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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
LAS VEGAS — Von Miller He leaned forward, poised to rush a quarterback. The defensive end stood next to him Greg RousseauThe Buffalo Bills‘ 2021 first-round pick, watching the future Hall of Fame linebacker’s movements, where Miller placed his feet and hands and listening to his new teammate explain his moves off the line.
Miller demonstrated his skills on a high-school turf field in the morning sun of Las Vegas during his sixth pass rush summit. Miller (15.5 sacks) was one of the top NFL sack leaders. Chandler Jones (107.5), Cameron Jordan (107) Justin Houston (102) — shared their tips and tricks with other defenders about how they have been successful.
Rousseau was among 21 players that included Bills pass-rushers, along with his teammate. Boogie Basham (Round 2, 2021). AJ Epenesa (Round 2, 2020). They accepted Miller’s invitation to learn from top performers ahead of a season full of high expectations.
“I’m an open book and I’m going to force some of my chapters on them,” Miller said of the Bills’ young pass-rushers. “I’m going force some of my knowledge on them. It’s little things.”
Miller & Co. spent the day coaching their peers on how to handle various situations and offering details on how to approach the line of scrimmage before the snap. As Rousseau Basham, Epenesa and Basham sat down at a table taking notes, several veterans discussed cut-ups from their film.
“To have an opportunity to physically come out here and physically see it, get hands-on attention, I find to me, that was a big jump,” Basham told ESPN. “Definitely for me to take my game to the next level, but also learn from other guys around the league, too.”
After consecutive playoff losses, the Bills are determined to get after opposing quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes The Kansas City ChiefsThey also invested large in Miller this offseason, with a $120 million six-year deal. But Miller won’t be able to do it all on his own and his impact on his teammates off the field could potentially be almost as important as his presence on it.
“Getting to know these guys, these guys getting to know me, on and off the football field, Vegas is the perfect place for that, we can hang out, chill,” Miller said. “… “…
“I come here, I train, break my neck to support these guys and you are building their brotherhood now.” When the season begins, it’s fourth-and long and we need a play to get us through it, everyone trusts each other.”
After spending high picks, the Bills need Rousseau and Basham more. The Bills ended the 2021 regular season with 42 total sacks. They were tied for sixth in pass rush win rates (45.6%), but they lacked a dominant pass-rusher who opponents could be aware of at all time. Rousseau led the group with four of the eight sacks.
“This is going to be a big offseason for those guys,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “They’re in a position where they have to, we need them to really, really grow and develop and make a mark on our defense — and not just in a supporting role, but in a primary role.”
Buffalo also added to its defensive line with the return of another player this offseason. Shaq Lawson Defensive tackle Jordan PhillipsSign tackles, DaQuan Jones Tim Settle. They chose not to resign veterans Jerry Hughes Mario AddisonLast season, he was the Bills’ most prominent defensive end.
The Bills also took up the fifth year option for defensive tackle Ed Oliver (four sacks 2021) May: This link the 2019 first-round selection to the team for the minimum of the next two seasons.
What do the Bills want from their young pass-rushers
“Probably the consistency piece, where you kind of know what you’re going to get every day, that’s important,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. “They’re past that point when they were rookies, and it was kind of up and down, lulls here, break out here.”
Miller was able to learn from many coaches and players at the summit, but he also helped his teammates in offseason practices. Going into his third year, Epenesa noted how he told Miller during the team’s OTAs that he was working on his rush angle. Miller took the time to note reps that Epenesa found a good angle during practice.
Epenesa told the Bills that he had modeled his game on Miller when he was interviewing for the Bills in advance of the 2020 draft.
“People are gonna see him, and they’re gonna wanna protect against him because of his reputation, and that kind of opens the door for other people,” Epenesa said. “If they’re gonna focus on him, we have to be able to execute ourselves and make plays whenever it’s needed as well.”
Miller praised the efforts of a former teammate during the 40-plus minute break down of his film at summit. Aaron Donald Miller’s four sacks, and 18 pressures were just a few of the highlights that Miller and his Rams teammates had for him during their playoff run to win Super Bowl LVI. The Bills expect him to do the same with his new colleagues.
“[Miller] He has taken the young men under his wing. He stated that he would. Actions speak louder than words,” general manager Brandon Beane said. “I was really appreciative that he wanted to invite these young guys out to his camp. It was a great experience. After practice, I spoke to two of them and they talked about the amazing amount of notes they had taken and how it felt. They’re excited to come back to practice and use what they learned.”