On August 16, the Buffalo Bills signed a pair of defensive tackles to bolster their already excellent defensive line depth. Much of that depth is at the edge, however, so adding a few more bodies to the mix on the interior defensive line makes sense.
It’s easy to dismiss players acquired late in the offseason as camp bodies, but sometimes those players surprise. Ryan Bates is one such example, as Buffalo traded edge rusher Eli Harold for him last August when a few offensive linemen were injured. Bates made the club thanks to a strong preseason showing and his exceptional versatility.