Since Sean McDermott’s arrival in Buffalo, the Bills have rotated their defensive line more than ever before.
In terms of the current 2021 season, the Bills (7-4) are legitimately doing so more than any team in the NFL.
Following Buffalo’s 31-6 win against the New Orleans Saints, NFL Next Gen Stats released figures on the Bills’ defensive line that shows this.
Per the analytics outlet, the Bills had nine defensive linemen play at least 25 percent of snaps for the fifth time this season. That’s more than the rest of the NFL combined:
The #Bills had nine defensive linemen play on at least 25% of defensive snaps in their 31-6 victory over the #Saints, their fifth game doing so this season.
The rest of the NFL has only had three such games this season.#BUFvsNO | #BillsMafia
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 26, 2021
The Bills have remained so committed to having their rotation on the defensive line that even without start Star Lotulelei (COVID list) in the middle… this still happened against the Saints.
Those nine who featured for the Bills vs. the Saints on the D-line include (percent of snaps played):
- DT Eli Ankou (25%)
- DT Brandin Bryant (32%)
- DE Mario Addison (39%)
- DE Efe Obada (39%)
- DE AJ Epenesa (39%)
- DE Jerry Hughes (49%)
- DE Greg Rousseau (56%)
- DT Ed Oliver (61%)
- DT Harrison Phillips 61%)