There are even more bright spots for the Buffalo Bills in a season marred by turbulence.
Ed Oliver, a defensive lineman selected ninth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, has been one such cause for hope. Oliver found it difficult to defend his choice, and the fact that reputable elite players like Christian Wilkins, Brian Burns, and Dexter Lawrence were selected right away didn’t help either.
Oliver’s four-year, $68 million contract was announced during the offseason, raising eyebrows, but despite an otherwise uneventful season in Western New York, he has lived up to all expectations.
As per an Associated Press report authored by John Wawrow, Oliver pledged to “outplay the contract” when he signed it in June. The Houston alum wants to hear from anyone who had doubts about him after doing this.
Oliver said, “It kind of does something to you when you get paid and people are like, ‘Why you pay the guy?'” “I simply absorbed that and added gasoline to the flames. I am aware that I played well. My basic thought has been that I was among the greatest players in my draft class, so I only need to show that I am worthy of being included.
To be honest, it’s hard to avoid talking about Oliver as the Bills (7-6) continue their late-season playoff drive. The most recent to do so was defensive line coach Eric Washington, who complimented Oliver for developing his pass-rushing arsenal in spite of his inside inclinations.
In the AP story, Washington stated, “From my perspective, (he’s) a person maturing, a person that’s really knowing where to invest and how to invest, and investing with a certain level of attention to detail.” “In my opinion, he’s made a pretty significant jump.”
Oliver has tied his career high in total tackles (43), set career highs in tackles for a loss (11) and sacks (6.5) in just 12 games. It is a part of a respectable defensive effort by Buffalo, which is presently sixth in the league in terms of points allowed and has caused the third-most turnovers.
When it comes to the Bills’ current position in the AFC playoff bracket, Oliver is by no means one of the main causes. But he swallowed his pride and faced his own failings, taking responsibility for some of the closer losses. The Bills have lost all six of their games by a single possession, with two of those games requiring overtime.
Oliver remarked, “I take it very personally.” “I feel like I produced late in the game to outlast their guys, but I felt like I could have done more in a couple of games.”
Oliver won’t have to wait long for his big opportunity to make amends: the Bills take on the Dallas Cowboys, who field one of the most successful offenses in the NFL, late on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox).
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