The Buffalo Bills made three moves this week to provide depth to both sides of the ball. The team signed a pair of free agents, defensive tackle Linval Joseph and running back Leonard Fournette, and traded for Green Bay Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas.
The Bills entered the week with a 5-3 record and a game behind the Miami Dolphins in the AFC West. Buffalo has four games remaining with teams currently in a playoff spot, along with games at the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers.
Let’s take a look at why the Bills acquired Douglas.
Rough October for Bills Defense
Buffalo started October with a 28-point win against the Dolphins, but the team finished the month with a 3-2 record. The other team’s wins could have been losses as the Bills watched their opponent throw the ball into the end zone on the last play with a chance to steal the game.
The Bills lost three starters on defense in the first two games of the month. Cornerback Tre’Davious White was injured in the Dolphins win and needed season-ending surgery to repair a torn right Achilles tendon. White had started every game since returning last November after knee surgery in 2021.
Buffalo traveled to London to play the Jacksonville Jaguars and saw the return of linebacker Von Miller, who missed the first four games recovering from a knee injury he suffered last season.
The former All-Pro has not played more than 40% of the defensive snaps in any of the four games he’s played in. Miller has not made much of an impact, with only one combined tackle this season.
MORE: Buffalo Bills Depth Chart
The Bills lost the game to the Jaguars and had two more defensive starters, with defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano suffering injuries that could end their seasons. Milano (leg) and Jones (pectoral) were both placed on injured reserve after needing surgery.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said this week there was no update on whether Milano or Jones could return this season.
What Does Rasul Douglas Add to Bills’ Defense?
Buffalo acquired Douglas and a fifth-round pick from the Packers for a third-round pick. Douglas has played every defensive snap for Green Bay and has one interception, along with 32 tackles. He had 10 INTs in 36 games after signing with the Packers before the 2021 season.
One important element Douglas, who is in his seventh season, brings is playoff experience to a team that hopes to play several postseason games. He has played in ten postseason games, including winning Super Bowl LII with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Miller endorsed the move, saying, “I felt like it was a great move. To have a guy like that on our team — it’s going to make us way better. Losing [White] was tough, and you got Rasul to kind of fill that void.”
Douglas said when he arrived in Buffalo after the trade, “I came here to play and to make plays. That’s really my focus.”
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