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Bills Already Have a Player to Watch in Training Camp
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Zane Durant has a really good opportunity in front of him.
The Buffalo Bills need help in the middle of their defensive line, and the rookie defensive tackle is a player who could earn a bigger role than some might expect during training camp.
Buffalo's issues against the run last season were hard to ignore. The Bills ranked near the bottom of the NFL in rushing defense, allowing too many big runs and giving opponents too much room to work with. That's where Durant could make his mark.
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Ed Oliver has been the mainstay inside for Buffalo, but the Bills have needed more consistency around him. They need someone who can battle in the trenches, take on blockers, and make things a little easier for the rest of the defense.
Durant has a chance to be that guy. The rookie defensive tackle brings quickness and the ability to create disruption from the interior. Buffalo also drafted T.J. Parker, but his role could be more focused on the edge in the team's 3-4 defensive system, which could open up more opportunities for Durant to see the field inside.
Working next to Oliver could be a valuable experience for a young player, for certain.
Oliver has already shown he can command attention from opposing offensive lines, and Durant could benefit from the chances that come when teams are focused elsewhere. The key will be whether he can hold up against NFL offensive linemen and make the most of his snaps.
That transition is never super easy. It's downright difficult.
Interior defensive linemen are thrown into some of the toughest battles on the field every week. Rookies usually have to adjust to the strength, technique, and speed of NFL blockers before they can become dependable contributors.
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But Durant doesn't need to do everything right away. The Bills aren't asking him to replace Oliver. They need him to bring some youth and energy to the position, help improve the run defense and prove he belongs in the rotation.
Training camp will be his first real chance to show what he can do.
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