Particularly along the defensive line, the Buffalo Bills are about to make a defensive exodus. After a successful career, edge rushers Leonard Floyd and A.J. Epenesa are expected to become free agents and seek larger contracts. Buffalo’s internal pressure, which is led by the departure of veteran DaQuan Jones, will undoubtedly suffer as well. Eight of the 13 defensive linemen (defensive tackles and edge rushers) on the squad have free agency left. Because of this, even if the corpses are off the clearance rack, the Bills are probably going to bring in some.
Romeo Okwara of the Detroit Lions, an edge rusher, might be one target. Despite only having played in two seasons as a starter (2018 and 2020), Okwara rewarded Detroit both times by totaling 17.5 sacks. He has produced 25 sacks overall in 92 career games. Although he had some significant difficulties throughout the playoffs, it’s important to remember that he just finished one of his best regular seasons ever. He had the 61st-best pass-rush win rate (11.2 percent) among 118 edge rushers with 140 pass-rush snaps, which was higher than Floyd and Epenesa. Pro Football Focus ranks his pass-rush grade as the 42nd best. Okwara isn’t a part-time player either because he can’t see the field during some downs. He is sufficient against the run, and even though passing downs may see him used more often, this doesn’t take away from his effectiveness.
This is not to suggest that Okwara should take Floyd’s place. The veteran is considered a rotational player and should be compensated accordingly. According to PFF’s contract forecast, he will sign a one-year contract for $2.75 million, which is a fair price—especially considering Buffalo’s unique financial position. Okwara’s snap share of 388, similar to what Epenesa saw, strikes a good balance between the full-time duties he has experienced in the past and the part he played brilliantly en route to an NFC championship game (249 snaps). If Okwara is bitten by the injury bug once more, she can play a bigger part. If not, he’s a more than capable role player on an above-average contract.
Buffalo may be able to retain some of its defensive talent thanks to the NFL’s increasing pay ceiling, but Okwara is a respectable substitute, particularly in light of the overproduction that several Bills saw in comparison to their win rates.
