Buffalo Bills boost defensive line through free agency
By James Reeve
The Buffalo Bills have made two significant additions to their defensive line, signing free agents Star Lotulelei and Trent Murphy.
The Buffalo Bills squeaked into the playoffs last season despite having one of the poorest defences in the NFL, ranking 29th in rushing yards allowed and 26th in total offensive yards allowed.
As per BuffaloBills.com, general manager Brandon Beane has made early moves to address this issue, with Star Lotulelei the biggest free agent signing for the team so far this offseason.
Lotulelei has spent his entire career up to this point with the Carolina Panthers, who selected the Tonga-born defensive tackle 14th overall in the 2013 draft.
The 6-foot-2, 315 lbs run-stuffer does not have great statistics. He has averaging around 25 combined tackles a season since 2014, and isn’t likely to reach opposing quarterbacks often, with just 11.5 sacks in his career.
But the 28-year-old he is a big body who can wrap up two offensive linemen on every down, closing gaps along the line of scrimmage and preventing opposing running backs from having space to run.
The Bills are fairly thin at the tackle position, although 12-year veteran Kyle Williams signed a one-year deal to remain with the team.
The #Bills are re-signing long-tenured DT Kyle Williams on a 1-year deal, source said. A key part of the D is back.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2018
Williams was joined by Adolphus Washington and Rickey Hatley as the only other options in the middle of the defensive line before Lotulelei’s signing.
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Adding Lotulelei to the middle of the defensive line will give the Bills a veteran player capable of starting every game and making room for the team’s linebackers to make plays.
The Bills didn’t stop re-tooling with Lotulelei, signing edge rusher Trent Murphy to a three-year, $21 million deal that could rise to $30 million depending on performances.
The former Washington Redskins second-round pick in 2014 will be hoping to make an impact after spending last season on the injured reserve list with a torn ACL.
Recovering from an ACL is no easy feat and if Murphy is able to replicate some of the form he had in 2016, when he registered nine sacks and 47 combined tackles, he will be a solid backup for the team.
Shaq Lawson and Jerry Hughes are the Bills’ current starters on the edge, but Murphy should see plenty of playing time with Lawson yet to play a full 16-game season in Orchard Park.
While it is still early days in the offseason, the Bills have shown an eagerness to build on the team’s success from last season and aim to make the playoffs once again in 2018.
Next: Breaking down the Cordy Glenn trade
Bills fans; what do you think of the defensive signings made by the team? Are you happy with them? Who would you like the team to target in free agency? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.