The Buffalo Bills returned to the field for OTAs this week, and it appears they are making a slight adjustment with one of their players. Media coverage on Tuesday revealed that offensive lineman Travis Clayton was working with the defensive line, according to multiple reports.
Buffalo selected Clayton with the 221st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Clayton is unique among draft picks because he was part of the international player pathway.
The Bills are Trying Something New
Clayton is 6-foot-7 and weighs 301 pounds. Originally from England, he played rugby before joining the NFL Academy in London in 2019. Even though Clayton has been with Buffalo for the last two seasons, he has only been on its practice squad.
Since the Bills made several changes this offseason, moving on from head coach Sean McDermott and promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the new role, there might be something that Brady sees in Clayton that suggests he could be a defensive player rather than just an offensive lineman.
OTAs are the perfect opportunity to mix things up and see if players can take on different positions. If Clayton proves he might be able to find his place on defense, the Bills could consider letting him play that role during training camp this summer.
If the Bills think Clayton could make a significant impact on their defense, he will have the opportunity to showcase his skills during the preseason, particularly in joint practices against the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns and Bills Will Meet This Summer
Buffalo and Cleveland will hold joint practices during training camp, although the exact dates are yet to be finalized. These practices will likely take place around Aug. 19 and 20, as the teams are set to face off in a preseason game on Aug. 22.
However, these joint practices will be quite different from what the Bills thought they were getting into. On Monday, the Browns traded their star pass rusher Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for pass rusher Jared Verse, a first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-round pick in 2029.
Buffalo likely believed they would face a significant challenge going up against Garrett, who had just finished a remarkable season, winning Defensive Player of the Year and setting the single-season sack record with 23. Competing against Garrett would have given Josh Allen and the Bills a valuable opportunity to assess their offense, as Garrett is one of the few players in the NFL capable of disrupting an entire game plan single-handedly.
The Browns should still field a solid defense even without Garrett, as Verse is emerging as one of the promising pass rushers in the NFL. Yet, he’s not quite on Garrett’s level, so the Bills might find joint practices a bit easier than they anticipated.
This will be the only time the Browns and Bills face off this season, as they don’t have a regular season game scheduled against each other. Last season, the Bills got a big win over the Browns in Cleveland.
Bills Shift Role of Offensive Player to Defense During OTAs in Low-Key Move