pass rusher throughout its debut campaign, Walker tallied 4.5 sacks in five games. He complemented this with 19 combined tackles and nine quarterback hits.
Though his XFL success came against sub-par offensive linemen, he still showed a consistent ability to get after the quarterback, something that could effectively translate to the NFL.
At just 25-years-of-age, Walker would be an interesting developmental piece for Buffalo. He would be far from a lock to make the team’s 53-man roster, but a strong training camp and preseason could earn him a spot on a Bills’ defensive line that features heavy rotation.
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