Bills' defensive line upgrades lead to power rankings boost

The Buffalo Bills are getting better on defense, which leads to more respect from NFL pundits.

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills have made it their mission to get better with their defensive front seven this offseason.

That was apparent in free agency, and it has become even more clear after the NFL Draft where the team took three of its first four picks on the front seven.

ESPN liked what the Bills did in upgrading their defensive line, prompting a move up one spot from No. 4 to 3 in the website's power rankings, which was conducted by a panel of 80 voters.

South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle T.J. Sanders during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | Butch Dill-Imagn Images

"There is no area the Bills have addressed more thoroughly this offseason than the defensive line," ESPN insider Alaina Getzenberg wrote.

RELATED: Chiefs, and even Jets, top lackluster Bills in SI's AFC draft rankings

"They selected three players for the unit in the draft (T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson and Deone Walker), even after adding Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi in free agency. The team also signed Greg Rousseau to a four-year contract extension. By bringing in youth and veterans, the Bills have overhauled a 2024 group that was a part of the worst passing defense and third-down defense (44% conversion rate) of Sean McDermott's eight-year tenure."

The only two teams to receive a higher ranking than the Bills were the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, who both participated in last season's Super Bowl.

RELATED: Advanced metrics may explain why Bills traded up 15 spots for DT

In order for the Bills to get over the hump and be seen as a better team than the Eagles and Chiefs, these defensive line upgrades will have to show some kind of production on the field in the fall.

In the meantime, the new Bills additions need to get acclimated to life in western New York with the defense in hopes of ending the franchise's Super Bowl drought.

Kentucky defensive lineman Deone Walker participates in drills during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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