How Will New Faces on Buffalo’s Defense Help the Team in Week Eight?
The Buffalo Bills' defense has severely underperformed expectations so far this season. Just two years ago, Sean McDermott’s defense allowed the fourth-fewest points in the NFL, a far cry from the team that sits 17th in points allowed through seven weeks. This fall off is contributed to by a wide variety of factors, ranging from age, talent, and the health of the personnel on defense. 30-year-old Tre’Davious White, 31-year-old Shaq Thompson, and 33-year-old DaQuan Jones have all played a significant number of snaps on defense, while players like Matt Milano, Dorian Strong, and Ed Oliver have all missed time with injuries. Thankfully for the defense, they’ll be getting some players back to bolster the unit.
First-Round Pick Getting Ready to Play
The Bills drafted cornerback Maxwell Hairston with the 30th-overall pick in April’s draft. He was projected to be the starter on the opposite side of Christian Benford to start the season. However, on July 29th, Hairston suffered what appeared to be a major knee injury in practice that could sideline him for the whole season. Luckily for the former Kentucky Wildcat, it was revealed that he suffered a right LCL sprain and would be able to return during the season. Fast forward nearly three months, and Hairston has been activated off injured reserve and is questionable to play against the Carolina Panthers. If he’s active for the game, expect Hairston to start over White, who has struggled in his first season back with the Bills.
Suspended Defensive Linemen to Play First Game
Two big free agent signings of the offseason were those of defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. The two new Bills embarrassed the team when it was announced that they were both suspended six games for using performance-enhancing drugs two days after signing. With the Bills sitting at 4-2 and exhibiting one of the most mediocre defensive lines in the league, the team will certainly look forward to the arrival of Hoecht and Ogunjobi to the lineup. The Bills are tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the 14th-most sacks per game at 2.5 and have arguably the worst rushing defense in the league by giving up 5.8 yards per carry, 156.3 yards per game on the ground, as well as allowing 1.5 rushing touchdowns per game. As the adage goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” but some help on the defensive line should make it easier for the rest of the defense.
Practice Squad Vets Looking to Make an Impact
Though the aforementioned aging players haven’t been the preferred defenders on the field, these savvy veterans shouldn’t be a huge liability. First off, Jordan Poyer, who was signed to Buffalo’s practice squad in late August, is poised to slot in at safety with Taylor Rapp being placed on injured reserve on Friday. Poyer is no stranger to the Bills, reuniting to play in his eighth season with the team this year after signing with the Dolphins last season. In 2023, Father Time was visibly catching up with the team captain, and he wasn’t as quick, but still was reliable enough to start all 16 games. The other practice squad player getting elevated for the game is Jordan Phillips, who’s played two other games for the Bills this year. It was announced that Jones will miss Week Eight with a calf injury, which paved the way for Phillips to play. With Ogunjobi also playing this game, Phillips should be slated in for a lesser role than he’s used to, but expect him to still be in the rotation among defensive tackles.
