ESPN Thinks Bills Should Extend Overlooked DE This Summer

Greg Rousseau was widely considered a “boom or bust” prospect throughout the 2021 pre-draft process, a ball of clay with a pile of potential and a multitude of question marks. The defensive end’s promising profile was evident to anyone attending a Miami Hurricanes game: the 6-foot-7, 265-pound lineman physically stood head and shoulders above his peers, and If that wasn’t enough to grab your attention, his 15.5 sacks during the 2019 season would have quickly done so.

But that was really the only entry on his resume; The pass-rusher opted out of the COVID-affected 2020 collegiate season, giving prognosticators a year to go through his tape and identify him as a high-level, but raw defender who might not translate perfectly to the pro level . The Buffalo Bills opted to go after him in the 2021 NFL Draft, halting his slide by selecting him with the 30th pick in the first round.

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And while Rousseau hasn’t been an unabashed game-breaker in Buffalo, he definitely falls more into the “boom” portion of his pre-draft descriptor. He was a three-year starter in Western New York, showing occasional flashes as a passer to the tune of 17 career sacks. What has perhaps been the defender’s most pleasantly surprising attribute is his ability to hold up against the run; The athlete played numerous positions in high school and didn’t focus solely on the defensive end role until college, making his form and toughness against the run from day one an unforeseen bonus . He made 94 running stops in his three professional seasons, according to PFF, consistently finishing among the team leaders in the statistics.

Rousseau has two seasons remaining on his rookie deal: the fourth year included in his base contract and the $13.4 million fifth-year option the Bills recently acquired. That said, given his age (24), ascendant nature and recent passing production (he had 62 total quarterback pressures last season, according to PFF), extending him seems like a question of ifnot When for Buffalo. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz has a feeling an extension could happen as soon as this summer; In a recent article identifying one final move every NFL team should make before training camp, the author suggested the Bills sign Rousseau to a long-term extension.

“The Bills roster doesn’t have many obvious holes, so it’s time to lock some players into their prime,” Schatz wrote. “Rousseau is an important part of the Bills pass rush, with five sacks and 34 pressures last season. He is excellent against the run, ranking ninth among edge rushers in average yards per rushing tackle.

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Buffalo currently has just over $10 million in available cap space, most of which was recently freed up thanks to the post-June 1 designation assigned to the mid-March release of Tre’Davious White . The Bills didn’t spend a lot of money in the 2024 offseason as the team focused more on rejuvenating and unlocking long-term financial flexibility rather than going all-in with the same core for another campaign.

That said, if we ever had the time to spend money, a Rousseau extension might be the move to make. He’s already the team’s best defensive lineman and will only get better as he matures physically and mentally. Signing him now and firmly integrating him into the team’s long-term financial plan may ultimately fall to the Bills.

An extension of Rousseau seems inevitable. As Schatz suggests, perhaps it will happen sooner rather than later.