Buffalo Rumblings
Are the Bills looking to add another veteran pass rusher to the defensive mix?
Last week, the Buffalo Bills made NFL headlines thanks to a trade with the Cleveland Browns that brought wide receiver Amari Cooper to One Bills Drive. Cooper’s first game with Buffalo went well, and the hope is that his addition more fully solidifies the entire wide receivers room moving forward.
Is it possible that general manager Brandon Beane isn’t done adding talent to Buffalo’s roster this season? With Brandon Beane, Bills Mafia has learned that anything’s possible. There are those in the national media who believe that Beane and company may try to get a trade deal done with the Carolina Panthers to add veteran defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Consider the following from Sports Illustrated writer Matt Verderame in an article about the upcoming NFL trade deadline:
If the Panthers decide to move off some of their veteran talent, keep an eye on the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo and Carolina have longstanding ties in their front offices, with Carolina general manager Dan Morgan having worked under Buffalo GM Brandon Beane from 2018 to ’20. Additionally, Beane came to the Bills from the Panthers, where he spent the first 19 years of his career. While Buffalo already added a receiver in Amari Cooper, getting another pass rusher could make sense. Carolina has a good one in Clowney, who at 31 years old is set to be a free agent after this season.
Okay, consider our interest piqued. Among the many interesting things about Clowney’s professional career is that after his five-year rookie deal with the Houston Texans ended, he’s bounced around the NFL almost exclusively on a year-to-year basis between five teams. His longest stay was with two campaigns with the Cleveland Browns immediately after leaving the Texans.
Longtime readers of Buffalo Rumblings are undoubtedly familiar with Clowney, as he was a pre-draft crush of many within this digital space. This play alone from his college days had many dreaming about what Clowney could bring to the Bills as a full-force defensive end:
Yes, that tape is from almost 12 years ago at this point, but Clowney is still a force to be reckoned with on the gridiron. At 31 and with a birthday on Valentine’s Day, Clowney’s best days are admittedly behind him. But he’s not ready to listen to any of that talk just yet.
Buffalo’s defense has struggled against the run this season, as you may well understand after noting performances from the likes of running backs Derrick Henry and Breece Hall. Adding a player as stout against the run game as Clowney is would be a huge win for the Bills.
Additionally, Clowney’s presence as a pass rusher would be a huge benefit for Buffalo, were they to add him to the mix with the likes of defensive ends Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa, plus edge rusher Von Miller.
Why are the Panthers trading...
