Before the draft, General Manager Brandon Beane said he would think long-term more than short-term with the 30th pick.
Edge rusher Gregory Rousseau fills that mold.
In his one full season, Rousseau tallied 15.5 sacks loss at Miami in 2019 — second in the nation behind last year’s No. 2 overall pick Chase Young. He elected to opt out of the 2020 season due to concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Bills see potential within the 21-year-old lineman.
“You don’t just luck into 15.5 sacks,” Beane said, via Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic.com. "[H]e’s got a knack for getting to the quarterback. A lot of guys can get off and rush but they don’t necessarily have the feel to how to get the quarterback down or the instincts. Greg is an instinctive player. He’s just a young player that we think has a ton of upside and will fit in here well.”
Beane noted that Rousseau will have to improve certain pass-rushing moves as he gets into the league. But the team is intrigued by his upside, especially considering his size.
Rousseau could play a rotational role on defense but will likely be behind Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison at least to start the year.