Undersized rusher Javon Solomon is a change for the Bills

“There are so many good people, but there’s no one like the one and only Von Miller,” Solomon said last week after being drafted in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills last month.

“He really led the way in pass rushing, and how the finesse and the different aspects … that he brings to the game,” Solomon said of Miller. “He’s someone I’ve watched for a long time. Simply because he had been in the game for a long time. He has been successful for a long time. So now to be able to watch his match. It’s going to be something healthy, you know? It will be a new level to watch this.

Solomon led the Football Bowl Subdivision in sacks last season for Troy University with 16, and he wasn’t a one-year wonder. He had 33 sacks in his career, 5.5 more than Troy legend DeMarcus Ware, who went on to a Hall of Fame career in the NFL.

The Bills’ selection of Solomon is notable because he presents himself as a designated passer, a situational player. He is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 247 pounds. The prototype for the position is 6-4 or 6-5 and 260.

The Bills have never drafted an Edge Rusher shorter than 6-3 or under 250 pounds in the Sean McDermott/Brandon Beane era.

The main reason for this is that defensive ends must be able to take advantage to contain the run in McDermott’s 4-3 defense. Undersized rushers who are a liability against the run — guys you don’t want on the field on first down — have had no place in Buffalo’s defense.

Yet obvious rush situations are critical. A defense’s ability to get off the field on third down is a key factor in winning and losing.

Should the Bills make room on their 53-man roster for a DPR – designated pass rusher? The answer could be yes – if Salomon proves he can make the jump to a mid-tier program.

“He’s doing it at a little bit of a lower level, but Troy is still playing against good teams,” Beane said. “I think he broke DeMarcus Ware’s sack record, like he knew how to get to the quarterback. I would say one of the things he will need to improve is run defense.

Shorter edge rushers such as Solomon typically find a niche on teams that utilize players such as stand-up linebackers, often in five-man fronts. Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Los Angeles Chargers and the New York Jets are among them.

“We kind of thought 3 or 4 teams would really like this guy,” Beane said, “but he was just too valuable from a rushing standpoint (to pass up).”

In fact, many draft analysts have drawn comparisons between Solomon and former Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff, who went undrafted out of Memphis in 2020 at 6-1 5/8, 254 pounds.

Huff emerged in 2022 when he had 3.5 sacks and ranked third in the NFL in pressure rate. He had 10 sacks last season, ranked second in pressure rating and landed a big free agent contract from the Eagles in March.

“Of course you have people like (Las Vegas Raiders) Maxx Crosby, Bryce Huff, those guys that play relentless and just outgoing, non-stop to the quarterback,” Solomon said. “At the end of the day, pass rush is a learning process. You learn from some of these guys, and you just take what they take, and you go up from there.

Another optimistic comparison for Solomon: Detroit’s James Houston, a 6-foot, 245-pound sixth-round pick from Jackson State who had eight sacks as a 2022 rookie.

The problem with undersized Edge Rushers, aside from their run defense flaws, is that they tend to get swallowed up by long-arm offensive tackles.

Solomon, however, has unusually long arms for a man of his size, measuring 33 3/4 inches with a wingspan of 80 inches. Houston is 34 1/4 and 82 inches tall, while Huff is only 31 3/4 and 75 3/4.

Salomon’s hands measure 10 5/8 inches, tied for the largest of any edge player in this year’s draft.

“He’s got great arm length, measurables, and you can’t deny his sack production, and so we’re excited to get our hands on him,” Beane said.

Like Huff and Houston, Solomon can dive and lean to the rim. Speed ​​is his game. He can make a long-arm tackle, then explode outside to get to the quarterback. He also pursues the QB on the weak side.

Solomon had 11 sacks in 2021 and 4.5 as a junior in 2022. He says improving his technique helped him have a big senior year.

“Understanding the techniques behind pass rushes, instead of just running up the field hoping to get something,” he said. “The actual work of your hands, the actual work of your feet, just the fundamentals of pass rushing, I think I really dove into technique. I think that’s what helped me get over the hump, you know, from 4.5 to 16, it’s a huge jump. This is a credit to a lot of people behind the scenes.

Eric McDaniel coached the defensive line at Troy last year. He said Solomon doesn’t exaggerate his admiration for the Bills’ Miller and that his former player has worked on his passing moves so as not to rely too much on his speed around the edge. Salomon’s improved hand usage was evident in 2023.

“He studies the league,” said McDaniel, now the defensive line coach at Appalachian State. “I was going to the office, and there were cuts that Javon had made of Von Miller and TJ Watt doing it at a high level at the position that he could see himself in. It’s a testament to him. He studies. When people weren’t in the building, there was Javon on the floor working with someone to improve.

McDaniel said a position change contributed to Solomon’s big jump in sack production in 2023. Solomon played Troy’s Bandit position in 2022, a standing linebacker position in a five-man front.

“He was splitting time with another guy at Bandit the year before,” McDaniel said. “He also needed to focus more on coverage at the position. Once he was able to advance to the end, I told him, “Every time it’s a pass, you’re going to rush.” It made him happy. I think it was a big change.

As for Solomon’s run defense, the Bills aren’t writing it off.

Beane drew a comparison to former undrafted Bills player Kingsley Jonathan, a 6-4, 259-pounder, who improved his run defense and got 9 percent of the defensive snaps last season.

“That’s the area he’s going to have to improve on, kind of like a Kingsley Jonathan had to do, an undersized type of guy,” Beane said.

McDaniel says Solomon is better against the run than his frame suggests. Troy had him play a decent number of snaps head-up on offensive tackle in a 6-technique stance (a reference to gaps to offensive linemen) or even over a guard’s shoulder ( in technique 4i). with both hands on the ground. The defensive ends of the Bills rarely do this. They play shadow outside the tackle in what is called a 7-technique stance, or even wider in obvious passing situations.

“It shows his abilities and the dog in him,” McDaniel said. “Honestly, Javon was undersized in college football, playing 4i. We went to Kansas State, and he was facing tight double teams from a four-point position. But he’s so strong and physical, I’m sure you saw it by his measurements. His hands are huge. He is extremely strong and explosive, so he knew how to win with technique. That’s one thing I loved about him. He was open to the opportunity.

What if Solomon proves that as a rookie he can bring pressure in obvious passing situations?

The Bills found a way to keep six defensive ends active on game day in eight games last season. (Only four have been active in three games; five have been active in seven games.) With six active DEs, it’s easier for one of them to be a designated passer. Solomon also played on special teams during his college career.

Asked about the possibility of picking a player in Huff’s mold before the draft, Beane said:

“You have to be careful how many DPRs you put (on the draft board), but if the talent is there, we’ll still take it and figure it out. We had at least one year, maybe two, where we kept six flocks. Now that this player has an interest in helping us on fourth down on special teams, you better wear multiple hats.