Bills DE Greg Rousseau: Super Sack Partner with Von Miller?
Two things should be expected from the Buffalo Bills'defense this fall. The first is that new pass-rusher Von Miller will add to the total pressures and sacks as part of a push to make the Super Bowl.
The second? Bet on a strong second season from fellow defensive end Greg Rousseau. He's not expecting any regression. Neither are his coaches.
Rousseau, the Bills' first round pick from 2021, said this offseason was about building on his future. That included bulking up to help him overpower offensive tackles to make quarterbacks feel the heat.
Coming from Miami (FL), Rousseau weighed a bit under 270 pounds. Since the team's Divisional Round loss to Kansas City, he told reporters he's gained roughly seven pounds, adding that his weight will fluctuate throughout the day.
“He’s big, he’s fast, he’s still young," defensive tackle Jordan Phillips said during minicamp. "Once he figures out who he is, he’s going to be up there with Von.”
It would be hard to critique Rousseau's rookie season without the proper context. Like several other high-profile prospects, the 6-6 defensive end elected to opt out of the final season with the Hurricanes due to the COVID-19 pandemic even though there were questions pertaining to his upside.
Buffalo was banking on Rousseau's traits more than his proven production. A 2018 torn ACL limited him to only one game as a freshman. A year later, Rousseau looked to be the next great ACC pass-rusher with with 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.
It's not as if the Bills weren't prepared to see growing pains in Rousseau's game. By season's end, the rookie played in more games as a pro than he did during his two seasons in Coral Gables. And it's not as if Rousseau struggled to win reps against weaker offensive tackles.
In 17 games, Rousseau recorded four sacks to go along with 50 total tackles. His eight tackles for loss ranked second among defensive linemen and fourth among all Buffalo defenders. According to Pro Football Focus, Rousseau ranked third among edge rushers in tackles against the run (35).
Buffalo is looking to get younger with pass-rushers such as A.J. Epenesa, Boogie Basham and Rousseau. The rep count should expand for the trio all on rookie deals following the departures of veteran Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison.
Rousseau likely gets the first crack to build off last season, given his first-round status. One area he hopes to expand on is his sack total, telling reporters there was a point in the season where he felt his pressure total diminished.
“I just feel like sometimes with the numbers, things might not go your way for a certain stretch of games, but I don't feel like I hit a wall, ‘cause I feel like I was going hard at all times," Rousseau said.
Last season, the Bills finished just outside the top 10 in sacks with 42. Addison, who signed with the Houston Texans, recorded a team-high seven sacks while Rousseau was tied for second with fourth-year defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
One of the main reasons general manager Brandon Beane was gung-ho on going after Miller was to add another teacher in the locker room. It also should help in opening one side of the field for Rousseau and others to command more one-on-ones rather than double teams.
Miller, 33, will command the respect of double teams from the opposite side of the field after posting 9.5 sacks with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Earlier this offseason, Rosseau trained with the three-time All-Pro at his annual Pass Rush Summit in Las Vegas to better his hand usage and learn a few new moves in the process.
Miller told reporters that working with Rousseau was "like polishing a diamond" thus adding a bit more excitement to his potential entering the year. And while he's still young, Rousseau wants to take a step up as a leader.
Expectation are high in Orchard Park entering training camp. They're also high for Rosseau, who feels "100-percent" ready for another productive season.
"I feel like you when it comes to expectations, you can't look like,`All right, we've got to win this many games,' or 'I've got to get this many sacks,'" Rousseau said during OTAs. "I feel like you just got to come to work every day and know that your best is needed, and you've got to put your best foot forward and just keep on chipping away, keep on working, and you'll be successful.”
