Bobby Babich says Bills' second-year pass rusher has 'shown some things'

The Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator opened some eyes when speaking about a 2024 fifth-round defensive end on Thursday

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When the Buffalo Bills made Javon Solomon a fifth-round pick (168th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft, there was a belief among some fans that he could become a solid sack specialist in the NFL.

The criticism of his selection, however, was twofold. First, he played for a small school at Troy. Next, at 6'1" and under 250 pounds, some say he is undersized to play defensive end in the big leagues.

In 2023, Solomon's final year at Troy, he produced 16 sacks, which led the nation, and was named to the All-American team. Many experts say that sack production in college often translates well to the NFL, but as a rookie with the Bills, he had only two sacks but played very limited snaps in 14 games.

defensive end Javon Solomon recovers a fumble | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

As the Bills continue towards the start of the 2025 season, the hope is that Solomon can and will play a much larger role in the Bills pass rush. In a recent press conference, Bills' defensive coordinator was asked about Solomon. "I've seen a big jump from last year to this year," said Babich.

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The Bills put in a lot of work this offseason and the hope is the new additions, will improve a pass rush that recorded only 39 sacks a season ago. But it's the returning guys in Solomon and fellow defensive lineman Greg Rousseau that the team hopes takes another step and improves in this area.

David Butler II-Imagn Images

Regarding Solomon's offseason, Babich added, "I think he's doing some really good things out there. He's a year more comfortable and he knows what to expect."

As it pertains to the upcoming season, "he has certainly shown some things, we'll see where it goes," said Babich.|

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