The Buffalo Bills will kick off their season this week by welcoming the Baltimore Ravens. This contest is a rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional Round matchup, where the Bills won.
Baltimore has been sitting on last season’s loss for almost eight months and is ready for revenge on Sunday night. The Bills are looking to show off their new defensive line with the additions they made this offseason.
This spring, the Bills added free agent pass rusher Joey Bosa and drafted defensive tackles TJ Sanders and DeWayne Carter. Sanders and Carter both impressed during their first preseason with the team this summer. Carter was expected to play a significant role with the team this season. However, multiple reports on Sunday indicated that Carter had torn his Achilles tendon and would miss the entire season.
DeWayne Carter Will Miss The Season
Losing Carter for the entire season is a significant setback for the team. The Bills‘ biggest offensive need was defensive line help, and Carter filled that void. Too many times last season, the Bills struggled to get after the quarterback, which allowed the opposing team to run up the scoreboard.
Last season, during the AFC title game, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes sat back, picked apart Buffalo’s defense, sending them home for the fourth time in five years.
The Bills‘ greatest goal for this season is to win the Super Bowl. Beating the Chiefs in the playoffs is likely the only way they will reach the playoffs. Carter was supposed to have an impact by providing pressure up the middle. But with him now out all season, the Bills will need to look elsewhere.
Last week, the Bills brought back defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, signing him to the practice squad. Phillips spent five seasons with the Bills and was a free agent this summer. Phillips will likely have to step up this year. With only six days until the Week 1 kickoff, Buffalo could still find a pass rusher on the open market.
Bills Could Sign Christian Wilkins
Of course, former Miami Dolphins’ defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is available after being dumped by the Las Vegas Raiders. In addition to his history of mixing it up with quarterback Josh Allen, Wilkins has been accused of highly questionable locker room behavior,” Ventre wrote.
Wilkins was a first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2018 after coming off a championship season at Clemson. Wilkins spent five years in Miami before heading to Las Vegas last year.
This summer, the Raiders released Wilkins due to some issues with injuries and other things. No team has shown any interest in signing Wilkins, so the league is likely out on him for reasons the public doesn’t know.
Buffalo will need to add another veteran defensive tackle to the room, and it will be interesting to see who they bring in.
Bills Could Replace DeWayne Carter With Former 1st-Round Pick