Bills' defense in desperate need of injection of rookie talent

The Buffalo Bills need to see what they have in their rookie defenders as they enter the second half of the 2024 NFL season.

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills already had a substantial lead within the AFC East entering Week 9, and a win over the Miami Dolphins all but drove the nail in the proverbial divisional coffin. Buffalo didn't need the win to remain the front-runner, but since it did create some additional breathing room, now might be the perfect time to start thinking about making some changes on the defensive side of the ball.

Week after week, teams run all over the Bills' defense, averaging a whopping 4.8 yards per carry against the unit. Buffalo ranks 17th in terms of total yardage, allowing 333 yards per game. A major part of the unit's middling performance through nine weeks is the defensive front and their lack of high-level play. Another issue has been the injuries, but the play we've seen from several key players (who have been healthy) suggests that something needs to change. With Buffalo firmly atop the division, this would be a great opportunity for the staff to get some new blood in the lineup and start gaining valuable experience as the team heads toward what it hopes is a deep playoff run.

The Bills' defensive front four has been atrocious. Outside of defensive end Greg Rousseau, none of them have shown any consistency and have been non-existent more than impactful. Making matters worse is the fact that Dawuane Smoot, who was performing well, now requires surgery and will be placed on injured reserve. DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver might as well not even be on the field, which is unfortunate given their pivotal importance to the success of the defense as a whole.

Related: Examining the Bills defensive line’s shortcomings through first half of 2024 season

A.J. Epenesa has flashed but is still quite inconsistent, Casey Toohill’s play has been pedestrian, at best, and Von Miller is no longer an every-down lineman. Broadening the scope a bit and looking at the defensive backfield, Damar Hamlin is an inspiring story, but he’s not the long-term answer at safety, which makes his playing over a player who may be the future at the position all the more frustrating.

This brings us to the crux of the argument: head coach Sean McDermott needs to start allotting more significant playing time to the team’s defensive rookies, in particular DeWayne Carter (when healthy), Javon Solomon, and Cole Bishop. This argument would be moot if Buffalo were getting stellar play from its defensive line or safeties, but it's simply not through the first half of the 2024 campaign, making a shift to younger players with potential upside a more intriguing option. Give these players playing time, allow them to adjust to the professional level now, and be better for it come the postseason and the future.

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

It’s true that Bishop hasn’t looked great in spot duty, but the team views him as a potential foundational piece at the position; getting him on the field now over a player who demonstrably isn’t a long-term starter would allow him to gain much-needed experience that will benefit him in the future. Solomon has recorded four quarterback hits, two sacks, and one forced fumble on 41 defensive snaps; he’s 23 years old, has immense potential, and is demonstrably impactful when given opportunities—why is he being out-snapped by Toohill?

Buffalo's rookies would go through a learning curve and mistakes would happen, but getting those mistakes out now and gaining experience in the regular season would pay massive dividends in the long run. The defense simply isn't playing well enough to scoff at the idea of changes, to the point that high-upside players being buried on the depth chart behind players who aren't long-term pieces simply makes no sense. It may behoove the Bills to find out what they have in those three rather than go to the playoffs with the current lineup, which is inconsistent and uninspiring.

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