It was no secret that the Buffalo Bills needed to beef up their defense in the NFL Draft, and after trading back, the franchise did exactly that.
In the second round, Buffalo selected Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker to bolster the defensive line for Jim Leonhard.
While the Bills’ offense takes all the limelight, the defense still has a job to do, and last season, it was found wanting. Now, with Parker in the mix, the hope is that the Bills can start to generate a serious pass rush.
And for CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan, if Parker can replicate his early college form in the NFL, they are going to have a serious player.
“Despite ultimately not picking in the opening round, they did get a first-round talent in Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker,” Sullivan writes. “Buffalo desperately needs a stronger presence attacking the quarterback as they look to get over the hump in the AFC, and fans will look to Parker as the possible answer to that need.
“If the Bills can get Parker to look more like how he played during his sophomore season, where he had 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, they’ll be thrilled.”
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Bills banking on Parker resurgence
In his first two college seasons, Parker was an absolute nightmare. In 2023, he posted 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks before exploding in 2024.
Parker managed 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.0 sacks in just 14 games, while also having six forced fumbles. Last season, though, he regressed, only posting 9.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks.
But the production from 2023 and 2024 is eye-opening, and that is what the Bills hope they can get out of Parker during his NFL career.
Slipping to the second round, there’s every chance that the Bills might have gotten a big slice of luck, as Parker could be “the” guy for Jim Leonard’s defense.
