Bills DE Gregory Rousseau Primed For Breakout Season?
Buffalo Bills defensive end Gregory Rousseau took a big step forward in Year 2, so could a true breakout be on the horizon?
A 2021 first-round pick, Rousseau had a decent rookie season with 50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks. He improved substantially in 2022, doubling his sack total to tie for the team lead with future Hall-of-Famer Von Miller. If his upward trajectory continues, Rousseau could be in for a special season in 2023.
According to CBS Sports, Rousseau is a prime breakout candidate for the upcoming season. The Bills defensive end landed on a list of third-year players set to have huge seasons in 2023.
Here's what CBS Sports had to say:
"The Rousseau breakout has been mounting," CBS Sports writes. "As a 21-year-old rookie with only one year of collegiate football experience, Rousseau's pressure-creation rate was a respectable albeit unspectacular 11.6% and he asserted himself as a rock-solid, edge-setting run defender. In Year 2? A more chiseled Rousseau managed an improved pressure rate of 14.4%. He had at least two pressures in all but one contest he appeared in during his sophomore season in the NFL. Rousseau's stack-and-shed capabilities were still apparent against the run, although he missed tackles at a higher rate than his rookie season. The recently turned 23-year-old defensive end now gets to learn from and play with Von Miller and the similarly sized Leonard Floyd on Sean McDermott's defense, and he'll presumably be bigger and stronger than his first two NFL campaigns."
Playing alongside Miller and Floyd should help Rousseau and the rest of the Bills' pass rush, but it also means there are more players competing for snaps. Rousseau should have no issue getting his fair share, but it's something to consider.
Still, he's ready for the challenge of competition.
"I feel like my sense of urgency is always up there," Rousseau said Wednesday after mandatory minicamp. "And for me, competition is everyday. Competition is not only on the field or other people, it's really just with myself, so just me pushing myself to be the best player I can be."
If Rousseau does have a career year, then he will likely be in line for a huge extension next offseason. With the Bills already over the projected 2024 salary cap, that extension could be difficult to work into the books.
For now, though, Rousseau and the Bills seem to be focused on bringing Buffalo its first Super Bowl championship.
"I know what I could do already, and I'm just excited for every single opportunity that comes my way," he said.
You can follow Jonathan Alfano on Twitter at @JonAlfano_News
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