The Buffalo Bills’ salary cap situation this offseason meant they mostly lived in the world of one-year contracts for veteran free agents.
Throw a bunch of darts at the figurative board and maybe a few of them hit the bull’s-eye. This appeared to be General Manager Brandon Beane’s strategy in fortifying the Bills’ defensive line.
The Bills signed defensive ends Dawuane Smoot and Casey Toohill and defensive tackles Austin Johnson and DeShawn Williams.
Can Smoot and/or Toohill provide a pass-rush presence when rotating with Greg Rousseau, Von Miller and A.J. Epenesa? Can Johnson and/or Williams provide run-stopping ability when rotating with Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones and third-round pick DeWayne Carter?
Those questions will be answered in training camp. But what are the Bills getting in the four veteran additions? Here is a look at them: at Johnson, Smoot, Toohill and Williams:
People are also reading…
Austin Johnson
Age: 30.
Height/weight: 6-4, 314.
Career statistics: In eight seasons with Tennessee, the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Chargers, Johnson has played in 121 regular season and playoff games (56 starts) with eight sacks and 246 tackles.
2023 team: Chargers. Johnson started all 17 games for the second time in three years and finished with 46 tackles and no sacks.
Game reviewed: The Chargers’ 24-22 loss to the Bills in Week 16. Johnson had five tackles in 36 snaps.
Analysis: Johnson projects as an early-down, reserve defensive tackle for the Bills and even gives coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich the option of lining him up as a true nose tackle.
When Johnson lined up at right/left defensive end, he was closer to guard/center gap than outside of the tackle. … He drew a holding penalty on Bills center Mitch Morse. … On a pass rush, he twisted outside (outside linebacker Khalil Mack twisted inside) and didn’t look out of place getting a head of steam around the edge.
In the fourth quarter, Johnson held his ground against left guard Connor McGovern for a tackle and knifed past Morse for a tackle for lost yardage. … The Bills’ scheme appears vastly different than what the Chargers ran last year; the Bolts were a 3-4 base front and often would have both outside linebackers on-the-ball for a five-man front.
Dawuane Smoot
Age: 29.
Height/weight: 6-3, 275.
Career statistics: In seven seasons (all with Jacksonville), Smoot has played 102 regular season and playoff games (17 starts) with 134 tackles and 23 1/2 sacks.
2023 team: Jacksonville. He missed the first five games while recovering from a torn Achilles. In 12 games (no starts), he had 10 tackles and one sack.
Game reviewed: The Jaguars’ 31-24 win at New Orleans in Week 7. Smoot had one sack and two tackles in 48 snaps on defense and special teams.
Analysis: In his second game back from injury, Smoot lined up at left/right defensive tackle and left/right defensive end, suggesting he could provide value to the Bills as a versatile player who plays early downs outside and obvious passing downs inside.
Smoot showed good effort on a third-and-8 play when he started at left defensive tackle, but chased down quarterback Derek Carr near the sideline to push him out of bounds short of the marker. … Smoot’s sack was in 3.70 seconds from the left defensive tackle spot. He used a bull rush move before working back to the pocket and forcing Carr to fumble.
On two plays, Smoot lined up wide in a stand-up position and dropped into coverage, the first 1-on-1 against Taysom Hill and the second in a zone drop. … Smoot didn’t show much bend getting around the edge as a pass rusher, but when moved inside, he did show a quick first step that could give guards trouble.
Smoot lined up at left defensive tackle 23 times and left defensive end 16 times. … His snap count was a season high.
Casey Toohill
Age: 27.
Height/weight: 6-5, 254.
Career statistics: In four seasons with Philadelphia and Washington, Toohill has played 58 regular season and playoff games (14 starts) with seven sacks and 80 tackles.
2023 team: Washington. Toohill set career highs with starts (eight) and sacks (five) and had 26 tackles in 16 games.
Game reviewed: The Commanders’ 28-20 loss at the Los Angeles Rams (Week 15). Toohill had four tackles in 60 snaps.
Analysis: The Bills won’t ask Toohill to play inside, not at his listed weight. Against the Rams, he lined up at left defensive end 31 times and right defensive end 29 times.
Washington ran a four-man line, allowing Toohill to position himself wide of the offensive tackle. … A review of the video gave him three tackles (not four in the game statistics). He showed good awareness to track down scrambling quarterback Matthew Stafford; he shed right tackle Joseph Noteboom to set the edge and make a tackle at the line; and pushed back tight end Tyler Higbee for a run-game tackle.
Toohill didn’t do much against left tackle Alaric Jackson. Couldn’t push him back or bend around the edge. … He missed a tackle 8 yards behind the line of scrimmage after avoiding a feeble block attempt by receiver Demarcus Robinson. … Toohill’s best pass rush was using his hands to get around Noteboom. … Toohill dropped into coverage on consecutive plays to account for running back Kyren Williams in the flat, even though linebacker Khaleke Hudson was already in position.
DeShawn Williams
Age: 31.
Height/weight: 6-1, 295.
Career statistics: In nine seasons with Cincinnati, Denver and Carolina, Williams has played 66 games (44 starts) with nine sacks and 148 tackles.
2023 team: Carolina. Williams started 10 of his 16 games and had one sack and 33 tackles.
Game reviewed: The Panthers’ 37-27 loss at Seattle (Week 3). Williams had four tackles in 35 snaps.
Analysis: Not including goal-line and kneel-down plays, Williams lined up on the right side of the line on all but six of his snaps. … The Panthers ran a 3-4 base front and a two-man line in their nickel package. … What is notable about Williams is how he stayed on his feet against the Seahawks – he wasn’t a get-up-the-field player, but held his ground to not get pushed out of his gap.
How Williams was credited with four tackles is unclear – we booked him for two tackles from the right end spot. He moved well laterally when engaged against left tackle Stone Forsythe to make a tackle and then made a tackle downfield.
For the Bills, Williams projects as a backup defensive tackle behind starters Oliver and Jones – get in the game on early downs and clog up the middle to allow linebackers Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano make the tackle.