Camp observations: Bills' run defense and Greg Rousseau rise up as pads come on
Greg Rousseau and the Buffalo Bills’ run defense were the headliners on the first day of full-pads practice Monday at the team’s training camp.
Greg Rousseau and the Buffalo Bills run defense were the headliners on the first day of full-pads practice Monday at the team’s training camp.
Rousseau was stout in setting the edge, as were the other first-line defensive ends. And Rousseau added a would-be sack of quarterback Josh Allen in 11-on-11 work by beating right tackle Spencer Brown wide.
The Bills had a 9-on-7 run-game period, as is customary when the pads are added, and the first-team defense didn’t give up much.
“I think it was solid for the first day,” defensive tackle Ed Oliver said. “It’s definitely a big margin where we can get better. There’s always room to grow.”
The Bills ranked 15th in the NFL last year in rushing yards allowed, but were 28th in yards-per-carry allowed. They yielded 4.6 yards per attempt in the regular season, then allowed 5.3 a carry in two playoff games.
Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones was looking stout Monday on the first day of full-pads practice at St. John Fisher University. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Rookie cornerback Daequan Hardy held his ground wide to help stop the first run by James Cook in 9-on-7 work. Then defensive tackle DaQuan Jones clogged up a run. The third play was a good gainer off the left side of the line by Cook. But then Dorian Williams stuffed Ty Johnson off right tackle.
The stout defense continued. Oliver got in the backfield to stop Ray Davis, then Jones did the same. A.J. Epenesa set the ends. Jones was stout on a run. Linebacker Terrel Bernard was all over a wide run by Johnson. Safety Taylor Rapp stopped Cook. Then Epenesa and Williams combined to stuff Davis.
“I feel like there’s definitely a lot of things we can clean up, but the standard’s always going to be the same, no matter what year it is,” Epenesa said. “You’ve got to stop the run to get to the pass, and that’s our mentality.”
Safety setback
Head coach Sean McDermott reported that safety Mike Edwards will be out “week to week” due to a hamstring injury. That’s not good news, considering Edwards, signed as a free agent from Kansas City, has been viewed as one of the presumptive starters at safety.It is also significant for Edwards because he got very little on-field work in the spring due to rehabilitation from offseason shoulder surgery.
“It’s a part of the game, on one hand,” McDermott said. “The other part is, in order to get the scheme down the way you need to get it down, you need to be out there. But Mike’s a pro. He’s been around it before, so I’m sure he’ll do his best to stay up as best as he can on the mental end of things out here.”
The Bills continued their rotation at the position Monday. Rookie Cole Bishop took his turn with the first team, alongside Rapp.
Offensive guard Mike Edwards (concussion) and receiver Chase Claypool (toe) sat out. Claypool is considered day to day. Von Miller, Matt Milano and Taron Johnson were given veteran rest days. With Milano out, Williams took the snaps next to Bernard at linebacker.
Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers has impressed coach Sean McDermott with his consistency. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
A roster underdog who is making a push for the fifth or sixth spot at wide receiver is Tyrell Shavers, 24, signed by the Bills as an undrafted rookie last year. Shavers, 6-foot-4 and 211, spent all last season on the practice squad. He got some snaps with the starters Monday and made one of the nicer catches of the day, a diving grab on a crossing route on a pass from Allen.
Said McDermott of Shavers: “Very impressed. Even if you go back to his rookie season, he’s so consistent – and even when he wasn’t playing – with his approach. One of the first players in the building, one of the last to leave. Knows what we’re doing offensively, systematically. When you look up consistent in the dictionary, like, his face shows up in my mind because he’s so consistent, and at a young age.”
Sideline views
The starting offensive line began fast in the first 1-on-1 pass rush vs. pass blocking drill of camp. Dion Dawkins (vs. Epenesa), David Edwards (vs. Oliver), Connor McGovern (vs. Austin Johnson) and O’Cyrus Torrence (vs. Jones) all won their snaps. However, Rousseau showed his power with two good wins against Brown. Will Clapp had a strong shutdown of a bull rush by Eli Ankou. Kingsley Jonathan used his speed to get by Ryan Van Demark. Englishman Travis Clayton did well in his first chance vs. David Ugwoegbu.It is worth noting 1-on-1 drills sometimes can be misleading.
“If I’m throwing a move for the first time, yes I expect to win because you always do,” Epenesa said. “But it might be sloppy at first. You see on film what needs to be tightened up. This needs to be lower. This needs to come harder, faster. ... You have to take the mentality. You never lose, you win or you learn.”
Curtis Samuel had a pretty deep catch down the sideline from Allen vs. Ja’Marcus Ingram in the receiver-vs.-secondary 1-on-1s. Samuel did a backflip after he scored. Kaiir Elam ripped the ball away from Justin Shorter after a pass for a takeaway. In 11-on-11 work, Allen’s best passes were for 20 yards to Samuel, then a 20-yarder up the seam to Khalil Shakir that converted a third-and-long situation, then a zipped bootleg throw to Keon Coleman that required a good-hands catch for 18 yards. ... Ty Johnson, the sixth-year running back, left the field midway through practice due to an ailment. ... There was a fumbled snap from under center by Allen.
There was a large scrum after one run play when guard Kevin Jarvis and defensive tackle DeShawn Williams started shoving. Feisty center Alec Anderson got in the middle of it, but no punches were thrown. A little later, Elam and Mack Hollins tussled at the end of a pass reception. ... It was another full house of about 4,000 fans at St. John Fisher.