Despite having a severe salary cap crunch the previous offseason, the Buffalo Bills were still able to locate edge rusher Leonard Floyd at a reasonable price.
Now that Floyd is anticipated to walk in free agency following a career-high 10.5 sacks, and the Bills are probably out of the running for his next contract, it might be time to add another cheap acquisition to strengthen their pass rush.
According to SI.com’s Anthony Licciardi, the Bills may try to sign Detroit Lions edge rusher Romeo Okwara, who is likely to command a salary that fits Buffalo’s financial limitations despite having just finished one of his best seasons.
Romeo Okwara’s Standout Season in Detroit
Although Okwara has only started in two NFL seasons (2018 and 2020), as Licciardi pointed out, he still managed to accumulate 17.5 total sacks in both seasons. The SI.com writer noted that Okwara is coming off one of his best seasons ever, despite a downturn in the postseason.
Licciardi added, “It’s important to remember that he had some significant difficulties during the playoffs, but he just finished one of his best regular seasons to date.” “He recorded the 61st-best pass-rush win rate (11.2 percent) among the 118 edge rushers with 140 pass-rush snaps, surpassing both Floyd and Epenesa in that regard. Pro Football Focus ranks his pass-rush grade as the 42nd best.
With interior lineman DaQuan Jones and edge rushers Leonard Floyd and A.J. Epenesa likely to hit free agency, the Bills defence is expected to undergo a huge turnover.
Licciardi pointed out that Owkara, a Lions lineman who is weaker against the run and only used the field on passing downs, may partially fill the vacuum left by Floyd’s anticipated departure. Licciardi continued, “PFF projects Okwara to sign a one-year, $2.75 million contract, which would be within the Bills’ budget.”
End of the Line for Leonard Floyd
Floyd is expected by Sportrac to sign a two-year, $16.2-million free agent contract; this would exclude a return to the cap-strapped Bills. The Bills now have a sizable hole to cover on the edge.
Floyd has stated that he wants to sign a big deal and join a contender, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic.
The acquisition of Floyd produced a weekly starter and the team’s top sack taker this season with 10.5. Floyd, who is 31 years old, was one of the defense’s key players from the start and was teamed with Greg Rousseau as the team’s best two pass rushers. Written by Buscaglia.
However, Floyd did slow down towards the conclusion of the season; in his final seven games, he had just one sack. In any case, Floyd’s length and pass-rushing knowledge make him a potentially significant factor. He declared his intention to play for a Super Bowl contender and that he would follow the money.
The Bills may try to give veteran Von Miller a larger role even though they anticipate using free agency and the NFL Draft to partially replace the vacancy. After recovering from an ACL tear, the All-Pro edge rusher had a difficult start to the 2023 campaign but improved in the latter stages of both the regular season and the postseason.
