The Buffalo Bills are coming off their second consecutive loss, costing them their precious #1 spot atop the AFC East.
And in the aftermath of a disappointing prime-time loss to the Atlanta Falcons, whose excellent defense proved an insurmountable mountain for Josh Allen and co. to climb, the team has made some roster moves – but this time on the defensive side of the ball.
2024 undrafted linebacker, Jimmy Ciarlo, who originally signed with division rivals, the New York Jets, coming out of college last offseason, has been released by the organization having appeared in just one game for the franchise over the course of his entire tenure in Buffalo.
– Released LB Jimmy Ciarlo – Released CB Jalen Kimber from the practice squad
Bills Release Linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo After Playing In One Game
Ciarlo originally signed with the Bills back in August, but was initially released during final cuts at the end of the month, and subsequently re-signed to the active roster earlier this month.
The former Army man – who gained some notoriety over the course of the pre-season with the Bills fanbase and beyond due to his charismatic appearances on “Hard Knocks” – made his debut with the team during the loss to the New England Patriots in week 6, where he played no snaps on defense, but did manage 13 on special teams – 52% of the total for the game.
Ciarlo always had a tough road ahead of him after being promoted to the active roster on October 4th – at least with regards to maintaining his spot there – given that the Bills have both Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi finishing up their suspensions ahead of week 8’s showdown at the Carolina Panthers after the week 7 bye.
What Is The Next Move Forward For Buffalo?
The additions of Hoecht and Ogunjobi will help a defensive line that ranks 12th in the league in stats, but comes in at 25th at ESPN’s Pass Rush Win Rate – i.e. the proportion of the time the team’s pass rushers are able to beat their blockers on the offensive line within 2.5 seconds.
And the run defense is just slightly better, with Buffalo being ranked middle of the pack in the league, at 17th, for Run stop Win Rate.
Much of this was laid bare on Monday night, when Pro Bowl running back, Bijan Robinson, ran for 170 yards off of just 19 carries, averaging 8.9 yards/carry.
Indeed, the comparative struggles are emphasized even further when the impressiveness of the offensive line is put side-by-side in comparison. That unit currently ranks second in both of ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate and Run Block Win Rate; a trend that continued from last year, as the team posted a top-five offensive line in the league.
And despite Ciarlo’s release, the Bills are also still a little shorthanded at linebacker, with Terrel Bernard joining Matt Milano in the injury department after hurting his ankle against the Falcons.
Bills Move Off Linebacker After Playing Just 1 Game