The Buffalo Bills were seen as contenders to land New York Giants star Dexter Lawrence, but will instead see the Pro Bowl defensive tackle head to a potential AFC rival.
Lawrence had requested a trade from the Giants amid a contract impasse, and his wish was granted on Saturday when he was shipped to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a first-round draft pick. The Bills lose out on a chance to upgrade their pass rush, while the Bengals address one of their biggest areas of need.
Bills Lose Out on Dexter Lawrence
As ESPN’s Ben Baby noted, the Giants shipped Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in next week’s NFL draft. He added that it is an unusually big move for the Bengals, who suffered from a porous defense that negated a strong offense behind quarterback Joe Burrow.
“The move is a rare one for Cincinnati,” Baby reported. “According to ESPN Research, this is the first time the Bengals have traded a top-10 pick for a player in the common draft era (since 1966). The trade helps the Bengals solidify an offseason strategy built around strengthening the line of scrimmage. In free agency, Cincinnati signed former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million deal and added former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jonathan Allen on a two-year, $25 million deal.”
The trade could help the Bengals vault back into contention, giving the Bills another roadblock in their quest to reach the Super Bowl.
Bills Made Changes to Defensive Line
The Bills have overhauled their defensive line this offseason, making several changes after firing head coach Sean McDermott and installing Jim Leonhard as the new defensive coordinator under Joe Brady. The team parted ways with A.J. Epenesa and Joey Bosa in free agency, adding veteran Bradley Chubb to the mix.
They could have another big addition coming next week. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski predicted the Bills would take Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas with their first-round pick. NFL.com expert Lance Zierlein predicted he could grow into a strong starter in the NFL, praising his versatility in the pass-rushing game.
“Jacas is well-built with tremendous play strength and the ability to play as a hand-down end or a stand-up edge,” Zierlein wrote. “Heâs more rugged than explosive and twitchy. He can hold his ground against power but needs to do a better job of playing with discipline to set and contain his edge. Jacasâ pass-rush plan lacks creativity but features a good deal of force and leg drive to bully his way into the pocket once he opens the tackleâs edge. His play is more steak than sizzle with average sack production expected, but his field demeanor and play strength foreshadow a long career as an NFL starter.”
Many other mock drafts predicted the Bills will take edge rushers, though there is no consensus on who they might select.
Leonhard promised that the Bills will take a more aggressive approach in pressuring opposing quarterbacks, a shift from McDermott’s style that included fewer blitzes and more reliance on the defensive front to generate pressure.
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