Bills Rookie Watch 2024: Von Miller suspension opens door for Javon Solomon
The Buffalo Bills have a huge Week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans on Sunday. While the top storylines will be Stefon Diggs facing his former team and a top quarterback showdown between Josh Allen and C.J. Stroud, an underlying storyline to watch will be who on the Bills’ defense steps up in place of Von Miller.
The Bills’ veteran pass rusher was served a suspension this week by the NFL, which opens the door for a young player like rookie defensive end Javon Solomon to get a chance to make an impact on the field.
Buffalo Bills rookie Javon Solomon will get his opportunity to shine
Selected with the No. 168 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Solomon has the making of a mid-round gem given his production at Troy. The Bills rookie led all of college football last season with 16 sacks and a whopping 31.5 sacks since 2021. He has the hunger and talent to get after the quarterback.
The question is whether he is ready.
One of the players he is learning behind, Greg Rousseau, feels the time is now for Solomon to get his chance to show he's ready.
“He’s been working hard since training camp,” Rousseau said, via the team’s official website. “He carries himself like a pro. You wouldn’t even think he’s a rookie if you didn’t know he was a rookie. So, I know he’s ready. I know he’s ready for it.”
If he does get more snaps on Sunday, it will be quiet the game and matchup for Solomon to prove he’s ready. Much of the ownness of filling the void left by Miller will be on Rousseau and AJ Epenesa, but a player like Solomon can turn out to be the difference, especially if he can help but pressure on Stroud and keep him in the pocket. At the same time, the Bills as an overall defense will have to be focused on the Texans’ balanced attack rushing and passing the ball.
Though undersized, that is where Solomon’s speed and power can come in as setting the edge will be big in both keeping Stroud contained and slowing down the Texans running game led by Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce. While his first NFL sack came in Week 3 against Jacksonville, Solomon’s biggest test and game could be this Sunday.
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If Miller’s suspension has a silver lining, it could just a player like Javon Solomon emerging as an impact player for the Bills’ defense sooner rather than later.