Eric Striker Signing Will Help Upgrade Buffalo Bills' Pass Rush

The 2016 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the NFL landscape has now shifted to another interesting part of the offseason. Teams are now trying to fill up their final roster spots with undrafted free agents and, as always, there were some solid players out on the market in the days after the draft. The Buffalo Bills were able to land one of the better players in Oklahoma’s Eric Striker, and he should be able to make the team’s final roster.

Striker was an absolute force during his career at Oklahoma, and his pass rush ability really helped to set him apart from the pack. Over the past three seasons Striker has been highly productive, totaling 22.5 sacks (with 9.5 coming in 2015), 191 total tackles and 45 tackles for loss. He’s a high motor player who is all over the field and frequently makes splash plays. He was part of the reason why Oklahoma made a run to make the College Football Playoff, and heading into the draft process it was widely assumed that some team would spend a selection on him.

However, thanks to some poor measurables, Striker ended up going undrafted. The problem was that he was viewed as a tweener by many in the NFL scouting community, at only 5-foot-11 and not running well in the 40 (4.8 range). While he impressed on the bench press, totaling 23 reps which was good for third among linebackers, it was not enough for teams. He did not project to be a defensive end, an edge rusher, or an inside linebacker. Teams viewed Striker as a good college player who simply would not be able to translate to the pro game because of his lack of athleticism.

Going to the Bills will be a perfect fit for Striker. The team runs a hybrid defense that utilizes 3-4 and 4-3 concepts, so Striker will be able to play multiple positions depending on the alignment. On the depth chart, he will probably end up being a backup SAM or WILL linebacker who plays mostly as an edge rusher in passing situations. His versatility will be a major weapon for Rex Ryan, who will almost certainly be able to get the most out of the unique player.

Striker made a good choice signing with Buffalo. He is coming in with a chip on his shoulder which will motivate him to work harder than he already does to become a contributor. It should not surprise anyone to see Striker make the roster and possibly have an impact on the Bills’ defense in 2016.