Expectations for Javon Solomon

[BillsFanForever19]

My expectations are that he'll be on the 53, but we shouldn't want to see much of him. With the depth at Defensive End we have, if we're noticing him on the field very often - that means we've had injuries.

[eball]

On 6/9/2025 at 6:26 PM, GunnerBill said:

Special teams is a critical part of this. Let's look at the DL guys who we think are locks for the roster:

 

Ed Oliver - does not play on STs

Greg Rousseau - v limited STs just the FG block unit

Joey Bosa - does not play on STs

TJ Sanders - did almost no STs at South Carolina

Landon Jackson - did do some STs at Arkansas and likely will for the Bills UNLESS he earns a heavy role in the DL rotation.

 

 

Then let's look at the other guys in the picture for roster spots:

 

Deone Walker - did not play special teams at Kentucky

Daquan Jones - does not play special teams

Dewayne Carter - does not play special teams

AJ Epenesa - v limited STs just the FG block unit the past couple of years (did do it more earlier in his career but was not good)

Michael Hoecht - been a core STer through his career

Larry Ogunjobi - v limited STs just the FG block units

Javon Solomon - core STer

 

 

They are the 12 guys in the mix for maybe 10 roster spots on the DL. If the keep 9 they can probably get away with just one of the backups being a core STs guy. But if they keep 10 or more they are going to need at least a couple of those guys to play teams. 

 

There are only 3 teams players there: Hoecht, Solomon and Jackson.

 

Hoecht is suspended for the first 6 weeks which means Soloman is very likely to be on the roster or you are asking Jackson as a rookie to not just play some teams but be a core STer while also, hopefully, working his way into the edge rotation. Is Solomon then at risk when Hoecht comes back? Yes. But it might depend where Landon Jackson is by that point. If he is getting a lot of run with the defense then I think Solomon has a chance to stick. 

 

Great analysis.  Solomon not making the 53 through at least the first six weeks would be a surprise.

 

[finn]

22 hours ago, I'm Spartacus said:

This is what I was thinking.

Solomon is 6ft. 1", and 247 lbs. With his speed and this size, would he fit in as a linebacker?

That's a thought. Rather than bulk up a safety like Matt Milano or Lewis Cine, why not switch a DE with speed to LB, especially if his chief purpose is to rush the passer and defend the run? Not saying there isn't a reason (I don't know), but if you're thin at LB and rich at DE, the question comes up. Would be nice to see some beef at LB when Henry is running downhill on us. 

[T master]

There are so many good young players the Bills have and separating them is going to be a very hard job ! I hope given what he did as a rookie and the upside that was said that he has he can prove him self to be worthy of the Bills keeping him but given all of the draft picks at that position this year that may be easier said than done .

 

If nothing else maybe he can be kept as a practice squad player to develop on what he has shown to this point because I think he for sure has potential !!

[Paup 1995MVP]

On 6/9/2025 at 2:35 PM, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

And lost two, Miller and Smoot and one is suspended for 6 games.

 

I wouldn't be shocked if AJ gets traded after the 6 week suspension is over assuming Solomon and Jackson look halfway decent and Bosa stays healthy.

I hope that all the additions on the D lIne light a fire under Epenesa.  He has shown bursts of real good play over his 5 years with the team.  But certainly not on a regular basis.  (I just looked up his career stats and he has 21.5 sacks over 5 seasons.  And only 2.5 in his first two years.  That's a real weak start to his career)  But the guy doesn't suck, and maybe playing with a big time DE like Bosa will help him hone his craft more, to the point that he becomes a big time contributor for us on a consistent basis week in and week out.  I am sure the Bills would love that. 

 

As for Solomon, he should get his chance to show improvement in training camp and the preseason.  And if he is making plays, he should have a decent chance to make the 53 man roster, and hopefully get some meaningful snaps.  But with all the changes to the D Line this offseason, its anybody's guess where Solomon projects on this years team.

[billsfan89]

15 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

My expectations are that he'll be on the 53, but we shouldn't want to see much of him. With the depth at Defensive End we have, if we're noticing him on the field very often - that means we've had injuries.

 

With Hoecht suspended there's gonna by some time for Jackson or Solomon to slot into that "Dwyane Smoot" back end DE rotation role.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

8 hours ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

I hope that all the additions on the D lIne light a fire under Epenesa.  He has shown bursts of real good play over his 5 years with the team.  But certainly not on a regular basis.  (I just looked up his career stats and he has 21.5 sacks over 5 seasons.  And only 2.5 in his first two years.  That's a real weak start to his career)  But the guy doesn't suck, and maybe playing with a big time DE like Bosa will help him hone his craft more, to the point that he becomes a big time contributor for us on a consistent basis week in and week out.  I am sure the Bills would love that. 

 

As for Solomon, he should get his chance to show improvement in training camp and the preseason.  And if he is making plays, he should have a decent chance to make the 53 man roster, and hopefully get some meaningful snaps.  But with all the changes to the D Line this offseason, its anybody's guess where Solomon projects on this years team.

 

Agree, but have to consider what is expected.  Recall reading something a few months back talking about Groot.  Basically it stated Groot has been been good, not great, but about what you'd expect for a player drafted around #30 overall.  Not look at AJ and he was drafted late in the 2nd round, #54, so maybe he too is doing about what realistically can be expected.   The problem is rarely do the words realistic and this message board go together.  

 

The average career of players drafted in round 2 is only 3.3 years so AJ has exceeded that.  Also read that only around 20% of all NFL drafted players have careers considered to be good or excellent.

 

What's it all mean.  Well from what many posters write, if any players drafted in 1st 3 rounds don't become stars, Beane failed.  But when you consider stats like this, he's not doing too bad, infact when you look at the Bills overall record over the past 5 to 6 years, he's doing very very good.  Certainly having Josh Allen helps a lot, but it's not all because of Allen either

[BillsFanForever19]

Just now, billsfan89 said:

 

With Hoecht suspended there's gonna by some time for Jackson or Solomon to slot into that "Dwyane Smoot" back end DE rotation role.

 

With Hoecht suspended, it still makes Solomon 5th in the pecking order to me. 

 

With Bosa being a walking injury waiting to happen (he's already been dinged up before Training Camp) and him not going to take so much as 50% of snaps, Jackson being a 3rd Rounder that has never played a down in the league, and Hoecht suspended - I don't see AJ being moved until Hoecht is in the lineup (if at all). 

 

We've only got the minimum 5 we keep at DE for Week 1-8 as it is. If we have an injury and we've moved on from AJE, we'd be short handed and relying on Jackson and Solomon. I don't see that happening.

 

So, yeah, long story short - with Hoecht in the lineup or not, Solomon is looking at 5th in the pecking order at best in my eyes. Which is the role he had last season. Jackson will be in Smoot's role.

[billsfan89]

2 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

With Hoecht suspended, it still makes Solomon 5th in the pecking order to me. 

 

With Bosa being a walking injury waiting to happen (he's already been dinged up before Training Camp) and him not going to take so much as 50% of snaps, Jackson being a 3rd Rounder that has never played a down in the league, and Hoecht suspended - I don't see AJ being moved until Hoecht is in the lineup (if at all). 

 

We've only got the minimum 5 we keep at DE for Week 1-8 as it is. If we have an injury and we've moved on from AJE, we'd be short handed and relying on Jackson and Solomon. I don't see that happening.

 

So, yeah, long story short - with Hoecht in the lineup or not, Solomon is looking at 5th in the pecking order at best in my eyes. Which is the role he had last season. Jackson will be in Smoot's role.

 

Jackson is a 3rd round rookie, he's gonna be in line to get those Smoot snaps but if Solomon proves to be having a better camp/pre-season he could jump him. 

[Victory Formation]

1 minute ago, billsfan89 said:

 

Jackson is a 3rd round rookie, he's gonna be in line to get those Smoot snaps but if Solomon proves to be having a better camp/pre-season he could jump him. 

I love Solomon, I see him as more of a Lorenzo Alexander/Haason Reddick type of player than as a pure DE.

 

Can he develop into a SLB who can also stop the run in heavy sets is the question I have.

 

I think we can expect about 5-6 sacks out of him while also serving as a STs ace.. Maybe more..

 

Fun player..

[Richard Noggin]

16 hours ago, finn said:

That's a thought. Rather than bulk up a safety like Matt Milano or Lewis Cine, why not switch a DE with speed to LB, especially if his chief purpose is to rush the passer and defend the run? Not saying there isn't a reason (I don't know), but if you're thin at LB and rich at DE, the question comes up. Would be nice to see some beef at LB when Henry is running downhill on us. 

 

When defensive players (mostly safeties) bulk UP over time to essentially line up closer to the LOS (as LBs), they are trying to get just big enough to hold up on the 2nd level without losing their presumed speed and agility advantages over naturally larger players. Plus they would be bringing heightened ball skills and experience in space/coverage, allegedly. 

 

To ask a pass rush specialist like Solomon to now learn how to backpedal and strafe, while learning complex coverage drops and route recognitions and more, seems counter productive. He's not super tall or heavy for a McD DE, but he is strong and long and best suited to attack the LOS. I've shared upthread that I think he could be a great fit as an odd-front rush OLB or someone who otherwise often lines up outside TEs. Can he carve out a role in this defense as a sub-package pass rush specialist? 

[Sierra Foothills]

On 6/10/2025 at 10:57 AM, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

He had one of the most productive college careers in recent memory as far as rushing the passer/getting into the backfield. Led the FBS w/ 16 sacks in 2024. If you would've just showed me the tape, I would've guessed he was a 2nd/3rd round pick. His height will always be the biggest knock on him, but that didn't stop players like Von Miller or Dwight Freeney, the latter being the closest NFL comparison I can think of.

 

Player                        Height             Weight               Arm Length       Wingspan           40 Yard           10 Yard Split

Elvis Dumervil         5'11.375              257                      32.625"              76"                    4.75                     1.65

Javon Solomon       6'                        246                     33.875"               80.250"             4.72                     1.65

 

[blacklabel]

On 6/11/2025 at 6:34 AM, Spiderweb said:

Anderson....

 

That's right. I didn't go back far enough, Anderson was here in 2012. Came off a 10 sack season in NE in 2011 and then did a whole buncha nuffin with the Bills. 

[boyst]

On 6/9/2025 at 11:39 AM, julian said:

Judging by the very low bar being used by most fans stemming from his limited year one snap count, he has an opportunity to surprise with very little year 2 improvement.

 

 Nice spot to be in I guess.

so, double the output?  2 snap counts?

[billsfan89]

10 hours ago, Victory Formation said:

I love Solomon, I see him as more of a Lorenzo Alexander/Haason Reddick type of player than as a pure DE.

 

Can he develop into a SLB who can also stop the run in heavy sets is the question I have.

 

I think we can expect about 5-6 sacks out of him while also serving as a STs ace.. Maybe more..

 

Fun player..

 

Interesting enough I also like Hoecht in that flex role across the defense. Solomon I don't know too much about as far as a fit in that way but I think he's got some pass rush upside and is less of a power rusher than some of the other DE's on the roster. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

8 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

Player                        Height             Weight               Arm Length       Wingspan           40 Yard           10 Yard Split

Elvis Dumervil         5'11.375              257                      32.625"              76"                    4.75                     1.65

Javon Solomon       6'                        246                     33.875"               80.250"             4.72                     1.65

 

Very impressive! Both drafted relatively close too. I would be absolutely ecstatic if JS turned out to be half of the player Dumervil was. One of the more underrated pass rushers in NFL history, IMO. You don’t see many guys who are sub-6 feet having that type of impact rushing the passer. I’m pretty convinced that Solomon would’ve been a high 1st rounder w/ more prototypical measurables.
 

People will scoff at his 2 sack total last year, but he did it buried deep on the depth chart under a coach who notoriously hates rookies. It showed me that he can beat pro level offensive tackles.

 

Joey Bosa’s health will greatly determine his level of production next year. I think the Bills are well prepared either way with an “assume the worst/hope for the best” mindset. For once, I am actually very content w/ the DL as a complete unit. I think Beane nailed the draft. Free Agency was a different story… 🤷‍♂️ 

[BillsShredder83]

On 6/10/2025 at 4:01 PM, blacklabel said:

 

Hmm...not sure who that would've been. My mind went to Manny Lawson maybe? He was around in the Rex era but I think he played for the Niners before the Bills. 

Anderson maybe? Mark Anderson, or something like that.. its driving me nuts

[Paup 1995MVP]

16 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Agree, but have to consider what is expected.  Recall reading something a few months back talking about Groot.  Basically it stated Groot has been been good, not great, but about what you'd expect for a player drafted around #30 overall.  Not look at AJ and he was drafted late in the 2nd round, #54, so maybe he too is doing about what realistically can be expected.   The problem is rarely do the words realistic and this message board go together.  

 

The average career of players drafted in round 2 is only 3.3 years so AJ has exceeded that.  Also read that only around 20% of all NFL drafted players have careers considered to be good or excellent.

 

What's it all mean.  Well from what many posters write, if any players drafted in 1st 3 rounds don't become stars, Beane failed.  But when you consider stats like this, he's not doing too bad, infact when you look at the Bills overall record over the past 5 to 6 years, he's doing very very good.  Certainly having Josh Allen helps a lot, but it's not all because of Allen either

Those are some very interesting numbers Ed.  Makes you stop and think that maybe the expectations of a lot of us fans are out of wack at times. 

 

Tell me why do a lot of people call Greg Rousseau Groot?  What is that about?

 

Rousseau and AJ have been solid to good a lot of the time.  But neither has been special.  And you know not many NFL guys are special players.  Tre White was special before his knee and achilles injuries.  Matt Milano was special in 2022 until injuries derailed his career in London 2023.  Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were a special safety combo together in their prime, although I don't think each on their own was quite on that special level.  But both were very good players.  Kyle Williams was a special player for most of his career.  

 

Lets hope that both Rousseau and AJ can raise their games some this season to a very good level most weeks.  I think most Bills fans would take that with a big tooth grin.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

35 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

Those are some very interesting numbers Ed.  Makes you stop and think that maybe the expectations of a lot of us fans are out of wack at times. 

 

Tell me why do a lot of people call Greg Rousseau Groot?  What is that about?

 

Rousseau and AJ have been solid to good a lot of the time.  But neither has been special.  And you know not many NFL guys are special players.  Tre White was special before his knee and achilles injuries.  Matt Milano was special in 2022 until injuries derailed his career in London 2023.  Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were a special safety combo together in their prime, although I don't think each on their own was quite on that special level.  But both were very good players.  Kyle Williams was a special player for most of his career.  

 

Lets hope that both Rousseau and AJ can raise their games some this season to a very good level most weeks.  I think most Bills fans would take that with a big tooth grin.

 

I guess it's just taking the G in Greg and adding it to the first few letters of his last name pronounced as Roo  Put them together, you have Groot and where the "T" at the end  comes from, not sure??

 

First time I read it, I wondered who they were talking about too.

Edited 15 hours ago by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[Poleshifter]

2 hours ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

Those are some very interesting numbers Ed.  Makes you stop and think that maybe the expectations of a lot of us fans are out of wack at times. 

 

Tell me why do a lot of people call Greg Rousseau Groot?  What is that about?

 

There is a Marvel comics character called Groot.