What we learned from Tremaine Edmunds, Tavon Austin + others at Bills OTAs

Head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are expecting a lot out of their defensive line this year because of their new additions and growth in younger players. They want to see an uptick in production and expect some of it to come from younger players like A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham.

Frazier is looking for more consistency out of the three.

“They’re past that point when they were rookies and it was kind of up and down, lulls here, break out here, we should be past that point,” Frazier said of the younger defensive linemen. “Even with Greg. As much as he played a season ago and as well as he played, just the consistency. We definitely need that from A.J. We need that from Carlos (Boogie) where we can kind of know what we can expect every time they walk on the field.”

Basham said their comfortability with the team and playbook will play into having a bigger role on the team in 2022.

“I would definitely say for me and Greg, we came in together and we spent a lot of time together off the field and on the field so it’s more of us just feeding off one another,” Basham explained. “We had okay seasons last year so we are building off of that so we can have a great season. Adding A.J. into the equation as well, we’re all three young guys so that competition between all three of us, I feel like it will help us in the long run.”

Eight-year veteran DaQuan Jones has enjoyed practicing with the younger group and sees a lot of potential in them.

“It brings you back because you were once there and you know how hungry they are to make the team,” Jones shared. “And to see them come in here and work and the fact that they grasped the playbook so fast already is a true testament to themselves. They’re doing a great job and really time will tell what’s going to happen with them going forward.”