A.J. Epenesa is determined to be the impactful pass rusher the Bills need in 2025
Though A.J. Epenesa has earned the confidence and trust of the coaching staff through reliable, consistent snaps, he can help the Buffalo Bills' defense reach another level in 2025 if he can be a three-down pass rusher who can consistently get to the quarterback.
Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa pressures Lions quarterback Jared Goff during a game at Ford Field last season. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Nearly 40 high school and little league football players with a shared goal to become NFL pass rushers gathered on the indoor field at Brighton High School in Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa has 19 sacks over the past three seasons. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
Anton Palepoi, a renowned trainer who played five NFL seasons as a defensive end, organized the workouts through his company, Pro Tech Trenches. The sessions are structured to teach young pass rushers the habits and technique that coaches covet on the defensive line.
One of his pupils stood out and above the rest: Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa. Some of Palepoi’s NFL clients prefer one-on-one private sessions, but Epenesa wanted to train with everyone else, no matter their age, and he showed up at every workout for two weeks.
“That was awesome to see, and speaks to his character, because a lot of NFL guys want to work without them there,” Palepoi told The Buffalo News during a recent phone interview. “I get it and understand why, but it really impressed me.”
The story wouldn’t surprise anyone who knows Epenesa. He is a low-maintenance, tireless worker. Those intangibles, paired with athleticism and a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame, made him the Bills’ selection in the second round of the 2020 draft. He didn’t become a full-time starter until last season, though, and coach Sean McDermott’s defense needs more from Epenesa in Year 6.
Joey Bosa, the oft-injured veteran pass rusher whom they gave $12.6 million, strained a calf muscle recently and may not be back until training camp in late July. Even if Bosa is healthy for Week 1, he’ll likely be on a snap count to keep him fresh and healthy. Landon Jackson, their third-round pick last month, projects as a rotational rusher as a rookie.
Epenesa understands what is at stake. He is entering the final season of a two-year, $12 million contract. General manager Brandon Beane reshaped the defensive line following the Bills’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. And, though the depth chart won’t be determined in voluntary OTA workouts, Epenesa is treating every day as an opportunity to show everyone that he can accomplish more.
“Every year, I love all our young guys and everyone who comes into the team, but the reality of it is people are coming in to try and go for your job,” he told The Buffalo News after practice Tuesday. “That’s just the way of the business. That’s how it is. How resilient can you be? How can you adapt? And how can you keep proving yourself and keep showing everyone? That’s how I feel. How do I keep showing them that I care about this, I love this, and my foot is still on the gas?”
Epenesa, like the rest of the 2020 draft class, entered the NFL under unusual circumstances.
There were protocols for Covid-19 and no fans in stadiums, disrupting the usual routines that prepare and develop young players into consistent difference-makers. He also needed to reshape his body by adding mass and, eventually, trimming down to become more explosive. His long arms are a characteristic that made him one of the top pass rushers in his draft, but he had to learn how to maintain a proper pad level. Winning against college linemen is easier than NFL bookends.
Epenesa appeared in 58 regular-season games and started four times across his first four years in the NFL. He learned which pass-rushing moves worked best and how to counterattack against offensive tackles. Gradually, he began to understand opponents’ tendencies. A deeper knowledge of the game allowed Epenesa to make quick reads and pursue, particularly when trying to stop the run.
In 2023, Epenesa logged 387 snaps with 13.5 pressures, three knockdowns, 6.5 sacks and, per charting by The News, 23 disruptions. Last season, he had a career-high 612 snaps with five pressures, 5.5 knockdowns, six sacks and 16.5 disruptions. To become more than a first- and second-down rusher, Epenesa must show McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich that he can get to the quarterback and finish.
Epenesa has at least six sacks and seven tackles for a loss over the past three seasons, but his goal is to be a catalyst for a defense that was tied for 18th in sacks.
“Hitting the six-sack mark the past three years has been that consistency, and that’s been good, but this year I’m trying to go for it all,” he added. “I’m trying to hit double-digit sacks and be as consistent or even better against the run because that’s as hard to stop, that’s as important to stop, as the pass. You’ve got to be able to put them into passing down situations to get sacks in the first place.”
Epenesa doesn’t take much time off after each season. His diet and workout regimen are structured to help him gain muscle. He goes through a “bulk phase” with heavy weightlifting, but he also uses yoga and Pilates to maintain and improve flexibility. A rangy pass rusher needs an explosive first step when the ball is snapped, and must be able to get into a lunge position to bend properly. Otherwise, their pad level will be too high and they’ll lose leverage.
Impactful pass rushers also recognize their weaknesses. His self-assessment matched with Palepoi’s when the two began working together five years ago. Epenesa needed to improve his hand placement and stabs, challenges that are typical for a long-armed pass rusher.
The past five years have revealed to Epenesa how to reshape his body each offseason to prepare for training camp. He has developed an identity as a defensive end and a vision for how he can impact the game. Though Epenesa has earned the confidence and trust of the coaching staff through reliable, consistent snaps in his role, he can help the Bills' defense reach another level in 2025 if he can be a three-down pass rusher who can consistently get to the quarterback.
“I’m excited for him and expect big things out of him this season,” Palepoi said. “There’s a lot of stats that are not charted where you’re putting the pressure on, the quarterback scrambles and another guy gets the sack. I saw a lot of that on his tape, but he’s a team-first guy. You could see how happy he is every time his teammates get a TFL or a sack. He’s as excited as if he made the play.”
